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The Big Mamma Group has done it again. And how their latest venture, La Felicità – their 7th, newest, and biggest restaurant in Paris – can be trumped is anyone’s guess. La Felicità (which means happiness in Italian) comes in at 4500m2 (including 1000m2 of terrace) with 1000 seats, also claiming the title as the biggest restaurant in Europe.
Located inside start-up central Station F in the 13th arrondissement (their first restaurant on the rive gauche), La Felicità is a huge dining hall whose endless eating options may be anxiety-inducing for the indecisive amongst us (me). Outside is a wood fire pizzeria Napoletana and a grande griglia serving BBQ meats, inside is a risotto bar; a panificio serving focaccias and salads; a trattoria with antipasti and pasta fresca; a caffeteria for brunch, coffee and sweets; a burger pop-up; and finally a cocktail bar.
Where to sit is the next question. Bask in the summer sunshine in a lounge chair with an umbrella on the terrace, sit with a group at one of their large communal tables, or cozy up amongst two old SNCF carriages that have been revamped with street art. Like their other restaurants, each section of La Felicità has a slightly different decoration and feel. But everywhere are pretty lights, giant painted balloons, vintage carpets and greenery (it’s an Instagrammer’s heaven).
To top it all off, La Felicità will also be running a diverse program of events including live music, exhibitions, creative workshops, film screenings, summer outdoor festivals, kids activities and more. Thursdays are for aperitivo and brunch is served on Sundays.
For those wondering about the queue (a common feature at all Big Mamma restaurants), when I arrived around 12.30pm for lunch there was a small line of people waiting to enter but within 5 minutes I was in. With such a large capacity, if you don’t want to spend an hour lining up for the Big Mamma experience, La Felicità is the perfect place for you. Note that unlike the other Big Mamma restaurants, La Felicità is entirely self-serve.
Related Links
- Read more about the Big Mamma Group.
- Love Italy? Check out our picks for Florence and Venice.
- Vogue France also covers the opening of La Felicità.
Written and photographed by Ali Postma for HiP Paris. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, Tuscany, Umbria or Liguria? Check out Haven In.
Ali Postma
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2 comments on “The Big Mamma Group’s Newest (and Biggest) Venture La Felicità”
Despite all their announcements about the restaurant being open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, we went recently for a bachelorette party dinner and there was a huge queue at 11pm at night. They were turning people away saying they had run out of food and drink. This happened continuously to other friends throughout the week and the restaurant actually closed down food for two days. It’s a bit of a scam and I wouldn’t be sending your readers out there as there aren’t many other options in the immediate neighborhood, particularly at off hours.