The Best Places To Eat In Paris
CLASSIC FRENCH
Le Train Bleu
Don’t be put off by the information that Le Train Bleu sits within Gare de Lyon, one of Paris’s busiest railway stations. Built for the World’s Fair in 1900, it’s a gorgeously OTT space of huge ceiling murals and rococo-style deco. Service is excellent and the heritage fare updates with the seasons – at the right time of year, you’ll find sea bass carpaccio offered alongside the de rigueur steak frites for two.
Visit Le-Train-Bleu.com
Frenchie
You might know Frenchie in Covent Garden but this is the Paris original. On Rue du Nil, chef-owner Greg Marchand puts his cooking front and centre: an open kitchen defines the small, pared-back dining room. The kitchen team’s interactions with serving staff give the place a family run feel, though the menu – which changes to fit the best of the day’s produce – is executed with Michelin-level precision. Can’t get a table? Try Greg’s Wine Bar next door – or his place within the Grand Pigalle hotel.
Visit Frenchie-Restaurant.com
Clover Grill
Jean-François Piège has a two Michelin-starred restaurant where he delivers classic French fare for the ages. At Clover Grill, he keeps things a little more elemental. Fire and meat are the stars of the show. The dry aged meats in the window encourage carnivores to take their seats in one of the two dining rooms – or at the marble sit-up bar, where they can see everything from starters to desserts being cooked over coals or roasted on a spit.
Visit JeanFrançoisPiege.com
Bistrot des Tournelles
On the edge of the Marais, between the Bastille and Place des Vosges, Bistrot des Tournelles is an unassuming neighbourhood restaurant worth seeking out. A talented kitchen team sends old-favourite French dishes out into a lively dining room. Mains like steak au poivre or Provençal beef stew come with homemade frites and buttery spinach.
Visit BistrotDesTournelles.com
Angelina
This splendid patisserie dates from the Belle Époque. Step into it today and you can still step back 120 years to that era – and see why it’s become synonymous with good living. Enjoy thick hot chocolate and outstanding sweet treats in a grand space featuring original painted murals.
Visit Angelina-Paris.fr
Brasserie Lipp
Across the road from Les Deux Magots, Brasserie Lipp was another gathering place for the leading lights of the old Left Bank scene. Sat amid the tall mirrors and tiled murals of the ground-floor dining room, it’s easy to imagine a tortured artist filling a hungry stomach here. From a different decade, you might have seen the photo of a young Kate Moss dancing on a table here. Whatever your reference, Lipp today is a Paris institution that continues to deliver a classic experience.
Visit BrasserieLipp.fr
ADRIEN DIRAND
Bistrot Paul Bert
Bistrot Paul Bert has been around for a couple of decades, but it feels older – like it might always have been here. The cuisine is classic French and the experience is timeless. The tartares, the steak frites and the soufflés – they’re all here and so are the oh-so-Gallic waiting staff.
Visit BistrotPaulBert.fr
Les Philosophes
In a potentially touristy part of town, Les Philosophes is the real deal – so real it doesn’t have a website or take reservations. Pitch up, find a wicker seat beneath its awning and settle in for some people watching over a bowl of French onion soup. The menu of classics extends to duck confit, steak tartare and beyond.
Le Coq & Fils
Climb the Montmartre hill and you will be rewarded with some of the finest poultry in Paris. At Le Coq & Fils, three Michelin-starred chef Antoine Westermann elevates simple classics like roast chicken (he actually poaches his birds then puts them on the rotisserie) and serves them simply with freshly baked bread and heirloom tomato salads. And because these birds are too good to waste, starters might include chicken livers or giblet empanadas.
Visit LeCoq-Fils.com
Les Deux Magots
This iconic Left Bank café is where existentialists have pondered the meaning of life and great artists have chased the muse. Camus, Picasso and Hemingway might be gone, and the prices have gone up, but the heady Parisian atmosphere endures. Vintage menus run from charcuterie and cheese boards to salads and croque monsieurs.
Visit LesDeuxMagots.fr
Café de Flore
Another Left Bank establishment with a long and storied history – Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot and Yves Saint-Laurent have all appreciated its art-deco style. As has Emily of Emily in Paris, who met one-time love interest Thomas during an evening on its terrace. Time of day doesn’t matter, stop in for a morning coffee, a digestif or something in between.
Visit CafeDeFlore.fr
Café Charlot
This lively neighbourhood brasserie in the Marais is hard to walk past without dropping in for wine, frites and a bit of people-watching – heaters mean you can sit outside even in winter. It’s open late, too – because when is a croque-monsieur not a good idea at 1am?
Visit LeCharlot-Paris.com
Au Pied De Cochon
This legendary, time-warp brasserie near Les Halles is open every day until 5am. It’s named for ‘pig’s feet’ and it still makes wonderful use of the animal today. Alongside the pork treats, there’s every other French classic you care to name – from snails to frog legs. The crème brûlée is delicious too.
Visit PiedDeCochon.com
FINE DINING
Table Bruno Verjus
Now holding one of Michelin’s new green stars for sustainability alongside its two regular stars, Table Bruno Verjus feels like a template for the great restaurants of the future. Bruno might still have his name above the door, but he’s determined to let his suppliers and their prize ingredients do the talking. In a cosy, casual atmosphere, the set menu changes daily according to what those suppliers can deliver – Île d’Yeu lobster, Adour wild salmon or something else entirely perhaps.
Visit Table.Paris
Septime
This is another Michelin-starred restaurant that has shed the linen tablecloths and the fustiness to focus on what’s important. The setting is industrial but not harsh and dinners involve a surprise tasting menu – though you can count on head chef Bertrand Grébaut to deliver new textures and sensational flavours through a zero-waste policy that means using produce in its entirety. The natural wine list is worth exploring, too.
Visit Septime-Charonne.fr
L’Oiseau Blanc
Perched on top of the Peninsula Hotel near the Arc de Triomphe, two Michelin-starred L’Oiseau Blanc is named for the aircraft used in the first ever attempt to fly non-stop across the Atlantic. A replica hangs in the air next to the restaurant for diners to wonder at, when they’re not being distracted by chef David Bizet’s exceptional modern French fare.
Visit Peninsula.com
Bien Élevé
‘Bien Élevé’ means ‘well raised’ and this modern-rustic 9th arrondissement restaurant goes the extra mile to ensure its beef is exactly that. Cow in its many forms dominates the menu – the classic cuts are all here, as is an Angus steak tartare. If meat is not your thing, nearby sister restaurant Bien Ficelé is similarly committed to sustainability but less heavy on the flesh.
Visit BienEleve.fr
Ellsworth
For an American chef to come to the home of gastronomy and make a name for himself, you know he’s got to be good. Braden Perkins started with some special tasting menus at Verjus. Next to the Jardin du Palais Royal, he’s now got Ellsworth too. This laid-back little sister is where he turns seasonal ingredients into remarkable small plates – if it’s on, the chargrilled broccoli with anchovy butter and parmesan will make you rethink your relationship with brassicas.
Visit EllsworthParis.com
Granite
Tom Meyer was Anne-Sophie Pic’s sous chef at her three Michelin-starred restaurant – until he opened zero-waste and zero-plastic Granite. He’s quickly won a star of his own thanks to some elegant five and seven-course tasting menus showcasing the very best of French produce. Highlights have included squash and acacia seed mousse; charcoal-cooked scallop with smoked turnips and beurre blanc dill; and pigeon green curry with kaffir lime.
Visit Granite.Paris
Jean Imbert Au Plaza Athénée
Opening in the fashion set’s favourite Hôtel Plaza Athénée, taking over a space that used to belong to the legendary Alain Ducasse, chef Jean Imbert had a lot to live up to. Overlooking the property’s courtyard garden, the dining room’s been rejigged to revolve around a grand marble table. Imbert has made the kitchen his own too, reimagining French classics to great effect. To no one’s surprise, a Michelin star arrived within a few weeks of opening, and the show goes on.
Visit DorchesterCollection.com
Akira Back
Akira Back is an American-Korean protégé of the great Nobuyuki Matsuhisa. His first European restaurant sits within the art-deco Prince de Galles hotel on the edge of Paris’s upper-crust Golden Triangle district. Low lighting and contemporary design help create the aura of a stylish Japanese home. Signature dishes include ‘Show Me The Roll’ featuring shrimp tempura, salmon belly aburi, spicy tuna and chipotle mayo; octopus crudo with onion salsa and olive oil; and marinated beef tacos.
Visit AkiraBackParis.com
Pavyllon
Yannick Alléno has opened a Pavyllon in Mayfair – this is your chance to try the Parisian original. In smart surrounds, Alléno’s team offer refined takes on some classic dishes. Ask for a seat at the counter to get an up-close look at their Michelin-starred meal prep. Like what you see? The main man has a three-Michelin-starred place, Alléno Paris, in the Jardins des Champs-Élysées.
Visit Yannick-Alleno.com
Maison by Sota Atsumi
Tokyo-born Sota Atsumi always dreamt of having a house in Paris. Now he has Maison in the 11th arrondissement. The hyper-talented chef has turned an old two-storey residence into an open-kitchen restaurant with a statement wood-fired oven. Set menus of varying lengths are only set each morning, once Sota knows the produce he’s got to work with. The day’s fresh takes on French cuisine might include raw cuttlefish and pumpkin seed pesto or butter beans with foie gras and peach.
Visit Maison-Sota.com
SOMETHING STYLISH
Café Lapérouse
Even in a city of iconic restaurants and legendary eateries, Café Lapérouse stands out. Now more than 250 years old, it has hosted everyone from French literary giants like Victor Hugo and Emile Zola to contemporary A-listers like Kate Moss and George Clooney. It was the first restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars and the opulence remains unsurpassed. A series of richly decorated salons offer conviviality and intimacy for parties of two to 30. The atmospheric bar is all embroidered tapestries and velvet benches, while the cellar is the place to taste a vintage champagne or burgundy.
Visit CafeLaperouse.com
L’Avenue
This celeb magnet from the Hôtel Costes group always brings the glamour. For a special occasion, it’s hard to beat that view of the Eiffel Tower – though it’s also hard to beat the people watching opportunities presented by the outdoor terrace. Food is international luxe with a French accent – think tuna tartare, matchstick frites and a chilled glass of white.
Visit Avenue-Restaurant.Paris
Hôtel Costes
Low lit and lavish, with its cosy dining rooms and candles, Hôtel Costes draws an affluent party crowd that likes a DJ set while it dines. Come summer, the crowded Italianate terrace is the place to be. The food is reliably classic fare, but let’s be real, you’re here for the vibe as much as the signature veal chop.
Visit HotelCostes.com
Monsieur Bleu
Within the Palais de Tokyo modern art museum, Monsieur Bleu puts on a show of its own. Dramatic art-deco interiors encompass a restaurant, bar, lounge, terrace and private dining room. Food is from the modern French brasserie school – with added caviar list. Tip: ask for a table by the window and watch the Eiffel Tower light up every hour.
Paul Smith Café
A new opening within the famous Printemps department store, the Paul Smith Café is a wonderful expression of the great British designer’s commitment to having colourful fun wherever he can. Custom and vintage furniture from across the mid-century decades defines the space – an outdoor terrace features some near-perfect examples of rattan café chairs. Menus cross the Channel, offering British twists on Parisian staples, as well as a ‘Tea Time’ afternoon tea.
Visit PaulSmith.com
Girafe
Girafe is the latest launch from the duo behind Monsieur Blue and LouLou. Head to the rooftop of the Musée de l’Architecture at the Trocadéro to discover a beautifully designed space with an art-deco vibe, modern seafood menu and a terrace with direct views of the Eiffel Tower.
Visit Girafe-Restaurant.com
Dar Mima
On the roof of the Institut du Monde Arabe, French-Moroccan actor Jamel Debbouze has created a restaurant that celebrates his mother’s cooking – with a little help from hospitality magnate Laurent de Gourcuff and architect Laura Gonzalez. Interiors are enchantingly exotic, but the best place to enjoy the tagines, the couscous and the pastries is the terrace, which was conceived as a suspended Mediterranean garden. A few nights a week there’s live music to draw you back inside.
Visit DarMima-Restaurant.com
Boubalé
Israeli chef Assaf Granit already has Michelin-starred Shabour and a clutch of other restaurants under his belt. His latest opening is a relaxed affair within Le Grand Mazarin hotel. He’s made it a showcase of Ashkenazi cuisine, featuring Jewish dishes from central and eastern Europe. Get here early for a cocktail up at the highly Instagrammable bar.
Visit BoubaleParis.com
Malro
In the Haut Marais, Malro offers Mediterranean cuisine such as half-cooked bluefin tuna with salsa verde and candied peppers; and lamb koftas with tahini, greek yogurt and harissa. Enjoy it in trendy interiors featuring white-washed walls, hanging lamps and a plethora of modern art and plants.
Visit RestaurantMalro.fr
LouLou
Self-describing as an ‘aesthete’s abode’, Loulou does indeed have the air of a collector’s dining room decorated over time. Within the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, its prettiness is impressive whether you’re eating by day or night. The French-Italian menu keep the mains healthy – think seared tuna with grilled romaine hearts – so you can indulge in desserts such as rice pudding with salted butter caramel, hazelnuts and Sicilian pistachios.
Visit Loulou-Paris.com
La Plage Parisienne by Les Costes
Featuring some of the most stylish interiors on this list, La Plage Parisienne is a product of the Beaumarly group, which is also behind famous Paris names like Café Beaubourg, Hôtel Amour and Brasserie Thoumieux. Martin Brudnizki is behind the interiors – the striking red and pink dining room overlooks the beautiful Mirabeau bridge. Diners can look forward to dishes like red tuna carpaccio with sesame seeds, sea bream ceviche with yuzu, and crab linguine.
Visit LaPlageParisienne.com
ADRIEN DIRAND
Alfred
French-British TV chef Alexia Duchêne has caught the attention of TikTokers with the crowd-pleasing food and riviera-inspired interiors at Alfred, which is just a street away from the Jardin des Tuileries. Her menu of bistro favourites features the likes of steak with pepper and whisky sauce, lobster salad with fennel, and chocolate and pistachio mousse.
Visit Alfred-Paris.com
Lolo Bistrot
This cool, neon-lit place on Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière is where Loïc Minel and Christophe Juville like to experiment. The daring pair, who own Lolo Cave à Manger round the corner, have even tried introducing scotch eggs to Parisians – changing up the usual sausage meat for a merguez-vermouth creation of their own. Grab a seat, order a natural wine by the glass and prepare to be surprised.
Follow @LoloBistro
CASUAL EATS
L’Arbre à Café
This hole-in-the-wall spot in Sentier brews some of the best coffee in the city. Founder Hippolyte Courty sources beans from producers in Ethiopia, Brazil and Panama – he’s even started growing his own in Peru and you can buy them at the shop. Take a seat on the bench outside and enjoy life passing by on cobblestoned Rue du Nil.
Visit LArbreACafe.com
Holybelly
This contemporary brunch spot is a place to know for anyone craving a change-up from continental breakfasts – or a well-made cup of tea. Holybelly is famous for its pancake stacks, but you’ll also find house-made granolas, chia puddings and huevos rancheros. It’s a popular place, so expect to wait in line at peak times.
Visit HolybellyCafe.com
Broche
This small, lunch-only place specialises in shawarma. See the marinated turkey, lamb and chicken spinning on a spit before they’re sliced and diced into pillowy pitas that are best enjoyed with a cone of frites. Finish with a spiced Turkish coffee to send you back out into the world.
Visit Broche-Paris.com
La Felicità
Taking over a vast old railway depot, La Felicità is the biggest restaurant in Europe, with five kitchens, three bars and its own Italian food market. There’s a wood-burning pizza oven, a burger shack, a seafood bar – the fruits of which can all be enjoyed on a suntrap terrace.
Visit LaFelicita.fr
Trois Fois Plus de Piment
Don’t ignore the warning signs above the till. This is an authentic Sichuan restaurant, which means fiery, oily, spicy heat is integral to what they do. Luckily for enfeebled western palates, you can choose your own heat level (1-5) on most dishes. Popular with locals, its excellent noodles and dumplings have deservedly won awards.
Visit TroisFoisPlusDePiment.fr
Ober Mamma
It’s not unusual to see queues down the block for this fun, reasonably priced Italian-style trattoria from the group behind London’s Gloria and Circolo Popolare. Decorated in bold blues and oranges with touches of marble and brass, Ober Mamma looks as good as the Neapolitan pizzas it serves from a pair of wood-fired ovens.
Visit BigMammaGroup.com
Braun Notes Coffee
This small but perfectly formed modern café in the 9th arrondissement comes into its own on a lazy weekend morning. Craft coffee is expertly poured alongside edibles that run from classic croissants to fresh coconuts filled with granola.
Follow @BraunNotesCoffee
Buvette
The Paris outpost of Jody Williams’s New York original is part restaurant, part bar, part café. Head in early for espresso and eggs, or go later on for comforting, well-made classics like parmentier de canard – a sort of shepherd’s pie made with duck. Drinks are another strong suit, with local heroes like the sidecar and French 75 on offer.
Visit ILoveBuvette.com
Racines
Simone Tondo, a chef with Sardinian origins, has turned this beautiful, tiled space within a 19th-century arcade into a traditional Italian-style osteria. Simple dishes like vitello tonnato or ricotta ravioli are made to pop with carefully sourced ingredients and no small amount of skill.
Visit RacinesParis.com
Wild & The Moon
Organic, gluten-free and zero plastic, this isn’t just a restaurant – it’s a lifestyle. Head to the heart of the 3rd arrondissement to check out Wild & The Moon’s selection of cold-pressed juices, nut milks, smoothies, salads, soups, desserts, super bowls and snacks.
Visit WildAndTheMoon.com
Ob-La-Di
This tiny, tiled café in the Marais is another of our go-to coffee spots. It also offers healthy and hearty fare like Moroccan chickpea soup – though you should always leave room for the blood orange and pomegranate cake.
Follow @ObLaDiCafe
Maison Sauvage
Covered with brightly coloured flowers, the heated outdoor terrace is the big draw at Maison Sauvage, attracting a hip crowd to this quirky Saint-Germain bistro. Menus cover pancakes and avocado toast in the AM, then salads, tuna tartare and burgers come evening.
Visit Maison-Sauvage.fr
Tawlet
Tawlet is a Lebanese restaurant in the 11th arrondissement that hits the spot for a casual lunch. Chef Kamal Mouzawak doesn’t rest on his laurels – each day, his menu celebrates the traditions and flavours from a different region of his country. We’d order the dish of the day and perhaps a tahini-drizzled salad topped with pomegranate seeds.
Visit SoukElTayeb.com
Pink Mamma
Taking up four floors in Pigalle, Pink Mamma is a big younger sister to Ober Mamma. It too is a fun and Insta-friendly spot for classic Italian cuisine, including some excellent pizzas. The top level is worth the climb – covered in plants, it’s got a skylight for a roof.
Visit BigMammaGroup.com
A Noste
A Noste does tapas with a French accent. Inspired by the cuisine of Gascony in the country’s south-west, it offers a concise menu of beautifully presented plates. You’ll still find padrón peppers, tortilla and gambas, but there’s also beef entrecôte with béarnaise sauce and rattes potatoes persillade, or duck hearts with parsley and garlic. The emphasis on sharing extends to the seating arrangements – a few different groups might be invited to sit at the long tables in the middle of rustic-chic dining room.
Visit A-Noste.com
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