At Tarántula

We sat down with Emmanuel Peña Treviño, the founder of Tarántula—a groundbreaking restaurant and wine bar redefining Mexican cuisine in Paris. A driving force in innovative gastronomy, Emmanuel honours his hometown of Monterrey with a modernist approach, curating a stunning culinary space in the heart of the 11th arrondissement. We visited the new institution and met the enthusiastic team behind this fiery spot.

If you had to define what makes an Institution or describe its key characteristics, how would you explain it?

For me, good food is essential: quality ingredients, bold flavours, and something different that stands out from the rest. The restaurant's ambiance also plays a key role.

Going to a restaurant isn't just about eating well; it's also about having a good time and listening to great music. For us, it's the details, like the lighting.

I believe it’s the whole package. It’s not just about the food—it’s the entire experience: you come in, have a meal, eat, but most importantly, you live the moment.

Are there any places that come to mind that you would consider Institutions?

I love the restaurants in Mexico, especially in my hometown, Monterrey. I appreciate the service—it’s important to feel comfortable in a place.

In almost all the restaurants in Monterrey (not in all of Mexico City), this is what defines a great experience. After all, you’re paying to be there, so you deserve something special. I really like La Nacional, Los Arcos, and Cara de Vaca. These are truly the Institutional restaurants of my city, and they have taught me everything I’ve accomplished here with my team. I try to learn from my experience as a client, in these restaurants, and bring that back here, to Paris, to my own restaurant.

Do you have a routine on your days off? What do you like to do when you're not at the restaurant?

I love starting my day with a coffee, and going to Flea markets around Paris. I also really love to travel.

At GiftShop, we're always searching for new institutions—places that may not be on the radar yet but have unique identities and will make an impact in the next ten years. Do you have any places in mind that you would recommend?

There is a Bánh Mì place called Saigon Bánh Mì in Belleville that I like a lot. I think it might already be quite famous, but I wish there were more locations in the city. I love all the restaurants in the Chinese neighbourhood, like Imperial Choisy and Restaurant Fleurs de Mai.

I also like eating fast food, I love Popeyes and Five Guys.

However, I really wish there was Mexican fast food in Paris, or at least as many Mexican restaurants as there are Chinese restaurants in the city. It would be my dream to be able to easily grab a taco on any corner, but every time I try in Paris, it's disappointing.

It can be hard to find authenticity in Paris, with the constant pressure to commercialise and conform to what the general public thinks they want or feel comfortable with. How do you maintain your identity as a Mexican restaurant in Paris?

Here at Tarántula, we wanted to do something a little bit different with our dishes. Of course, we serve dishes to share, which is quite common at the moment, but from what I’ve heard from the people whose opinions I care about, we are serving something new—something they’ve never tried before.

It’s their first time trying dishes like this or their first time eating at a restaurant like Tarántula. It’s, overall, a new experience. And this is coming from people I respect—chefs that I admire and never thought would tell me this—and also from the general public, who ask me for a recipe. I always give them the recipe because it’s about sharing this cuisine and culture with people. This is something that really represents Tarantula, and I want it to stay like this.

There will be a moment where people will ask “well, what is next?” And we will evolve a little bit, but remain with the same idea, of simple dishes, with acid, spice and flavour. I want people to think about Tarantula, how people think about Lao Siam, for me, it's one of the best restaurants in the world. That legacy is what im trying to achieve.

Words : Claire Dhooge / Photos : Richard Banroques