After a year and a half in Paris, today I finally visited Pousse-Pousse and my bitter regret at not having gone there long ago is exceeded only by the intense joy I experienced while eating at this Raw oasis in the city.
Pousse-Pousse is a small and elegant raw organic vegetarian restaurant. We arrived and immediately noticed the shelves containing supplies for a raw food lifestyle: masticating juicers (vs. the inferior and ubiquitous centrifugal type), dehydrator, sprouting supplies, including a wide range of seeds and legumes, already sprouted sprouts for take away, green powder superfoods, etc.) But we also noticed the beautiful chandelier and vibrant green tables.
Pousse-Pousse seems to have a philosophy of providing an inviting eating experience to all, and they offer a combination of raw and some cooked vegetarian food. We asked to get our food all-raw: and it was so good, that it would satisfy anyone even if they have never tried, or never enjoyed, raw food before.
We opened up with wheatgrass shots and without irony raised our glasses and said “Santé”.
I wanted lots of greens so we followed the shots with a juice of cucumber, fennel, arugula, ginger, and fruit. Wow! It was alive with delicious complex flavors that just screamed energy.
Next, we shared the plate of the day. It was a salad of mixed greens and sprouts, spring rolls with a glorious pesto dipping sauce, two sprouted legume ‘caviars’, cumin and curry, served with flax and sunflower seed crackers, endive boats filled with perfectly diced and marinated carrot and daikon and also sliced avocado topped with a rich spirulina cream. Yes, it was so good that I had to list every ingredient!
We ate in a lovely friendly atmosphere as the owner, Lawrence, and her team conversed warmly with the happy diners. On the way out, I picked up a raw maca chocolate to take with me.
I have had the fortune to eat in many raw restaurants in the US, and I have to say that Pousse-Pousse is in the highest rank in providing amazing food in a lovely atmosphere. And it does this while being a pioneer in a country that is so associated with its animal-based cuisine.
Raw food usually tends to be costly due to the high quality of the organic and super-food ingredients, and craftsmanship involved. I found the prices at Pousse-Pousse to be very reasonable: for example a fresh juice and a main dish is 17€.
I took a long time to get there, but it won’t be long before I go back!
Pousse-Pousse
7, rue Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, 75009
Métro: Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
01 53 16 10 81
Vegan Pilgrim 
Hello Emily,
I am so glad I found your blog! I’d moved to Paris a month ago and have to say that I’ve been desperately trying to find a place that serves raw cuisine (my bf suggested eating salads LOL) I think this is the only thing I miss about NYC…anyway I’m definitely going to visit Pousse-Pousse when I have the chance! Do you know the opening hours of this restaurant?
Merci beaucoup!
Jenny
Hi Jenny,
I dream of NYC raw food too! I know that Pousse-Pousse opens for lunch and dinner, with a gap in-between. SInce restaurants change their hours a lot, I recommend calling: their answering machine tells their hours.
Emily
You have a lovely blog! I’ve been dreaming of going to Paris and I’m a vegetarian. Hopefully this will provide me a great help when I finally get to visit it one day!
omg cool thanks 🙂 had no idea paris had a raw restaurant, can’t wait to check it out!!! thankssss
Hi, I can’t understand how to add your blog in my rss reader. Can you Help me, please? I really want to read your future posts.
I am so glad I came across your blog. I had an amazing raw meal at Pousse Pousse yesterday!! I even had a green juice!!
The owner was super friendly and accommodating to my special dietary needs. The food was absolutely delicious!! It made me so happy!!
I was in Paris recently and, as a raw foodist, was so looking forward to visiting Pousse Pousse. Unfortunately, it was NOT a good experience. We went in the afternoon for lunch, and were told that they were not serving lunch.
The man working there was very rude (the epitome of the rude French stereotype which I rarely see in Paris) and after asking several times, he barked at us that they were not open for dinner that night, that we could come back the next night, but that we probably would not get a table because they were SO popular that it was always VERY crowded. He was not friendly or welcoming or helpful AT ALL. I am from California where most raw foodists are warm, loving, spiritual people. This guy the exact opposite. He was such a turn off that we did not bother to try to go back.
There are many other lovely, warm, friendly vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Paris which were most accommodating to my raw food diet.
Sadly, if Pousse Pousse is all Paris has to offer to the raw foodist, it has a LONG way to go.
The blog post is great but I gotta say, commenter “chris” is either lying or confused. I go to Pousse Pousse about twice a week; they are only open for lunch and never for dinner, so why would someone have told him to come back the next night? Not true. Also, there’s about five tables, it’s really tiny, so it is often pretty busy and sometimes you have to wait for a table. Just wanted to respond to the weird lies.
And yeah, this is France. Not everyone who works in every restaurant wants to be your best friend and tell you to have the, like, total best day ever. Get over it.
Ow thanx for your review on this restaurant, I’m returning to Paris in december and feel so much better, now that I know that I can eat something nice and healing…Love, Jules
Just reading other comments. We were there April and are returning next year. Can’t wait, the food was wonderful, very friendly staff. Went on to try Saf in London, Pure Food & Wine NYC plus their Lucky Duck,
then Planet Raw LA. Any vegan raw foodist would love
Pousse Pousse. The menue is not as extensive as NY,
but the taste was magic. We are starved of such eating
places in Sydney.
Julie – I’ll be in Paris this week – maybe see you at Pousse Pousee!! 🙂
I called an got their message, I don’t speak any french. Can anyone tell me what time they open?
Thank you!!
Best,
Nora
Wonderful food, am coming back in April after eating here 4 times last year in April.
nd it does this while being a pioneer in a country that is so associated with its animal-based cuisine.
raw food and vegan
Dear Nora,in case you still need the information,here is the time schedule :
The restaurant is open from
Tuesday to Friday: 12 pm to 3 pm
and Saturday 12pm to 4 pm.
And I love this place too!
I enjoyed very much the raw plate followed by the raw chocolate cake!!! 😉
Even if it’s a little expensiveto me it feels soooo good that it’s worthy!!
I’m french myself and I agree,French people are not always the most nice people in the world!Concerning Pousse Pousse, I found them very warm and welcoming.
By the way I had a lot of fun reading your post Maria! ;-):
“And yeah, this is France. Not everyone who works in every restaurant wants to be your best friend and tell you to have the, like, total best day ever. Get over it.”
Anyway I miss America too ! 😉
great! we are coming to Paris soon and will def find you!
great place … service wonderful as is the food. I wobnder where that wierdo chris went?
lovely place! We’ve had lunch here today. Delicious and healthy food, friendly and welcoming people! Thanks. Mihaela
Good info. Lucky me I discovered your site by chance (stumbleupon).
I’ve saved as a favorite for later!