This Montmartre institution has been serving up the most ridiculously oversized salads in Paris for decades — we're talking bowls that could feed a family of four. Perched on the Abbesses hill with a sunny terrace overlooking boulevard Clichy, it's the kind of unpretentious bistro where you come hungry and leave barely able to walk. The Southwestern French menu goes beyond the famous salads with duck, foie gras, and garlic-sautéed potatoes, all served by a friendly team that keeps things moving fast even when the place is packed. Skip the overpriced tourist traps on place du Tertre and come here instead — this is what a real Montmartre bistro feels like.
The most ridiculously oversized salads in Paris, served on a sunny Abbesses terrace with a view over boulevard Clichy.
Grab a terrace table around 2pm when the sun hits — and definitely share one salad between two people unless you're planning to skip dinner.
Giant salads and sunny terraces on the Abbesses hill
If you've spent the morning wandering Montmartre and you're starving, Le Relais Gascon is exactly where you want to end up. This place is famous for one thing above all: its salades géantes — enormous bowls piled high with greens, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, black olives, emmental, chicken, and garlic-sautéed potatoes. One salad is genuinely a meal for two people, and locals know it. The terrace catches the sun beautifully in the early afternoon, with a view down over boulevard Clichy that's worth the climb alone.
Beyond the salads, the kitchen turns out solid Southwestern fare — think duck, foie gras, and hearty Gascon classics that pair perfectly with a glass of red from the Southwest. The service is friendly and quick, which is no small feat given the constant flow of customers. It's not a gastronomic experience and it won't blow your mind, but it's honest, generous, and exactly the kind of place you want in your back pocket when you're in the 18th. Come hungry, share a salad, and enjoy the view.