Top: Café Frascati in Paris, 1807, by Philibert-Louis Debucourt
Bottom: Café Frascati (A Scene From Napoleon's Time), 1893, by François Flameng
During the Premier Empire, the Frascati establishment, named after a famous Neapolitan ice-cream maker, was one of the most popular venues in Paris. First of all, it had a delightful garden, decorated with the busts of the greatest French and English poets, and lit up at night. A tunnel of wisteria and maiden vine, known as “l’ermitage” (the retreat), lent a charming atmosphere to the scene. The house was used as a café and salon de pâtisserie. On the ground floor it offered refreshments and some of the best ice-cream in Paris, with ballrooms. On the first floor were gaming rooms. Paris’s smartest set flocked here to spend the pleasant summer evenings.
The Maison Frascati closed at the Restoration, following the law closing down gaming rooms. (Source)
