Drouant

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Drouant is a famous French restaurant in Paris, located at 16–18 place Gaillon in the 2nd arrondissement near the Palais Garnier. It opened in 1880 as a bar and tobacco shop founded by Charles Drouant and soon became known for fresh oysters from Brittany. The business passed to his son Jean in 1914, then to his nephew from 1946 to 1976. After several owners, chef Louis Gondard earned the restaurant its first Michelin star in 1988 and two stars in 2005. In 2006 Antoine Westermann, a member of the Drouant family, became chef and owner and the place was renamed Drouant par Antoine Westermann. In 2018 the Gardinier brothers bought the restaurant, and since then Émile Cotte has been the chef, preparing French dishes with seasonal products.

Inside, the ground floor was designed by Pascal Desprez with a Neoclassical look, while private lounges are on the upper floors. In 2014, to celebrate 100 years of the Prix Goncourt, quotes from all ten jury members were painted on the walls. The Prix Goncourt jury has met on the first Tuesday of each month since 1914 in the salon Goncourt, and votes in November for the year's winner. Since 1926, the Prix Renaudot jury has gathered in the salon Renaudot. A scene from the 1965 film The Sucker was filmed at Drouant.