Simonetta, a generous trattoria on the banks of the Canal de l'Ourcq

With its large picture windows, one look at the interior of Simonetta is enough to make you want to step inside. The large, warm room, often crowded (and that's a good sign), opens onto an open kitchen where you can watch the pizza chefs at work.

As soon as we arrive, we're greeted with a big smile, the staff are attentive and the atmosphere, like the menu, exudes beautiful Italian sunshine. And with good reason: at Simonetta's, all dishes are homemade with fresh produce direct from Italy. (Even the pizza makers come straight from the Botte!).

For starters, let yourself be tempted by the creamy burrata, accompanied by a delicioushomemade focaccia. Expect to pay between €7 and €11 for a starter, which we'd advise you to share unless you've got quite an appetite.

For the rest, Simonetta offers several pasta dishes (between 13 and 16€), salads (14-18€) and, above all, pizzas ranging from 11 to 18€. Pizza is Simonetta's star. From the traditional Margherita to the most sophisticated, there's something for every taste, and we particularly appreciate the originality of the recipes (pear, artichoke or mushroom carpaccio, lemon/cherry tomato emulsion, etc.).

Tempted by the lemony flavors and the combination of pear and gorgonzola, we finally opt for a Punta d'Anca and a Sottobosco. After waiting less time than indecision (and for good reason, the pizzas spend less than a minute in the Neapolitan oven!), the generous pizzas arrive on our plates. No regrets about the choice we've made, we're in for a treat!

• To be read
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Simonetta's secret is the pizza dough: unlike the vast majority of classic pizzerias, it is prepared 48 hours in advance and has a particularly high moisture content. On arrival, the dough is melting, light and, above all, easy to digest! And the icing on the cake is that the flour is organic.

For dessert, we can't recommend enough: for 10€ max, all the classics are there, from tiramisu to pana cotta to hazelnut pastries. Our stomachs could hardly accept a tiramisu after such a hearty meal, so we opted for two scoops of artisanal ice cream. Although a little disappointing, the other Dolces looked delicious... To be tried next time!

As you can see, we loved Simonetta, where everything is homemade with local, quality products. A great success, to be tried again soon!

Practical info:
Simonetta
32 quai de la Marne 75019
Open daily, from 12 noon to 2.30pm and 7pm to 11pm Monday to Thursday, until 11.30pm on Fridays, and continuously from 12 noon to 11pm on weekends.

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.