Deux Gares Express brings style back to Parisian station dining
Train passengers travelling to and from Paris can enjoy more than a sad sandwich at a restaurant evoking the golden age of rail.
The advent of quick, low-cost air travel brought the heyday of grand train journeys to an end and with it a venerable institution: the glamorous railway restaurant. In the 1900s these establishments turned train terminals into destinations in which to linger but they were subsequently replaced by samey, uninspiring chains. Thankfully, things are changing – at least in Paris.
When Parisian hospitality group Touriste opened Deux Gares Express in October 2025 – just below its Hôtel Les Deux Gares – the restaurant concept seemed a little nostalgic. But located between the Gare de l’Est and the Gare du Nord, the site, which overlooks the tracks, now enjoys plenty of footfall.
Understanding the transience of its clientele was important, says founder Adrien Gloaguen. “Efficiency is the key aspect of the express concept. The dining counter plays a central role. You can sit there and enjoy the dish of the day in 20 minutes while keeping an eye on the clock.”
Gloaguen also had a point to prove. “For too long, ‘station food’ has been synonymous with mediocrity,” he says. “We wanted to challenge that stereotype. After all, a good meal is the best way to start or end a journey.” Dishes include oeuf mayonnaise, brioche croque monsieur and soup of the day.
The interiors are by UK designer Luke Edward Hall, who cherry-picked the best in French and British design with panache. The eccentric 1970s style includes green marble tables, antique furniture from a French monastery and a dresser that looks more like something from a domestic kitchen than a commercial one. “The idea was to recreate the excitement of the station buffets of yesteryear but with a bolder colour palette and a touch of humour,” says Gloaguen. “The result feels almost cinematic.”
Open from 07.30 until 22.00, Deux Gares Express is more dependable than the trains. Gloaguen ensures that Parisians and travellers are fed from morning until night. “Stations never sleep and neither do hotels,” he says. “We need to be there at all times of the day.” The railway restaurant, it seems, is back on track.
hoteldeuxgares.com
This article is from Monocle’s March issue, The Monocle 100, which features our editors’ favourite 100 figures, destinations, objects and ideas.
Read the rest of the issue here.
