Terra rekindles the flame

A longtime fixture of the Haut Marais dining scene, Terra enters a new chapter with the arrival of Allan Gillery Pavart, the self-taught chef whose résumé includes Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne, Pollen Street Social in London, Le Royal Monceau, Le Galopin and Le Verre Volé in Paris.

Behind the discreet façade on Rue des Gravilliers, the restaurant retains the charm of an urban refuge: glass ceilings, towering plants, candlelit tables, a visible wine cellar and an open kitchen built around a wood-fired grill. In the evenings, the room fills with neighborhood regulars, couples seeking an unfussy dinner, groups ordering generously for the table and wine enthusiasts drawn by the cellar’s thousand references spanning natural wines, iconic labels and rarer bottles.

Designed for sharing, the menu refuses anything too predictable. The opening plates set the tone: cod accras with jalapeño pickles and dandan sauce, lamb and beef keftas with pita, raita and zaatar, or langoustine sashimi with avocado, combawa oil and samphire. The larger plates embrace abundance without sacrificing finesse: leek and shiitake pelmeni with walnut crumble and cacio e pepe sauce (€64 for two), charcoal-grilled bluefin tuna belly with datterino tomatoes, padrón peppers, bisque and aioli (€76 for two), or Black Angus chuck flap steak with pepper sauce, fresh fries and gochujang (€95 for two). Desserts remain equally compelling, particularly the chocolate mousse with olive oil and smoked Maldon salt or the strawberry tartlet scented with rosemary and Thai basil.

Terra does not reinvent itself entirely – it simply burns brighter than before.