Outdoor Dining in Paris

Outdoor dining in Paris is a mixed bag. There are places that are both gorgeous and genuinely good. There are stunning settings that serve so-so food. There are outstanding restaurants with a few tables in front of the trash cans. Knowing which is which before you go is the whole point of this page.

We’ve organized our picks honestly: the places where the setting and the food are both worth your time; the places where the setting is the draw and the food is secondary; the places where we’d go primarily for the food and the outdoor space is a bonus; and the places that are neither glamorous nor gastronomic, but fun all the same.

Outdoor dining in Paris is largely a warm-weather phenomenon — most terraces operate from May through September, with some closing earlier in October. A few restaurants with covered or heated terraces are open year-round.

Click any restaurant name for our full review and practical information.

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Beautiful Settings with Good Food

These are the places where you don’t have to choose between a gorgeous setting and a meal worth eating.

GrandCoeur — One of the prettiest outdoor dining options in Paris: a large, expansive courtyard tucked behind the facade of a Marais hôtel particulier. The Mediterranean menu is full of vegetarian options and the kind of lighter food that warm weather calls for. Open every day; good for groups. 4th arrondissement.

Anne — A one-star restaurant with outdoor dining in a leafy, art-filled courtyard at the entrance to the Pavillon de la Reine hotel on the Place des Vosges. One of the more beautiful places to eat lunch in Paris on a warm day. Open Sunday for lunch. 3rd arrondissement.

Amagat — Hidden at the end of a twisting cobblestone alley near Père Lachaise, this Catalan tapas bar has a beautiful garden that’s worth every bit of the effort to find it. Small plates, an excellent list of affordable wines from Catalonia, and one of the most genuinely hidden spots in the city. Open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner. Off the beaten track. 20th arrondissement.

Maison Cluny — A restaurant with outdoor dining on a quiet Latin Quarter street overlooking the gardens of the Cluny museum, where you can sometimes hear birdsong above the city noise. The fried socca chips are among the best apéro nibbles in the city. Good for vegetarians. Open Tuesday through Saturday. 5th arrondissement.

Elmer — A modern Marais bistro with a leafy sidewalk terrace and a kitchen that takes warm-weather eating seriously: fresh, seasonal, lighter food designed to share. Good for groups. Open Tuesday through Saturday. 3rd arrondissement.

Tekés — The back patio at this fully vegetarian restaurant overlooks a gym, which gives it an unexpectedly fun voyeuristic quality. The food is exactly what you want in warm weather: light, vegetable-forward, and full of flavor. Open every day for dinner; open Monday through Friday for lunch. 2nd arrondissement.

Trouble — A wine bar in the 9th with a fantastic Italian kitchen and a large outdoor patio that’s where you want to be on a warm evening. Open Tuesday through Saturday; no reservations. 9th arrondissement.

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Come for the Setting

Sometimes the view is worth more than the food. These spaces are beautiful enough that we think the trade-off is worth making — but go in with clear expectations.

Le Jardin de Cheval Blanc (mid-May to mid-September only) — A lush rooftop garden at the Cheval Blanc hotel with sweeping views over central Paris. Every dish contains tomato or strawberry, about half are vegetarian, and the prices are steep for what you get. Our recommendation: come for a drink and a nibble, not a full meal. Near the Louvre; open every day during the season. 1st arrondissement.

Loulou — The outdoor terrace inside the Musée des Arts Décoratifs looks onto the Tuileries with a distant view of the Eiffel Tower. The Italian menu is passable and expensive. Come for the setting and the chilled rosé, not the food. Near the Louvre; open every day. 1st arrondissement.

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Sweet Spaces, Serious Food

These restaurants don’t have sweeping views or hidden courtyards, but we’d go for the food regardless — and the outdoor space is a genuine pleasure when the weather cooperates.

Café des Ministères — One of our favorite restaurants in Paris happens to have a sweet little terrace that’s doubled its capacity in recent years, making it ever-so-slightly easier to book a table. The food is rich and wintry by nature (stuffed cabbage, scallop preparations) — but on a warm evening, we’d happily eat it outside. 7th arrondissement.

Café les Deux Gares — A modern bistro with an airy terrace perched between Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est, overlooking the tracks. The seasonal cooking reliably over-delivers on its simple descriptions. Open Monday through Saturday. 10th arrondissement.

Les Enfants du Marché — A lively counter inside the open-air Marché des Enfants Rouges, with natural wine and creative small plates. The market setting means you’re eating outside by definition — arrive before noon or expect a wait. No reservations. Good for vegetarians. Open Tuesday through Sunday (Sunday lunch only). 3rd arrondissement.

Le Bistrot Flaubert — A moderately priced modern bistro just north of the Arc de Triomphe, with a lovely terrace added in recent years. Open Tuesday through Saturday. 17th arrondissement.

Huîtrerie Régis — A small Saint-Germain oyster bar with a handful of sidewalk tables that are exactly where you want to be on a warm evening. They take reservations by phone, or try your luck at apéro hour around 6pm. Great for seafood; open every day. 6th arrondissement.

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Simple & Sociable

Not glamorous, not gastronomic by our standards — but these are fun spaces to spend time outside.

Café de la Nouvelle Mairie — A timeless café on a shady lane beside the Panthéon, with a handful of outdoor tables and one of the best natural wine lists in the neighborhood. Simple bistro food, inexpensive wine by the carafe, and a local crowd unbothered by anyone’s opinion of them. Open Monday through Friday. 5th arrondissement.

Tram Café — A sidewalk table at this Latin Quarter café looks onto the church of Sainte-Geneviève. Famous for its croque monsieur; better for coffee, breakfast, and the lighter plates. Open Tuesday through Saturday until 7:30pm. 5th arrondissement.

Treize au Jardin — A sun-dappled terrace across from the Luxembourg Gardens, ideal for brunch, afternoon tea, or early evening cocktails. The seasonal salads are excellent; the desserts are even better. Good for vegetarians. Open every day; no reservations. 6th arrondissement.

Brasserie des Prés — Part of the Nouvelle Garde group (Brasserie Dubillot, Brasserie Bellanger), this is a reliable address for affordable classic French food when you’re eating with kids, picky eaters, or a mixed group. Open every day from 9am to midnight. 6th arrondissement.

Café de Luce — An all-day café in Montmartre from chef Amandine Chaignot, with expansive outdoor dining on a leafy square across from the restaurant. Easy, casual, and well-priced for the neighborhood. Open every day. 18th arrondissement.

Breizh Café — Our favorite crêperie in Paris has outdoor seating at most of its locations. The Saint-Germain location on the rue de l’Odéon has always been a favorite, with planted trees and black-and-white chairs; the Passy location in the 16th is also beautiful. Open every day at all locations. Good for vegetarians. Multiple arrondissements.

Poget et De Witt — A tiny seafood spot on the Île Saint-Louis with a handful of sidewalk tables and a view of the Panthéon. Oysters and other shellfish, shucked on site. Great for seafood. Open Wednesday through Monday. 4th arrondissement.

L’Avant Comptoir du Marché — The most spacious of Yves Camdeborde’s three Saint-Germain wine bars, with outdoor tables and room to breathe. The usual trinity of artisanal hams, offal preparations, and natural wines, without the crush of the other two locations. Open every day; no reservations. 6th arrondissement.

Café Compagnon — An all-day café near the rue Montorgueil with a large outdoor terrace and a relaxed pace. Open seven days; usually no reservations needed. 2nd arrondissement.

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Looking for more? Browse our 50 Favorite Restaurants in Paris or explore our neighborhood guides.