Eme
At Eme in the Marais in early 2026, Lindsey Tramuta of The Infatuation ate pigeon served with a caramelized sorrel leaf, roasted sunchoke and a parsley-parsnip purée
arranged like a painter's palette.1
Why go
The Uruguayan cook Nazareno Mayol Curti opened it in late 2025 in the old Capitaine space (Paris by Mouth). He came from the kitchens of Fulgurances, David Toutain and Mirazur. His partner Mara Ballester, who worked for the Bras family and Albert Adrià, runs the room and hangs her own paintings in it (Le Fooding). Lindsey Tramuta of The Infatuation wrote in March 2026 that the area around the Place des Vosges has always punched embarrassingly below its weight when it comes to creative dining,
and that Eme is here to change that.
(The Infatuation)
The smoke is what sets his cooking apart. Tramuta tasted it in a winter plate of Brussels sprouts with habanero in a smoky curry beurre blanc sauce.
Le Fooding's critic found the pan criollo (a rustic bread), served with the bird course, slicked with barbecued duck fat, which was worth the journey alone
at lunch in January 2026 (Le Fooding). Meg Zimbeck of Paris by Mouth called it the meal's most satisfying moment
in March 2026 (Paris by Mouth). Ekaterina Allegra of Yonder wrote in September 2026 that he draws on the barbecues of his childhood to give his dishes subtle smoky and grilled notes
(des notes fumées et grillées subtiles
) (Yonder).
Zimbeck was the cooler voice. She rated Eme fine, with one star, and wrote that the cooking is technically precise and occasionally memorable
and the room is handsome and quiet. Too quiet, perhaps.
Her last line was Eme is fine — which may not be enough.
(Paris by Mouth)
Lunch was five courses for 75 euros and dinner nine courses for 115 in January 2026 (Le Fooding). Tramuta's advice: Bring someone who nerds out on plate aesthetics and artisanal ceramics, and who you want to surprise.
(The Infatuation)
Order this / avoid
The kitchen sends a set menu.
- On the menu: shiso leaf with chicken skin and black garlic. Meg Zimbeck, Paris by Mouth, March 2026:
the kind of bite that stays with you.
3 - On the menu: pan criollo with the bird course. Lindsey Tramuta, The Infatuation, March 2026:
deliriously rich.
1 - On the menu: cod with a warm smoked-milk mousse. Ekaterina Allegra, Yonder, September 2026:
cod lifted by a warm smoked-milk mousse that brings a delicate clarity
(un cabillaud magnifié par une mousse tiède de lait fumé apportant une clarté délicate
).4 - On the menu: honey, pollen and miso. Allegra, September 2026: an interlude that
closes the meal on a lingering note of umami
(clôture le repas sur une note d'umami persistante
).4 - Drink: Zimbeck, March 2026:
The drinks list is serious and expensive, and there's a thoughtful non-alcoholic section.
A glass of Les Grandes Vignes chenin was 13 euros in January 2026.32
What locals & experts say
- Ekaterina Allegra, Yonder, September 2026:
A chef's table that hits the mark without making noise
(Une table d'auteur qui touche juste, sans faire de bruit
).4
Good to know
- Days: lunch and dinner Thursday to Saturday, dinner only Tuesday and Wednesday, shut Sunday and Monday, in March 2026.3
- Booking: book online or call +33 1 44 61 11 76.3
- Finding it: 4 impasse Guéménée, a cul-de-sac off the southern Marais near the Place des Vosges.1
Verdict
could-visit — Try Eme for a young Uruguayan cook's tasting menu near the Place des Vosges, with smoke running through several courses. Lunch was five courses for 75 euros in 2026. Paris by Mouth found it only fine.