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In France, Flanders, and the Francophone world, a brasserie (pronounced [bʁas(ə)ʁi] ^ⓘ) is a type of French restaurant with a relaxed setting, which serves dishes and other meals.

The word brasserie is French for "brewery" and, by extension, "the brewing business". Although most brasseries still serve a large selection of beers, most of them offer a wider choice of beverages such as wines and liquors.^[1] A brasserie can be expected to have professional service, printed menus, and, traditionally, white linen—unlike a bistro which may have none of these. Typically, a brasserie is open every day and serves the same menu, generally composed of a few traditional French dishes, all day. A classic example of a brasserie dish is steak frites.^[2]

Etymology

The term brasserie is French for "brewery", from Middle French brasser "to brew", from Old French bracier, from Vulgar Latin braciare, of Celtic origin. Its first usage in English was in 1864.^[3] The origin of the word probably stems from the fact that beer was brewed on the premises rather than brought in: thus an inn would brew its own beer as well as supply food and invariably accommodation too.^{[citation needed]}

In 1901 Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language defined "brasserie" as "in France, any beer-garden or saloon".^[4] In 2000 The New Penguin English Dictionary included this definition of "brasserie": "a small informal French-style restaurant".^[5]

Parisian examples

Amongst the most renowned places considered to be brasseries, Bouillon Chartier is probably the most emblematic. Located in the 9th arrondissement in Paris, it was opened in 1896 by the brothers Frédéric and Camille Chartier. The brand soon expanded to over ten brasseries in Paris; three remain today, alongside the initial location on the Rue du Faubourg-Montmartre: on the Boulevard du Montparnasse in the 6th arrondissement and on the Rue du 8-Mai-1945 in the 10th arrondissement. Former locations still operating include:

Café Procope in the 6th arrondissement, first opened in 1686, becoming a revolutionary meeting place amid the French Revolution;
Bouillon Julien in the 10th arrondissement, noted for its Art Nouveau interior;
Bouillon Racine in the 6th arrondissement, also noted for its Art Nouveau interior, attracting students and staff of Sorbonne University nearby;
Le Vagenende, on Boulevard Saint-Germain in the 6th arrondissement, also noted for its Art Nouveau interior.^[6]

To this day, both locals and tourists visit the Bouillon Chartier establishments, decorated in the Belle Époque style, to eat traditional and cheap dishes.^[7]

The Closerie des Lilas, located in the 6th arrondissement, opened in 1847 and has been visited by many creatives such as Pablo Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre, Oscar Wilde, Louis Aragon, Ernest Hemingway, Émile Zola, Paul Cézanne, as well as F. Scott Fitzgerald.^[8]^[9] Brasserie Lipp on Boulevard Saint-Germain in the 6th arrondissement sponsors an annual literary prize, the Prix Cazes, named for a previous owner.^{[citation needed]}

La Mère Catherine, a brasserie founded in 1793, is the oldest still-operating restaurant at the Place du Tertre in Montmartre.^[10] The Grand Café des Capucines, opened in 1875 on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement, soon became a well-known place for dinner after shows at the Opéra Garnier nearby.^[11]

References

^ "Origine et histoire de la brasserie parisienne". Royal Opéra (in French). 2018-11-26. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
^ Bourdain, Anthony (29 January 2002). "Childhood Favorites". A Cook's Tour. Season 2. Episode 9. 3 minutes in. Food Network. I'm looking for the authentic and the familiar, some classic brasserie chow: steak frite.
^ "Definition of BRASSERIE". Merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
^ Davidson, Thomas, comp. Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language. London: W. & R. Chambers; p. 113
^ The New Penguin English Dictionary ; consultant editor: Robert Allen. London: Penguin, 2000; p. 167
^ Matthieu Flory, Clémentine Forissier: Restaurants, brasseries et bistrots parisiens. Editions Ereme, Paris 2007, ISBN 978-2-915337-47-1, S. 116–119.
^ "L'histoire des cafés et grandes brasseries de Paris". Paris ZigZag | Insolite & Secret (in French). Retrieved 2023-02-07.
^ La rédaction (2021-10-19). "Les brasseries mythiques de Paris". Vivre Paris (in French). Retrieved 2023-02-07.
^ Caroline Nowlin, Hemingway and Montparnasse, www.wluparis.omeka.wlu.edu.
^ Williams, Ellen (1 January 2001). The Historic Restaurants of Paris: A Guide to Century-Old Cafes, Bistros and Gourmet Food Shops. New York Review of Books. pp. 245–. ISBN 978-1-892145-03-1. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ Eric Le Mitouard (2019-04-24). "Brasserie : le Grand Café Capucines se modernise pour attirer les Parisiens". Le Parisien (in French).