If you’re a lover of Italian cuisine, Simonetta is an absolute must! We’ve tested it many times here at Urbansider, and we brought our pickiest friends — aka Italians living in Paris — with us. And it’s unanimous: Simonetta’s pizzas are among the best in the City of Lights (some of our jurors even crowned it best of them all, but this assertion led to a very lively debate).
The menu is composed of the most popular dishes from the Bel Paese: a nice choice of antipasti, including Burrata or Bufala, fresh and tasty insalate, a selection of fancy pastas, and a mix of classic pizzas such as the Margarita or the Divola and some gourmet ones like the tartufo and pistachio.
Set on the banks of the Canal de l’Ourcq, a few hundred yards from the Parc de la Villette, Simonetta was one of the first trendy spots to open in this neighborhood on the rise.
It was founded by a duo of interior designers, which explains the refined decoration of the place. Mirrored ceiling and wooden floor, comfortable wooden booths equipped with green velvet seats, overflowing potted plants, and touches of woven rattan here and there. Simonetta falls within the contemporary aesthetic of big city restaurants — elegant, convivial, and very Instagrammable.
During summer, if you’re lucky, you might be able to get a seat on the terrasse to enjoy a spritz and a creamy burrata next to the canal. Come wintertime, the restaurant gets quite crowded and you might end up at one of the tables at the back of the restaurant if you don’t come early.
That might be the place’s only fault: as often in Parisian restaurants, the tables so close to one another it can feel like you’re dining with complete strangers. Therefore we advise you avoid the place if you’re planning on discussing private matters with your date, unless you make a reservation and state that you have some secrets to share over your meal.
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