Oct 15, 20254 min read

Follow our buyers and what they ate during Paris Fashion Week for SS26.

Jet-Lag, Runway Rush & Forkfuls of Paris

A behind-the-scenes diary of our bi-annual Paris Fashion Week buying trip—and every plate that kept us going.

Day 1 — Ober Mamma

107 Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, 75011 Paris
bookings: sevenrooms.com / obermamma@bigmamma.com

After a ten-hour flight and seven straight hours of showroom visits we collapsed under Ober Mamma’s jungle-green glass roof.

What we ate

Focaccia & Prosciutto The focaccia arrived piping hot, sea-salted, and airy; the 24-month ham melted in as soon as it hit the warm bread—exactly the kind of carb-boost you dream about while taxiing down the runway.
Tagliolini al Tartufo Silky ribbons coated in a buttery Parmigiano emulsion, finished with more fresh truffle than seems reasonable; every bite had that earthy punch that keeps you picking at the plate long after the “I’m full” alarm.
Carbonara Tableside toss, guanciale in generous cubes, sauce glossy but never heavy. After three forkfuls jet lag felt like someone else’s problem.

Jet-lag cure score: 9/10

Day 2 — Between Showrooms

Breakfast

Standard hotel spread: croissants, fruit, double espressos—the usual buyer-fuel.

Lunch — Le Petit Vendôme

8 Rue des Capucines, 75002 Paris +33 1 42 61 05 88

Nothing fancy here, just bar-counter chaos and the city’s benchmark jambon-fromage baguette. The crust shattered on first bite, the cultured butter ran salty-sweet, and the Prince-de-Paris ham made every other ham-and-cheese feel like a sad airport sandwich.

Dinner — La Massara

70 Rue de Turbigo, 75003 Paris +33 1 42 74 13 94

Warm Sicilian energy, white-tiled wood-fire oven in full view.

Burratina Pugliese Creamy center that flowed like cream when cut, balanced by a tangy caponata.
Mozzafiato Pizza Speck, cherry tomatoes, smoked bufala; crust blistered, light, and gone before the bottle of Etna Rosso hit halfway.
Rusidda Pizza Ricotta salata, charred dough, basil oil—Sicilian sunshine disguised as dinner.

Day 3 — Marathon Eating

Lunch — Happy Nouilles

95 Rue Beaubourg, 75003 Paris +33 1 44 59 31 22

Hand-pulled noodles slapped against the counter on repeat. We went for the classic beef bowl: springy noodles, deep five-spice broth, enough chilli oil to wake up any palate dulled by showroom lighting.

Dinner — Aux Crus de Bourgogne

3 Rue Bachaumont, 75002 Paris +33 1 42 33 48 24

1930s mirrors, Burgundy flowing, and the Domrebel crew at our side—our second-favourite dinner of the week.

White Asparagus & Buttered Spinach Minimal seasoning, letting peak-season produce do the heavy lifting.
Escargots Shells swimming in garlicky parsley butter; we mopped up every drop with baguette ends.
Boeuf Bourguignon Fork-tender beef, rich wine gravy, pure comfort.
Chicken with Yellow-Wine & Morels Silky sauce, woodsy mushrooms, plate scraped clean.
Pepper Steak Show-stopping Cognac flambé tableside, pepper crust delivered a perfect bite each time.

Day 4 — Last-Call Bites Before the Red-Eye

Lunch — Paperboy Paris

137 Rue Amelot, 75011 Paris +33 1 43 38 12 13

Hip hop on vinyl, surf-shop vibes.

Fried Chicken Burger Buttermilk crunch, pickled slaw zip, brioche that held integrity to the last bite.
Falafel Plate Herb-packed, crisp, bright tahini dressing—proof their veggie game matches the meat.

Dinner — JIP

112 Rue de la Roquette, 75011 Paris • contact@jip.paris

Twelve seats, one chef, and a €35 set that packs the punch of a tasting menu twice the price. We decided to “try everything” and split each option across the table.

Course	Dish	What I Thought
First	Sashimi — lime, green chili, smoked oil	Bright and briny; the citrus-chili hit jolts the palate awake after a day of showroom fatigue.
	Crescent Moon — courgette, kim, datterino tomato, tofu	A cool, almost ceviche-like salad; the sheet of roasted seaweed (kim) slips in just enough funk to keep things interesting.
Second	Madame Butterfly — prawn, Sichuan aioli, fennel	Plump prawn perched on an aioli that buzzes with numbing pepper; fennel threads add a fresh crunch. My favourite bite of the set.
	Duxelle Mandoo — mushroom duxelles, sweet potato, béarnaise	A French-Korean mash-up: earthy mushrooms meet a silky béarnaise; the sweet-potato wrapper gives it a subtle sweetness.
Third	Number 8 Noodle — squid ink, chili oil, anchovy spinach, herb oil, mussel broth	Jet-black noodles bathed in a briny broth that tastes like a midnight swim in the Mediterranean; chili oil delivers a lingering warmth.
	Flavor Town Cold Noodle — Parmesan, eggplant custard, tahini, gochujang	A chilled, slippery tangle with nutty tahini and a sneaky cheese umami; gochujang ties it back to Korea. Surprisingly refreshing.
Extras	Continental Bibim — skate wing, chili prawn jam, pickled shallot	Flaky skate meets sweet-hot jam; the shallot adds sparkle. Worth the €12 add-on.
	Potato Salad — celery, cold sauté potatoes	Think French bistro potato salad dialed up with smoky sautéed cubes.
	Strawberry Sorbet — Brillat-Savarin, kiwi, olive oil	Peak-season strawberries, grassy olive-oil notes, and a creamy cheese crumble—like cheesecake meets granita. A perfect reset before the red-eye home.

Verdict: Every plate felt thought-through and playful without tipping into gimmick. If you can only book one dinner next season, make it JIP—and request the bar seats so you can watch the crew assemble those jet-black squid-ink noodles in real time.

Takeaways for Next Season

Truffle pasta still reigns as the pre-showroom carb champion.
If you’re short on time, that jambon-beurre from Le Petit Vendôme beats any grab-and-go.
Book JIP the moment flights are confirmed—eight counter seats disappear fast.

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