The Return of Doobie’s
The Doobie’s—I used to go there when I was younger. Seeing its name again at 26 Rue Marbeuf takes me back to that time and, above all, makes me really want to go back. After several years of silence, this iconic Parisian nightlife spot is getting ready to start a new chapter. Now it remains to be seen whether, behind its new facade, it has managed to preserve the spirit of the place.
Yannick Noha
Founded in 1938 as a Russian restaurant, the venue became La Caravelle in the 1970s, before Yannick Noah breathed new life into it in 1993. A restaurant, bar, and club, Doobie’s has established itself as one of the iconic hotspots of Parisian nightlife. The adventure continues today under the leadership of Must Group. Arnaud Behzadi designed the new interior as the secret home of a collector, where lounges, works of art, an open kitchen, and a night bar come together as the hours pass.
In the kitchen, David Mantilla—who worked alongside Akrame Benallal for many years—creates a cuisine inspired by his travels. Vitello tonnato, tuna Milanese, lobster linguine, sole meunière, and large cuts cooked in the Josper oven make up a menu designed for lunch, dinner, and whatever comes next. Doobie’s aims to reconnect with the spirit that once made it unique: coming to eat, letting the conversation linger, and then letting the music set the pace for the evening. I’ll be back very soon, with just one true desire: to rediscover a bit of the place’s soul.
