Meat is king at Au Boeuf Couronné, a restaurant across the street from the Parc de la Villette – the previous site of the Paris slaughterhouse. It’s a beautiful old brasserie and a reliable place for steak lovers in search of a slab. Open every day.
Practical information
Address: 45 avenue Ledru-Rollin, 75012
Nearest transport: Gare de Lyon (1, 14, RER A), Quai de la Rapée (5)
Hours: Closed Sunday; Open Tuesday-Friday for lunch & dinner and Monday & Saturday for dinner
Reservations: Book a few days in advance
Telephone: 01 43 43 34 38
Average price for lunch: 20-39€
Average price for dinner: 20-39€
Style of cuisine: Classic French
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Reviews of interest
Atabula (2014) “Au programme: nappes épaisses, lourds couverts dans une ambiance mi populaire-mi bourgeoise. Comptez une vingtaine d’euros pour un menu qui fait la part belle aux terrines, rilettes, gibiers en saison, coq au vin, andouillette… Une jolie adresse dont on ferait volontiers sa cantine.”
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
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Reviews of interest
Bruno Verjus (2012) “J’admire Bernard Pacaud pour son obsession de la qualité, son exigence dans le choix des fournisseurs et des produits qui honorent la haute cuisine française. À l’Ambroisie l’on croise, pour le service et pour les mets, tradition et élégance, classicisme et modernité. ”
A Life Worth Eating (2010) “I am now certain that this is the finest French restaurant in the world. The indulgent menu, which is updated once per season, consists of only a handful of dishes. There are no weak choices on the menu, ever. Every dish is a speciality. The menu reads very straightforward, each dish described in a single line with all its ingredients listed. There is no tasting menu. There is no lunch discount. There are no exceptions.”
Food Snob (2009) “On the one hand, I was pretty sure I had eaten some of the most brilliant food of my life. On the other, I was not sure how much I had enjoyed it.”
The Financial Times (2007) “There was something sanctuary-like about L’Ambroisie – a solemn splendor that imposed quiet reflection on all who entered. This was not a restaurant for people who want a circus with their meal. It is a place best enjoyed by those who are truly, obsessively serious about food, because the food is pretty much the whole of the experience. That said, it is food that deserves to be worshipped.”