Today on the blog, I’m sharing a small selection of kebabs in Paris. For a long time, I must admit I wasn’t a huge fan of kebabs, mostly because I had tried some very bad ones during my student days, which left me with a rather poor memory… However, I must admit that in recent years, several places I’ve tested have changed my mind on the subject. So, below I’m sharing several Parisian addresses that we have tested and approved with my favorite photographer. And as usual, I regularly update this article based on my new tests and discoveries!
Furthermore, a quick reminder to help clarify what we’re talking about in this article. The term “kebab” or “kebap” (in Turkish) refers to different dishes made with grilled meat throughout the Ottoman and Persian worlds, but it also designates the type of restaurant that serves them. Additionally, when used alone, the term specifically refers to the sandwich filled with spit-roasted meat, or döner kebab, which was popularized in Berlin, Germany, in the 1970s.
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Table of Contents
Mersin
Located on avenue Simon Bolivar in the 19th arrondissement, Mersin is a Turkish street-food spot where you come for the döner kebab, the mezze and also the tantuni, the specialty of Mersin, a city in southern Turkey that gave the restaurant its name. Behind this address is Noé Lazare, who had already opened the Berlin-style kebab shop Gemüse in the 18th.
Tantuni is a kind of dürüm filled with thinly sliced beef sautéed in a blend of spices, with tomatoes, sumac onions and parsley, and we tried it in its yogurt version. We also tasted the döner, a few mezze to share and revani for dessert, a semolina and syrup cake. We really loved it: it’s full of flavor, indulgent and made with good ingredients!
Tested in 2026 - Invitation
Mersin
123 avenue Simon Bolivar, 75019 Paris
Open Monday to Saturday, lunch and dinner
Price: tantuni single €8, double €15 and double with yogurt €17 / döner between €9 and €13 / mezze to share between €3 and €5.50 / desserts €5
The good deal: the €13 menu with a döner, the veggie option or a single tantuni + homemade fries + drink
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Sürpriz
The Berlin-style kebab chain Sürpriz opened a new location near Bastille in 2024. The brand already has 3 other addresses in the capital and offers döner kebabs (in bread) or dürüm kebabs (in a flatbread wrap). I recommend the classic kebab version with marinated chicken, which is excellent, but they also have 2 vegetarian recipes (with or without halloumi). Plus, the fries and sauces are homemade! In short, everything is delicious, it’s really very good, the ingredients are fresh, and the quality is super high!
Tested in 2024
Sürpriz Bastille
5 Rue de la Roquette, 75011 Paris
Price: döner + fries menu €9.60 or dürüm + fries €10.50 / döner kebab or halloumi €7.60 / dürüm kebab or halloumi €8.50 / veggie döner €6 / veggie dürüm €7
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Impact Berliner Kebab
It’s thanks to this restaurant that I reconciled with the kebab! This little spot in the 11th arrondissement of Paris doesn’t look like much, and yet we had a feast! I highly recommend testing the Berliner with the traditional homemade Turkish bread, because it is a real treat! Inside: spiced marinated chicken, a mix of raw vegetables and grilled veggies, feta cheese, and one of three homemade sauces by the chef (€7.50 for the sandwich + €3.50 for the menu).
Updated December 16, 2024: the brand now has 3 Parisian addresses in total, one in the 2nd and two in the 11th, including the first one we tested in 2023; good to know, the 2nd arrondissement location has a few tables for you to sit and enjoy your kebab in a Berlin club atmosphere (the musical ambiance is also worth the detour!).
Tested in 2023 and 2024
Impact Berliner Kebap
119 Rue du Chemin Vert, 75011 Paris
185 Rue St Denis, 75002 Paris
Open every day except Sunday
Price: döner menus €12 / döner kebab €8 / halloumi bowl €11
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Atelier Dürüm
The dürüm kebap is a type of sandwich formed by a flatbread containing meat, with dürüm meaning “rolled” in Turkish. This address located in the 18th arrondissement invites you to discover the cuisine of southeastern Turkey. After several weeks of renovations, this family restaurant reopened in October 2023 with a clean, warm-colored decor. Here, they use fresh ingredients assembled at the last minute in an open kitchen.
On the menu: homemade bread, marinated meat cooked over a wood fire (chicken, lamb, ground beef, or even bulgur balls), as well as quality fresh vegetables. The dürüms come in vegan and vegetarian versions, but if you eat meat, I recommend the star product of the place, the Adana with beef and ground lamb (€8.50). For drinks, I advise you to try the ayran (€2), a traditional Turkish drink made from fermented milk. It’s quite strange, but it’s homemade and I think it’s important to discover new things!
Tested in 2024
Atelier Dürüm
41 rue de Clignancourt 75018 Paris
Price: dürüm between €8.50 and €10 / börek €5 / ayran €2 / baklava €6
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization required before any use
