Halfway between the rue de Belleville and the place du Colonel Fabien, a barely visible door leads to an institution. The Pacific has been around since 1983, founded by Madame Ly, whom regulars still recognise behind her counter, and it is one of the last Parisian addresses to offer home-made roast duck, chicken and pork, prepared fresh on the premises every day. It is one of the finest Cantonese establishments in Paris — generous, authentic, cultured.
The venue: a Parisian-style yamcha house
Stepping through the doors of the Pacifique is like entering a place that has barely changed in forty years: large round tables for groups, steam baskets circulating on trolleys, rotisserie on display with its hanging glossy ducks, golden chandeliers, and copper lighting. The dining room is vast — around 100 covers — but the atmosphere remains warm and friendly, especially on weekend lunchtimes when Asian families from Belleville gather there for yam cha (the Cantonese equivalent of Sunday brunch).
The experience is typically Hongkonger: you come in a group, you order a lot, you share everything, and you leave the table late with a full stomach and a reasonable bill. This is one of the last Parisian addresses to offer this atmosphere without falling into cliché.
The menu: uncompromising dim sum + legendary roast duck
The star aisle is obviously the homemade dim sum. Served continuously every day from 11 am to 11.30 pm, they include: steamed prawn dumplings, pork siu mai, cheung fun (steamed rice noodle rolls), chicken's feet in black bean sauce, grilled radish cake, and the famous prawn wonton dumpling soup in its clear cod broth. The whole range is prepared to order, steamed or fried depending on the format.
La chef's special remain Peking-style crispy duck — served in two courses: brilliantly lacquered crispy skin in flat pancakes with hoisin sauce, cucumber and spring onion for the first course, followed by sautéed shredded meat for the second. To be ordered the day before for a group of 2-4 people (~85€). The pork spare ribs salt and pepper is the other must-have — light, fragrant, addictive fried foods.
When it comes to sharing plates, we love the glutinous rice in lotus leaf, the char Siuthe beef chow fun fried noodlesand the Phnom Penh noodle soup with prawns (which departs slightly from the Cantonese register but is part of the Pacific heritage). For dessert, the barley and vanilla rice pudding is one of the very few in Paris — surprising and delicious.
The Yamcha experience: why come at the weekend?
The large format is experienced on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes : it is time for the Yamcha, where families gather around large tables to share 6, 10, 15 baskets of dim sum over three hours. Expect €15-20 per person for a standard lunch, around 28-40€ for a dinner with Peking duck. Fast, no-nonsense service in the finest Cantonese tradition.
The other strength of the Pacific: its almost continuous service from 11:00 to 23:30. It’s rare in Paris — you arrive at 5pm for a pot of tea and 4 baskets of dim sum, it’s open. On Wednesday at 11pm to pick up a takeaway duck, it’s open. It has become a meeting place for lovers of authentic Cantonese cuisine.
Why do we love it?
- An authentic institution since 1983 run by its founder — rare and precious in Paris
- Homemade Peking duck, one of the last of this quality in the capital
- Steamed dim sum made to order, pocket-friendly (4-8€ per basket)
- The weekend warrior - Chinese family atmosphere, rare in Paris
- All-day service 11:00–23:30 — practical, rare
- Very reasonable prices — €15–20 lunch, €28–40 dinner with duck
Practical information
📍 Address: 35 rue de Belleville, 75019 Paris
🚇 Underground: Belleville (lines 2, 11), Pyrénées (line 11)
🕒 Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 11:00-15:00 and 18:00-23:30 · Saturday-Sunday 11:00-23:30 · Closed Monday
💶 Price: Set menus €15 and €35 · À la carte €28-40/person · Roast duck ~€85 for 2-4 people
🌐 Website: restaurantpacifique.com
📸 Instagram : @restaurant.pacifique
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to book at the Pacifique?
Recommended for weekend lunchtime (dim sum) when tables fill up quickly. During the week, you can drop by without any trouble. For the roast duck, book the day before — it's prepared to order.
What is dim sum?
The Cantonese equivalent of brunch — sharing steamed dim sum while drinking jasmine tea between 10am and 2pm, with family or friends. It is a highly ritualised occasion in Asia, and Le Pacifique is one of the rare Parisian addresses to offer it authentically.
Is Le Pacifique suitable for a family dinner?
Spot on — in fact, it’s his favourite stomping ground. Large tables, sharing dishes, reasonable prices, noisy yet friendly atmosphere. Ideal for 4-8 persons. Children love tucking into the dim sum there.
To go further: find our best Chinese restaurants in Paris or our favourite Asian spots for going out with the family.
