L'Epicerie Générale (CLOSED)

Feeling that Paris was in urgent need of an organic fine food store, Maud, Claude and Lucio decided to open L’Epicerie Générale in February 2011. Apart from the tea, coffee and sugar, all the seasonal produce comes from local, certified organic French producers. Thirtysomethings close to their grandparents, the owners have inherited a taste for the rustic and a love of natural good value that has nothing to do with organic cliché of beards and beansprouts. Here, environment-conscious gourmands can enjoy cheeses, charcuterie, fruit, vegetables, Hennequin preserves – gourmet and ethical products. Many products also have a social consciousness, like the ‘Miel Béton’ (‘concrete honey’), made on the roofs of Saint Denis by ‘Le Parti Poétique’, which raises awareness about the extinction of bees. For lunch and snacking, there are also gourmet sandwiches to take away, also very convenient for munching during intervals at the nearby Théâtre de l’Odéon.

L’Epicerie Générale is also developing its own range of branded products, like La Strix, the first organic French vodka, and the undergrowth-scented ‘Noctua Muscus’ candles.