The restaurant of Emily in Paris really exists

The third season of Emily in Paris arrived on Netflix just before the Christmas holidays, giving fans and haters alike a chance to comment on the looks and love affairs of Emily and her friends, but also to take a virtual tour of Paris. Despite a few excursions around France, from the famous lavender fields of Provence to the Loire Valley with its castles to the luxurious hotels with swimming pools on the French Riviera, the real star of the series is the Ville Lumiere. Even before Gabriel and Alfie fall in love, it is the city that is the true love of the character played by Lily Collins, and while she is sightseeing and having her adventures, we are by her side, discovering fascinating sights, ancient palaces, romantic bridges and quaint cafes. One of the most recurring and recognizable locations in the series created by Darren Star is definitely Gabriel's restaurant, a place where Emily, Camille and Mandy are almost at home, where they go to chat, kiss, have a glass of wine and eat one of the delicious dishes prepared by the handsome chef. 

While in fiction the restaurant changes its name according to the season, from Les deux compères to Chez Lavaux and in recent episodes L'Esprit de Gigi, in honor of the grandmother and first cooking teacher of the character played by Lucas Bravo, in reality it is called Terra Nera. With its distinctive magenta-red stained glass windows and curtains, it occupies 18 Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques, in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, the neighborhood where the prestigious Sorbonne University is also located. Since Emily Cooper landed on Netflix, the address has become a pilgrimage destination for fans who can't wait to sit at one of the tables, breathe in some of the Parisienne atmosphere evoked by the show, and maybe meet a handsome, blue-eyed chef. The Instagrammable effect is assured, but don't expect to find quiche Lorraine or cassoulet, but Neapolitan specialties repurposed to local tastes by owners Johann Baranes and Valerio Abate. The menu at this traditional Italian bistro includes cotoletta alla milanese, caponata alla siciliana, linguine alle vongole, but the highlights are pasta, fish main courses. There is also a special menu created in homage to the series that begins with an Americano as an aperitif, an appetizer with burrata pugliese and Sicilian cherry tomatoes, ends with a tiramisu for dessert, and as a main course offers Emily's beef tagliata, that is, a beef tenderloin accompanied by arugula, parmesan shavings, and balsamic vinegar sauce from Modena. The choice of this recipe alludes to one of the earliest episodes of the series, when Emily and Mandy find themselves having lunch together in the restaurant they do not yet know is Gabriel's place of business, and the American complains about the cooking of her meat, indisposing the chef.

So if you are also a fan of the Netflix series and want to experience some of its magic during your tour of Paris, before you say bon appétit and taste the cuisine of Black Earth, take a good look around because nearby you might recognize the Boulangerie Moderne (at 6 Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques) where Emily orders (and devours) her first pain au chocolat and the chambre de bonne that the American shares with Mandy, which is located in a picturesque building in Place de l'Estrapade and, despite the name evoking that public floggings were once held here, is a delightful sight, complete with fountain and flowering trees.