Aléa is new restaurant, tucked into the sweet and sedate backside of the Montmartre hill, that’s run by a young couple. It feels personal. Chef Léa Lestage, who previously worked at the three-star Epicure, is serving a market-driven menu at night with 3-4 options per course (starters 11-16€, mains 24-26€). When I went, that included the best duck dish I’ve had in years – a canard de Challans served with an indulgent potato millefeuille and a fig poached in red wine… Read More »aléa
Semilla is one of our favorite restaurants in Saint-Germain, with an excellent wine list and plenty of options for vegetarians. Open Sunday.
Les Parisiens is a hotel restaurant whose menu is “signed by” (created and overseen by) Thibault Sombardier. The food here is good, but the ambiance is a drag. If you’re visiting Paris, there’s no reason to go and eat in this hotel with all your fellow travelers. LES PARISIENS 1 Rue du Pré aux Clercs, 75007Open every day for lunch & dinnerReservations online or at +33 1 42 96 65 43 Their Instagram / Our Instagram OUR PHOTOS OF LES PARISIENS IN… Read More »Les parisiens
Baillotte is a solid option for modern & creative cuisine with choices (not a tasting menu) in Saint-Germain. They’re welcoming to solo diners, have (limited but tasty) vegetarian options, and are open for lunch on Sunday. From the same restaurant group as Narro in the Latin Quarter. BAILLOTTE 16 Rue du Dragon, 75006 Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch & dinnerOpen Sunday for lunch onlyClosed MondayReservations online or at +33 9 84 29 93 48 Their Instagram / Our Instagram OUR PHOTOS OF BAILLOTTE IN… Read More »Baillotte
If you want to eat brilliantly rendered seasonal dishes, be thoughtfully cared for, sit in a comfortable chair and drink nice wines from beautiful stemware, put Garance on your list. It’s a terrific option near Napoleon’s tomb and the Rodin museum. You can see the Eiffel Tower twinkling as you enter and leave the restaurant. But despite its location near these major monuments, Garance seems entirely undiscovered by tourists. You can expect to pay 65-85€ for three courses at night.… Read More »Garance
Oktobre is the new name of Kitchen Galerie Bis (KGB) and a new beginning for chef Martin Maumet. Maumet worked for William Ledeuil as associate chef of KGB before purchasing the restaurant to install himself as chef-owner. Much of the team from KGB remains intact, including sommelier and dining room manager Romane Laignel. We previously included KGB among our favorite restaurants in Saint-Germain, but have not yet tried Oktobre, which will open on September 1, 2023.
Le Jules Verne is the fine dining restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower, currently helmed by chef Frédéric Anton.
A l’Epi d’Or is a second spot for classic French food from Jean-François Piège, and about half the price of its nearby sibling, La Poule au Pot. A daily two- or three-course menu (37€ or 46€) makes this a good deal for central Paris, and the à la carte menu contains kid-friendly classics like croque monsieur (17€) and hachis parmentier (27€). It’s not inexpensive compared to Bouillon République, but it’s inexpensive for Jean-François Piège. We love the steak tartare – served simply… Read More »A l’Epi d’Or
A very useful Marais restaurant, with continuous service every day of the week between 7am-2am, a lot of vegetarian options, and even a kids’ menu.
Franck Baranger’s modern bistro near Pigalle is turning out dishes like celery root soup, oyster tartare, and a standout côte de cochon. Two courses at lunch for 17€, three at dinner for 32€.
The casual neighborhood bistro we all dream about, complete with a charming host (Margaux) who remembers your previous visit, and her chef-husband Romain who makes beautiful bistro food in a tiny kitchen. The atmosphere is friendly and familial, despite the posh location near the Louvre. The wine cellar that began with Margaux’s father Tim Johnston remains one of the most delightful and well-priced in the city. The house-made terrine and rice pudding are recommended book-ends to your meal. JUVENILES 47… Read More »Juveniles
In the same spot as Le Colvert, a restaurant that never really took off, Colvert (sans “le”) has reopened with a new look and a new (Top) chef. Arnaud Baptiste participated in the 2021 season of French Top Chef and his food is, accordingly, wildly creative and over-sauced. But overall, this is a solid option for Saint-Germain – especially since Colvert is open every day of the week. COLVERT 54 Rue Saint-André des Arts, 75006Open every day for lunch &… Read More »Colvert
Chef Lisa Desforges is continuing the tradition of classic Burgundian dishes at this sepia toned bistro in Saint-Germain. Review coming soon. ALLARD 41 Rue Saint-André des Arts, 75006Open Wednesday-Monday for lunch & dinnerClosed Tuesday Reservations online or at +33 1 43 26 48 23 Their Instagram / Our Instagram OUR PHOTOS OF ALLARD Coming soon… IN OTHER WORDS Table à Découvert (2014) “La carte passe d’une région à l’autre, avec des plats de tradition, savoureux et évoquant la générosité.” John Talbott (2013) “In other… Read More »Allard
Datil is a serene and delicious new restaurant in the northern Marais, cheffed by Manon Fleury and Laurène Barjhoux. It’s a great option if you’re looking for an inventive and seasonal tasting menu, especially one that’s open on Monday night. Priced at 65€ for lunch and 120€ for dinner, its closest peers, in terms of food and price, are Verjus, Septime and Maison. DATIL 13 Rue des Gravilliers, 75003Open Wednesday-Friday for lunch & dinnerOpen Monday & Tuesday for dinner onlyClosed Saturday & SundayReservations online… Read More »Datil
Hémicycle is a new restaurant from Stéphane Manigold that opened in late August 2023 near the Assemblée Nationale. Chef Flavio Lucarini, who we loved at Manigold’s Bistrot Flaubert, leads the kitchen at Hémicycle, along with Aurora Storari, previously the pastry chef at Le Clarence. HÉMICYCLE 5 rue de Bourgogne, 75007 Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch & dinnerClosed Sunday & MondayReservations online or at +33 6 07 16 18 64 Their Instagram / Our Instagram OUR PHOTOS OF HÉMICYCLE IN OTHER WORDS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR… Read More »Hémicycle
Narro is a partnership between chef Kazuma Chikuda (ex-Le Sot l’Y Laisse), Megumi Terao and Thomas Legrand – a longtime fixture of the Paris natural wine scene. I went on the recommendation from several readers and found it to be sweet, but not a resounding success. Most plates included too many ideas and felt a little muddled. Service was kind but chaotic. Narro was packed packed on the night of our visit, both inside and on their large outdoor terrace,… Read More »Narro
With its chili jam-slathered sandwiches and extra-salty chocolate cookies, Gramme could easily be found in London or Brooklyn. But Gramme shouldn’t be dismissed as a watery import – the food is excellent, and the vibe is very local. Their signature dwich (this is how Parisians now refer to sandwiches) is the sort of thing I want to eat every weekend – a runny egg with herbs, chili jam, copious herbs, and either sausage or charred broccolini on a fresh brioche bun. Their… Read More »Gramme
La Tour d’Argent is a 400 year-old restaurant with an exceptional view overlooking the Seine and Notre Dame. It reopened in 2023 after a long renovation, and we recently returned four our fourth visit and loved the experience. We’ve included La Tour d’Argent among our 50 favorite restaurants in Paris. LA TOUR D’ARGENT 15, Quai de la Tournelle, 75005Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch & dinnerClosed Sunday & MondayReservations online or at +33 1 43 54 10 08 Their Instagram / Our Instagram OUR… Read More »La Tour d’Argent
Le Louis Vins has been tucked into the small rue de la Mongagne Ste Geneviève for seemingly forever. I’ve walked past it a million times but never thought to go in, and my dinner guests said the same thing upon arrival. But I was optimistic, based on a few strong reviews, to think that a real gem had been hiding in plain sight. Alas, this wasn’t the case. Whatever magic was happening seems to have dissipated when chef Mélanie Serre… Read More »Le Louis Vins
For the wine-indifferent, Café de la Nouvelle Mairie is merely a timeless, picturesque terraced café on a shady lane beside the Panthéon. But for alert wine geeks, it might as well be the Panthéon itself, as pertains to natural wine.
Ambos is a collaboration between two married chefs, Pierre and Cristina Chomet, who combine their culinary influences from Brittany, Venezuela and Thailand into one modern and delicious menu. AMBOS 38 Rue de Vaugirard, 75006Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinnerClosed Saturday & SundayReservations online or at +33 1 43 54 91 39 Their Instagram / Our Instagram OUR PHOTOS OF AMBOS IN OTHER WORDS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Le Mermoz is a modern bistro with sincere service and an excellent selection of natural wines. What sets it apart from all the other similar bistros in the 11th is that it’s not in the 11th. It’s in the 8th, mere steps from the Champs-Elysées. Thomas Graham’s dishes are seasonal and relatively simple – most have only a few components. Sure, some of them might be pricey, like caviar adorning a beurre-blanc bathed tomato (above). Others might be exotic, like… Read More »Le Mermoz
Brasserie des Prés is the new Saint-Germain outpost from the Nouvelle Garde group that includes Brasserie Dubillot and Brasserie Bellanger. Like its sister restaurants, Brasserie des Prés is a great option for affordable classic French food (especially when dining with kids, picky eaters, or vegetarians). They’re open every day of the week. You can eat early, late, or with a large group. BRASSERIE DES PRÉS 6 Cour du Commerce Saint-André, 75006Open every day from 9am-midnightReservations online or at +33 1 42 03 44 13… Read More »Brasserie des Prés
Le Violin d’Ingres, a one-star restaurant near the Eiffel Tower, has passed from the hands of Christian Constant to Bertrand Bluy (owner of Les Papilles). The kitchen is now run by Alain Solivérès (formerly the chef at Taillevent) and Jimmy Tsaramanana. I have mixed feelings about my recent visit. When I reexamine the photos, I’m reminded of how much I loved the spelt risotto with blue lobster, the glazed sweetbreads with morel mushrooms, and the vanilla millefeuille. Almost everything was… Read More »Le Violin d’Ingres
Auberge Bressane is a very traditional French restaurant that serves classic dishes like escargots, frogs’ legs and coq au vin. They do these dishes incredibly well, along with regional classics like oeufs en meurette, quenelles de Brochet and chicken with morels and vin jaune, in a typical bistro setting that looks like a postcard. Despite being within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, this place hasn’t been taken over by tourists. We were surrounded by locals on our recent visit… Read More »Auberge Bressane
I fully expected to love Tomy & Co. as much as I did five years ago, and to include it in our list of 50 favorites. It was disappointing.
Tram Café serves breakfast pastries + excellent coffee in the morning and wonderful dishes for lunch.
Le Jardin de Cheval Blanc is an ephemeral restaurant on the roof of the Cheval Blanc hotel that runs from June 2 to October 1. The space is lush with trees and other plantings, and the red and white theme – which extends from the table settings to the staff uniforms – feels like holiday. The red theme also extends to the food – Arnaud Donckele (the chef of the three-star restaurant downstairs) supposedly collaborated with chef William Béquin to… Read More »Le Jardin de Cheval Blanc
Alain Ducasse has created a floating restaurant that’s actually good. Ducasse sur Seine docks directly in front of the Eiffel Tower and offers an incredible view of that monument at the beginning as you arrive for your lunch or dinner. It then breaks away for a slow and silent (the boat is electric and soundless) cruise that glides past the most gorgeous Paris monuments during a two-hour circuit. At lunch, there are menus at 95€ (two courses + a beverage),… Read More »Ducasse Sur Seine
Fabula is an ephemeral restaurant inside the courtyard at the Musée Carnavalet that operates from May through September. This Marais museum about the history of Paris is worth a visit anyway, and now you can have dinner inside their stunning 16th century courtyard. Chef Julien Dumas (Le Saint-James) and mixologist Remy Sauvage (L’Artésian in London) have composed a menu of cold plates and chilly cocktails that are perfect for those hot summer evenings when you don’t want to eat too… Read More »Fabula
Les Petites Mains is an ephemeral restaurant in the courtyard of the Palais Galliera fashion museum. It’s a beautiful place to take in the architecture of the building and view the Eiffel Tower from afar. However, when we visited, it was an absolute circus. There weren’t enough servers, and the staff they had were all brand-new (despite already being open for weeks). Drinks were requested once and then again and then again. There was a one-hour delay after our first… Read More »Les Petites Mains
La Bete Noire is a sweet spot for breakfast and lunch at the southern tip of the Luxembourg Gardens. On a recent visit for weekend brunch, we were crazy about all the savory dishes and a little ho-hum about the pastries for which they’re known. Service on the weekends can be glacially slow, but it’s friendly. Don’t go if you’re in a rush. We love that they always have a good meatless option for every course and have recommended them… Read More »La Bete Noire
Pétrelle is one of the romantic restaurants in Paris, and it’s also one of the most delicious. Chef Lucie Boursier-Mougenot and her team create a beautiful tasting menu that changes every week to reflect the seasons, and Luca Danti ensures that everyone in the dining room feels very well taken care of.
Verjus is a restaurant near the Louvre that offers one of our favorite tasting menus in Paris. It’s the creation of an American couple, Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian, who opened this light and airy restaurant back in 2011. After being closed for several years (the pandemic + a renovation of their exhaust system), Verjus reopened on May 9. The lengthy closure gave them time to test new dishes at Twenty-Two Club, a supper club in a spectacular private residence… Read More »Verjus
La Rotisserie d’Argent is a classic French bistro serving what might be the best roast chicken in Paris. Located next to the Seine, with outdoor tables overlooking the river, this is a centrally located and crowd-pleasing spot for classics like steak frites, duck confit, steak tartare, and kidneys in mustard sauce (vegetarians should steer clear). There’s a good wine list, as you’d expect from the team behind La Tour d’Argent, and they’re open every day. LA ROTISSERIE D’ARGENT 19 Quai… Read More »La Rotisserie d’Argent
Twenty-Two Club is a supper club in a spectacular apartment overlooking the gardens of the Palais Royal. It began as a pivot, when Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian learned that they would need to close their restaurant Verjus for time-consuming building renovations. They decamped to this beautiful spot with their Verjus team and began serving their blow-out tasting menu several times a week in a jaw-dropping private residence. The menus are inspired by and built around the fresh produce that… Read More »Twenty-Two Club
The Palais Royal Restaurant is tucked into the northeast corner of the Palais Royal gardens near the Louvre. The interior looks like a hotel restaurant (it is), and doesn’t hold much charm. During the summer months, however, white linen tables are set up outside under the same lovely arcades that hosted Paris’ first restaurants (and prostitution) centuries ago. It seems like an amazing place to have a meal on a summer night. When I arrived for my dinner in late… Read More »Palais Royal Restaurant
Le CasseNoix is a neighborhood bistro just south of the Eiffel Tower in the 15th arrondissement. Chef Olivier Lenormand won the competition for best junior pastry chef in France at age 17, and worked for many years under Bruno Doucet at La Régalade. Like his mentor, he begins each meal by giving away something delicious – in this case a small crock of chicken liver mousse. His menu succeeds when he sticks to classic French dishes – a ballontine of rabbit… Read More »Le CasseNoix
Le Maquis is a small French restaurant located on the far side of Montmartre boasting small portions of impeccable, contemporary bistro fare and a small, all-natural wine list. A slight Italian leaning pervades the menu, which also includes more classic French dishes. Lunch is a steal at 16-euro for two courses and 18 for three.
Caluche is an all-day café and wine bar that serves fresh bistro fare in the Latin Quarter. This little gem is run by a former owner and server from the Café de la Nouvelle Mairie. The latter is renowned as a destination for natural wine lovers, and that crowd will be happy with this new venture. They’ll be even happier with the food – it’s phenomenally better at Caluche. Beyond the expected small-plate nibbles (olives, dried sausage), I loved their… Read More »Caluche
This new restaurant from the owner of Le Cornichon occupies prime Latin Quarter real estate with an outdoor terrace looking onto the gardens of the Cluny museum and the vestige of an 8th century convent. It’s a quiet street where you can hear birdsong, and a welcome respite from the tourist bustle near Notre-Dame. I’d be happy to eat a simple sandwich on this terrace, but Maison Cluny offers so much more. For starters, they have what might be the… Read More »Maison Cluny
Bonnard is a stylish spot for vegetarian dining in the northern Marais. It’s mostly a dinner spot, with lunch hours on Saturday only. Their menu is short and sweet, like their opening hours. We loved their signature sweet potato gnocchi with parmesan cream, and also the quiche with fresh salad. There’s a large teal booth that can fit a lot of vegetarians (6-8, by our guess). BONNARD 18 Rue des Gravilliers, 75003 Open Wednesday-Friday for dinner onlyOpen Saturday for lunch &… Read More »Bonnard
Le Mazenay is a modest bistro that’s serving classic French food with subtle Vietnamese accents. The restaurant is named after the village in Burgundy where chef Denis Groison was born, and the wine list reflects his ties to this region. But Groison grew up to travel the world, cooking in Singapore and Hanoi, and marrying a Vietnamese woman named Lan who very expertly oversees the dining room of their mom and pop restaurant in the Marais. He makes simple and… Read More »Le Mazenay
Le Duc is an institution and one of the best places in Paris to enjoy seafood. The interior, with its gleaming wood-paneled walls evoking a yacht’s interior, is truly one of a kind. Wes Anderson is rumored to be a regular customer, and that makes a lot of sense. Sole meunière is the thing to order here – the fish is presented whole before being filleted and plated table-side (most of the servers used to work as fishermen). Oysters are… Read More »Le Duc
Bofinger is a beautiful old brasserie in the Marais that serves Alsatian dishes like choucroute and flammekueche. A lot of people have special memories tied to Bofinger, and I don’t want to talk them out of their attachments. But Bofinger (pronounced bo-fan-zhay) is not a destination for food lovers. The space is enormous, which makes it easy to get in without a reservation at the last minute. But their size is the restaurant’s downfall. It’s hard to flag a server… Read More »Bofinger
Le Trumilou is the sort of unfussy basic bistro that we want to love. Situated along the Seine and with plenty of space to welcome groups and last minute bookings, this would be an affordable gem if the food were edible. In our experience, it isn’t.
We haven’t yet visited this particular location, but are excited to see that our beloved Breizh Café has expanded with a location in the 16th near Passy. There’s a leafy garden for outdoor dining at this location, which is an easy walk from the Eiffel Tower. We’ve included Breizh Café among our 50 favorite restaurants in Paris. BREIZH CAFÉ PASSY 1 impasse des Carrières, 75016Open every day for lunch & dinnerReservations online or at +33 9 80 49 41 67 Their Instagram / Our… Read More »Breizh Café Passy
After working for Pascal Barbot at Astrance, Adeline Grattard opened yam’Tcha in 2009 in a tiny space in Les Halles. Combining influences and ingredients from Hong Kong with her French training, and offering tea pairings by Chi Wah Chan, yam’Tcha become a major sensation. A Michelin star followed, along with an episode of (the Netflix show) Chef’s Table. Yam’Tcha was, for a time, the hardest table to book in Paris. The hype has (somewhat) abated, and it’s now possible to… Read More »yam’Tcha
Café des Musées is a reasonably-priced bistro in the heart of the Marais with a notable beef bourguignon.
Otto is a wine bar from Eric Tronchon, an MOF chef who runs the nearby one-star restaurant Solstice. I got to know (and love) Tronchon’s cooking when he was at Semilla, and when he developed the menu for Semilla’s next-door wine bar Freddy’s. The menu at Otto is very similar to Freddy’s: diminutive plates of grilled shitake mushrooms, fried things, grilled seafood. The wine list at both places is outstanding. But in contrast to Freddy’s, which is always so busy… Read More »Otto
Mer & Coquillage is a seafood restaurant near the Louvre that’s open on Monday. With soft lighting, candles, gleaming silverware and kind service, it’s a beautiful option when you need to impress. Mer & Coquillage has been included among our of 50 favorite restaurants in Paris. MER & COQUILLAGE 36 Rue des Petits Champs, 75002Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinnerOpen Saturday for dinner onlyClosed SundayReservations online or at +33 1 42 33 00 22 Their Instagram / Our Instagram OUR PHOTOS OF MER &… Read More »Mer & Coquillage
Chez Casimir is a long-standing casual bistro near Gare du Nord that’s now being run by a new team. It’s a good option for those who love charcuterie, offal and wild game, especially when you need something that’s open on Monday and near the train station. CHEZ CASIMIR 6 Rue de Belzunce, 75010Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinnerOpen Saturday for dinner only Closed SundayReservations at +33 1 48 78 28 80 Their Instagram / Our Instagram OUR PHOTOS OF CHEZ CASMIR SUBSCRIBE… Read More »Chez Casimir
Book one of the ten tables at Le Severo when you’re craving beef, whether that’s in the form of tartare, haché, filet, tataki, bavette, onglet, or côte de boeuf. These are selected and aged by owner / butcher William Bernet, served with excellent fries, and accompanied by one of the best wine lists in town (Beaujolais and Rhone, in particular). Le Severo has been here forever, welcoming visitors and regulars to its little corner of the 14th arrondissement for what… Read More »Le Severo
Brasserie Bellanger is an all-day spot near Gare du Nord for affordable French classics like oeuf-mayo and steak-frites They’re open every day, even in August, and their continuous service from 9am to midnight makes them a good option for eating early with kids or late, after a show. They have sister locations in other neighborhoods called Brasserie Dubillot, Brasserie Martin and Brasserie des Prés.
We haven’t yet visited this particular location, but are excited to see that our beloved Breizh Café has expanded with a location on the Canal Saint-Martin. A beautiful outdoor terrace puts their tables and black & white chairs right up next to the water – a prime spot to enjoy what we think are the best crêpes in Paris. We’ve included Breizh Café among our 50 favorite restaurants in Paris. BREIZH CAFÉ CANAL 112 Quai de Jemmapes, 75010Open every day for… Read More »Breizh Café Canal
First the bad news: Café des Ministères is almost impossible to book right now. We named it our best restaurant of 2022, and plenty of newspapers (Le Figaro, the New York Times) have lavished similar praise. If you manage to get in (they open online bookings three weeks in advance of a particular date), don’t neglect to order the choux farci façon Reine with leaves of Pontoise cabbage lacquered around a tender mound of smoky sausage and foie gras, in… Read More »Café Des Ministères
We haven’t yet visited this particular location, but are excited to see that our beloved Breizh Café has expanded with a location near the rue des Abbesses in Montmartre. They have a few sidewalk tables for outdoor dining at this location. We’ve included Breizh Café among our 50 favorite restaurants in Paris and our guide to eating and drinking in Montmartre. BREIZH CAFÉ MONTMARTRE 93 rue des Martyrs, 75018Open every day for lunch & dinnerReservations online or at +33 1 46… Read More »Breizh Café Montmartre
I never got the chance to go to Astrance when it first opened on a sleepy street in the 16th, quietly hustling without the weight of so many Michelin stars. But I imagine it must have felt a lot like dining at Alliance. What the two restaurants have in common is the partnership of an exceptionally talented chef (Toshitaka Omiya) with a masterful and welcoming mâitre d’hôtel (Shawn Joyeux). The service experience is always important, but it carries extra weight… Read More »Alliance
Chef Yves Camdeborde opened Le Comptoir du Relais in 2004 and, for a period of about a decade, it was one of the hottest tables in Paris. After years of diminishing quality, however, it stopped being a destination and was eventually sold in 2022 to chef Bruno Doucet (La Régalade Saint-Honoré). We returned after Doucet took it over and found it unredeemed.
Prunier is a historic caviar and seafood house that opened near the Arc de Triomphe in 1924. It boasts some incredible art déco frescos and moldings from that period has been owned until recently by Pierre Bergé, co-founder of the YSL fashion house. Chef Yannick Alléno of the three-star restaurant Ledoyen has recently taken over the kitchen at Prunier and is putting his own spin on iconic dishes like the Christian Dior egg (with caviar, cream and ham aspic). Prunier… Read More »Prunier
Datsha Underground is a modern and creative spot in the Marais that’s really more scene than restaurant. It feels like it has been designed for a fashion week clientele, right down to the vegan and vegetarian options and the (not really) “hidden” cocktail bar Spootnik in the basement.
Open since 1912, this picture-postcard Paris bistro serves elevated and expensive French classics.
Not far from the Arc de Triomphe, chef Stéphanie Le Quellec (La Scène) opened this seafood restaurant in the Fall of 2022 with her husband David. We’ve included it among our favorite places for seafood in Paris. VIVE 62 Avenue des Ternes, 75017Open Tuesday-Friday for lunch & dinnerOpen Saturday and Monday for dinner onlyClosed SundayReservations online or at +33 6 76 19 72 83 OUR PHOTOS OF VIVE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
La Bourse et la Vie is one of our favorite Classic Bistros in Paris. It’s a place where you come to celebrate, to bring a date, and to devour one of the best steak-frites in Paris.
I really wanted to like this shoebox sized restaurant in the Marais. They seem sincere, but my single visit was a disaster. Their server couldn’t handle the small number of tables crammed between the stone walls. We spent an excruciatingly long time without anything to drink and between every course. The Japanese inflected dishes, when they arrived, were either confused or forgettable. I brought a friend for her one big meal in Paris and felt so sorry afterwards. ILÔ 6… Read More »Ilô
Grande Brasserie has a lot of things going for it. The vintage décor, in the space that used to be Le Petit Bofinger, is gorgeous. Light streams in through the large windows, and the walls are adorned beautiful old murals and posters. Owner Adrien Spanu has a lot of restaurant friends who helped him put together one of the best wine lists in Paris (hint: it looks a lot like the ones you’ll find at Semilla and Fish). It’s centrally… Read More »Grande Brasserie
The Bistrot des Tournelles opened in 2022 and was named “Best Bistro of 2023” by Le Fooding. They’re not the only ones who raved – I know plenty of people who loved their experience here. I found it to be pretty good, but certainly not the best of the year. Classic desserts like crème brûlée, tarte Tatin and chocolate mousse were delicious. Salmon gravlax and oeufs mayo starters were “correct” and tasty. Two dishes were downright bad – the croque… Read More »Bistrot des Tournelles
Saint-Germain is beautiful, but it’s filled with a lot of terrible restaurants. Steer clear of the tourist traps by reading our detailed guide to the best restaurants in Saint-Germain, including picks for: Read more: THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN SAINT-GERMAIN YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE OUR BEST-SELLING SAINT-GERMAIN FOOD TOUR
Capitaine is a modern bistro tucked into a quiet Marais street just south of the Place des Vosges. The decor is pure (Brittany?) bistro, with bare wooden tables, moleskine banquettes, and assorted maritime kitsch. The menu appears at first glance to match this bistro vibe, but look closely: duck breast is dotted with prik pao sauce, raw oysters are garnished with shredded carrot, chile and peanuts, and fraise de veau (an intestinal membrane) carries the flavors of mapo tofu.
Flocon is a sincere and locavore-leaning new restaurant run by a pair of brothers on the rue Mouffetard.
Le Bistrot Flaubert is a modern bistro from Stéphane Manigold, the restaurateur behind Substance and Contraste. It came to our attention when chef Flavio Lucarini (ex-Passerini) arrived to helm this kitchen. We loved it so much that we included it among our 50 Favorite Restaurants in Paris. Manigold will be opening a new restaurant called Hémicycle in late August 2023 with Luccarini as head chef. What will this mean for Le Bistrot Flaubert? Honestly, we don’t know.
Chef Antoine Westermann ran the three-star Alsatian restaurant Le Buerehiesel for nearly four decades before asking the Michelin Guide to remove them in 2007. Five years later, he opened Le Coq Rico at this location in Montmartre – a restaurant dedicated to serving well-raised heritage chickens (and other poultry). He found a partner to expand in New York, that partner kicked him out of the company, and he returned to rename this Montmartre location Le Coq et Fils. Backstory aside, this is… Read More »Le Coq et Fils
Dilia is a Paris bistro from Italian chef Michele Farnesi. He makes great pasta, but don’t expect a stereotypical roster of Italian dishes here. You’re much more likely to be offered roasted pigeon than puttanesca. Dilia sits on a pretty square in the 20th arrondissement and feels like an off-the-beaten-track charmer. Tables are set with candles and on top of one another. There’s an excellent wine list (and shop next door) that leans Italian and natural. Keep it in mind… Read More »Dilia
David Toutain, who brought acclaim to Agapé Substance before jumping ship back in December 2012, returned to the Paris scene with this signature restaurant in 2013. His meticulous and conceptual cooking highlights seasonal produce, with vegetables often playing the starring role. This is by no means a vegetarian restaurant, but Toutain’s ability to bring out the beauty in oft-ignored roots reminds us of his former boss Alain Passard.
Anne is a one-star restaurant in the Marais at Le Pavillon de la Reine hotel. The kitchen is overseen by Mathieu Pacaud, son of Bertrand Pacaud, chef of the nearby three-star L’Ambroisie. Pacaud the younger has a history of “signing menus” at extravagant restaurants, many of them in luxury hotels. The food is delicious, but the main draw is the chance to dine in a beautiful courtyard that serves as the entrance to Le Pavillon de la Reine hotel. It’s… Read More »Anne
Acte II is a restaurant in the Marais from chef Masahide Ikuta. It pains me to say that I don’t recommend this restaurant, because it has one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. When I came out of the elevator (you have to hunt and find one to reach this rooftop restaurant) I actually gasped to see the sun setting over the gorgeously glowing buildings of the Marais. However, the food is a muddled mess.
Jean Imbert is the new chef at le Plaza Athénée, following the departure of Alain Ducasse in 2021. This restaurant at le Plaza Athénée once held three Michelin stars and was ranked among the World’s 50 Best restaurants. It currently holds only one Michelin star. We haven’t been yet, but are interested to see what Jean Imbert, who won Top Chef in France, is going to do here. The multi-course menu is currently priced at 296€ (in 2022). JEAN IMBERT… Read More »Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée
A bare bones room lined with shelves of natural wines, a tiny kitchen turning out simple and dishes; this doesn’t immediately feel like the kind of place a person would cross town for. And yet many do. Booking is imperative.
Treize au Jardin is a gorgeous spot for brunch, afternoon tea and cake, or early evening cocktails on a sun-dappled terrace across from the Luxembourg Gardens. Laurel Sanderson and Kajsa von Sydow made their name with brunch and desserts, but are now serving an expanded menu that includes fantastic salads and adult beverages to match their later opening hours. You can catch some rays on the outdoor terrace and bring home a bunch of flowers or a stack of brownies.… Read More »Treize au Jardin
This is affordable and really well-executed modern bistro fare, based on exceptional seasonal ingredients. Café les Deux Gares may be off the beaten track but it’s worth the journey, Especially on a Monday night. It’s also great for lunch, with beautiful natural light and a dining room full of regulars. Café les Deux Gares has been included among our favorite restaurants in Paris. CAFÉ LES DEUX GARES 1 Rue des Deux Gares, 75010Open Monday-Saturday from 9am-midnight. Closed Sunday.Reservations online or at +33… Read More »Café les Deux Gares
Well-sourced products plus unlikely Japanese touches put Breizh Café head and shoulders above most crêperies.
Les Enfants du Marché, a modern & creative restaurant located within the open-air Marché des Enfants Rouges market in the upper Marais, is a dining counter known for natural wine and avant-garde cuisine. While the seating on bar stools in the bustling market might suggest a more lowbrow offering, the unforgettable plates evoke a far more fine dining affair (an evocation reflected in the highbrow prices). It is one of our favorite Paris restaurants.
Hugo and Co is the second Paris restaurant from chef Tomy Gousset, who we first encountered and loved at Tomy & Co. In contrast to the latter, which is now Michelin-starred and more formal, Hugo & Co is the more playful (and affordable) little brother. I love to come here with our vegetarian friends, who always find a huge number of options, but I’ve also swooned over a Croque Monsieur with thick cut ham, oozing Comté cheese, and black truffle.… Read More »Hugo and Co
One of the most fun restaurants in Paris can be found at the end of a cobblestone alley on the southern edge of Père Lachaise cemetery. Amagat, which means “hidden” in Catalan, requires some effort to find, but the experience is more than worth it. There’s a beautiful garden, but in the winter you’ll want to take a seat inside at the long counter where you can watch them prepare small plates (tapas) like ham croquetas, lamb chops marinated in… Read More »Amagat
Hardware Societe is a Melbourne-style cafe in Montmartre serving breakfast and lunch (brunch, if you must) in the shadow of the Sacré-Coeur. Friendly service and pretty outdoor seating make this an ideal spot before or after exploring the Montmartre hillside. 10 Rue Lamarck, 75018Open every day from 9:30am-3:30pmNo reservations
Augustin Marchand d’Vins – like Left Bank predecessors La Crêmerie & La Quincave – is a bare-bones cave-à-manger, a wine shop in which one can dine, slightly.
This popular restaurant and wine bar run by Drew Harre and Juan Sanchez is a sort of Anglo haven, excellent for a quick glass, a solo dinner at the bar, or for those times when you’re just tired of speaking French. The wine list at Fish la Boissonnerie is populated by small producers, many of them organic and bio-dynamic, with fair prices and plenty of options by the glass. They’re open every day, and we often find ourselves here on… Read More »Fish la Boissonnerie
Régis’ fantastic oysters come from the Marenne-Oleron and are available for dégustation on the spot in the sea blue dining room, to to take home.
Carboni’s is an Italian restaurant in the Marais that replaced Carbón, in the same space and from that same team. Their change of concept followed a fire and a pandemic, and has drawn a particularly Parisian crowd who seem not to know that this is not Amatriciana. Dishes like the giant veal chop are highly Instagrammable, and most taste pretty good. I particularly liked my starter of artichokes with bottarga. They’re a good option for groups, especially ones that include… Read More »Carboni’s
Breizh Café is by far our favorite crêperie in Paris. Traditionalists like me, who always order a complète (ham, cheese, egg), appreciate the higher quality organic ingredients and the crispy lacy edges of their buckwheat galettes. More adventurous hunters can look to the daily and seasonal specials to top their galettes with upgrades like sea scallops and smoked duck breast. Dessert crêpes offer a few Japanese touches like ginger and yuzu alongside classic constructions with apples and ice cream. You can begin… Read More »Breizh Café Marais
When you’ve eaten your fill of French fare, give the fresh pasta from Norma a try. This Italian restaurant in the heart of the North Marais boasts a menu rich in both filled and non-filled pastas, including the paccheri alla norma with fried aubergines. A great choice for vegetarians that’s open for dinner on Monday nights (and lunch on both Sundays and Mondays). Norma is also famous for its egg “alla milanese” – an anchovy-scented Scotch-egg-like concoction comprised of a battered and… Read More »Norma
Le Collier de la Reine is a a trendy new spot for seafood in the northern Marais. Go for the oysters, fries and people watching. You might be tempted to stray from the seafood platter and order one of the cooked dishes. Don’t do it. Stick with the oysters, langoustines and other briny options, and be sure to order at least one side of fries – they might be the best in Paris. LE COLLIER DE LA REINE 57 Rue… Read More »Le Collier de la Reine
In a city dominated by kitchens that send shared small plates out the instant they’re ready – even if that means diners must resort to balancing the bread basket on their knees – rare is the gem that gets the category right: service that’s casual but still attentive, with plates that are simple yet surprising. Candide strikes that balance marvelously: a small plates restaurant that feels like a restaurant, from the expert service to the delightful, creative dishes. The small dining room… Read More »Candide
A restaurant run by a chef-in-residence is a difficult thing to review, but we’re gonna try. Welcoming a slate of visiting chefs from across the world, Early June is an airy, no-reservations restaurant just off the Canal Saint-Martin boasting a robust natural wine “list” (Yes, this is the sort of place where you’ll have to fight – hard – to see what’s on offer and may just have to capitulate and trust the somm). The funky-or-funkier wines accompany a selection of seasonal small plates… Read More »Early June
Brasserie Dubillot is an all-day spot for affordable French classics like oeuf-mayo, sausage & mash, and steak-frites. They’re open every day, even in August, and their continuous service from 9am to midnight makes them a good option for eating early with kids or late, after a show. They have sister locations in other neighborhoods called Brasserie Bellanger, Brasserie Martin and Brasserie des Prés.
Chef Stéphane Jego was an early star of the bistronomie movement, elevating traditional bistro fare with the sort of techniques and emphasis on quality ingredients that one might expect from finer dining. His simple, cheerful dining room at Chez l’Ami Jean has not wavered in quality, even though the dining room is filled with visitors expressing delight in foreign tongues. Meat and fish options abound (vegetarians beware), but wild game is the star when in season. CHEZ L’AMI JEAN 27 rue Malar,… Read More »Chez L’Ami Jean
Ellsworth has had many different iterations since it opened, but all have been delicious. Their most popular dish from the early days – the fried chicken – remains on the menu in small plate size among a changing roster of seasonal dishes. Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian, the duo behind (temporarily closed) Verjus, are raising most of the vegetables and eggs for Ellsworth at their farm outside of Paris, and chef Hanz Gueco is doing incredible things with these fresh… Read More »Ellsworth
Bouillon République is a very affordable spot for classic French dishes. They’re open all day with continuous service, which makes them a good options for parents with young children or anyone else who needs to eat early. They also serve late, making them a good idea if you’re hungry after a concert. The restaurant is massive and can handle very large parties, so we’ve included them in our guide to Paris restaurants that are good for groups. BOUILLON RÉPUBLIQUE 39… Read More »Bouillon République
Colorful pastries (and some savory goods, too) at this vibrant and playful tea salon.
Auberge Nicolas Flamel is a modernist restaurant situated in one of the oldest buildings (1407) in the Marais. Helmed by chef Grégory Garimbay, who previously worked for Alain Ducasse, it currently holds one Michelin star and offers tasting menus priced at 128€ and 145€ and 178€.
La Fontaine de Mars is a southwestern French bistro near the Eiffel Tower that got a lot of recognition when the Obamas visited during his presidency. It’s a good spot to try classic French dishes, but certain dishes like the cassoulet seem to have gone downhill over the years. They have a charming outdoor terrace in front of the fountain that gives this restaurant its name. LA FONTAINE DE MARS 129 rue Saint-Dominique, 75007Open every day for lunch and dinnerReservations… Read More »La Fontaine de Mars
At Quinsou, chef Antonin Bonnet is serving beautiful food in a serene (bordering on sleepy) dining room just south of Le Bon Marché. At night, the five course tasting menu for 125€ includes an excellent cheese course – our most recent visit included Brie de Meaux under a shower of black truffle. A four course tasting menu is available at lunch for 95€. A lovely spot for a quiet or romantic dinner. QUINSOU 33 Rue de l’Abbé Grégoire, 75006Open for… Read More »Quinsou
In a neighborhood that isn’t necessarily known for fresh flair, Milagro bears its miraculous name well. Steps from his popular Zia, which brought craft coffee and brunch to this street overlooking the Eiffel Tower, Chef Justin Kent (ex-Arpège and Agapé Substance) is serving a creative mashup of the New Mexican flavors of his childhood and the techniques gleaned from his French training. Think Peruvian bass ceviche with leche de tigre or a truly excellent celery root steak served with broccolini… Read More »Milagro
Guy Savoy is a fine dining restaurant inside the Monnaie (Mint) de Paris in Saint-Germain. It holds three Michelin stars, and was once once included among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. I’ve been to Guy Savoy three times, and the only time I was impressed was the first. It was 2010, and I was the guest of a woman who routinely accepts freebies in exchange for crowing about the restaurants online (I was unaware of this at the time). I… Read More »Guy Savoy
Loulou is a restaurant based inside the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (part of the Louvre) with outdoor seating that looks upon the architecture of that building, the Tuileries garden, and the Eiffel Tower just beyond. The Italian menu includes dishes that are surprisingly good (artichoke salad, small pizzas) and others that are merely passable (veal chop à la Milanese). But the food isn’t why you come to Loulou. Come to drink rosé or on one of the loveliest terraces in… Read More »Loulou
A beautiful and expansive outdoor terrace tucked inside a hidden courtyard in the Marais, this is the Paris address of Mauro Colagreco, whose restaurant Mirazur was rated as the World’s Best in 2022. GrandCoeur offers a Mediterranean menu full of fresh fish, with a few vegetarian & carnivorous options. It’s open every day and is a good option for larger groups. Included among our 50 Favorite Restaurants in Paris. GRANDCOEUR 41 Rue du Temple, 75004Open every day for lunch and dinnerReservations… Read More »GrandCoeur
Macéo is a light and airy restaurant near the Palais Royal from Mark Williamson (Willi’s Wine Bar), serving creative dishes with plenty of vegetarian options. It’s a good place to book for large groups, and for dinner on Monday. The wine list is incredible. Open Saturday, open Monday, good for groups, vegetarian friendly, near the Louvre, excellent wine 15 rue des Petits-Champs, 75001Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinnerOpen Saturday for dinner onlyClosed SundayReservations online or at +33 1 42 97… Read More »Macéo
This vegan restaurant in the HOY hotel offers an enticing menu of Latin American-accented dishes.
Chez Michel has reinvented itself many times within the bistro tradition. Founder Thierry Breton has passed the reins to chef Masahiro Kawai, who carries the torch for traditional dishes like Kig Ha Farz while creating his own instant-classics, like this spin on bouillabaisse. The atmosphere is homey with wood timbered ceilings and the wine list remains impressive. Leave room for desserts like Paris-Brest and Poire Belle Hélène (who else makes that anymore?). CHEZ MICHEL 10 Rue de Belzunce, 75010 Open Monday-Friday… Read More »Chez Michel
This Japanese-accented bistro from chef Takao Inazawa and oenophile Benoit Simon opened to critical acclaim in 2019.
Of Yves Camdeborde’s three Avant Comptoirs, this is the one worth making a special trip – a place where the scale of the site finally matches that Camdeborde’s ambition.
Avant Comptoir de la Mer is bistronomy chef Yves Camdeborde’s seafood variation on his successful adjacent pork-themed pintxo bar.
Le Petit Sommelier is a rare high-quality non-stop brasserie with a 1000-reference-strong wine list.
Bouillon Pigalle offers cheap classic French food from noon to midnight, every single day.
L’Ami Louis is one of the most atmospheric restaurants in Paris. It’s dark and dramatic, with white jacketed servers bringing overflowing plates of snails, foie gras, and other classic French dishes. The roast chicken, with its accompanying tower of shoestring fries, is as good as everyone says it is. But L’Ami Louis is also one of the most clubby restaurants in Paris. It’s filled with regulars, it’s hard to get a table, and the prices are high enough to scare most tourists away. That’s probably by design. If you need to ask how much the roast chicken costs (it inches closer to 100 euros every year), then L’Ami Louis is probably not for you. It remains one of our favorite places in Paris, when someone else has gone to the trouble to book and ideally when someone else is paying.
Restaurant A.T. is the project of Japanese chef Atsushi Tanaka, who serves a technicolor tasting menu in a minimalist dining room. My first visit in 2015 prompted disdain. The dishes seemed to be designed for the early days of Instagram, and didn’t have much depth beyond their pretty looks. Two different tables at dinner contained foreigners watching movies on their iPads. Whatever this place was, I wanted no part of it. Still, I gave A.T. another shot, returning for lunch… Read More »Restaurant A.T.
This bistro is a standout in a neighborhood often defined by industrial cuisine.
Ten Belles’ new Left Bank outposts offers some of the charm and all of the flavor of the original.
La Scène – Stéphanie Le Quellec holds two Michelin stars and is in between Madeleine and the Champs-Élysées. 32 Avenue Matignon, 75008Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinnerClosed Saturday & SundayReservations online or at +33 1 42 65 05 61
Yves Camdeborde’s audacious, standing-room-only French pintxo bar is a jostling, jolly spot in Saint-Germain.
Well-sourced products plus unlikely Japanese touches put Breizh Café head and shoulders above most crêperies.
Sauvage is boisterous and fun. It has the feeling of a friendly neighborhood wine bar that just happens to have real talent (chef Sébastien Leroy) in the kitchen. Sauvage caters to a local St-Germain clientele that doesn’t bat an eye at relatively high prices, resulting in luxurious dishes like quail with foie gras and black truffle. The wine list leans natural, and contains treasures. We included Sauvage among our favorite restaurants in Saint-Germain. SAUVAGE 60 rue du Cherche Midi, 75006Open… Read More »Sauvage
Le Clarence is a fine dining restaurant in a private Paris mansion near the Champs-Élysées. It opened in 2017 and holds two Michelin stars. In 2022, it ranks #28 on the World’s Best Restaurants list. The luxurious space is owned by Prince Robert of Luxembourg and was decorated to evoke the Château Haut-Brion in Bordeaux, which he also owns. It’s gorgeous. LE CLARENCE 31 Avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 75008Open Wednesday-Saturday for lunch & dinnerOpen Tuesday for dinner onlyClosed Sunday &… Read More »Le Clarence
A scenester address with decent seafood and an incredible view of the Eiffel Tower. Service is slack, it’s nearly impossible to book, and it’s expensive. If you’re somehow able to get a reservation (these are rarely available online and they almost never answer the phone) go for the view and not the food.
La Poule au Pot is chef Jean-François Piège’s revival of a classic Les Halles institution. The menu is full of classic French dishes like frog’s legs, merlan frit colbert, and clafoutis. It’s a pricey affair, but a good option to keep in mind near the Louvre, especially on Saturday when many spots for classic French are closed. LA POULE AU POT 9 Rue Vauvilliers, 75001Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch & dinnerClosed Sunday & MondayReservations online or at +33 1 42 36… Read More »La Poule au Pot
Le Cinq is a fine dining restaurant inside the Four Seasons Hotel George V. It currently holds three Michelin stars and is led by chef Christian Le Squer. When I anonymously tested every three-star restaurant in Paris (plus a handful of two-stars) in 2014, Le Cinq was my favorite. Christian Le Squer was poached from Ledoyen in order to win the elusive third star for Le Cinq and there was a sense of urgency in his cooking. He was going for… Read More »Le Cinq
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 with the explicit goal of returning charcuterie to a place of honor on the French table. In the same way that prize-winning artisans have reshaped traditional baguette-making and pâtisserie, Nicolas wants to reintroduce charcuterie to palates that have become used to mediocre industrialized examples. So is it really that different? Yes.
Dessance restaurant in the Marais is becoming a destination for vegetarians, thanks to the “Irresistible Vegetarian” tasting menu for 64€. Omnivores have plenty of options, too, including their own tasting menu for 72€. It’s a pretty two-level space that’s filled with plants, very near the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, one of our favorite spots in Paris. Recommended for Great Vegetarian Food in Paris. 74 Rue des Archives, 75003 Open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner (closed Sunday & Monday)Reservations online or… Read More »Dessance
Chef Philippe Damas is showcasing the season’s best ingredients (porcinis, partridges) at this this bistro near the Canal Saint-Martin.
Address: 7 rue d’Aguesseau, 75008Hours: Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinner. Closed Saturday & Sunday.Telephone: +33 1 53 05 00 00Book Online / Website / Instagram Le Grand Restaurant in Photos In Other Words Le Figaro (2015) “Le plat à ne pas laisser filer: homard bleu de Bretagne en feuille de figuier, mûres épicées, foie gras au poivre sauvage, pur instant de mijoté réinventé.” Simon Says (2015) “En fait, si l’on a bien compris, Jean François Piège semble vouloir siffler la… Read More »Le Grand Restaurant
Freddy’s is a great call when you want to share some delicious nibbles and great wine while perched on a stool, especially at odd hours or on Sunday and Monday when many other places are closed.
Pancakes, poached eggs and hearty seasonal fare served alongside excellent coffee sourced from Belleville Brûlerie in a sunny space along the Canal St. Martin. An international array of coffee preparations (flat whites, espressos, long blacks, cappuccinos, and very good “real deal” filtered coffee) are accompanied by hot chocolate made from homemade chocolate syrup and a selection of teas from Le Parti du Thé. The exceptionally friendly service is notable. Also notable, the lines for weekend brunch. Get there early.
A recent visit didn’t live up to the hype in which Thierry Dufroux’s Basque-inflected bistrot was declared “one of the revelations of 2013.” With the exception of a vanilla millefeuille with fresh strawberries, every dish was fine but forgettable. The wine list was uninspired and service was brisk and joyless. Three years ago, when most of this restaurant’s reviews were written, Belhara may have stood out as more exciting. It may have actually been more exciting back then. But today, when Paris is experiencing a renaissance of old-fashioned cuisine bourgeoise, Belhara doesn’t quite make it to Our Top 50 Paris Restaurants. Its saving grace: three courses for 38€ is still a great value for dinner in the 7ème near the Eiffel Tower. Read More »Bistrot Belhara
Practical information Address: 72 rue de Rochechouart, 75009 Nearest transport: Anvers (2) Hours: Closed Monday & Tuesday; Open Wednesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner Reservations: Walk-Ins Welcome Telephone: 01 40 37 44 02 Average price for lunch: 20-39€ Average price for dinner: 20-39€ Style of cuisine: Italian & pizza Website Facebook Reviews of interest Alexander Lobrano (2015) “At Faggio, it wasn’t that anyone was unfriendly, but rather that no one was going to acknowledge that you’d had a long wait before being fed. And of course… Read More »Faggio
While the focus of this cheap and cheerful Japanese franchise is ostensibly the authentic tonkatsu ramen, the real highlight is the gyoza with a thick, crisp, seared crust and a juicy pork filling. The parent restaurant won the Prix du Concours National of Gyoza in Japan in 2004, and the dumplings truly are winners. The dining room is busy and the lines can be long, but the steaming bowls of ramen come out fast and are worth the wait. The counter seating on the bottom floor makes this a nice option for dining alone.
— Catherine Down, September 2015
Ob-La-Di might be the most Instagrammed café of the 2015 rentrée, but there’s real substance at this stylish spot in the Haut Marais. Most of the baked goods are made in-house, and many of them manage to be vegan and gluten-free, and still actually taste good. Coffee is expertly prepared with Lomi beans by Lloyd, formerly of Boot Café, who also curates a killer playlist most days. Creative offerings include an affogato made with cookie dough ice cream, horchata, a… Read More »Ob-La-Di Café
Practical information Address: 11 rue Gregoire de Tours, 75006 Nearest transport: Odéon (4, 10) Hours: Closed Sunday & Monday; Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner Reservations: Book a day or two in advance Telephone: 01 43 54 60 74 Average price for lunch: 10-19€ Average price for dinner: 10-19€ Style of cuisine: French, Breton & Crêpes Facebook [slideshow_deploy id=’58080′] Reviews of interest David Lebovitz (2014) “This friendly Breton café offers crêpes and buckwheat galettes that are delicious, and generous. I had an… Read More »Little Breizh
This historic three-star restaurant is perched in a pavilion just off the Champs-Elysées and has been a dining destination since the French Revolution. Long-time chef Christian Le Squer handed the reigns to Yannick Alleno in July 2014, and Alleno has promised a renewed focus on what he considers to be the great strength of French cuisine – sauces.
Practical information Address: 31 rue de Petits-Champs, 75001 Nearest transport: Pyramides (7, 14) Hours: Closed Tuesday; Open Wednesday-Monday for lunch and dinner Reservations: Reservations not accepted Telephone: 01 42 86 03 83 Average price for lunch: 10-19€ Average price for dinner: 10-19€ Style of cuisine: Japanese Facebook [slideshow_deploy id=’53272′] Reviews of interest L’Express (2011) “…nouvelle cantine de Little Japan qui place très haut la barre du ramen parisien…nouilles fraîches maison, bouillon de porc à la recette tenue secrète, miso de qualité, viande… Read More »Naritake
Practical information Address: 9 rue des Quatre-Vents, 75006 Nearest transport: Odéon (4, 10) Hours: Closed Sunday and for Monday lunch. Open for wine sales and as a wine bar from 11am-2:30pm and from 6-10:30pm. Reservations: Strongly recommended for dinner because the small, intimate space often fills up Telephone: 01 43 54 99 30 Average price for lunch: 10-19€ Average price for dinner: 20-34€ Style of cuisine: classic French, small plates Website Reviews of interest Le Fooding (2013) “The little bites are… Read More »La Crèmerie
Bring some friends to share in Bertrand Bluy’s family style dinner at this cave à manger.
Willi’s Wine Bar has been a Paris institution since 1980, when Mark Williamson opened up near the Palais Royal. If you’ve come to Paris to drink wine, this is a great place to stop in for a glass (or bottle) and some simple food. It’s also a good place to book for larger groups. Open Saturday, open Monday, good for groups, vegetarian friendly, excellent wine, near the Louvre 13 rue des Petits-Champs, 75001Open Monday-Saturday for lunch & dinnerClosed SundayReservations online… Read More »Willi’s Wine Bar
Manhattanite Jody Williams has brought her well-loved French “gastroteque” back to the city that inspired the original rustic-chic cafe.
Natural wine, snacks to soak it up, rowdy crowds and dancing bartenders. One of the original natural wine hangouts in Paris. Bottles also available for purchase to go.
– Meg Zimbeck, 2011
Just steps from the Canal Saint-Martin, this shoebox-sized café is serving beautiful coffee with Anglo-inspired breakfast and lunch bites like scones, healthy sandwiches and sausage rolls.
Wine afficionados Etienne Lucan and Sebastien Obert opened this bare-bones cave-à-manger in 2009, having put in time on the floor at Cali-transplant Kevin Blackwell’s only-slightly-less bare-bones restaurant Autour d’Un Verre. Years later, Lucan and Obert oversee one of Paris’ most surprisingly excellent and affordable wine selections. Their prices remain well-suited to the location on the sketchier side of the 9ème arrondissement, but their natural wine selection, heavy on grower Champagne and the wines of allocated cult vignerons like Jean-François Ganevat and Eric Pfifferling, would make mouths water in any tonier district. During apéro and dinner hours, the tables are reliably full of locals enjoying simple cheese and charcuterie plates, or one of the restaurant’s limited main courses (typically a choice between chicken and a sausage). Le Vin Au Vert is a discreet destination for anyone for whom food is an accompaniment to wine, not vice versa.
Part of the new wave of cafés, Coutume serves serious coffee drinks along with light & healthy lunch fare.
Lusty Basque fare, affordably priced. Arrive early (doors open at 7pm) to avoid a wait at this casual, no-reservations bistro run by chef Christian Etchebest.
Le Meurice is a Michelin two-star restaurant headed by Alain Ducasse and run by executive chef Amaury Bouhours. Currently, the main attraction is pastry chef Cédric Grolet and his stunning desserts. The other star is the opulent room itself, designed by Philippe Stark and inspired by Versailles. At the time of my visit in 2014, Le Meurice held three Michelin stars and offered a relatively inexpensive lunch service (2 courses for 85€ or the whole lunch menu for 130€). While… Read More »Le Meurice
The Champs-Élysées is one of the most historic and beautiful promenades in all of Paris. Chestnut trees line the streets, as do some of the best (and most astronomically expensive) restaurants in the city, but the high-rent real estate also means that there is an abundance of large, mediocre multinational chain restaurants. It’s slim pickings, but these are our pickings for what’s actually worth seeking out along la plus belle avenue du monde.
The sandwiches at this shop — run by Juan Sanchez and Drew Harré of Fish — are made with a focaccia-like bread, right from the oven, with fresh fillings and plenty of vegetarian choices. Open every day.
Facing a very pretty square, Drouant has been around since 1880. Now run by Antoine Westermann, the menu offers elegantly updated classics with an emphasis on seafood.
Pierre Gagnaire is a Michelin three-star restaurant that has also spent many years on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Gagnaire is considered a pioneer in molecular gastronomy and collaborated with chemist Hervé This in early explorations of synthetic cuisine – creating new forms and textures using tartaric acid, glucose, and polyphenols, and so on. In contrast to the ebullient food, the dining room at Gagnaire has always been icy and formal. Dining here – at least during my two… Read More »Pierre Gagnaire
I once sat across from Owen Wilson at a communal table at Bob’s Juice Bar. He seemed happy with his veggie bowl, and you probably will be, too. This is the original Paris outpost from Marc Grossman selling healthy salads, bowls, smoothies, and other vegetarian delights. Open Monday, open Saturday, good for breakfast, cheap eats, vegetarian friendly, gluten free options, vegan options 15 rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010Open for breakfast & lunch Monday-SaturdayClosed Sunday OUR PHOTOS OF BOB’S JUICE BAR IN… Read More »Bob’s Juice Bar
Even if I can never afford to return, I’m so happy that L’Ambroisie exists. While many of his peers are shifting their focus to more modest ingredients, Bernard Pacaud is still laying on the caviar. While service elsewhere has become increasingly solicitous, L’Ambroisie remains a model of aristocratic snobbery. I’ll be sad the day their sumptuous dining rooms close for good, and will treasure the memory of a meal I only partially enjoyed in the moment because I was mostly holding my breath. I reviewed L’Ambroisie as part… Read More »L’Ambroisie
A tiny Basque joint from the duo behind Les Fables de la Fontaine.Read More »Pottoka
At Le Relais de L’Entrecôte, the choices are steak or steak, and the supply of golden fries is unending. Which is how the line to be seated will seem unless you go early. Included in our list of Five Great Steak Frites in Paris. Three locations.
We have visited and will be posting a review soon. In the meantime, scroll to see photos and what others have said about Taillevent. Read More »Taillevent
Practical information Address: 6 rue du Marché St.-Honoré, 75001 Nearest transport: Tuileries (1), Pyramides (7, 14) Hours: Closed Sunday & Monday; Open Tuesday-Thursday from 11am-7pm & Friday-Saturday from 11am-10pm Reservations: Walk-ins Welcome Telephone: 01 42 61 93 87 Average price for lunch: 40-59€ Average price for dinner: 40-59€ Style of cuisine: Seafood, oysters & shellfish Book Online [slideshow_deploy id=’57654′] Reviews of interest Le Figaro (2011) “Lorsque l’Écume Saint-Honoré, l’un des meilleurs poissonniers de la capitale, se dote d’un espace dégustation, cela donne… Read More »L’Ecume Saint-Honoré
A popular, old school bistro serving classics like frisée au lardons, jambon persillée, escargot, and tarte tatin.
A crowd queues at this sliver of a taqueria off the canal for Claudia and Alejandro’s tacos, burritos and quesadillas. There are only two stools in the tiny place, so plan on taking it to go.
Practical information Address: 46 rue du Faubourg-Montmartre, 75009 Nearest transport: Le Peletier (7) Hours: Open every day for lunch and dinner Reservations: Walk-Ins Welcome Telephone: 01 45 23 10 21 Average price for lunch: 10-19€ Average price for dinner: 10-19€ Style of cuisine: Chinese Website Facebook Additional location Address: 3 rue de Turbigo, 75001 Nearest transport: Étienne Marcel (4) Hours: Open every day for lunch and dinner Telephone: 01 40 13 08 04 Reviews of interest Table à Découvert (2013) “Tout est mélangé et… Read More »Les Pâtes Vivantes
The original L’Atelier, in what’s now a global empire.
Cheap and cheerful cooking from the Shaanxi province, courtesy of Zhao, who hails from Xi’an. Get the pork-filled flatbread.
Practical information Address: 8 rue des Capucines, 75002 Nearest transport: Opéra (3, 7, 8), Madeleine (8, 12, 14) Hours: Closed Sunday; Open Monday 8.30am-3.30pm; Open Tuesday-Friday 8.30am-2am; Open Saturday 8.30am-5pm Reservations: Walk-Ins Welcome Telephone: 01 42 61 05 88 Average price for lunch: 20-39€ Average price for dinner: 20-39€ Style of cuisine: Classic French Facebook Book Online Reviews of interest David Lebovitz (2011) “The place is packed full of locals…dim, noisy, and chaotic; you pull up a chair wherever if you… Read More »Le Petit Vendôme
Epicure is a fine dining restaurant inside Le Bristol hotel. It’s led by chef Éric Fréchon and currently holds three Michelin stars. Chef Éric Fréchon has a lot of fans, so I was expecting something great when I visited in 2014. The cooking, while enjoyable, didn’t offer anything new. The setting lacked soul. It occupies a very similar niche to Le Cinq but didn’t measure up. Fréchon’s cuisine plays it a little too safe for my taste. A dish of raw… Read More »Epicure
Bring your appetite, and wallet, to this perennial favorite for old fashioned favorites like boeuf bourgignon, duck confit and gigot d’agneau.
If you’ve worked up an appetite while waiting in line to see the Monets and Manets, here’s a selection of our favorite places just a short stroll away from the Musée d’Orsay.
Practical information Address: 91 boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Nearest transport: Saint-Sébastien-Froissart (8) or Chemin Vert (8) Hours: Open every day for lunch & dinner Reservations: Book a day or two in advance Telephone: 01 42 78 11 96 Average price for lunch: 20-39€ Average price for dinner: 20-39€ Style of cuisine: Italian, pizza, vegetarian options Website [slideshow_deploy id=’57417′] Reviews of interest Le Fooding (2015) “On vient autant chez Grazie pour les cocktails de folie, secoués derrière le massif comptoir par Ricardo et… Read More »Grazie
Montmartre is a neighborhood which, like all tourist centers, presents a challenge to anyone hoping to eat well. We can’t help you avoid the pickpockets around the Sacré-Cœur, but we can help you bypass the tourist trap eateries.
We don’t recommend visiting the Eiffel tower without a solid plan for eating, whether to fortify yourself for the wait or to restore your sanity after the harrowing elevator ride. Here are some tables to consider that don’t require a crosstown trip.
The people behind Candelaria are back with a new place serving wild oysters by the piece, outstanding small plates, serious cocktails, natural wine, and craft beer.
After working for Ducasse for seven years, Kei Kobayashi has opened an eponymous restaurant in the old Gerard Besson space, offering four or five courses at lunch (38/48€) and six or eight (75/95€) at dinner.
With its bright, bare-bones kitchen, crowded counter, communal table, and addictive salsas — all mercifully un-Frenchified — this upper Marais spot has officially changed the game, and people are lining up for tacos and agua fresca. Go through the unmarked door next to the stove and you’ll find a serious bar, staffed by Experimental Cocktail Club grads.
The market at Les Halles is long gone, but its legacy is still in evidence at Chez Denise, an old-school meat joint that’s open late. Expect to find steak, bone marrow, frisée salad on these red & white checked tablecloths. Come hungry, and don’t expect to be fussed over.
– Meg Zimbeck, 2010
Cheap, messy and seemingly obligatory. The line-averse should probably avoid it on a Sunday afternoon.
Practical information Address: 11 rue Bernard Palissy, 75006 Nearest transport: St. Germain-des-Pres (4) Hours: Open every day from 10am-6pm Reservations: Walk-ins Welcome Telephone: 01 45 44 02 52 Average price for lunch: 10-19€ Style of cuisine: Eggs, classic French, vegetarian options Website Reviews of interest Le Figaro (2009) “… des œufs sous toutes leurs formes: mollets, brouillés, au plat…il ne reste plus qu’à choisir le fond, la façon de les accommoder: herbes, jambon, fromages, champignons, au total 29 possibilités…” Food &… Read More »Eggs & Co.
