In 1959, Paul Gineste de Saurs purchased an Italian restaurant called Le Relais de Venise in the 17th arrondissement of Paris near Porte Maillot with the intention of developing a market for the wines produced by his family’s winery near Toulouse. M de Saurs decided to keep the operation simple: he retained the Venetian décor, added a ‘L’Entrecôte’ sign outside and offered customers a no-choice menu of French bistrot favourites: a salad starter followed by steak-frites. Whereas most restaurants served steak-frites with herbed butter, he served it instead with a secret recipe sauce containing various herbs, spices and condiments. It was only at the end of the meal that customers were presented with a choice for the desserts and cheeses. This same recipe has entranced visitors to Le Relais de Venise for generations. We keep it a closely guarded secret, for reasons you’ll discover when you have your first taste!
Steak-frites is one of the world’s favourite meals, enjoyed by people of all ages and all walks of life. We’re proud that our restaurants reflect the multi-cultural, cheek-by-jowl camaraderie of the world’s major cities. Our guests are often found chatting between tables or while waiting in the queue outside the restaurant during busy periods (we don’t take bookings). The buzzy atmosphere is one of the reasons so many customers come again and again.