Must-see restaurants in Paris

  • Bistro Le Mauzac

    Latin Quarter

    With a moon-shaped zinc bar and traditional furnishings, Le Mauzac is a quintessential old-school Parisian bistro. Drinks and food are served nonstop,…

  • FrogBurger

    Latin Quarter

    FrogPubs (famed for its Parisian microbreweries) is behind this joint sizzling up creative burgers called Revolution (beef, smoked pulled pork, fried…

  • Le Puits de Légumes

    Latin Quarter

    Homemade tarts, quiches, omelettes, fish and rice dishes loaded with fresh seasonal vegetables are the draw of the ‘Vegetable Well’, an all-organic…

  • Al Taglio

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Pizza au poids (by weight) is the trademark of this contemporary pizzeria, which means you can indulge in just one slice or several (hence its name,…

  • Chine Masséna

    Paris

    Set back off the street, on the ground floor of the La Galerie shopping mall surrounded by high-rise apartment blocks (some decorated head-to-toe in…

  • Breakfast in America

    Latin Quarter

    States-style breakfasts – including blueberry pancakes drowning in maple syrup and bottomless coffee refills – are just the start at this authentic diner …

  • Unico

    Paris

    This very orange Argentine parrillada (steakhouse) took over an old butcher’s shop and put a retro 1970s spin on it. Unico is all about meat – especially…

  • Les Trois Garçons

    Paris

    Very much a neighbourhood hangout, this corner cafe lures a local crowd with its sizeable pavement terrace (heated in winter) with wicker bistro chairs…

  • Chez Marcel

    St-Germain & Les Invalides

    Since 1919, this quintessential bistro, with worn timber furniture and paintings on the sepia-toned walls, has been serving up Lyon's signature bouchon …

  • Le Chansonnier

    Montmartre & Northern Paris

    The ‘Singer’ (named after the 19th-century Lyonnais socialist singer-songwriter Pierre Dupont) could be a film set, with its curved zinc bar and art…

  • Les Chouettes

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Dine beneath a fabulous Eiffel-style glass atrium at this former jewellery atelier (workshop) on modern French dishes such as grilled steak with smoked…

  • Pancake Sisters

    Montmartre & Northern Paris

    American pancakes are the speciality of this bright white space with a sunflower-yellow façade and steamed-up windows on winter days. A 'panster' is two…

  • La Gauloise

    Paris

    With a name like La Gauloise, you wouldn't expect this venerable, terrace-fronted restaurant to serve anything other than traditional fare, which it does,…

  • Chez Nathalie

    Paris

    On a quiet street with summertime terrace tables, this pocket-size restaurant is a lovely spot to dine. Transparent Kartell chairs and deep-purple table…

  • Krishna Bhavan

    Montmartre & Northern Paris

    This is about as authentic a South Indian vegetarian canteen as you’ll find in Paris. If in doubt as to what to order, ask for a thaali, a circular steel…

  • 58 Tour Eiffel

    Paris

    Overseen by double-Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx, 58 Tour Eiffel has a location only bested by the gastronomic Le Jules Verne, one floor up. Walk-ins…

  • La Coupole

    Paris

    The reason for visiting this enormous, 450-seat brasserie, designed by the Solvet brothers and opened in 1927, is more history than gastronomy. Its famous…

  • Auberge du Moulin Vert

    Paris

    Oysters are freshly shucked by the fishmonger at his stall in front at The Green Mill Inn, a historic French restaurant dating to 1848 with kitsch green…

  • Le Jardin des Pâtes

    Latin Quarter

    A crisp white-and-green façade handily adjacent to a Vélib’ station flags the Pasta Garden, a simple, smart 100% bio (organic) place where pasta comes in…

  • Entoto

    Paris

    Tear off an injera (Ethiopian pancake) and scoop up delectable vegetable and spicy meat accompaniments at France’s first Ethiopian restaurant, opened in…

  • Anahuacalli

    Latin Quarter

    This restaurant behind a discreet rosemary-coloured façade cooks up some of the only upmarket Mexican cuisine in Paris. Enjoy elegantly presented…

  • Le Square

    St-Germain & Les Invalides

    The terrace tables along rue Casimir Périer are the best seats in the house for views of the neighbouring Basilique Ste-Clotilde. Inside, autumnal-hued…

  • L’Ins Temps Dej

    Paris

    The sign outside this busy canteen-style traiteur (caterer) simply reads 'plats cuisinés' (cooked dishes), but there's no missing this top-choice takeaway…

  • Paris Hanoï

    Paris

    This upbeat restaurant with a cheery canary-yellow façade dishes up pho (soup noodles with beef) and other Vietnamese staples such as ga nuong xa (grilled…

  • Le Dépanneur

    Montmartre & Northern Paris

    Worth a stop for its brilliant people-watching pavement terrace with low wooden tables and stools, this diner in the buzzing heart of Pigalle is run by…

  • Bistrot Mélac

    Paris

    Opened in 1938, this wine bar has been cultivating grapes in its cellar since 1979 and is famed for its grape-harvest parties in September. Its venerable…

  • Pink Flamingo

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Canal St-Martin's inventive pizza joint has spawned branches including this one in Le Marais, which is handily placed across from a small green park near…

  • Les Amis des Messina

    Paris

    At this stone-walled restaurant, chef Ignazio Messina prepares gorgeous pastas like spaghetti with langoustines and pistachio pesto alongside fresh fish…

  • Chez Marianne

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Ivy-clad Chez Marianne heaves with diners digging into falafel, hummus, aubergine purée and 25-odd other zakouski (hors d'oeuvre) dishes. Fare is…

  • Hugo Desnoyer

    Paris

    Hugo Desnoyer is Paris' most famous butcher and the trip to his 16e premises, done out with cowhide-covered seats, is well worth it. Feast on exceptional…

  • Boboli

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Affordable Italian fare is good reason to dine at this small, sage-green-fronted restaurant set up by two young Florentines (hence the name, recalling the…

  • Pain Moisan

    Paris

    One of the oldest organic bakeries in Paris, Moisan sits opposite the entrance to covered Marché Beauvau (look for the small glass sign above the door)…

  • Chez Plumeau

    Montmartre & Northern Paris

    For a tourist haunt, Chez Plumeau isn't too bad: dishes such as duck terrine with pistachios, beef tartare with quails egg or snails with parsley butter…

  • JSFP Traiteur

    St-Germain & Les Invalides

    Brimming with big bowls of salad, terrines, pâté and other prepared delicacies, this deli is a good-value bet for quality Parisian 'fast food' such as…

  • Café Campana

    St-Germain & Les Invalides

    Designed like a fantasy underwater world, this art nouveau–styled cafe on the 5th floor of the Musée d’Orsay – next to one of the former train station's…

  • Marcel

    Montmartre & Northern Paris

    Craving a vitamin-packed salad, creative club sandwich or simple onion soup topped with emmental cheese? Industrial-styled Marcel, with its light-bulb-lit…

  • Le Bougainville

    Paris

    With floor-to-ceiling windows framing the faded grandeur of the Galerie Vivienne, the simple Bougainville overflows with regulars at lunchtime. The hearty…

  • MG Road

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Inspired by the 'Irani' cafes of Bombay in the late 19th century, this contemporary Indian restaurant has a light and airy vintage decor. Between 3pm and…

  • Crêperie Plougastel

    Paris

    Named for the Breton commune near Brest, Plougastel’s decor might be spartan, but its crêpes and savoury galettes are anything but, with generous toppings…

  • Le Cherche Midi

    St-Germain & Les Invalides

    This popular restaurant with red awning and classic interior buzzes all the more at weekends when Saturday shoppers and Sunday strollers make a beeline…

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