Our Top 40 Paris Restaurants
Here is our short list of 40 favorite restaurants, based on anonymous and repeat visits.
All posts by Meg Zimbeck
Paris Restaurants Open on Sunday
Did you know that at least half of Paris restaurants are closed on Sunday? We’ve put together this list to help you find a great meal on this very tricky day of rest.
Le Rigmarole
Le Rigmarole opened in October 2017 and has delighted me more than any other restaurant this year. The menu is an improbable collection of dishes inspired by French-American chef Robert Compagnon’s clear obsession with Japan and his skill with yakitori, but in addition to skewers
Arnaud Nicolas
At the impossibly young age of 24, Arnaud Nicolas achieved one of the highest honors in gastronomy – the title Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) – for his talent in charcuterie. Fourteen years later, he opened an ambitious shop and restaurant near the Eiffel Tower
Restaurants open during the holidays
Planning to be in Paris during the holidays? Here’s a schedule of who’s open between December 20-January 5, and what they’re serving for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Foie Gras in its Many Forms
Torchon? Mi-cuit? Here’s the low-down on the fatty lobe that’s featured on so many holiday tables.
Le Villaret
Sometimes in life we chase after the jerks who play hard-to-get and we ignore the nice, stable options who just want to treat us right. Le Villaret is the homely neighborhood bistro that I never appreciated until I stopped looking for love at Le Baratin and Le Repaire de Cartouche.
Le Grand Bain
Le Grand Bain, the new Belleville address from Edward Delling-Williams (formerly Au Passage) is a great place to eat well and to drink natural wine while surrounded by the joyful cacophony of Belleville.
Barthélémy
Simply one of the most beautiful (and expensive) fromageries in Paris.
Le Baratin
Food and wine pilgrims, particularly those who read the New York Times or watch Anthony Bourdain, are willing to climb the hill for this Belleville institution. Raquel Carena tends the fire, offering her own personal brand of bistro cooking – sometimes delicate, sometimes hearty, always
Tomy & Co.
We’re falling more in love with Tomy & Co. with each visit, and have elevated this to our #1 favorite Paris restaurant for modern & creative cuisine. Chef Tomy Gousset’s cuisine is thrillingly modern, and he’s a master of using herbs, acidity and texture to elevate sometimes humble ingredients like beef tongue or tête de veau.
Philou
Chef Philippe Damas is showcasing the season’s best ingredients (porcinis, partridges) at this this bistro near the Canal Saint-Martin.
Le Repaire de Cartouche
Le Repaire de Cartouche is a great place to sit at the bar without reservations, order wine with a slab of terrine, and wait for your table to open up at Au Passage. It’s still great fun as a wine bar, even if it can no longer deliver as a restaurant.
Le Chateaubriand
You can only reserve for the first seating at Le Chateaubriand. After that, you’ll have to wait in line with everyone else for a stab at Iñaki Aizpitarte’s unique menu.
L’Assiette
French bistro food, expertly executed by chef David Rathgeber. Classics like cassoulet, tête de veau and escargot, created with fresh ingredients for local clients.
Spring Restaurant
NOW CLOSED
Café Méricourt
The many fans of Café Oberkampf will rejoice at the opening of a sister restaurant with longer hours and online reservations. With its light and airy interior, friendly staff, and an addictive breakfast roll, Café Méricourt is currently our #1 favorite place for breakfast or brunch in Paris.
Chez la Vieille
Chez la Vieille is an interesting, if ultimately confusing place to eat. Daniel Rose’s 2016 takeover of this beloved institution was motivated by love and respect for its history (read more about that here), and for the kind of classic bistro cooking that seems to
What’s Open in August?
Here’s our annual calendar to show who will be staying open during the summer holidays, based on information that we’ve confirmed directly with the restaurants. Whether you want to search for the schedule of a particular restaurant, or find out what’s open by date, you’ll
Juveniles
The inspired cooking from Romain (formerly at Le Comptoir and La Régalade Saint-Honore) goes well beyond the satisfying sausage & mash of the old carte and Margaux’s service and wine selections make this a place where you’ll want to become a regular.
Clown Bar
Clown Bar currently holds the #5 spot in our list of favorite restaurants for small sharable plates. The team from Saturne has taken over the historic bar near Cirque d’Hiver. The beautiful Belle Epoque space remains (tastefully) decorated with clowns, but the menu has been seriously revived
Le Grand Restaurant
Le Grand Restaurant currently holds the #3 ranking in our list of our favorite Tasting Menus over 100€. Practical information Address: 7 rue d’Aguesseau, 75008 Nearest transport: Madeleine (8, 12, 14) Hours: Closed Saturday & Sunday; Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinner Reservations: Book a few weeks
Aux Deux Amis
A truly mixed crowd packs this Oberkampf wine bar, for natural wine and small plates.
Bistrot Paul Bert
The Bistrot Paul Bert currently holds the #4 ranking in our list of favorite Classic Bistros in Paris. The Bistrot Paul Bert boasts of the most charming dining rooms and patrons in town, appearing to first-time visitors like the Paris bistro of their dreams. Their menu is torn
Where to Find the Best Baguettes in Paris
Where can you find a great baguette in Paris? Below we’ve listed and mapped the bakeries who have placed among the top ten winners in the city’s annual competition to determine Le Meilleur Baguette de Paris. Look for the bakery that’s nearest to you, or focus your efforts
The Beast
Frenchman Thomas Abramowicz spent a year training in central Texas and tracking down everything he would need (meat, wood, Bourbon) to open the first authentic smokehouse in Paris. Beef is king here, in the form of slow and low smoked brisket and gigantic ribs, but barbecued
Office
Practical information Address: 3 rue Richer, 75009 Nearest transport: Cadet (7), Grands Boulevards (8, 9) Hours: Closed Saturday and Sunday; Open Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner Reservations: Book a few days in advance Telephone: 01 47 70 67 31 Website Facebook Book Online L’Office in
Verjus Restaurant
The couple behind Hidden Kitchen now has a very public showcase for the bold, refined, contemporary American cooking that earned them a loyal following over the years. For a less expensive, small-plates redux, visit the wine bar downstairs.
Pirouette
At this beautiful restaurant in the underserved district just north of Les Halles, serious technique is brought to bear on beautiful veggies and offal alike. The consistently delicious dishes, the polished room and the very good wine list all add up to something that’s much
Ellsworth
Ellsworth currently holds the #3 spot in our list of favorite restaurants for small sharable plates. Following their success with Verjus, where the more elaborate formula of dégustation + wine pairings has drawn a loyal following of happy locals and visiting celebrities, Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian have decided to