Paris Restaurants for Special Occasions
Choosing a restaurant for a special occasion is one of the most anxious forms of restaurant planning. Here are our picks — organized by format and budget — for the nights that need to go right.
Restaurant Review
Best Restaurants in the Marais
The Marais is one of the most visited neighborhoods in Paris — and one of the most difficult to eat well in. Here’s where to go, organized by what you’re in the mood for.
Paris Restaurants Open on Sunday
Sunday dining in Paris has a reputation problem. But the landscape has shifted considerably. Here are our personal picks for Sunday eating, plus a full neighborhood-by-neighborhood list.
French Wine Discovery
Demystify French wine in just two hours. Taste five distinctive wines from major French regions with a certified wine expert. Learn to navigate any wine list with confidence. Pre-dinner happy hour format.
Paris Restaurants by Location
Our complete guide to Paris restaurants by location, organized by arrondissement. Hundreds of personally reviewed restaurants with honest ratings, updated regularly. Find the best dining in every neighborhood of Paris.
Reviews for Paris By Mouth – the #1 Rated Paris Food Tour
PARIS BY MOUTH REVIEWS ON TRIPADVISOR We’re proud to be the #1 rated food tour in Paris on TripAdvisor with over 4,300 five-star reviews. Below you’ll find recent reviews from our guests. For the complete collection of reviews, visit our TripAdvisor page, but we think these highlights capture what makes Paris By Mouth special: expert guides, small groups, and an educational approach to French food and wine. After reading why so many people love us, visit our tours page to… Read More »Reviews for Paris By Mouth – the #1 Rated Paris Food Tour
L’Arrêt by the Grey
People love The Grey and its James Beard award-winning chef Mashama Bailey. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this beloved restaurant in Savannah, so I was excited (if a little perplexed) to hear they were opening an outpost in Paris. I reviewed it in our newsletter about Paris restaurants – click the link below to read more! L’Arrêt by the grey 36 Rue de l’Université, 75007Open Monday-Saturday for lunch & dinnerClosed SundayReservations online or at +33 9 84 00 09 08 OUR PHOTOS… Read More »L’Arrêt by the Grey
Paulownia
Paulownia is a sincere new restaurant near Nation, run by Tess Duteil and Geoffrey Belin. The couple met while working at Arpège, and their love of vegetables is evident. There was an intricate (and delicious) vegetarian millefeuille main dish on the night of our visit, along with a vegetarian starter. The star of the evening, however, was a sort of porky hot pocket – the petit pâté chaud feuilleté au cochon. Belin also has a way with fish. His barbue… Read More »Paulownia
Le Cheval d’Or
Since September 2023, Le Cheval d’Or has been revived by a new team that includes Hanz Gueco (Verjus & Ellsworth), Luis Andrade (Clown Bar), Nadim Smair (David Toutain) and Crislaine Medina, whose wine and service we adored at Le Rigmarole. We revisited in early 2024 and published a review – click the red link below to read more. Le Cheval d’or 21 rue de la Villette, 75019Open Monday to Friday for dinner only Closed Saturday & SundayReservations online or at… Read More »Le Cheval d’Or
Le Jules Verne
Le Jules Verne is the fine dining restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower, currently helmed by chef Frédéric Anton.
Granite
Granite is a fine dining restaurant in the old Spring location near the Louvre. Like Stéphane Manigold’s other western Paris restaurants (Hémicycle, Substance and Le Bistrot Flaubert), it’s aiming for elevated gastronomy in slightly young & cool (but not too cool) environment. GRANITE 6 Rue Bailleul, 75001Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinnerClosed Saturday & SundayReservations online or at +33 1 40 13 64 06 STILL SEARCHING? Our restaurant index organizes the restaurants we’ve anonymously visited since 2021 by location and ranks them… Read More »Granite
Narro
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
Gramme
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
Le Louis Vins
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
Le Bel Ordinaire – Rive Gauche (NOW CLOSED)
Le Bel Ordinaire closed in 2023. Previously: Le Bel Ordinaire is an aptly named gem in the southern Latin Quarter that straddles the line between a neighborhood bistro and something more refined – between the ordinary and beautiful. During the warm months, they have a leafy outdoor terrace at the bottom of the Mouffetard hill. It’s a great option if you’re strolling in the nearby rue Mouffetard or Jardin des Plantes or need something with good vegetarian options. LE BEL… Read More »Le Bel Ordinaire – Rive Gauche (NOW CLOSED)
Bonnard
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 Tuesday-Friday for dinner onlyOpen Saturday for lunch &… Read More »Bonnard
Mer & Coquillage (NOW CLOSED)
Update: Mer & Coquillage closed in 2024 and transformed into an Italian restaurant 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 (NOW CLOSED) 36 Rue des Petits Champs, 75002 Their Instagram / Our Instagram OUR PHOTOS OF MER & COQUILLAGE SUBSCRIBE TO… Read More »Mer & Coquillage (NOW CLOSED)
Prunier
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
Jacques Genin
Madman Jacques Genin crafts some of the city’s most exquisite chocolate, but he’s almost equally known for his caramels and pâtes de fruits. You might mistake his shop in the northern Marais for a luxury jeweler. The airy space is filled with stunning floral arrangements and white-gloved assistants assembling chocolate boxes. Favorite chocolates include the menthe fraîche (fresh mint), the noisette-feuilleté (crispy hazelnut praline) and fève tonka (tonka bean). The mango-passion fruit caramels are stunning, but we love his anything-but-plain nature version. Expect his pâtes de fruits to change with the seasons, but keep an eye out for orange sanguine (blood orange) in winter and berry flavors like fraise and framboise (strawberry and raspberry) in summer.
Baieta
We have not yet reviewed this restaurant. Check back soon for our thoughts!
L’Avant Comptoir de la Mer
Avant Comptoir de la Mer is bistronomy chef Yves Camdeborde’s seafood variation on his successful adjacent pork-themed pintxo bar.
Contraste
Two chefs – one captivated by the sea, the other by land – unite at this contemporary, creative restaurant in the ritzy 8th arrondissement.
Zébulon (NOW CLOSED)
NOW CLOSED
Les Papilles
Bring some friends to share in Bertrand Bluy’s family style dinner at this cave à manger.
L’Atelier Etoile de Joël Robuchon
Joël Robuchon’s empire expands again with the opening of another Atelier, this time on the Champs Elysées. This one is bigger than the left bank outpost, with an actual dining room in addition to the trademark counter seating.