my favorite Paris Restaurants

Here’s a list of some of my favorite restaurants, bistros and cafés in Paris. This list is frequently updated as I discover new places and revisit others. You’ll find classic French bistros, places offering up contemporary French cooking, as well as some places that are good spots for enjoying the cuisine of other cultures, which are part of the multicultural mix of Paris.

In the past few years, restaurants have really hit their stride in Paris and many are booked at least a week in advance, especially ones that get media attention. So it’s wise to book in advance. The great news is that many places now take online reservations, which is great, but to avoid no-shows, some will ask you to confirm the day of the reservation either by text or telephone.

If you’ve used an overseas telephone number on the online reservation form, they may not be able to call you so I recommend calling them in the morning to confirm. Most places have someone who speaks some English in the dining room. Just be sure to speak slowly, and begin by asking, “Parlez-vous anglais, s’il vous plaît?” You can also ask someone at your hotel to call for you as well.

Tip: Some places keep tables open for regulars, and others get last-minute cancelations. If you can be flexible, just showing up and asking if they’ve had any cancellations can sometimes help you snag a table.

For more casual eating, I like dining in wine bars, and you can find some of them listed here. Due to licensing laws, at most you have to order food along with your drinks. So don’t be surprised when they ask that you order something to eat with your wine, although it can just be a plate of charcuterie or cheeses.

Another recent change in the Paris dining scene is that many restaurants are now on Instagram. While most don’t take reservations on Instagram, you can check their opening hours and get other current information.

I’m frequently asked about vegetarian restaurants in Paris and nowadays, it’s common for restaurants (except, perhaps, traditional bistros) to have a few vegetarian dishes on menus, especially more contemporary places helmed by younger chefs. If you have special dietary needs, be sure to let the restaurant know when making your reservation so they can be prepared.

Some of the places listed, I’ve written up on this website and I’ve added links at the end of each listing where I’ve written more about them. You can also browse my Paris Restaurant archives to read through all the listings and discover more places.

And I list Paris restaurants in my newsletter as well.

Lastly, restaurants can change, even from one night to the next but I recommend these restaurants because I’ve had consistently good experiences at them, and hope that you do, too.

A La Biche au Bois

45 Av Ledru Rollin, 12th, tel: 01 43 43 34 38, (M: Gare de Lyon). Two blocks from the Gare de Lyon train station. Not fancy but a lot of fun, and great food. Order one of the fixed menus and save room for the cheese course. For starters, try to get through a gargantuan salade Perigordine, topped with a big chunk of foie gras. Many game dishes are on offer, depending on the season. Closed weekends. (A La Biche au Bois.)

Au Passage

1 bis Passage Saint-Sébastian, 11th, tel: 01 73 20 23 23, (M: Saint-Sébastian – Froissart) This youthful restaurant and wine bar is located in a passage, which you might need a map to find. It’s gone through a few incarnations of chefs, but the food is always fresh, interesting, and available in small plates (and a few larger ones), meant for sharing. There’s a focus on quality ingredients and the wine list has some affordable treasures on there. The staff is earnest and friendly if you have questions, in spite of how busy the dining room is. I like the interesting salads which may combine cheeses, smoked fish, and crisp greens. For those who are hungry, the roasted lamb shoulder is enough to feed an entire table. (Au Passage website.)

automne

11 rue Richard Lenoir, 11th, tel: 01 40 09 03 70, (M: Charonne) If you’re looking for a Michelin-starred experience, but don’t want to spend €400 per person for dinner, Automne is a lovely one-star restaurant, whose cuisine rivals those with two- or three-stars, for a fraction of the price. Chef Nobuyuki Akishige prepares a set tasting menu for lunch and dinner (currently €75 for lunch, and the five- or seven-course dinner is €110-145, respectively) using fresh, seasonal products, which changes frequently. A recent meal included roasted salsify with truffles, foie gras tartlet with a spicebread crust, wild mushrooms with almonds and riesling, and a delicious dessert of black figs from Provence roasted with sesame, feta, and red wine. (It works!) The wine list by sommelier Ulysse Hivroz is exceptional, especially the selection of wines from Alsace. The restaurant is quite intimate and reservations are a must. (Automne website.)

Aux Bons Crus

54 rue Godefroy Cavaignac, 11th, tel: 01 45 67 21 13, (M: Voltaire) An ode to “les Routiers,” French truck stops, known for their hearty cooking, this cosmopolitan version does very respectable versions of French classics at modest prices. Steak frites with Béarnaise sauce, Tête de veau, Stuffed cabbage Œufs mayonnaise, Endive salad with bacon and poached egg, as well as massive desserts, are devoured by locals along with pitchers (or bottles) of wine. Very friendly service. (Aux Bons Crus website.)

Bellota-Bellota

18 rue Jean-Nicot, 7th, tel: 01 53 59 96 96, (M: Invalides, or La Tour-Maubourg) Enjoyable tapas-style bar, with fabulous hams from wild acorn-fed pigs. For dessert, stop down the street at Secco bakery for an almond-scented financier. (Bellota-Bellota website.)

bistrot des tournelles

While the Marais is a visitor favorite, not all the restaurants are up recommendable. A short walk from the Place des Vosges, this small dining room feels almost like home, with French standards like œufs mayo, steak-frites and a hearty daube de bœuf à la provençale, as well as simple, roasted free-range chicken with frites. Natural wines are the name of the game here and there’s a well-edited selection of them. This bistrot has become quite popular (which may explain the rise in prices), especially with natural wine fans. (Bistrot des Tournelles website)

Breizh Cafe

109 rue Vieille du Temple, 4th, tel: 01 42 72 13 77, (M: St. Paul or St. Sébastian Froissart), 1 rue de l’Odéon, tel: 01 42 49 34 73 (M; Odéon), 5th, and at 14 rue des Petits Carreaux (2nd), and other locations. Terrific crêpes and buckwheat galettes, right in the middle of the bustling Marais. Using organic buckwheat and Bordier butter, wash your meal down with sparkling apple cider or lait ribot – Breton buttermilk. I start with an amuse-bouche buckwheat galette, rolled up with seaweed butter. Then end with a buckwheat galette with buckwheat ice cream and buckwheat honey, which is one of my favorite desserts in Paris. The restaurants now offers online reservations via their website. (Breizh Café.)

cafe les deux gares

1 rue des Deux Gares, (M: Gare du Nord) Nestled between two train stations, the Gare du Nord and the Gare de l’Est, the neighborhood is a little rough around the edges, but this charmingly restored café with an expansive terrace is a nice little respite, and a great address if you’re in the area – although many of the diners, myself included, go for the food. The menu changes daily but I’ve enjoyed fresh oysters with Normandy cider vinegar, tuna with summer fruit, mackerel with spicy tomatillo sauce, and mussels with lovage, and ending with a big-enough-to-share hazelnut crème brûlée with vin jaune. Note the restaurant is across the street from the hotel so you might need to click around the website to find the restaurant info. (Café les Deux Gares.)

Cafe de la Nouvelle Mairie

19-21 rue des Fossés-Saint-Jacques, tel: 01 44 07 04 41 (M: Cardinal Lemoine or Place Monge) If you’re looking for a local bistro (or café) that serves very fresh, well-sourced food, in authentic surroundings, at reasonable prices, with a friendly staff, and an approachable (natural) wine list by the glass, this is your restaurant. The place is jammed with locals, especially at lunchtime, who come for the good food and a bit of sunshine. (The restaurant overlooks a nice little patch of green in Paris.) Seafood is always a good choice, as are the roasted or grilled meats. I especially like the housemade sausages which go well with a dollop of mustard, and a cool glass of vin blanc. Another upside: The café is open from 8 am to 12:30 am Monday through Friday. (Café de la Nouvelle Mairie.)

caluche

12 rue de Mirbel, tel: 01 45 87 89 40 (M: Censier-Daubentin) This lovely little restaurant still retains the look of a traditional corner bistro, but offers remarkably fresh fare. The menu changes daily but I’ve had raw, marinated sardines marinated in white wine and wild garlic, a contemporary take on the Niçoise pissaladière (tart) with mackerel and crisp fennel, and hake with braised endive and a lemony butter sauce that made me want to pick up the plate and lick it off, not wanting to waste a drop. Vegetarians will appreciate the Assiette de légumes de saison, featuring a gorgeous array of vegetables that tasted as if they were just picked from the garden, including the tiniest potatoes I’d ever seen, sweet baby carrots, and baby turnips. Natural wines are the name of the game as the restaurant doubles as a wine cave (bar), with a special focus on wines from the Jura. (Caluche)

Capitaine

4 impasse de Guéménée, 4th, (M: Bastille) At a recent meal here, the roasted pork I had, was so good, I signaled to the chef in the kitchen how good it was. (In fact, it was the best piece of pork I’ve had in France.) Chef Baptiste Day worked with some of the best chefs in Paris before opening his own bistro a half a block from the Place des Vosges. Thankfully the Marais tourist vibe (turning out food that’s, at best, just good enough…) hasn’t seeped in here and you’ll find local and visitors coming from the friendly young servers, the on-point wine list, and very good food. The menu changes daily but the cooking is impressive; high-quality ingredients and little touches, like desserts accompanied by, just-churned ice cream, makes Capitaine a great addition to the neighborhood. (Capitaine)

chanceux

57 rue Saint-Maur, 11th, tel: 01 81 69 67 05, (M: St. Maur) This all-day café features well-sourced, very fresh food, in a casual setting. Cheffe Farah Laacher and her partner Thomas Lehoux (who founded the Belleville Brûlerie, a coffee-roasting company in Paris) feature salads, homemade terrines and pâtés, sandwiches, marinated cheeses, and more on their daily-changing menu.

The homemade brioche topped with roasted squash, fresh herbs, and whatever ingredients are in season is a favorite. Because the café is also an épicerie, selling homemade jams, condiments, and even cheese made on the farm of Thomas’ father, you can even grab a few things to go, including a bottle of natural wine, specially selected by Thomas. The restaurant also has one of the best brunches in town on weekends. The Chanceux team opened a second address in Paris in the 5th arrondissement (63 rue Galande) focusing on delicious homemade sandwiches. (Chanceux.)

Chez Dumonet

117 rue du Cherche-Midi, 6th, tel: 01 45 48 52 40, (M: Duroc or Falguière) Reliably good French bistro food, a genre that is increasingly difficult to find in Paris. Friendly service and enormous portions (some of the dishes are available in half-sizes), the Grand Marnier dessert soufflé is a must, and the duck confit is among the best in Paris. Not a “budget” bistro, but the quality of the food (and the neighborhood) merits the prices. (Chez Dumonet.)

chez georges

1 rue du Mail, 2nd, tel: 01 42 60 07 11, (M: Grands Boulevards or Bourse) This Paris stalwart remains the classic French bistro, serving traditional fare, from escargots with garlic butter and frisée salad with bacon and egg, to steak frites with bearnaise sauce and andouilette de Troye, rognons de veau (veal kidneys), and sole meunière. (Chez Georges)

Chez Omar

47 rue de Bretagne, 3rd, tel: 01 42 72 36 26, (M: Filles du Calvaire) People are divided on Chez Omar, but the place has a lot going for it. It’s open every day but doesn’t take reservations, so you don’t need to decide to go weeks in advance (although the disorganized line is rather taxing), and you can have North African couscous or a pretty fine steak-frites. Service can be chaotic, and you’ll be surrounded by a big mix of people, from locals to out-of-towners. I skip the less-interesting first courses and stick with the couscous, the steak-frites, or the lamb brochettes.

Chez Paul

13 rue de Charonne, 11th, tel: 01 47 00 34 57, (M: Ledru-Rollin) One of the good, true remaining bistros in Paris that serves well-made French food. I like their giant Côte de Boeuf (for 2) as well as the dandelion salad with crisp bacon and a poached egg on top. Duck confit, steak-frites, and a few seafood selections are offered, as well as entrées like œufs mayonnaise and plates of good charcuterie. The food is rustic, as is the atmosphere, but it’s a popular place with French diners, especially on Sundays when many other places are closed. (Chez Paul website.)

comice

31 avenue de Versailles, 16th: tel: 01 42 15 55 70 (M: Jasmin). An exquisite dining experience by husband (chef) and wife (sommelier) team Noam Gedalof and Etheliya Hananova, with Noam talking the reins in the kitchen and Etheliya in charge of the dining room, guiding and selecting the wines. The fixed menu is a lovely presentation of dishes using well-chosen ingredients that represent the best of France, with flavors that will delight and surprise. (The restaurant is happy to make menu adjustments, with advanced notice.) A recent meal started with warm cheese-filled gougères, a chilled sweet pea soup with bacon and crème fraîche that highlighted spring peas, plump sea scallops with preserved citrus, lobster poached in beurre blanc with sweet potato and chard ravioli, and a stunning chocolate soufflé for dessert, all accompanied by carefully-chosen wines from small producers. (Comice website.)

Ellsworth

34 rue de Richelieu, 1st, tel: 01 42 60 59 66, (M: Palais-Royal, Pyramides) Excellent contemporary cooking with well-sourced and market-based ingredients appear on their always-changing menu. From the team that created the popular Verjus restaurant, reserve in advance at this popular restaurant. The casual, friendly vibe makes it a great place for lunch or dinner. (Ellsworth website.)

Frenchie Wine Bar

5-6 rue de Nil, 2nd, tel: 01 40 39 96 19, (M: Sentier) The wine bar of the famed (and hard to get into) Frenchie restaurant, the food here is excellent, served in small-plate style, meant to share. It’s very popular with visitors, who line up before the 7pm opening time to snag a seat (no reservations!), and locals, who come later. (Frenchie Wine Bar website.)

grand brasserie

6 rue de la Bastille, 11th, tel: 09 75 80 99 72, (M: Bastille) This classic brasserie is open daily, including Sunday, and offers up excellent versions of reliable French fare, which includes an award-winning œufs mayonnaise with celery remoulade, fresh oysters from Normandy, and an excellent pâté en croûte with chicken and pistachios. You can share (meant to serve two) roast lambs houlder, served with salad and potato gratin, or aged côte de bœuf (beef rib), which comes with very good French fries. There are also seafood dishes and well as duck breast on the menu (for those who don’t eat meat), which are subject to change. Desserts include profiteroles; cream puffs with ice cream drowned in lots of chocolate sauce, Floating Island, Crème brûlée and a yeasted rum baba served with a generous pour of rum. The wine list has quite a few notable wines on it, for those interested in wine. (Grand Brasserie website.)

Holybelly

5 and 19 rue Lucien Sampaix, 10th, No telephone (M: Jacques Bonsergent) This super-friendly café and restaurant is run by Nico and Sarah, who use the freshest ingredients and locally-roasted coffee beans. The restaurant has grown in popularity and now has two locations. A great place for breakfast or lunch. Breakfasts range from eggs and pancakes, to toast and granola. Lunch spans the globe, although every plate has a French sensibility. Very popular on weekends and at lunch and no reservations are taken – expect a wait for weekend brunch. (Holybelly website.)

Ibrik Kitchen

9 rue Mulhouse, 2nd, (M: Sentier) While you may be scratching your head over a restaurant specializing in Romanian food in Paris, Ibrik pulls it off brilliantly. Forget heavy sauces and root vegetables, dishes here are a revelation. The smoked pastrama (brined beef that comes in a smoke-filled dome) was a bit on the salty side, but everything else was as close to perfect as one could imagine, including a dish of outstanding (and non-greasy) polenta dumplings filled with fresh cheese and slices of rare duck breast (magret de canard) with honey-roasted kuri squash and orzotto, a barley-based risotto that was so good that I didn’t want to share a forkful of it with my tablemates. (Ibrik website.)

Juveniles

47 rue de Richelieu, 1st, tel: 01 42 97 46 49, (M: Pyramides) This intimate wine bar has been a Paris fixture for decades, and one of the city’s best-kept secrets. The menu changes daily so chef Romain Roudeau can use the freshest ingredients, and dishes include a mix of French classics; terrines, blanquette de veau, braised pork, accompanied by a well-selected wine list, many available by the glass, chosen by Margaux, his wife, who expertly runs the dining room. (Juveniles.)

Kubri

108 rue Amelot, 11th (M: Filles du Calvaire) A wonderful restaurant exploring the cuisine of Lebanon, by Franco-Lebanese cheffe Rita Higgins. The menu changes daily but the Labneh appetizer I had with broccolini, herbs and radishes was outstanding, as was the roast chicken with a forceful toum (garlic) sauce and black citrus, as well as beef cheeks with crunchy beans. The well-made cocktails are infused with Arabesque flavors, too. The place is small and casual, and is getting the attention it deserves. (Kubri website)

la buvette

67 rue Saint-Maur, 11th, (M: Voltaire) This small, personal bar à manger is a wine bar presided over by Camille Fourmont. It’s casual, small, and lively, especially on weekends. The walls are lined with wine bottles, but for drinking by the glass, ask the barperson (or Camille) for recommendations and they’ll steer you in the right direction. Due to licensing laws, you need to order something with your drink. Fortunately it’s not a problem and everything from the famous “giant beans” to the housemade terrine, is terrific. And, of course, goes well with wine. (La Buvette website.)

l’apibo

31 rue Tiquetonne, 2nd), (M: Etienne-Marcel) Chef Anthony Boucher presides over this small, contemporary bistronomique restaurant which is packed with locals at lunch. After working in some of the top restaurants in France, Chef Boucher now has his own spot near the bustling Rue Montorgueil. Since the menu changes daily it’s hard to say what’ll be on offer, but he uses very fresh ingredients and the desserts are especially good – including a fine soufflé, when the kitchen is whipping them up. (L’apibo website.)

L’Avant Comptoir de la Mer

3 Carrefour de l’Odeon. 6th, (M: Odeon) If you like seafood, this is the place for you. The seafood outpost of chef Yves Cambeborde’s mini-empire of restaurants (he owns Le Comptoir du Relais, a sit-down restaurant, and L’Avant Comptoir, another stand-up wine bar tucked behind a crêpe stand with terrific food – as well as L’Avant Comptoir de la Marché, a similar wine bar, just a few blocks away), this stand-up place has a few stools and tables, but is a place where Parisians line up at the zinc counter for excellent oysters, raw seafood ceviche, and gently cooked seafood, under various guises. Like his other places, there’s the trademark giant mount of salted butter at the bar, ready to spread, along with an appealing list of wines by the glass and bottle, to wash it all down. Open daily, noon to 11pm. The place draws a crowd in the evening, so I tend to go at lunch.

Le Bambou

70 rue Baudricourt, 13th, tel: 01 45 70 91 75, (M: Tolbiac or Maison Blanche) A very good, bustling spot for Vietnamese food. Inexpensive and authentic, expect to find yourself jammed elbow-to-elbow with fellow diners. Closed Monday.

Le Bon Georges

45 rue Saint-Georges, 9th, tel: 01 48 78 40 30, (M: Saint-Georges) The classic bistro has been updated with well-sourced meats and vegetables and this now-popular neighborhood restaurant. Good steak tartare and steak frites are on the blackboard menu (note that they will only cook steaks rare and medium-rare, as they feel that the quality of their meat is too good to cook it any further), but there are good-quality fish dishes. (Le Bon Georges.)

le clarence

31 avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 8th, tel: 01 82 82 10 10 (M: Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau) If you’re looking for an upscale dining experience, Le Clarence offers just that. Situated in a 19th century hôtel particulier (private mansion). Even though the restaurant has two Michelin stars, the charming staff avoids the stuffiness of similar, highly-lauded restaurants and presents the modern French cuisine of Christophe Pelé, inspired by his Brittany roots, so there’s a focus on seafood.

The menu changes daily and lunch is more affordable; a 3-course meal is €150, 4-course is €250, and dinner ranges from €280-€430, all of which includes many little sides, and the wine list has plenty of gems for under €100. I spent an afternoon with a friend here celebrating a special event and we had a lovely time enjoying everything from langoustines with cilantro cream to chevreuil (deer) with horseradish. Feel free to ask to have dessert by the fireplace upstairs, where the staff is happy to serve you coffee or an after dinner drink. Reservations obligatory and while not required, men would feel more comfortable wearing a sport jacket and dress slacks, but a tie isn’t necessary. (Le Clarence.)

Le Garde Robe

41 rue de l’Arbre Sec, 1st, tel: 01 49 26 90 60, (M: Louvre-Rivoli) This wine bar serves ‘natural’ wines and the friendly staff is happy to help you with suggestions. Although it gets crowded at peak hours, if you snag a table, you can order a board of charcuterie and cheeses to make a nice meal. I haven’t been back in a while, but will update here when I do. (Le Garde Robe.)

Le Grand Bain

14 rue Dénoyez, 20th, tel: 09 83 02 72 02 (M: Belleville) Look to the chalkboard for the daily specials, which change as ingredients come into season. Plenty of tasty small plates meant for sharing to choose from. A good list of natural wines and craft beers ensures a young crowd will be filling the tables. The still-scruffy Belleville neighborhood has welcomed Le Grand Bain, located on a small side street, that features bread from its own bakery just across the street. (Le Grand Bain website.)

Le Petit Vendome

8, rue des Capucines (2nd), Tél: 01 42 61 05 88. Closed weekends. Yes, this is a restaurant, but a majority of the crowd comes here for one thing: Sandwiches. And these aren’t just any sandwiches, they’re arguably the best sandwiches in Paris (CheZadine at 85 rue du Roquette in the 11th, closed on weekends, has excellent sandwiches as well). Every weekday locals line up at this old-fashioned restaurant, just steps away from the swanky Place Vendôme, and order freshly-made sandwiches from the blackboard by the counter, which you can’t miss; it’s surrounded by sausages, cheeses, and a big mound of butter for slathering on the sandwiches. The selection changes but you can’t go wrong with a classic jambon-beurre, although none of the other sandwiches has steered me wrong either. Note that sandwiches are take-away only, although you can enjoy them at the counter with a glass of wine. (Le Petit Vendôme.)

Le Relais d’Entrecote

20 rue Saint-Benoît, 6th, tel: 01 45 49 16 00, (M: St. Germain des Pres), and other addresses. This busy restaurant just serves one thing: Entrecôte and French fries. There are no choices except how you want your meat cooked, which is sauced and served tableside. I’ve never had a bad time (or a bad meal) here and the place runs like an efficient clock. House red wine is always a good choice and the dessert lists features picture-perfect versions of some of the French classics. No reservations can mean a wait at busy times. If you don’t mind dining early, arrive for the first seating, which is at 7pm. (Le Relais d’Entrecote website.)

Le Rigmarole

10, rue du Grand-Prieuré, 11th, tel: 01 71 24 58 44, (M: Oberkampf) When French ingredients get handled with a Japanese touch, the result is superb at Le Rigmarole. My meal started with assorted pickled vegetables, obtained from the nearby market, then I was presented with a stunning pile of ribbons of butternut squash tempura. Much of the menu focuses on grilled yakitori-style meats, but I had a lovely oyster that tasted like it just came from the sea, as well as a delicate sea scallop marinated with bits of candied lemon. My take is to go with the chef’s menu, and sit back and see what the chef dreams up. They’re happy to work around food aversions or allergies, but slightly adventurous eaters will be rewarded with delicacies made from overlooked parts of beef and chicken. A wonderful experience. At present, Le Rigmarole is only open for lunch. (Le Rigmarole website)

Le Rubis

10 rue du Marche Saint-Honoré, 1st, (M: Tuilleries. Authentic Parisian wine bar and a great place for a rustic lunch or simple sandwich at the zinc counter, washed down with a glass (or two) of wine. I like to stop in for a late afternoon for a sip or two, accompanied by a most generous plate of their good charcuterie. (Le Rubis.)

Le Saint-Sebastien

42 rue Saint-Sébastien, 11th (M: Saint-Ambroise or Saint-Sébastien-Froissanrt) Modern, carefully-crafted French cooking, Le Saint Sébastien, whose menu changes with the seasons. Sparsely decorated, the creativity of the kitchen shines through. We started with delicate skewers of marinated turnips (served like ruffled ribbons on sticks), and I greatly enjoyed my duck with caramelized beets and red Belgian endive. The wine list is particularly excellent, and beers are provided by Deck & Donahue brewery, which is spearheading the French artisan beer movement. (Le Saint-Sébastien website.)

le verre volé

67 rue de Lancry, 10th, (M: Goncourt) Le Verre Volé had a surge of popularity when it opened. And after getting too much attention, the restaurant now has hit its stride. Fresh, modern French cooking (and excellent housemade sausages) along with bottles and bottles of wine lining the shelves (back from the days when it was primarily a bar à manger (wine bar with food), to choose from. Good to note that the restaurant is open on Sundays and Mondays. (Le Verre Volé website.)

Les Arlots

136 rue du Faubourg Poissonière, 9th, tel: 01 42 82 92 01, (Métro: Gare du Nord) An unpretentious spot doesn’t seat a lot of people but is brimming with friendliness, charm, and good food and wine. The best ingredients are used here on the menu that changes daily, which may include a fish tartare with horseradish or a house-made terrine with pickles (which is excellent). The chef uses dry-aged beef, and the entrecôte is one of the best in Paris, although many patrons go for the hearty sausage and mashed potatoes (which won Le Fooding’s award for the best saucisse-purée in town) or fresh fish dishes. Choose your wine from a bottle on the wall and pay a supplement to drink it there. The young sommelier will help steer you in the direction of something you’ll like. Les Arlots recently opened a cave à manger (wine bar with food), Billili, just next door, that doesn’t take reservations. (Les Arlots Facebook page.)

Le Mermoz

16, rue Jean Mermoz, 8th, tel: 01 45 63 65 26, (M: Franklin D. Roosevelt) Vibrant market-fresh cooking, this standard-looking bistro surprises with well-made dishes. The menu changes daily, for lunch and dinner, with the staff happy to suggest wines by the glass (or bottle) from their terrific wine list. Note: Lunch is a lot more lively and interesting here (to me); the evening menu is more along the lines of small plates to share and the vibe is quieter. (Le Mermoz website.)

Le Trumilou

84 quai de l’Hôtel de Ville, 4th, tel: 01 42 77 63 98, (M: Hôtel de Ville or Pont Marie) This hole-in-the-wall bistro serves well-made French classics without the fuss (or price) of other places. Classic French without any pretense. In season, you’ll find game dishes. Open seven days a week. (Le Trumilou.)

Little Breizh

11 Rue Gregoire de Tours, 6th, tel: 01 43 54 60 74, (M: Mabillion or Odéon) This sweet crêperie makes great buckwheat galettes (crêpes), in a neighborhood where reasonable restaurants that use fresh ingredients are hard to come by. I stick with the classic complète with ham, cheese, and a sunny-side-up in the center, then end with a dessert galette, with a scribble of bittersweet chocolate sauce or house-made salted butter caramel. Note that buckwheat crêpes are called “galettes” in French, and if you want your dessert to include a buckwheat crêpe, do like I do, and ask for a galette instead of a standard flour crêpe. (Little Breizh Facebook page.)

Ma Bourgogne

19 place des Vosges, 4th, tel: 01 42 78 44 64, (M: Bastille) Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, this is a well-placed spot to sit under the arches of the gorgeous Place des Vosges. Standard French fare (the fixed menu is your best bet), generous salads, and Berthillon ice cream. Some people note that the service can be brusque and the food isn’t all that outstanding. Still, it’s a beautiful place to sit on a nice day and enjoy the scenery. No reservations or credit cards. (Ma Bourgogne website.)

Oxymore

60 rue St-Maur, 11th, (M: Parmentier) and 58 rue de Marguerite de Rochechouart, M: Anvers) 9th. For a slice of French life (the French are some of the top pizza eaters in the world) Oxymore is a pizzeria Française offering up pizzas with decidedly French toppings. My favorite is the Pascaline, a spicy pie with fresh tomme (cheese), piment d’Espelette sausage, and pickled chiles. The extra-friendly staff makes dining here fun. Reasonably priced wine is available by the glass, bottle, or carafe and desserts are good, too. I recently had a rosemary panna cotta with honey and almonds that I didn’t want to share. Note: In France, people eat pizza with a knife and fork, and spice-infused oil is always brought to the table to liven up your pie. (Oxymore website.)

While Oxymore is one pizza place I enjoy, others that are good include Maria Luisa, La Briciola, and Popine.

parcelles

13 rue Chapon, 3rd (M: Arts et Métiers) This wonderful addition to the Paris dining scene has become one of the hardest reservations in town. My last meal there was excellent, especially the pressed pork terrine and the fried sweetbreads, which are often not a dish I’m wont to order, but I was glad we did; it was one of the best things I’ve eaten in Paris. Wine lovers will appreciate the extremely well-selected list. (Parcelles website.)

Poulette

3 rue Étienne Marcel, 1st, tel: 09 53 62 89 17, (M: Étienne Marcel) This beautifully restored turn-of-the-century restaurant is notable for the beautiful tile work, but the friendly staff serves cuisine maison (home cooking) using fresh foods, respecting the seasons. A recent lunch started off with their version of œufs mayo (hard-cooked eggs with mayonnaise) followed up by a delicious steak-frites. We also enjoyed tiny quail roasted in white wine with fingerling potatoes. If you’re not craving wine, or one of their very good cocktails, there’s a bounty of fresh vegetables behind the bar, and a juicer, with fresh juices on offer. (Poulette website.)

Saravanaa Bhavan

170 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 10th, tel: 01 40 05 01 01, (M: Gare du Nord) This Indian restaurant is completely vegetarian, making it a good choice for folks avoiding meat, or who want a change from having to be content with a salad at a bistro. The food is very good and the place is spotless. Very casual, no reservations. (Saravanaa Bhavan website.)

Septime

80 rue de Charonne, 11th, tel: 01 43 67 38 29, (M: Charonne) By now, everyone has heard about the excellent, vaguely Nordic-inspired cuisine of Bertrand Grébaut and reservations are tough to come by. (Lunch is easier to get into.) Sparkling fresh ingredients presented with imagination, but with the focus on flavor. Excellent food. Note: Septime has a wine bar and seafood bar, Clamato, nearby as well. Neither takes reservations. Clamato is excellent but is crowded at night and weekday lunch is a less hectic time to eat there. (Septime.)

Verjus

52 rue Richelieu, 1st, tel: 01 42 97 54 40, (M: Bourse, Quartre-Septembre, or Pyramides) Inventive and outstanding cuisine that changes daily, and seasonally. Fixed menus feature a range of ingredients, techniques, and cultures, which all come together in multi-course menus that will surprise and delight. There is a casual wine bar downstairs (no reservations) that serves light fare and an intriguing selection of wines by the glass. (Verjus.)

You can find more suggestions and recommendations in my Paris Restaurant archives.

For information and listings of my top places for pastries and chocolates in Paris, you can find a list of those here.

Dining Tips in Paris

In the past few years, Paris restaurants have become considerably more relaxed and casual. A younger generation has swept through and pumped some new vitality into the dining scene, so you won’t find as many stiff waiters as you would have in the past. However, you should still consider dining out in Paris as if you are eating in someone’s home and act like a guest, rather than just a customer. The cooks and servers are there to make sure you have a good time and eat well, and you are there to be an appreciative diner.

If you have food preferences or allergies, let them know when you reserve the table or when you arrive, not when the food is brought to the table. Most places are accommodating although unlike restaurants in the U.S., and elsewhere, restaurants in France don’t have a large staff or keep a variety of foods in the kitchen, so they may not be as nimble as making changes.

Here are some tips and answers to commonly asked questions:

Water and Wine

It’s never required that you order a pricey bottle of water in France and every restaurant and café will give you a carafe d’eau (tap water) upon request if you’re dining. If you’re having a drink at a café, they may not offer a carafe, but it’s typical to have a small glass of water served with coffee if you’re having a café express. The tap water in Paris is of high quality and good to drink. If you want to order a bottle of water, ask for gazeuse (with gas) or plat (flat, without gas). Ice is rarely given as the French believe iced drinks are bad for your health. In a café, you can ask your waiter for extra ice, although they may not have it on hand.

Wine by the carafe is inexpensive in Paris and you should not be embarrassed to order it. The house wine sold by the carafe or glass is usually of drinkable quality, which is why many French people order it. You should never feel pressured to order a bottle. (Don’t worry, the waiter won’t think you’re being cheap. If they were dining out, they’d probably order the same thing!) If it’s a café, you’ll likely see carafes of wine on most of the other tables, rather than bottles. At dinner in restaurants, many diners order bottles but some have carafes. Often restaurants have a blackboard so diners can see what the wine of the moment is, which is usually a good value. If you need wine guidance, ask the server, and if you have a budget, ask them to suggest something in your price range. Note that “natural wines” have become popular in Paris, which sometimes have a pronounced less-finished taste, which isn’t for everyone. So if you order one, it may taste fizzy or more acidic than you’re used to.

Ordering

If you order two appetizers or a bowl of soup as a main course, the waiter may be taken aback. Don’t take it as an insult; it’s just not done in restaurants. Proper dining in France is taken seriously, but if you’d rather eat lightly, you could eat in a café and have a salad or soup for dinner, along with bread and wine. Wine bars are excellent places to graze on small plates.

Pro tips: Never call a waiter garçon, which means “boy” and would be considered somewhat insulting. The proper word is serveur for a man, or serveuse for a woman. If you want a menu, ask for la carte. Le menu refers to a fixed several course menu that may be on offer.

Meat and Fish

Ordering meat rare, or bleu, means that you will get raw meat, hardly cooked, which is how many French people eat beef. Saignante is rare, à point (to the point) is medium-rare, and bien cuit or semelle (shoe leather) is well-done. If you like your steak well-done, due to the high quality of the beef, some restaurants that specialize in beef may not allow you to order it that way, so don’t be surprised if they refuse to cook it well-done and steer you toward another item on the menu.

Cuts of meat in France don’t correspond to most cuts of meat in America (and elsewhere) due to different methods of butchering. And the varieties of fish available often aren’t available in other countries and are called by their French name, of course. Waiters sometimes know the translation – but not always – so if you’re very concerned about which cut of meat is which (or which fish is which) when you dine out, you may want to get a French Menu Translation Guide.

Salad versus Salade

The French word salade can either refer to a salad (usually a mix of greens and other items, sometimes served on a bed of greens) or just a piece of lettuce, as the French word for lettuce is salade. So a burger being offered with a “salad” may mean you’re just going to get a leaf or two of lettuce. A salade verte is a mixed green salad and while it’s not common to offer or serve a green salad with a meal in a restaurant, the French often serve a green salad at home after a meal with some cheese. One exception is crêperies, which offer the option of ordering a green salad on the side, but don’t automatically expect a café or restaurant to have one on the menu.

Croissants and Pastries

Although it’s tempting just to sit down and dive in, ask before bringing pastries to a café. Many cafés sell croissants at the bar in the morning, and may (or may not) be amenable to bringing your own goodies. So ask nicely if it’s okay before spreading out your treats across a table. Most places understand if you’re from out-of-town. (And if you want to get on their good side right away, offer them a taste!)

Oh-la-la! Everyone wants a buttery croissant in Paris – and why not? Just be sure when you do go to a pastry shop, to ask for a croissant au beurre, which is made with pure butter, rather than a croissant ordinaire, made with margarine. Pure butter croissants are normally long and straight, whereas the ones made with other fats are usually very curved. Note that some bakeries do not actually make their croissants on the premises (mon dieu!) – butter or otherwise; they buy the pre-formed croissants and bake them in their ovens. A very good bakery will make them from scratch. And, of course, those are always worth seeking out.

Lunch and Dinner Hours

Many folks want to dine in non-touristed restaurants, surrounded by “locals.” If you want to eat amongst Parisians, opt for the later seating. Very few Parisians eat dinner before 8 pm and most will reserve a table for later than that, especially on weekends. Some of the more popular restaurants in Paris now have early seatings (at 7 pm) to accommodate those who don’t mind eating earlier, and it’s easier to obtain reservations for the earlier seatings. (But expect to be with other out-of-towners.) If you get seated in what some refer to as the “English section,” don’t be miffed and assume that they are putting you in Siberia. Sometimes restaurants have one waiter who speaks English, so they will group non-French speaking diners there. If you prefer to be seated at a certain table when you go to a restaurant, you can certainly request that one.

Lunch starts in most restaurants at noon or 12:30, and places start filling up at 1 pm. Tip: If you go to a café and just want coffee or a glass of wine, don’t sit at tables set up with silverware and glasses, especially at mealtime or right before. Those tables are for diners.

Waiters

Don’t assume your waiter is rude just because he or she doesn’t introduce themselves by name and rush over to refill your water after each sip. Unlike American restaurants with large staffs, due to high labor costs, restaurants in Paris often only have one or two people serving an entire dining room with no busboys or hosts. They are busy! When they have to deal with English speakers, or people figuring out menus, that slows down their entire process. Don’t think they’re necessarily impolite but they are doing their best to take care of as many diners as possible. Realize that dining in France is important so relax and enjoy your experience, which may be at a more leisurely pace than you are used to.

As mentioned, you are considered a guest in France when you go to a restaurant, not just a customer. So you should act like you’re in someone’s home, and being demanding or bossy won’t get you very far. If you have a special request, asking nicely and apologizing is your best bet. Special requests and food allergies aren’t as well-known in France and some places aren’t used to adjusting menus for special dietary preferences or serving sauces on the side. (Although it’s certainly not out of line to ask.)

Impoliteness

There is a perception the French are rude which is probably because you never come across anyone rude anywhere else. Paris is a hectic city (like most cities) and Parisians are often in a hurry or under stress. The French are more helpful than people give them credit for although, like any city, there are always people that aren’t.

In Paris, it’s imperative to say “Bonjour Madame/Monsieur” when entering a shop or restaurant, and “Merci Madame/Monsieur” when leaving. There is an equally incorrect perception that Americans are impolite since we don’t have a habit of acknowledging salesclerks in shops in the States, as they do in France. When in Paris, think of it as being invited into someone’s home and stepping inside without saying hello. In Paris, always err on the side of being extra polite. (That said, many shopkeepers tell me they like Americans, so keep it up, folks!)

Bread and Butter

Only in fine dining rooms will you be given a bread plate. Normally you place your bread directly on the table in a café or restaurant, not on your plate. Butter is rarely served with bread, but it’s usually okay to ask for it. This may answer your question, “How do the French stay so thin?”

Ordering Mistakes

Once you place your order in a restaurant, I advise not making any changes, which disrupts the flow of things. For some reason, once that ticket is submitted to the kitchen, you’re pretty much committed to what you’ve ordered. If you have food allergies or intolerances, make that known when you are ordering and ask the waiter for suggestions.

At least once during your stay, you will order some fish that might require a degree in marine biology to eat, or an unimaginable organ, by mistake. When it happens to me I think of it as an instant French lesson. You will also probably get served a steak that’s not cooked exactly the way you expect it, and fish will be served with the head on and bones in. (Taking them out before cooking dries the fish out, they rightly say.) If something is obviously wrong, for example, you ordered a rare steak and it comes to the table gray inside, or the soup or cheese is ice-cold, you should bring it to the attention of the waiter. In lower-priced restaurants and cafés, you should keep your expectations equally modest, though.

Talking vs. Shouting

It’s so notable that restaurant reviews in the United States now include ‘sound’ ratings to denote the volume in restaurants. Out of respect for other diners, it’s considered polite in France to modulate voices so as not to disturb other diners. An unfortunate change in the Paris dining scene, however, is loud locals, too, especially twenty-somethings. I’ve seen older people shush tables of younger folks who are speaking very loudly.

Coffee

Except during the morning hours, each time you order café, you will be served a small cup of dark, espresso-like coffee – a café express or café noir. If you want coffee with milk when ordering ask for a café crème, not after they bring it. You may get a funny look if you ask for a café au lait, which is coffee with milk served in a bowl, at home, for breakfast. Café noisette is an espresso with a touch of milk.

Waiters will not automatically bring milk with coffee. If you don’t understand why assume it’s the same reason that McDonald’s in the United States doesn’t serve red wine. If you want milk with your coffee, you need to specify each time to each waiter in each restaurant. There’s no master file on how each visitor to France takes their coffee. (Although come to think of it, with the famous French bureaucracy and staggering paperwork, perhaps they’d be willing to take that on.)

A new wave of coffee places has swept through Paris, offering coffee made with locally roasted beans and prepared with care. Here’s a list of my recommended places for drinking coffee in Paris.

Tips

After dining, you’ll need to ask for the check when you want it, called l’addition—it’s considered impolite to give a guest the check before they’ve asked for it. If you’re pressed for time or having trouble getting the server’s attention, in casual places, it’s acceptable to go to the bar to pay. Otherwise, if you want to check, you can also make the international gesture with your raised hands of scribbling something on an imaginary notepad, and they’ll understand.

Tips are always included in the amount shown on the check. In Paris, if the service is good, diners round up the check in restaurants, such as if the check is 19€, it’s normal to leave 1€ or a few euros extra for the pourboire (the tip, which translates to “for something to drink”) if you get very good service – but it’s never required. In general, it’s acceptable and more and more common to leave approximately 5% extra for attentive service. When in doubt, see what others (locals) are leaving.

A recent change to Paris dining are the “point of sale” machines, they bring to the table when it’s time to pay with your credit card. The new machines often have a place to leave a tip, and sometimes the “suggested” tip can be up to 20%. While it’s fine if you’d like to tip the staff for good service, a tip of 5% (or up to 10%) is more in line with what locals would leave. Servers in France get paid a living wage and while tips are appreciated, they’re not expected or required, and no one in France would leave 20%.

Relax!

If I could tell visitors to Paris one thing that’ll improve their dining experience, it’s to relax. Yes, you might get some odd sausage instead of the soup you were expecting, or the steak may be cooked a bit more than you’re used to. (And the tables will be too close together, the service may be pokey, and you’ll have to ask at least twice for water.) But dining in France is not meant to be rushed and you don’t travel to experience things to be like back home, do you? So take advantage of the leisurely service, inexpensive wine, and multiple courses and relax and enjoy yourself.

Smoking

As of January 1, 2008, all restaurants, bars, and cafés in France are non-smoking. Smoking is allowed only outdoors. Unfortunately, a large number of Parisians smoke so if you go to a café or restaurant and dine outside on a terrace, there will be smokers at nearby tables. If you have an aversion to smoke you might want to eat inside.

Ventilation

Restaurants and cafés are often not well-ventilated, which locals generally prefer. Air-conditioning is still a rarity as well: Even if advertised, don’t expect the full-on blast of cold air you’d get elsewhere. If you are the type of person to get warm in unventilated places, dress in layers so you can remove a sweater or overshirt if a restaurant or café gets too stuffy for you.

A Few Final (and Important) Travel Notes

One favorite travel tip is to scan your passport and store it in a secure place online, such as on a secure cloud service. That way if you lose your passport, you can access a copy in case it’s lost or stolen. A number of passports get lost or stolen each week so it’s a good idea to have that information handy in case yours goes missing.

While Paris is a relatively safe city, there is a certain amount of petty crime. When dining out, avoid putting handbags on seats or in booths next to you (some folks get their wallets lifted by diners who come in, sit down, then abruptly leave), and don’t them unattended on the floor or hanging off the back of your chair. Pickpockets often work on crowded métro cars, taking advantage of being close together to slide their hands in pockets and purses, and I know seasoned travelers who’ve been hit. Keep wallets and valuables close to you, zippered up inside, and if someone gets too close to you and you feel uncomfortable, move away.

ATM or cash machines are also targets. The ruse is when you go to the machine, just as you’re about the press the button for the amount of money you want, someone comes along (often two teenagers working together), and hit the button for the maximum withdrawal, then grab the cash. One will often distract you while the other works the buttons quickly. It happens very fast. Even in areas that you think are safe (like the Marais, where it happened to me), be wary. If you use an outside ATM and there’s no guard, have someone with you to keep watch. Even better, plan to use ATMs when banks are open and go inside to make your withdrawal.

If dining in an unfamiliar area at night, have the restaurant call you a taxi to bring you home, or use a service like Uber. Avoid using your smartphone or other devices on public transit as they sometimes get swiped from users, and when in train stations and other busy places (especially those frequented by tourists), keep a close eye on your personal belongings.

The city of Paris offers additional safety tips. If you are pickpocketed on the métro, you can report it in the métro station.