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Food and drink in Paris

First choose how you want to eat

Bistro. Small eateries that concentrate on well-prepared, traditional dishes, often simple home cooking, and nothing too fancy. Many classic bistros from the turn of the last century are, however, still beautiful - with their long zinc counters, large mirrors and beautiful tiled walls.

Brasserie. Larger venues, often Alsace-inspired (sauerkraut, sausage, knuckle of pork and dry white wines), often with mountains of oysters and shellfish just outside the entrance.

Restaurant. Now we are talking dining rooms, starched napkins and smart waiters. Always book in advance.

Chez Georges, older local eatery right in the heart of the city.

Charming bistros

Bistrot des Dames. Good, homely fare served in a cosy vault in a friendly atmosphere. 18 rue des Dames. Metro: Place de Clichy.

Chez Georges. Well-prepared bistro fare in an old-fashioned neighbourhood establishment. Starting to get expensive. 1 rue du Mail. Metro: Bourse. 01 42 60 07 11.

Le Bistrot du Dôme. Unassuming, beautiful glazed tiles, delicious fish and seafood. 1 rue Delambre. Metro: Vavin.

Le Vieux Bistro. Stylish food, the house Bordeaux in charming bistro or on the terrace. 14 rue du Cloitre-Notre-Dame. Metro: Cité.

Ma Bourgogne. Wine bistro with open-air eating area by the city’s most beautiful square. 19 place des Vosges. Metro: Saint Paul.

The oyster opener is always very busy at La Copupole.

Best brasseries

Brasserie Bofinger. Oldest brasserie with colourful windows and delicious shellfish close to the new opera. 5 rue de la Bastille.

Brasserie Flo. Alsace bistro dating back to 1885 with attractive interior décor and everything from chocroute (sauerkraut) to oysters and lobsters. 7 Cour des Petites-Ecuries. Metro: Château d´Eau.

Julien. Genuine art-nouveau-style interior, wonderful foie gras and sole, large selection of desserts. 16 rue du Faubourg St-Dennis. Metro: Strasbourg St-Dennis.

La Coupole. Always full. Always lively atmosphere. Giant dish of shellfish and oysters. Classic brasserie dishes. Art-deco interior with pillars decorated by Chagall, Brancusi, Grünewald and others. 102 Boulevard de Montparnasse. Metro: Vavin. 01 43 20 14 20.

Le Dôme and Select are other classics in the same area; popular since Lenin stopped off here on his way to the revolution and Sartre solved the riddles of existentialism.

Many think that Le Grand Vefour is the world’s most beautiful restaurant.

Restaurants awarded stars

Here in Paris there are more restaurants than anywhere else that have had stars bestowed upon them by Guide Rouge: two with three stars and countless two and one-star establishments. Here, it is easy to order a meal that you will remember for the rest of your life – but you might end up with a large hole in your wallet!

Here are some of our favourites:

Arpège. Alain Passard serves good food in a relaxed atmosphere. 84 rue Varenne. Metro: Varenne. 01 45 51 47 33.

L´Ambroisie. Master chef Bernard Pacaud prepares unforgettable dishes under the arcade at Place des Vosges, No 9. Metro: Bastille. 01 42 78 51 45.

Le Grand Vefour. Its beauty is second to none; tradition stretching back to the 1700s. View of the gardens at the Palais-Royal. 17 Rue du Beaujolais. Metro: Palais Royal. 42 96 56 27.

Ledoyen. Beautifully prepared delicacies in an environment reminiscent of 1848. Carré Champs-Elysées. 01 53 05 10 01. Metro: Champs-Elysées Clemenceau.

Taillevent. Often named by the best chefs as by far the best in Paris. 15 rue Lamennais. Metro: Ch. de Gaulle-Étoile. 01 44 95 15 01.

Top woman at the table

Hélène Darroze. Young Hélène has quickly had the whole of Paris at her feet. Two stars. 4 rue d´Assas. Metro: Sèvres Babylone. 01 42 22 00 11.

Book early if you want a table at Hélène Darroze!

Chartier, quick service and low prices in an attractive environment.

For smaller budgets

Bistro Romain. Chain of French and Italian “fast food”. Locations include Champs Elysées, No 122, close to the Arc de Triomphe.

Chartier. Normally known as the gourmet restaurant for the less well-off. 7, rue de Faubourg.

La Cloche des Halles. Cold buffet dishes, pies, cheeses and more by the old halls. 28 rue Coquillière. Metro: Les Halles.

Le bon Asie. Asian food at low prices. 123 rue Oberkampf. Metro: Parmentier.

Le Pain Quotidien. “Our daily bread” serves soup with freshly baked bread and salad. 20 rue des Archives. Metro: Hôtel de Ville.

Le Perraudin. Small turn-of-the-century bistro which helps students to get by on their loans. 157 rue Saint Jacques. Metro: Luxembourg.

Tafa. Asian self-service – make your own meal. Also take-away. 19 avenue Mac-Mahon. Metro: Ternes.

At the Brasserie du Beaujolais you and the staff have a view of Notre Dame.

Dining from the cheaper menu...

Many of Paris’ best restaurateurs also have small, unpretentious bistros, often just around the corner from their very own gourmet restaurant.

Aux Lyonnais. Classic bistro given a new kick by Alain Ducasse. 32 rue St Marc. Metro: 1 42 96 65 04.

Bistrot de l'Etoile. Three-star Guy Savoy’s cheaper offshoot. 19, rue Lauriston. Metro: Charles de Gaulle Etoile. 01 40 67 11 16.

Hélène Darroze. Paris’ best female chef serving less expensive small dishes at street level. 4 rue d´Assas. Metro: Sèvres Babylone.

La Rôtisserie du Beaujolais. Famous Tour d´Argent’s “little sister”. 9, quai de la Tournelle. Metro: Maubert Mutualité. 01 43 54 17 47.

Le Bistrot d'a Côte. Two-star Michel Rostang’s cosy bistro. 10 rue Gustave Flaubert, 17th arr. 01 42 67 05 81. Metro: Ternes.

At Man Ray the food is a little Asian, a little Latino, a little of everything.

Where the rich and famous eat

Fontaine Gaillon. Gérard Depardieu’s restaurant is a homage to meat. Place Gaillon. Metro:4 Septembre. 1 47 42 63 22.

Man Ray. Cross-over – in-place frequented by Johnny Depp and Sean Penn, to name but two. 32 rue Marbeuf. Metro: Franklin D Roosevelt. 01-56 88 36 36.

The view from the Eiffel Tower if you dine at Jules Verne.

Something a little out of the ordinary

Jules Verne. The best view of the city – from the first level of the Eiffel Tower! One star. Metro: Bir-Hakeim. Book tables by the window in plenty of time. 01 45 55 61 44.

Moulin de la Galette. Genuine French food in a mill dating back to 1622, next to the touristy area of Montmartre. 83 rue Lepic. Metro: Blanche.

Hiramatsu is said to be Paris’ best Japanese restaurant

Asian

Tang. The best Chinese, with one star, also offers Thai delicacies. 125 rue de la Tour. Metro: Rue de la Pompe. 01 45 04 35 35.

Hiramatsu. Japanese nouvelle cuisine at its best. One star. 52 rue Longchamp. Metro: Trocadero. 01 56 81 08 80.

Krung Thep. The best Thai restaurant in the city. Incredible décor, unbelievable good food, Fawlty Towers service and low prices. 93 Boulevard Julien Lacroix. Metro: Belleville.

Tan Dinh. Best Vietnamese has a unique wine list! 60 rue Verneuil. Metro: Solferino.

Every year, Willi's familiar artists are invited to design a poster. This is Spaniard Mariscal’s contribution.

Wine bars

Au Vin des Rues. Wine from floor to ceiling, long bar counter and small restaurant. 21 rue Boulard. Metro: Denfert Rochereau.

Willi' s Wine Bar. Our own personal favourite. Well prepared food on white cloths and exciting wines, not just French. 13 rue de Petits Champs. Metro: Pyramides.

Tartine. Unpretentious traditional wine bar, 1950s style. Wines, good sandwiches. 24 rue de Rivoli. Metro: St Paul.

Vegetarian

Entre Ciel et Terre. Good soups, wholemeal crêpes and “eco” wines. 5 rue Herold. Metro: Les Halles.

La ville de Jagannath. Indian cuisine. No smoking. 101 rue St Maur. Metro: St Maur.

Ladurée is Paris’ most beautiful salon de thé with over 40 different cakes and pastries.

A cup of tea or a hot chocolate?

Believe it or not, but all not French people drink coffee! Salons de thé and hot chocolate are both very much en vogue!

Angelina. Great hot chocolate and fresh croissants beneath rococo mirrors. 226 rue de Rivoli. Metro: Tuileries.

Hammam. Oriental atmosphere – backs onto baths and mosque - see also Metro’s hottest tips. 39 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. Metro: Monge.

Ladurée. Classic from the 1800s, now at four locations in Paris. Original salon is at 16 Rue Royale. Main cake shop is at 75 Avenue Champs Elysées.

Les Nuits des Thés. Charming salon surrounded by antique shops. 22 rue de Beune. Metro: Rue du Bac.

Maison de Chocolat. Delicious chocolate in a steaming cup or as stylish pieces. 56 rue François 1st . Metro: George V.

Mariage Frères. Almost 500 types of tea in this 150 year old tea house. 260 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Metro: Ternes.

Find out more at www.parisinfo.com