Septime (return Visit)
One of the the best contemporary tasting menus in Paris, and still one of the most difficult reservation to get.
Michelin Starred Restaurants
yam’Tcha (return Visit)
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 (return Visit)
Frenchie (return Visit)
Frenchie is the original outpost from Gregory Marchand, a chef who trained with Jamie Oliver in the UK and Danny Meyer in the USA. They hold one Michelin star and serve a no-choice tasting menu with five courses for 140€. The optional wine pairings are usually excellent. Frenchie opened in 2009 and has been a very tough reservation since at least 2010. Reservations open three weeks before a given date (Mon-Fri) and all tables are usually booked within a few… Read More »Frenchie (return Visit)
Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée
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). Open Tuesday-Friday… Read More »Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée
Le Rigmarole
This small plates restaurant not far from République boasts a Japanese-accented assortment of dishes from French-American chef Robert Compagnon. Handmade pastas and yakitori are must-try items on the tasting menu. Ask for seat at the bar to see the binchotan grill at work. The team here easily caters to more (or less!) adventurous diners, with offerings like chicken sashimi and offal skewers. Co-owner Jessica Yang is the Taiwanese-American pastry chef behind the delectable desserts – save room.
Guy Savoy
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
Alliance
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
Benoît
Open since 1912, this picture-postcard Paris bistro serves elevated and expensive French food.
Pantagruel
At Pantagruel, a modern & creative restaurant in the Sentier district, each main dish is actually a parade of three smaller ones. Meaty options abound, but vegetables are given star treatment here. Balance and precision are the hallmarks of chef Jason Gouzy’s cuisine at Pantagruel, one of our favorite Paris restaurants.
Quinsou
Chef Antonin Bonnet is serving beautiful food in a serene (bordering on sleepy) dining room just south of Le Bon Marché in Saint-Germain. At night, the five course tasting menu for 95€ 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 75€. A lovely spot for a quiet or romantic dinner. Quinsou has been included among our favorite restaurants… Read More »Quinsou
Contraste
Two chefs – one captivated by the sea, the other by land – unite at this contemporary, creative restaurant in the ritzy 8th arrondissement.
Restaurant A.T.
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.
La Scène – Stéphanie Le Quellec
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
Le Clarence
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. Dining here is a chance to peek behind the curtain and live like an aristocrat for a few hours,… Read More »Le Clarence
Le Cinq
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
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.
Astrance – TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Address: 4, rue Beethoven, 75016Hours: Open Tuesday-Friday for lunch & dinner. Closed Saturday, Sunday & Monday.Telephone: +33 1 40 50 84 40Online Booking / Website / Facebook / Instagram Astrance in Photos In Other Words As of early 2020, work has begun on a new l’Astrance at the former location of le Jamin, set to open summer 2020. Condé Nast Traveler (2015) “It’s a sanctuary where you can revel in the pleasures of such dishes as spinach with spicy piquillo peppers,… Read More »Astrance – TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Le Grand Restaurant
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
David Toutain
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.
Ze Kitchen Galerie
East meets west at William Ledeuil’s much-lauded Ze Kitchen Galerie.
Arpège
Alain Passard spins turnips into gold at this vegecentric (but not vegetarian) three star restaurant.
Special Report on Haute Cuisine
Between September-December 2014, we anonymously tested all nine of the Paris restaurants that hold three Michelin stars, along with seven others that are considered to be shining examples of haute cuisine. In total, we spent €7150 in tasting 200 individual compositions during more than 65 hours at the table. You can learn more about how and why we did this by reading Behind the Curtain: Examining Haute Cuisine in Paris. Here are the articles that have come out of this: HAUTE FOOD PORN If you simply want… Read More »Special Report on Haute Cuisine
Our Favorite Three Star Restaurants in Paris
You can now find our report on three-star dining, including a ranking of every three-star restaurant in Paris, in the archives of our Substack newsletter.
The 20 Best Bites of Haute Cuisine in Paris
Haute cuisine is not exclusively about what’s on the plate. Elaborately choreographed service, the spectacular number of dishes, the depth of a wine cellar and sumptuous surroundings – these are arguably the elements that separate restaurants with two and three Michelin stars from their starless competitors. If we look exclusively at the food, however, ignoring the chandelier that twinkles overhead and the plush pedestal propping up our handbags, there is still much to celebrate in haute cuisine. In total, during our anonymous visits to sixteen restaurants that specialize in… Read More »The 20 Best Bites of Haute Cuisine in Paris
Behind the Curtain: Examining Haute Cuisine in Paris
More than 100 years ago, a tire company named Michelin began telling people about their best options for eating while motoring around the country. Travelers wanted to know what was worth a detour or a special journey, and that’s still the case today. The question I’m most frequently asked by our readers is where to go for a special blow-out meal. You want to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, a victory. You want to seal a deal, whether business or pleasure. You’re willing to drop some cash, but you don’t want to feel like a fool.
Until now, I’ve had a hard time answering this question. I know well the landscape of the city’s classic bistros, modern French restaurants, and food-loving wine bars, but this class of two- and three-star tables is a different terrain entirely. There’s an obvious barrier to understanding these restaurants: the staggering, outrageous, almost immoral price of a meal. Prior to this project, in which I anonymously tested every three-star restaurant in Paris over a period of twelve weeks, I had only visited a handful.
Read More »Behind the Curtain: Examining Haute Cuisine in Paris
Le Pré Catelan
Practical information Address: Bois de Boulogne, Route de Suresnes, 75016 Nearest transport: La Muette (9) or Avenue Henri Martin (RER C), then a 5-minute cab ride or half-hour walk Hours: Closed Sunday & Monday; Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner Reservations: Book a month or more in advance Telephone: +33 (0)1 44 14 41 14 Average price for lunch: More than 100€ Average price for dinner: More than 100€ Style of cuisine: Modern French, Haute Cuisine Website [slideshow_deploy id=’61884′] Reviews of interest L’assiette dans… Read More »Le Pré Catelan
Abri
We have never been disappointed by the excellent modern bistronomy at Abri, but the only way that we have been able to go in the last year has been when someone else had a reservation they couldn’t use. No, they will not answer their phone. No, there is no secret strategy. Even if you go in person and ask for a reservation, any reservation, at lunch or dinner for any number of people at any time in the future, the answer will be no. So take it off your list, it’s not a functional restaurant if you can’t ever go.
Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen
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.
Akrame
Address: 7 rue Tronchet, 75008Hours: Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinner. Closed Saturday & Sunday.Telephone: +33 1 40 67 11 16Book Online / Website / Facebook / Instagram COVID-19 UPDATE:Akrame is currently planning to reopen in September. Until then, the restaurant is offering a full menu of choices for pickup and delivery via Akrame Home, launched during confinement. Order online a day in advance before 3pm. In Other Words The following reviews pertain to Akrame’s former location in the 16th before moving… Read More »Akrame
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
Pierre Gagnaire
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
L’Ambroisie
Practical Information Address: 9 place des Vosges, 75004 Nearest transport: Saint-Paul (1), Chemin Vert (8) Hours: Closed Sunday & Monday; Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch & dinner Reservations: Book many weeks in advance Telephone: 01 42 78 51 45 Average price for lunch: More than 100€ Average price for dinner: More than 100€ Style of cuisine: Classic French, haute cuisine Website [slideshow_deploy id=’61950′] Reviews of interest Bruno Verjus (2012) “J’admire Bernard Pacaud pour son obsession de la qualité, son exigence dans… Read More »L’Ambroisie
Taillevent
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
L’Atelier Saint-Germain de Joël Robuchon
The original L’Atelier, in what’s now a global empire.
Epicure
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
Kei
After working for Ducasse for seven years, Kei Kobayashi has opened an eponymous restaurant in the old Gerard Besson space near Les Halles, offering four or five courses at lunch (38/48€) and six or eight (75/95€) at dinner. His cooking is spare and delicate, like the room that surrounds you, and service is formal. They’re clearly shooting for the (Michelin) stars here.