Hello dear
Anima, nestled in the heart of Paris on Rue du Cherche-Midi, has emerged as a must-visit destination for Italian cuisine lovers. Renowned for its sublime pizzas and delightful burrata starters, Anima's menu showcases expertly crafted dishes that truly encapsulate the flavors of Italy. The restaurant's inviting ambiance is complemented by warm, attentive service that strives to enhance each dining experience. While recent feedback highlights occasional service hiccups, the overall consensus remains that Anima consistently delivers excellent food quality and a welcoming atmosphere, making it one of the best pizza spots in the city. Book your table and savor this culinary gem!
About
Welcome to Anima, an Italian culinary gem nestled in the heart of Paris at 78 Rue du Cherche-Midi. This charming restaurant has garnered a reputation as one of the finest pizza spots in the city, attracting both locals and tourists alike with its delectable offerings and warm ambiance. Whether you’re a connoisseur of Italian cuisine or simply in search of a satisfying meal, Anima promises a dining experience that resonates with authenticity and flavor.
Upon entering Anima, you are immediately surrounded by an inviting atmosphere. The decor combines elegance with comfort, creating a perfect setting to unwind and indulge in culinary delights. Reviews spotlight the restaurant's friendly and attentive service, making guests feel at home as they enjoy their meals. This welcoming touch is essential, especially after a day of exploring the stunning streets of Paris.
Now, let’s talk about the food. Many patrons rave about the burrata, a luscious starter that sets the stage for what’s to come. Its creamy texture and rich flavor are just the beginning of Anima’s culinary journey. Moving on to the main event, the pizzas are undeniably the standout feature of the menu. Customers praise the soft, flavorful dough and the high-quality mozzarella—often likened to buffalo mozzarella—used in their creations. Many have declared it as the best pizza in Paris, making it a must-try for any food enthusiast.
However, the experience at Anima has not been without occasional hiccups. Some regulars have expressed disappointment with service during peak times, noting delays in receiving menus and food. Yet, most agree that the quality of the food and the inviting environment make these rare lapses easy to overlook. Loyal customers return time and again, hoping for the delightful moments that reflect Anima's dedication to culinary excellence.
In summary, Anima is more than just a restaurant; it's a celebration of Italian culture and flavors, nestled in one of the world's most vibrant cities. With unique dishes that linger in your memory, a scene that enchants, and a commitment to quality and warmth, it stands out as a notable destination. Come, savor the moments, and discover why Anima has earned its place among Paris's culinary elite. Make sure to reserve a spot—your taste buds will thank you for it!
“ One of the best pizza places in town! Which you can combine with nice entrees or aperitifs. ”
“ By FAR the best pizza I've ever had in Paris ! The team is super, helpful, passionate and easy going. I've went to that restaurant a dozen times, never disappointed. All the pizzas are amazing! Note: all the products are directly from Italy (the oven has been imported as well!!). So if that's not commitment to a cause, I don't know what it is. ”
“ Nice Italian restaurant. I enjoyed the atmosphere in the restaurant, and the pizzas which are very tasty. The dessert dishes are a little less. ”
“ Popular pizza restaurant. We tried for lunch and found out that booking is essential. So we booked for dinner. The mozzarella on the pizzas is very tasty and watery like buffalo mozzarella. Pizzas bases are very thick and we struggled to finish. They had mostly Italian wine but offered tasting from wine off the menu which we were told is a regular occurrence to make patrons aware of other wine varieties. A very pleasant evening. ”
“ Well, this is a very disappointing review to write, despite the five starts because I am unsure what to prioritise. Let’s start with the good first: most of the staff are amazingly friendly, the place is incredible, the food is fantastic, and it’s great to nearly always have our two seats on the bar next to the window and the door available to my colleague(s) and I when we come. The food is of great quality, and justifies the slightly expensive end of the restaurant. The portions are well sized and it is justified that people come here as the food is sublime! This restaurant makes some of the best pizzas in the entirety of Paris, and the menu, despite being small, always delivers and food-wise. I have never had a bad experience, be it coming as a younger child in 2016-17, or now, as a grown individual, in 2025. However, the past two visits that I had have been nothing short of disappointing. My penultimate visit to this institution seemed relatively normal at first, we were greeted by the same people, ordered our food, but it did take an astonishingly long time to arrive. We waited over 20 minutes for the bursts which usually takes 10 minutes or less. We thought, fair enough, it happens to the best of us. We also didn’t get the complimentary oils and bread that usually always gets given out. After finishing the bursts, nobody came to take the plates away and we sat for nearly three quarters of an hour before we finally asked if our pizza was coming. It was in fact already ready, but nobody just came to give it to us. When we received the pizza, it was already lukewarm as if it was sitting and waiting on the counter for a while. Mind you, this isn’t a big restaurant. Everyone can see each other, and this’ll be important for later. My colleague and I weren’t too happy but seeing our previous experiences in Anima we thought it was just a new server and a bad day so we didn’t think too much of it. That visit was mid-May 2025. Our next visit was in early June of 2025, and we were seated. The same waiter as our last visit was serving us, so we had hope that it was an off day and that the service would be back to its usual, rather impeccable, self. However, that was unfortunately the case. Already, we waited for over ten minutes for the waiter to bring us the menus. We had a look at them and waited for him to come back to take the order. We waited for about twenty minutes before getting slightly impatient and asked him to come over. He was standing at the reception desk, saw us, and then did nothing. After a short while, he went to serve another table. We waited another ten minutes before ultimately leaving the restaurant as we did not deem waiting 45 minutes just to order in a relatively empty restaurant two visits in a row was an appropriate service attitude and speed. It was a very disappointing experience. We then had food at another restaurant next door, ordered, went back to get into the car, and noticed a very important detail: there was a lady sitting next to us at the bar that said, when we left: « they don’t seem as active as usual today ». She appeared to also be a long time customer. We’d been gone for 45 minutes eating at another restaurant and she was already there, ready to order BEFORE WE CAME IN. She’d only received her pizza, about one and a half hours after walking into the restaurant. I am so glad I went there with someone that also knows the place very well. I’d have been appalled to hype this restaurant up so much and then come in and treat a friend with such a disappointing experience. I truly hope that the service is back to normal as it’d be a shame to have such an amazing little restaurant in the heart of Paris called mediocre due to poor service from certain staff. I will definitely come back in the future as I trust, and hope, these were two off-days unfortunately coinciding with our arrivals; and I will update this review next time I am here. Those last two times, I cannot give this restaurant much higher than a 2/10. The other experiences apart from these two, however, an easy 9/10. ”
“ Giving this restaurant under 5 stars is a joke. Best Italian in Paris by far from a local. ”
“ We enjoyed our stay here! The restaurant looks beautiful, and the interior is well chosen. The service was incredibly friendly, and the staff gave us some valuable recommendations for Paris. They really tried to make our stay pleasant, and created a welcoming atmosphere. We had a burrata as a starter and pizza. The dough was incredibly soft and tasty, and they overall exceeded our expectations. Would really recommend. ”