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Near the Louvre

Le Jardin de Cheval Blanc rooftop restaurant in Paris

Le Jardin de Cheval Blanc

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

Verjus restaurant in Paris

Verjus

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

Palais Royal Restaurant

Palais Royal Restaurant

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

YamTcha restaurant in Paris

yam’Tcha

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

Mer & Coquillage restaurant in Paris

Mer & Coquillage

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

La Bourse et La Vie

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.

Juveniles restaurant in Paris | parisbymouth.com

Juveniles

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 is… Read More »Juveniles

Ellsworth restaurant in Paris | parisbymouth.com

Ellsworth

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

Loulou restaurant in Paris - outdoor dining near the Louvre

Loulou

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

Macéo

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

bar at A l'Epi d'Or restaurant in Paris | Paris by Mouth

A l’Epi d’Or

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 (29€ or 39€) makes this a very good deal for central Paris, and the à la carte menu contains kid-friendly classics like croque monsieur (16€) and hachis parmentier (24€). It’s not inexpensive compared to Bouillon République, but it’s inexpensive for Jean-François Piège. We love the steak tartare – served… Read More »A l’Epi d’Or

Breizh Café Montorgueil

Breizh Café Montorgueil

Well-sourced products plus unlikely Japanese touches put Breizh Café head and shoulders above most crêperies.

Le Poule au Pot restaurant in Paris - Piege at Les Halles - cherry clafoutis

La Poule au Pot

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

Hakata Choten

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

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Naritake restaurant in Paris | parisbymouth.com

Naritake

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

Willi's Wine Bar in Paris | parisbymouth.com

Willi’s Wine Bar

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

Le Meurice

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

Drouant

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.

L’Ecume Saint-Honoré

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

Chez Georges

A popular, old school bistro serving classics like frisée au lardons, jambon persillée, escargot, and tarte tatin.

Le Petit Vendôme restaurant in Paris | parisbymouth.com

Le Petit Vendôme

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

Kei restaurant in Paris | parisbymouth.com

Kei

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.