Savouring Paris: The Essentials Dining Guide

“There is never any ending to Paris,” wrote Ernest Hemingway in A Moveable Feast. The same could be said for the dizzying choice of superb restaurants, bars and cafés – new, classic or reinvented – that the City of Lights has to offer. 

And these days, Paris is becoming even more versatile and original. Call it inevitable, in a culture where even the simplest pleasures of the palette rate sky-high, whether it’s the perfect afternoon crêpe topped with fresh whipped cream, a steak with crisp matchstick frites, or a long-simmered beef stew. Choices abound: for instance, a daytime eatery may turn into a buzzy music lounge after dark, and if you’re not prepared to splash out for très haute cuisine at La Tour d’Argent, you can still have breakfast at their new café, or a sunset cocktail with jaw-dropping views up on the roof. Here’s our selection of top dining spots for every budget and taste.  

For Gourmet Gastronomy: Laurent

Hidden away behind the buzzing Champs-Élysées, the long-established institution Laurent is now under new management by the trendy Paris Society group. Their stylish redecoration of this stunning historic Napoleon III cream-coloured pavilion – and secret flower-lined garden – has a period piece movie set atmosphere all its own. Everything, from the romantic candlelit tables-for-two to the plush upstairs private salons, goes perfectly with the spirit of the place – fine wines, white tablecloths, crystal chandeliers.  

But there’s nothing stuffy about the relaxed-chic clientele. For lunch, you may see government bigwigs from the Élysée palace across the street or young professionals; come evening, tout Paris arrives. Chef Mathieu Pacaud serves up refined French classics with starters like watercress with golden caviar, or duck foie gras with candied rhubarb. Main dishes include grilled lamb chops with thyme, and roasted langoustines in seaweed butter with mushrooms and asparagus. High point: don’t miss the seriously addictive matchstick-style chips, one of their specialties along with a delectable Paris-Brest pastry.

[Photo credits: Mathieu Salvaing/Romain Ricard]

For A Sweet Treat: Jade Génin

Chocolate lovers, rejoice. Over by the bustling shopping district and the Opéra Garnier, this beautiful recently opened contemporary-style shop – a medley of clean-line pristine white and sparkling gold – is one of the city’s best-kept secrets. Jade Génin, whose father was a renowned chocolatier, carries on the tradition, producing highly original and all-natural crafted textures and flavours, right there on the premises in the tiny back-room laboratory. 

The must-buy: an assortment of milk or dark chocolate mini-pyramids (imagine combos of Asian and Middle Eastern spices like pepper and bergamot, rose buds and paprika, or almonds and green cardamom) that replicate the tip of Paris’ famed Concorde obelisk. There are also shimmering crunchy chocolate rocks, laced with nuts and puffed rice, and a choice of beautifully packaged gift boxes.  

[Photo credit: Mathusian Belt]

For Honest Eats: Le Breizh Café Odéon

For a quick, affordable lunch, head to the most spacious of the Le Breizh Café’s Parisian addresses. Set back on a corner on the Left Bank, this friendly, bustling Breton-style crêperie is known for their delicious traditional buckwheat galettes with organic ingredients, but also offers a unique spin on what should go into a crêpe beyond the usual ham, egg and cheese combo. Try one filled with smoked herring and potatoes, smoked duck with mushrooms and eggs, or smoked salmon with crème fraiche, and wash it all down with cider. Delectable desserts range from homemade applesauce and salted caramel crêpes, to a Yuzu Suzette flambé with Grand Marnier.

For People-Watching: Loulou Paris

With its enviable bucolic location, set back from the Place du Concorde on the edge of a leafy garden, and beside the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and the Musée d’Orsay across the way – no wonder the beau monde, fashionistas and scenesters flock to the terrace of Loulou Paris. You’re likely to spot top models, Vogue editors or designers like Jean-Paul Gautier, but you may be paying more attention to what’s on your plate: hearty portions of refined Italian dishes, from zucchini flower pizza and fried calamari, to tuna and lemon spaghetti or scampi ravioli. Share the heavenly tiramisu or red berry pavlova, then walk it off with a stroll in the nearby Tuileries Gardens. 

[Photo credit: Mathieu Salvaing]

For Local Flavours: Poule au Pot

This cosy vintage-style bistro, founded in 1935 near the Louvre, not only has the best onion soup in town, but was recently rebooted by Michelin-star chef Jean-François Piège, who dreamed up a deeply satisfying menu of cuisine bourgeoise. 

The moment you sit down (think pink tablecloths, mirrored pillars and red vinyl banquettes), out comes a copious tray of quintessential French country-style nibbles – radishes, sausage, lentils, fancy deviled eggs – but save room for the veal blanquette in a creamy sauce, the tasty lobster gratin or the quintessentially Gallic escargots, swimming in parsley and butter. The silver dessert cart is a cornucopia of tempting grandmotherly sweets, from the vanilla crème brûlée to a cherry clafoutis. Linger over coffee, and check out the walls lined with retro brass plates bearing names of all the French celebs who have been customers for decades.  

[Photo credit: Hervé Goluza]

For A Great Cuppa: Café Nuances

This former Art Deco crèmerie on the Right Bank was recently transformed into an intimate retro-meets-futuristic coffee shop lined with stools and ablaze with colour, as well as beautifully packaged products including hats and t-shirts. You’ll find the highest quality of internationally soured ethical roasts and creative combos of espressos and matcha tea, served at the counter by a friendly young staff. Highlights include the sesame coffee, salted caramel or rose latte that will have you coming back for more. This is not the kind of place where you linger for hours; there’s a small bench outside and usually a line of hipster coffee aficionados.   

For Exotic Cuisine: Le Boubalé

This welcoming neighbourhood restaurant and bar in the Marais, attached to the playful Martin Brudnizki-designed hotel Le Grand Mazarin, is named after the Yiddish term of endearment by Ashkenazi grandparents, imagined by Israeli Michelin-star chef Assaf Granit, whose menu was inspired from his childhood in the nearby Old Jewish quarter. 

Expect an edgy colour-fest of Wes Anderson-like décor and a convivial counter, where you can also dine and watch the sous chef whipping up your meal. From the open kitchen comes a delectable array of traditional platters: starters including a copious mound of chopped liver with caramelised onions and gravlax, to main dishes like potato- and cheese-filled pierogi and chicken schnitzel. Finish with the creamy blueberry cheesecake or apple and pear strudel, topped with whipped cream, before working it all off on the dance floor at the hotel’s secret basement club with live DJs.

For A One-Of-A-Kind Experience: Maison Jaune

Escape the traffic-clogged streets and crowds, and make your way to this inviting new yellow-painted restaurant and lounge perched above the leafy banks of the Seine, located outside the 16th arrondissement in Boulogne-Billancourt. It feels like your own private floating river boat – you dine at a table that juts out over the water, as rowboats and ducks glide by. Cocktails and after-dinner drinks are served on the pretty deck under the stars with a view of Paris, off in the distance. Best of all, the food: talented young chef Vincent Ressel and his team whip up an ever-changing menu of simple but modern, ultra-fresh dishes with a mix of Asian and African influences. Order the coconut-marinated sea bass tartare, the chicken stuffed with Portobello mushrooms, fresh gnocchi with peas and asparagus, or the escargot and ricotta-filled ravioli, plus the unmissable black lemon meringue tart for dessert.

For A Night Cap: Gainsbarre

In the spirit of iconic French singer Serge Gainsbourg, this atmospheric café and piano bar designed by style guru Jacques Garcia (expect black tables, black velvet, black walls) features an inspired selection of offbeat and classic 19th-century “forgotten” cocktails you’re not likely to find elsewhere, plus a long list of wine, beer and alcohol-free drinks. 

Try one of Gainsbourg’s favourites, “The Terrible” – a heady mix of tequila, Champagne, pastis and vodka, or the “Tuxedo”, invented in 1900, with dry vermouth, bitter orange and absinthe. Open from 10am until midnight or 2am, there are also light snacks – foie gras, finger sandwiches, smoked salmon, scones or chocolate cake; after dark, the room comes alive with jazz and blues piano. Don’t miss a visit to the late singer’s former home for 20 years, Maison Gainsbourg, and the museum dedicated to Gainsbourg’s life and career.

For An Iconic Experience: La Tour d’Argent

Stepping out of the elevator into the recently renovated 400-year-old restaurant La Tour d’Argent, the rooftop view is nothing short of spectacular. Diners are greeted by a sweeping panorama of Notre Dame and the Seine from the bay windows, and a stylish modern decor that sets the scene for this long-time family-run institution headed by André Terrail. 

An uber-refined contemporary spin on traditional French cuisine, Michelin-star chef Yannick Franques combines his own recipes with La Tour d’Argent’s historic dishes in a multi-course tasting menu or à la carte. Highlights include the duck, served since the late 1800s (for which you receive a numbered card), a phenomenal cheese trolley and desserts like Crêpes Mademoiselle, prepared at your tableside. Everything from the wine list of old vintages (think 300,000 bottles in the cellar) to photos of the world’s most renowned figures throughout history who dined at this landmark adds to this once-in-a-lifetime, well-worth-the-splurge gastronomic adventure.

[Photo credit: Mathieu Salvaing]