Sandwiches and Other Quick Bites
Vegetarians, Allergies, and Other Dietary Restrictions
Map: Restaurants near Luxembourg Garden
On and near St. Germain-des-Prés
The Parisian eating scene is kept at a rolling boil. Entire books (and lives) are dedicated to the subject. Paris is France’s wine-and-cuisine melting pot. Though it lacks a style of its own (only French onion soup is truly Parisian; otherwise, there is no “Parisian cuisine” to speak of), it draws from the best of France. Paris could hold a gourmet Olympics and import nothing.
Parisians eat long and well. Relaxed lunches, three-hour dinners, and endless hours of sitting in outdoor cafés are the norm. Here, chefs are as famous as great athletes, and mamas hope their babies grow up to be great cooks. Cafés, cuisine, and wines become a highlight of any Parisian adventure: It’s sightseeing for your palate. Even if the rest of you is sleeping in a cheap hotel, let your taste buds travel first-class in Paris. (They can go coach in London.)
You can eat well without going broke—but choose carefully: You’re just as likely to blow a small fortune on a mediocre meal as you are to dine wonderfully for €20. Follow the suggestions of fered in this chapter, and you’ll have a better dining experience. In Paris, lunches are a particularly good value, as most places offer the same quality and similar selections for far less than at dinner. If you’re on a budget or just like going local, try making lunch your main meal, then have a lighter evening meal at a café.
All café and restaurant interiors are smoke-free. Today the only smokers you’ll find are at outside tables, which—unfortunately—may be exactly where you want to sit.
Waiters probably won’t overwhelm you with friendliness. As their tip is already included in the bill, there’s less schmoozing than we’re used to at home. Notice how hard they work. They almost never stop. Cozying up to clients (French or foreign) is probably the last thing on their minds. They’re often stuck with client overload, too, because the French rarely hire part-time employees, even to help with peak times. To get a waiter’s attention, try to make meaningful eye contact, which is a signal that you need something. If this doesn’t work, raise your hand and simply say, “S’il vous plaît” (see voo play)—“please.” To get the most out of a Parisian restaurant—slow down. Allow enough time for the meal, engage the waiter, show you care about food, and enjoy the experience as much as the food itself.
Tipping: Prices at cafés and restaurants include a 12-15 percent service charge (referred to as service compris or prix net but generally not broken out on your bill). It’s polite, though not expected, to round up for a drink or meal well-served. This bonus tip should be no more than 5 percent of the bill (e.g., if your bill is €19, you can leave €20). If you want the waiter to keep the change when you pay, say, “C’est bon” (say bohn), meaning, “It’s good.” If you are using a credit card, leave your tip in cash—in most cases, there isn’t even a line on the receipt for a tip. Most of my Parisian friends don’t tip, even for good service.
For about €8-15, most hotels offer an optional breakfast, which is usually pleasant and convenient. A few hotels serve a classic continental breakfast, called petit déjeuner (puh-tee day-zhuh-nay). Traditionally, this consisted of a café au lait, hot chocolate, or tea; a roll with butter and marmalade; and a croissant. But these days most hotels put out a buffet breakfast (cereal, yogurt, fruit, cheese, croissants, juice, and hard-boiled eggs).
If all you want is coffee or tea and a croissant, the corner café offers more atmosphere and is cheaper (though you get more coffee at your hotel). Go local at the café and ask for une tartine (oon tart-een; baguette slathered with butter or jam) with your café au lait. To keep it really cheap, pick up some fruit at a grocery store and pastries at your favorite boulangerie and have a picnic breakfast, then savor your coffee at the bar (comptoir) while standing (like locals do). Some cafés and bakeries offer cheap breakfast deals (a few are listed later).
Great for lunch or dinner, Parisian picnics can be first-class affairs and adventures in high cuisine. Be daring. Try the smelly cheeses, ugly pâtés, sissy quiches, and minuscule yogurts. Shopkeepers are accustomed to selling small quantities of produce. Get a succulent salad-to-go, and ask for a plastic fork (see “Picnic Vocabulary” sidebar). If you need a knife or corkscrew, borrow one from your hotelier. And though drinking wine in public places is taboo in the US, it’s pas de problème in France.
Visit several small stores to put together a complete meal. Shop early, as many shops close from 13:00 to 15:00 for their lunch break. Say “Bonjour” as you enter, then point to what you want and say, “S’il vous plaît.”
At the boulangerie (bakery), buy some bread. A baguette usually does the trick, or choose from the many loaves of bread on display: pain aux céréales (whole grain with seeds), pain de campagne (country bread, made with unbleached bread flour), pain complet (wheat bread), or pain de seigle (rye bread). To ask for it sliced, say, “Tranché s’il vous plaît.” The sales clerk will invariably ask if you would like anything else. If you’ve ordered all the treats you want, you can reply, “C’est tout, merci” (say too, mehr-see), meaning, “That’ll be all, thanks.”
At the pâtisserie (pastry shop, which is often the same place you bought the bread), choose a dessert that’s easy to eat with your hands. My favorites are éclairs (chocolat or café flavored), individual fruit tartes (framboise is raspberry, fraise is strawberry, citron is lemon), and macarons (made of flavored cream sandwiched between two meringues, not coconut cookies like in the US).
At the crémerie or fromagerie (cheese shop), choose a sampling of cheeses. I usually get one hard cheese (like Comté, Cantal, or Beaufort), one soft cow’s milk cheese (like Brie or Camembert), one goat’s milk cheese (anything that says chèvre), and one blue cheese (Roquefort or Bleu d’Auvergne). Goat cheese usually comes in individual portions. For all other large cheeses, point to the cheese you want and ask for une petite tranche (a small slice). The shopkeeper will place a knife on the cheese indicating the size of the slice they are about to cut, then look at you for approval. If you’d like more, say, “Plus.” If you’d like less, say, “Moins.” If it’s just right, say, “C’est bon!”
At the charcuterie or traiteur (for deli items, prepared salads, meats, and pâtés), I like a slice of pâté de campagne (country pâté made of pork) and saucissons sec (dried sausages, some with pepper crust or garlic—you can ask to have it sliced thin like salami). I get a fresh salad, too. Typical options are carottes râpées (shredded carrots in a tangy vinaigrette), salade de betteraves (beets in vinaigrette), and céleri rémoulade (celery root with a mayonnaise sauce). The food comes in easy-to-carry takeout boxes, and they may supply a plastic fork (fourchette).
At a cave à vin you can buy chilled wines that the merchant is usually happy to open and re-cork for you. Note: Bottles of champagne don’t require a corkscrew to open!
At a supermarché, épicerie, or magasin d’alimentation (small grocery store or minimart), you’ll find plastic cutlery and glasses, paper plates, napkins, drinks, chips, and sometimes a meek display of produce. Daily Monop’ stores—offering fresh salads, wraps, fruit drinks, and more at reasonable prices—are convenient one-stop places to assemble a picnic. You’ll see them all over Paris.
Paris is picnic-friendly. Almost any park will do. Many have benches or grassy areas, though some lawns are off-limits—obey the signs. Parks generally close at dusk, so plan your sunset picnics carefully. Hoteliers frown on in-room picnics. Here are some especially scenic areas located near major sights:
Palais Royal: Escape to a peaceful courtyard full of relaxing locals across from the Louvre (Mo: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre). The nearby Louvre courtyard surrounding the pyramid is less tranquil, but very handy.
Place des Vosges: Relax in an exquisite grassy courtyard in the Marais, surrounded by royal buildings (Mo: Bastille).
Square du Vert-Galant: For great river views, try this little triangular park on the west tip of Ile de la Cité. It’s next to the statue of King Henry IV (Mo: Pont Neuf).
Pont des Arts: Munch from a perch on this pedestrian bridge over the Seine (near the Louvre)—it’s equipped with benches (Mo: Pont Neuf).
Along the Seine: A grassy parkway runs along the left bank of the Seine between Les Invalides and Pont de l’Alma (Mo: Invalides, near Rue Cler).
Tuileries Garden: Have an Impressionist “Luncheon on the Grass” nestled between the Orsay and Orangerie museums (Mo: Tuileries).
Luxembourg Garden: The classic Paris picnic spot is this expansive Left Bank park (Mo: Odéon).
Les Invalides: Take a break from the Army Museum and Napoleon’s Tomb in the gardens behind the complex (Mo: Varenne).
Champ de Mars: The long grassy strip below the Eiffel Tower has breathtaking views of this Paris icon. However, you must eat along the sides of the park, as the central lawn is off-limits (Mo: Ecole Militaire).
Pompidou Center: There’s no grass, but the people-watching is unbeatable; try the area by the Homage to Stravinsky fountains (Mo: Rambuteau or Hôtel de Ville).
Across Paris you’ll find bakeries and small stands selling baguette sandwiches, quiches, and pizza-like items to go for about €5. Usually filling and tasty, they also streamline the picnic process. Here are some sandwiches you’ll see:
Fromage (froh-mahzh): Cheese (white on beige).
Jambon beurre (zhahn-bohn bur): Ham and butter (boring for most but a French classic).
Jambon crudités (zhahn-bohn krew-dee-tay): Ham with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and mayonnaise.
Pain salé (pan sa-lay) or fougasse (foo-gas): Bread rolled up with salty bits of bacon, cheese, or olives.
Poulet crudités (poo-lay krew-dee-tay): Chicken with tomatoes, lettuce, maybe cucumbers, and always mayonnaise.
Saucisson beurre (saw-see-sohn bur): Thinly sliced sausage and butter.
Thon crudités (tohn krew-dee-tay): Tuna with tomatoes, lettuce, and maybe cucumbers, but definitely mayonnaise.
Anything served à la provençale has marinated peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant. A sandwich à la italienne is a grilled panini.
A salad, crêpe, quiche, or omelet is a fairly cheap way to fill up, even in Paris. Each can be made with various extras like ham, cheese, mushrooms, and so on. Typical quiches you’ll see at shops and bakeries are lorraine (ham and cheese), fromage (cheese only), aux oignons (with onions), aux poireaux (with leeks—my favorite), aux champignons (with mushrooms), au saumon (salmon), or au thon (tuna).
The quintessentially French thin pancake called a crêpe (rhymes with “step,” not “grape”) is a good budget standby: It’s filling, usually inexpensive, and generally quick. A place that sells them is a crêperie (krehp-eh-ree).
Crêpes generally come in two types: sucrée (sweet) and salée (savory). Technically, a savory crêpe should be made with a heartier buckwheat batter, and is called a galette (gah-leht). However, many cheap and lazy crêperies use the same sweet batter (de froment) for both their sweet-topped and savory-topped crêpes.
For savory crêpes, the standard toppings include fromage (cheese, usually Swiss-style Gruyère or Emmental), jambon (ham), oeuf (an egg that’s cracked and scrambled right on the hot plate), and champignons (mushrooms).
For sweet crêpes, common toppings include chocolat (chocolate syrup), Nutella (the delicious milk chocolate-hazelnut spread), jam/jelly, and powdered sugar.
Water: The French are willing to pay for bottled water with their meal (eau minérale; oh mee-nay-rahl) because they prefer the taste over tap water. Badoit is my favorite carbonated water (l’eau gazeuse; loh gah-zuhz). To get a free pitcher of tap water, ask for une carafe d’eau (oon kah-rahf doh). Otherwise, you may unwittingly buy bottled water.
Coffee and Tea: See the “Coffee and Tea Lingo” sidebar, later.
Wine: Wines are often listed in a separate carte des vins. House wine at the bar is generally cheap and good (about €3-5/glass). At a restaurant, a bottle or carafe of house wine costs €8-18. To order inexpensive wine at a restaurant, ask for table wine (un vin du pays; uhn van duh pay) in a pitcher (un pichet; uhn pee-shay—only available when seated and when ordering food), rather than a bottle. Note, though, that finer restaurants usually offer only bottles of wine.
If all you want is a glass of wine, ask for un verre de vin rouge for red wine or blanc for white wine (uhn vehr duh van roozh/blahn). A half-carafe of wine is un demi-pichet (uhn duh-mee pee-shay); a quarter-carafe (ideal for one) is un quart (uhn kar). Be aware that the legal drinking age is 16 for beer and wine and 18 for the hard stuff—at restaurants it’s normale for wine to be served with dinner to teens.
Beer: The local beer, which costs about €4 at a restaurant, is cheaper on tap (une pression; oon pres-yohn) than in the bottle (bouteille; boo-teh-ee). France’s best beer is Alsatian; try Kronenbourg or the heavier Pelfort. Une panaché (oon pah-nah-shay) is a tasty French shandy (beer and lemon soda).
Regional Specialty Drinks: For a refreshing before-dinner drink, order a kir (pronounced “keer”)—a thumb’s level of crème de cassis (black currant liqueur) topped with white wine. If you like brandy, try a marc (regional brandy, e.g., marc de Bourgogne) or an Armagnac, cognac’s cheaper twin brother. Pastis, the standard southern France aperitif, is a sweet anise (licorice) drink that comes on the rocks with a glass of water. Cut it to taste with lots of water.
Soft Drinks: For a fun, bright, nonalcoholic drink of 7-Up with mint syrup, order un diabolo menthe (uhn dee-ah-boh-loh mahnt). For 7-Up with fruit syrup, order un diabolo grenadine (think Shirley Temple). Kids love the local orange drink, Orangina, a carbonated orange juice with pulp and without caffeine. They also like the flavored syrups mixed with bottled water (sirops à l’eau; see-roh ah loh). In France limonade (lee-moh-nahd) is Sprite or 7-Up.
Ordering Beverages: Be clear when ordering drinks—you can easily pay €8 for an oversized Coke and €12 for a big beer. When you order a drink, state the size in centiliters (don’t say “small,” “medium,” or “large,” because the waiter might bring a bigger drink than you want). For something small, ask for 25 centilitres (vant-sank sahn-tee-lee-truh; about 8 ounces); for a medium drink, order 33 cl (trahnte-twah; about 12 ounces—a normal can of soda); a large is 50 cl (san-kahnt; about 16 ounces); and a super-size is one liter (lee-truh; about a quart—which is more than I would ever order in France). The ice cubes melted after the last Yankee tour group left.
French cafés and brasseries provide user-friendly meals and a relief from sightseeing overload. At either, feel free to order only a bowl of soup and a salad or plat (main course) for lunch or dinner. Cafés and brasseries usually open by 7:00, but closing hours vary.
Unlike restaurants, which open only for dinner and sometimes for lunch, some cafés and all brasseries serve food throughout the day (though with a more limited menu than at restaurants), making them the best option for a late lunch or an early dinner. Cafés are not necessarily less expensive than many restaurants and bistros, and famous cafés on popular squares can be pricey affairs. Their key advantage is flexibility: They offer longer serving hours, and you’re welcome to order just a salad, a sandwich, or a bowl of soup, even for dinner. It’s also fine to split starters and desserts, though not main courses.
If you’re a novice, it’s easier to sit and feel comfortable when you know the system. Check the price list first, which by law must be posted prominently (if you don’t see one, go elsewhere). There are two sets of prices: You’ll pay more for the same drink if you’re seated at a table (salle) than if you’re seated or standing at the bar or counter (comptoir). For a cheap mini-café au lait, hang out at the counter and order une noisette (oon nwah-zeht; espresso with a little milk).
Standard Menu Items: Croque monsieur (grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich) and croque madame (monsieur with a fried egg on top) are generally served day and night. Sandwiches are least expensive, but very plain (boulangeries serve better ones). To get more than a piece of ham (jambon) on a baguette, order a sandwich jambon crudités, which means garnished with veggies. Omelets come lonely on a plate with a basket of bread. The daily special—plat du jour (plah dew zhoor), or just plat—is your fast, hearty, and garnished hot plate for €12-18. At most cafés, feel free to order only entrées (which in French means the starter course); many find these lighter and more interesting than a main course. A vegetarian can enjoy a tasty, filling meal by ordering two entrées. Regardless of what you order, bread is free but almost never comes with butter; to get more, just hold up your bread basket and ask, “Encore, s’il vous plaît?”
Salads: They’re typically large and often can be ordered with warm ingredients mixed in, such as melted goat cheese, fried gizzards, or roasted potatoes. One salad is perfect for lunch or a light dinner. The classic salads include:
Salade niçoise (nee-swahz), a specialty from Nice, usually features green salad topped with green beans, boiled potatoes, tomatoes, anchovies, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and lots of tuna. It makes for a good, fast, reliable, and filling budget lunch.
Salade au chèvre chaud is a mixed green salad topped with warm goat cheese on small pieces of toast.
Salade composée is “composed” of any number of ingredients, such as lardons (bacon), Comté (a Swiss-style cheese), Roquefort (blue cheese), œuf (egg), noix (walnuts), and jambon (ham, generally thinly sliced).
Salade paysanne usually comes with potatoes (pommes de terre), walnuts (noix), tomatoes, ham, and egg.
Salade aux gesiers includes chicken gizzards (and often slices of duck).
Choose cafés and restaurants filled with locals. Consider my suggestions and your hotelier’s opinion, but trust your instincts. If a restaurant doesn’t post its prices outside, move along. Refer to my recommendations to get a sense of what a reasonable meal should cost.
Restaurants open for dinner around 19:00 (cafés open earlier), and small local favorites get crowded after 21:00. To minimize crowds, go early (around 19:30). Many restaurants close Sunday and/or Monday.
If a restaurant serves lunch, it generally begins at 12:00 and goes until 14:30, with last orders taken at about 14:00. If you’re hungry when restaurants are closed (late afternoon), go to a brasserie; for more information, see “Cafés and Brasseries,” earlier. Remember that even the fanciest places have affordable lunch menus (often called formules or plat de midi), allowing you to sample the same gourmet cooking for generally about half the cost of dinner.
At a café or a brasserie, if the table is not set, it’s fine to seat yourself and just have a drink. However, if it’s set with a placemat and cutlery, you should ask to be seated and plan to order a meal. If you’re unsure, ask the server before sitting down.
This is the sequence of a typical restaurant experience: To get the waiter’s attention, simply ask, “S’il vous plaît?” The waiter will give you a menu (carte) and then ask what you’d like to drink (Vous voulez quelque choses à boire?), if you’re ready to order (Vous êtes prêts à commander?), or what you’d like to eat (Qu’est-ce que je vous sers?). At the end of your meal, your waiter might ask, “Ça vous a plû?” (“Did you enjoy your meal?”). If you did, say, “Oui, c’était délicieux!” (wee, say-tay day-lee-see-uh), meaning, “Yes, it was delicious!”
In restaurants, a waiter will rarely bring you the check unless you request it. For a French person, having the bill dropped off before asking for it is akin to being kicked out—très gauche. But busy travelers are often ready for the check sooner rather than later. Here’s a tip: When your server comes to clear your plates, he or she will often ask if you would like a post-meal dessert or coffee (Vous voulez un dessert? Un café?), and if you’re finished (Vous avez terminé?). It’s the waiter’s way of asking, “Are we all done here folks? Can I get you anything else?” Here’s your chance. First, say “oui” or “non” to the coffee, and then ask for the bill, by saying, “L’addition, s’il vous plaît.” If you don’t ask now, the wait staff may become scarce as they leave you to digest in peace.
In French eateries, there are three ways to order food. First, you can order off the menu (carte). Second, you can order a multi-course, fixed-price meal, which is (confusingly) called a menu. Third, most places have a few special dishes of the day, called plat du jour, or simply plat.
So, if you ask for un menu (instead of la carte), you’ll get a fixed-price meal. Menus, which usually include two or three courses, are generally a good value and will help you pace your meal like the locals. With a three-course menu you’ll get your choice of soup, appetizer, or salad; your choice of three or four main courses with vegetables; plus a cheese course and/or a choice of desserts. It sounds like a lot of food, but portions are smaller in France and what we cram onto one large plate they spread out over several courses.
Service is included (service compris), but wine and other drinks are generally extra. Certain premium items add a few euros to the price, clearly noted on the menu (supplément or sup.). Most restaurants offer less-expensive, less-filling two-course menus sometimes called formules, featuring an entrée et plat (first course and main dish), or plat et dessert (main dish and dessert).
If you order à la carte (from what we would call the “menu”), you’ll have a wider selection of food. It’s traditional to order an entrée (which—again, confusingly—is a starter rather than a main dish) and a plat principal (main course). The plats are generally more meat-based, while the entrées are where you can get your veggies. Multiple course meals, while time-consuming (a positive thing in France), create the appropriate balance of veggies to meat. Elaborate meals may also have entremets—tiny dishes served between courses. Wherever you dine, consider the waiter’s recommendations and anything de la maison (of the house), as long as it’s not an organ meat (tripes, rognons, or andouillette). Some restaurants and cafés offer a reasonable menu-enfant (kid’s meal). If all you want is a salad or soup, go to a café.
Galloping gourmets should bring a menu translator. The most complete (and priciest) menu reader around is A to Z of French Food by G. de Temmerman. The Marling Menu-Master is also good. The Rick Steves’ French Phrase Book & Dictionary, with a menu decoder, works well for most travelers.
Tune into the relaxed pace of French dining. The French don’t do dinner and a movie on date nights; they just do dinner. Evening meals last a long time in restaurants, and once you’ve been seated, that table is yours for the night.
Many French people think “vegetarian” means “no red meat” or “not much meat.” If you’re a strict vegetarian, be very specific: Tell your server what you don’t eat—and it can be helpful to clarify what you do eat. Write it out on a card and keep it handy. Think of your meal (as the French do) as if it’s a finely crafted creation by a trained artist. The chef knows what goes well together, and substitutions are considered an insult to his training. Picky eaters should just take it or leave it. However, French restaurants are willing to accommodate genuine dietary restrictions and other special concerns (or at least point you to an appropriate choice on the menu). These phrases might help: “Je suis allergique à” (zhuh sweez ah-lehr-zheek ah) means “I am allergic to...”; “Je ne peux pas manger de” (zhuh nuh puh pah mahn-zhay duh) means “I cannot eat...” Just fill in the blank with the food you need to avoid.
The fun part of dining in Paris is that you can sample fine cuisine from throughout France. Most restaurants serve dishes from several regions, though some focus on a particular region’s cuisine. (I list restaurants specializing in food from Provence, Burgundy, Alsace, Normandy, Brittany, Dordogne, Languedoc, and the Basque region.) You can be a galloping gourmet and try several types of French cuisine without ever leaving the confines of Paris.
General styles of French cooking include haute cuisine (classic, elaborately prepared, multi-course meals); cuisine bourgeoise (the finest-quality home cooking); cuisine des provinces (traditional dishes of specific regions); and nouvelle cuisine (a focus on smaller portions and closer attention to the texture and color of the ingredients). Sauces are a huge part of French cooking. In the early 20th century, the legendary French chef Auguste Escoffier identified five French “mother sauces” from which all others are derived: béchamel (milk-based white sauce), espagnole (veal-based brown sauce), velouté (stock-based white sauce), hollandaise (egg yolk-based white sauce), and tomate (tomato-based red sauce).
Alsace: The German influence is obvious—sausages, potatoes, onions, and sauerkraut. Look for choucroute garnie (sauerkraut and sausage—although it seems a shame to eat it in a fancy restaurant), the more traditionally Alsatian Baeckeoffe (potato, meat, and onion stew), Rösti (an oven-baked potato-and-cheese dish), fresh trout, foie gras, and flammekueche (a paper-thin pizza topped with bacon, onions, and sour cream).
Burgundy: Considered by many to be France’s best, Burgundian cuisine is peasant cooking elevated to an art. This wine region excels in coq au vin (chicken with wine sauce), bœuf bourguignon (beef stew cooked with wine, bacon, onions, and mushrooms), œufs en meurette (eggs poached in red wine), escargots (snails), and jambon persillé (ham with garlic and parsley).
Basque: Mixing influences from the mountains, sea, Spain, and France, it’s dominated by seafood, tomatoes, and red peppers. Look for anything basquaise (cooked with tomatoes, eggplant, red peppers, and garlic), such as thon (tuna) or poulet (chicken). Try piperade, a dish combining peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and eggs (ham optional), and ttoro, a seafood stew that is the Basque answer to bouillabaisse.
Languedoc and Périgord: The cuisine of these regions is referred to in Paris as “Southwest cuisine” (cuisine du sudouest). This hearty peasant cooking uses full-bodied red wines and lots of duck. Try the hearty cassoulet (white bean, duck, and sausage stew), canard (duck), pâté de foie gras (goose-liver pâté), pommes sarladaise (potatoes fried in duck fat), truffes (truffles, earthy mushrooms), and anything with noix (walnuts).
Normandy and Brittany: Normandy specializes in cream sauces, sea salt, organ meats (sweetbreads, tripe, and kidneys—the “gizzard salads” are great), and seafood (fruits de mer). Dairy products are big here. Try the moules (mussels) and escalope normande (veal in cream sauce). Brittany is famous for its oysters and crêpes. Both regions use lots of cidre (hard apple cider) in their cuisine.
Provence: The extravagant use of garlic, olive oil, herbs, and tomatoes makes Provence’s cuisine France’s liveliest. To sample it, order anything à la provençale. Among the area’s spicy specialties are ratatouille (a thick mixture of vegetables in an herb-flavored tomato sauce), brandade (a salt cod, garlic, and cream mousse), aioli (a garlicky mayonnaise often served atop fresh vegetables), tapenade (a paste of puréed olives, capers, anchovies, herbs, and sometimes tuna), soupe au pistou (vegetable soup with basil, garlic, and cheese), and soupe à l’ail (garlic soup).
Riviera: The Côte d’Azur gives Provence’s cuisine a Mediterranean flair. Local specialties are bouillabaisse (the spicy seafood stew/soup that seems worth the cost only for those with a seafood fetish), bourride (a creamy fish soup thickened with aioli garlic sauce), and salade niçoise (nee-swahz; a tasty tomato, potato, olive, anchovy, and tuna salad).
The French eat dinner in courses, rather than all on one plate. For general, classic, anywhere-in-France dishes, consider these suggestions:
Crudités: A mix of raw and lightly cooked fresh vegetables, usually including grated carrots, celery root, tomatoes, and beets, often with a hefty dose of vinaigrette dressing. If you want the dressing on the side, say, “La sauce à côté, s’il vous plaît” (lah sohs ah koh-tay, see voo play).
Escargots: Snails cooked in parsley-garlic butter. You don’t even have to like the snail itself. Just dipping your bread in garlic butter is more than satisfying. Prepared a variety of ways, the classic is à la bourguignon (served in their shells).
Foie gras: Rich, buttery in consistency, and pricey, this pâté is made from the swollen livers of force-fed geese (or ducks, in foie de canard). Spread it on bread with your knife, and never add mustard. For a real French experience, try this dish with some sweet white wine (often offered by the glass for an additional cost).
Huîtres: Oysters served raw any month and delivered fresh from nearby Brittany. This food is particularly popular at Christmas and New Year’s, when every café seems to have overflowing baskets in their window.
Œuf mayo: A simple hard-boiled egg topped with a dollop of flavorful mayonnaise.
Pâtés and terrines: Slowly cooked ground meat (usually pork, though game, poultry liver, and rabbit are also common) that is highly seasoned and served in slices with mustard and cornichons (little pickles). Pâtés are smoother than the similarly prepared but chunkier terrines.
Salades: With the exception of a salade mixte (simple green salad, often difficult to find), the French get creative with their salades. (See “Cafés and Brasseries,” earlier, for good salad suggestions.)
Soupe à l’oignon: Hot, salty, and filling, French onion soup is a beef broth served with a baked cheese-and-bread crust over the top. This is not easy to find in Paris, as locals prefer other types of soup.
Duck, lamb, and rabbit are popular in France, and each is prepared in a variety of ways. You’ll also encounter various stew-like dishes that vary by region. The most common regional specialties are described here.
Bœuf bourguignon: A Burgundian specialty, this classy beef stew is cooked slowly in red wine, then served with onions, potatoes, and mushrooms.
Confit de canard: A southwest favorite from the Dordogne region is duck that has been preserved in its own fat, then cooked in its fat, and often served with potatoes (cooked in the same fat). Not for dieters. (Note that magret de canard is sliced duck breast and very different in taste.)
Coq au vin: This Burgundian dish is rooster marinated ever so slowly in red wine, then cooked until it melts in your mouth. It’s served (often family-style) with vegetables.
Daube: Generally made with beef, but sometimes lamb, this is a long and slowly simmered dish, typically paired with noodles or other pasta.
Escalope normande: A specialty of Normandy, this is turkey or veal in a cream sauce.
Gigot d’agneau: A specialty of Provence, this is a leg of lamb often grilled and served with white beans. The best lamb is pré salé, which means the lamb has been raised in salt-marsh lands (like at Mont St. Michel).
Poulet roti: Roasted chicken on the bone—French comfort food.
Saumon and truite: You’ll see salmon dishes served in various styles. The salmon usually comes from the North Sea and is always served with sauce, most commonly a sorrel (oseille) sauce. Trout (truite) is also fairly routine on menus.
Steak: Referred to as pavé (thick hunk of prime steak), bavette (skirt steak), faux filet (sirloin), or entrecôte (rib steak), French steak is usually thinner than American steak and is always served with sauces (au poivre is a pepper sauce, une sauce roquefort is a blue-cheese sauce). Because steak is usually better in North America, I usually avoid it in France (unless the sauce sounds good). You will also see steak haché, which is a lean, gourmet hamburger patty served sans bun. When it’s served as steak haché à cheval, it comes with a fried egg on top.
By American standards, the French undercook meats: Their version of rare, saignant (seh-nyahn), means “bloody” and is close to raw. What they consider medium, or à point (ah pwan), is what an American would call rare. Their term for well-done, or bien cuit (bee-yehn kwee), would translate as medium for Americans.
Steak tartare: This wonderfully French dish is for adventurous types only. It’s very lean, raw hamburger served with savory seasonings (usually Tabasco, capers, raw onions, salt, and pepper on the side) and topped with a raw egg yolk. This is not hamburger as we know it, but freshly ground beef.
In France the cheese course is served just before (or instead of) dessert. It not only helps with digestion, it gives you a great opportunity to sample the tasty regional cheeses—and time to finish up your wine. There are more than 400 different French cheeses to try. Some restaurants will offer a cheese platter, from which you select a few different kinds. A good platter has at least four cheeses: a hard cheese (such as Emmentaler—a.k.a. Swiss cheese), a flowery cheese (such as Brie or Camembert), a blue or Roquefort cheese, and a goat cheese.
Those most commonly served in Paris are Brie de Meaux (mild and creamy, from just outside the city), Camembert (semicreamy and pungent, from Normandy), chèvre (goat cheese with a sharp taste, usually from the Loire), and Roquefort (strong and blue-veined, from south-central France).
If you’d like to sample several types of cheese from the cheese plate, say, “Un assortiment, s’il vous plaît” (uhn ah-sor-tee-mahn, see voo play). If you serve yourself from the cheese plate, observe French etiquette and keep the shape of the cheese. It’s best to politely shave off a slice from the side or cut small wedges.
If you’ve run out of wine, consider ordering more. A glass of good red wine complements your cheese course in a heavenly way.
If you order espresso, it will always come after dessert. To have coffee with dessert, ask for “café avec le dessert” (kah-fay ah-vehk luh day-sayr). See the list of coffee terms earlier in this chapter.
Here are the types of treats you’ll see:
Baba au rhum: Pound cake drenched in rum, served with whipped cream.
Café gourmand: An assortment of small desserts selected by the restaurant—a great way to sample several desserts and learn your favorite.
Crème brûlée: A rich, creamy, dense, caramelized custard.
Crème caramel: Flan in a caramel sauce.
Fondant au chocolat: A molten chocolate cake with a runny (not totally cooked) center. Also known as moelleux (meh-leh) au chocolat.
Fromage blanc: A light dessert similar to plain yogurt (yet different), served with sugar or herbs.
Glace: Ice cream—typically vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry (fraise).
Ile flottante: A light dessert consisting of islands of meringue floating on a pond of custard sauce.
Mousse au chocolat: Chocolate mousse.
Profiteroles: Cream puffs filled with vanilla ice cream, smothered in warm chocolate sauce.
Riz au lait: Rice pudding.
Sorbets: Light, flavorful, and fruity ices (known to us as sherbets), sometimes laced with brandy.
Tartes: Narrow strips of fresh fruit, baked in a crust and served in thin slices (without ice cream).
Tarte tatin: Apple pie like grandma never made, with caramelized apples, cooked upside down, but served upright.
My recommendations are centered on the same great neighborhoods listed in the Sleeping in Paris chapter; you can come home exhausted after a busy day of sightseeing and find a good selection of restaurants right around the corner. And evening is a fine time to explore any of these delightful neighborhoods, even if you’re sleeping elsewhere.
To save piles of euros, go to a bakery for takeout, or stop at a café for lunch. Cafés and brasseries are happy to serve a plat du jour (garnished plate of the day, about €13-18) or a chef-like salad (about €10-13) day or night. To save even more, consider picnics (tasty takeout dishes available at charcuteries).
Linger longer over dinner—restaurants expect you to enjoy a full meal. Most restaurants I’ve listed have set-price menus between €20 and €35. In most cases, the few extra euros you pay are well-spent, and open up a variety of better choices. Remember that a service charge is included in the prices (so little or no tipping is expected, although it’s polite to round up). Eat early with tourists or late with locals. Before choosing a seat outside, remember that smokers love outdoor tables.
(See “Rue Cler Restaurants” map, here.)
The Rue Cler neighborhood caters to its residents. Its eateries, while not destination places, have an intimate charm. I’ve provided a full range of choices—from cozy ma-and-pa diners to small and trendy boutique restaurants to classic, big, boisterous bistros. For all restaurants listed in this area, use the Ecole Militaire Métro stop (unless another station is listed).
(See “Rue Cler Restaurants” map, here.)
$ Café du Marché boasts the best seats and prices on Rue Cler. The owner’s philosophy: Brasserie on speed—crank out good enough food at great prices to appreciative locals and savvy tourists. It’s high-energy, with young waiters who barely have time to smile...très Parisian. This place works well if you don’t mind a limited selection and want to eat an inexpensive one-course meal among a commotion of people. The chalkboard lists your choices: good, hearty €10 salads or more filling €12-14 plats du jour. Arrive before 19:30 to avoid long waits (Mon-Sat 11:00-23:00, Sun 11:00-17:00, at the corner of Rue Cler and Rue du Champ de Mars, 38 Rue Cler, tel. 01 47 05 51 27).
$ Tribeca Italian Restaurant, next door to Café du Marché, has a similar ambience with higher quality and more varied cuisine. Choose from family-pleasing Italian dishes or try the roasted Camembert à la crème (€11-15 pizzas and pastas, €11 salads, open daily, tel. 01 45 55 12 01, say bonjour to helpful manager Paul).
$ Le Petit Cler is an adorable and popular little bistro with long leather booths, a vintage interior, a handful of outdoor tables, and simple, tasty, inexpensive dishes (€9 omelets, €7 soup of the moment, €13-14 salads and plats, and sinful pots de crème, daily, opens early for dinner, next to Grand Hôtel Lévêque at 29 Rue Cler, tel. 01 45 50 17 50).
$ Café le Roussillon offers a younger, pub-like ambience with good-value food. You’ll find design-your-own omelets, fajitas, and easygoing waiters (daily, indoor seating only, at the corner of Rue de Grenelle and Rue Cler, tel. 01 45 51 47 53).
$ Crêperie Ulysée en Gaule offers cheap seats on Rue Cler with crêpes to go. Readers of this book don’t have to pay an extra charge to sit if they buy a drink. The family adores its Greek dishes, but their crêpes are your least expensive hot meal on this street (28 Rue Cler, tel. 01 47 05 61 82).
$ Brasserie Aux PTT, a simple traditional café delivering fair-value fare, reminds Parisians of the old days on Rue Cler. Rick Steves diners are promised a free kir with their dinner (€12 plats, cheap wine, closed Sun, 2-minute walk from most area hotels, opposite 53 Rue Cler, tel. 01 45 51 94 96).
$$ Le Florimond is fun for a special occasion. The setting is warm and welcoming. Locals come for classic French cuisine at fair prices. Friendly English-speaking Laurent, whose playful ties change daily, gracefully serves one small room of tables and loves to give suggestions. The stuffed cabbage and the confit de canard are particularly tasty, and the house wine is excellent (€37 menu, closed Sun, make reservations two days ahead, 19 Avenue de la Motte-Picquet, tel. 01 45 55 40 38, www.leflorimond.com).
$$ Bistrot Belhara, named for a 35-foot-wave in the Basque region, is a true French dining experience. Watch as chef Thierry peers from his kitchen window to ensure that all is well. He bases his cuisine on what’s in season, but the foie gras and riz au lait de mémé—his grandma’s rice pudding—are delicious any time of year. If you don’t know French, the charming Frédéric will translate—and help you choose the perfect wine (€38 menu, closed Sun-Mon, reservations smart, a block off Rue Cler at 23 Rue Duvivier, tel. 01 45 51 41 77, www.bistrotbelhara.com).
$$ Café le Bosquet is a contemporary Parisian brasserie where you’ll dine for a decent price inside or outside on a broad sidewalk. Come here for standard café fare—salad, French onion soup, steak-frites, or a plat du jour. Lanky owner “Jeff” offers a three-course meal for €22, and plats from €13-19. The escargots are tasty, the house wine is quite good, and the beer is cheap for Paris (closed Sun, free Wi-Fi, corner of Rue du Champ de Mars and Avenue Bosquet, 46 Avenue Bosquet, tel. 01 45 51 38 13, www.bosquetparis.com).
$$ La Terrasse du 7ème is a sprawling, happening café with grand outdoor seating and a living room-like interior with comfy love seats. Located on a corner, it overlooks a busy intersection with a constant parade of people. Chairs are set up facing the street, as a meal here is like dinner theater—and the show is slice-of-life Paris (€16-23 plats, good €13 salade niçoise or Caesar salad, €8 French onion soup, tasty foie gras, no fixed-price menu, daily until at least 24:00, at Ecole Militaire Métro stop, tel. 01 45 55 00 02).
$$$ L’Ami Jean offers authentic Basque specialties in a snug-but-fun, get-to-know-your-neighbor atmosphere with red peppers and Basque stuff hanging from the ceiling. It’s not cheap, but the portions are hearty and delicious, and the whole menu changes every two weeks. Parisians detour long distances to savor the gregarious chef’s special cuisine and convivial atmosphere. Arrive by 19:30 or reserve ahead (€20 starters, €35 plats, €85 eight-course menu, closed Sun-Mon, 27 Rue Malar, Mo: La Tour-Maubourg, tel. 01 47 05 86 89, www.lamijean.fr).
$$$ Thoumieux is the neighborhood’s grand brasserie, with a classy interior lined with red velvet chairs, chandeliers, and fussy waiters. It’s a mini-splurge for most, though designed as an affordable chance to sample renowned chef Jean-François Piège’s cuisine: His 10-table restaurant one floor up earned two Michelin stars. Come here for a true brasserie experience (€18-24 starters, €30 plats, €12 desserts, daily, 79 Rue St. Dominique, tel. 01 47 05 49 75, www.thoumieux.fr).
$$ Au Petit Tonneau is a small, authentic French bistro with original, time-warp decor, red-checked tablecloths, and carefully prepared food from a limited menu. The place is real, the cuisine is delicious, and the experience is what you came to France for (€39 three-course menu that changes with season, well-priced wines, closed Mon, 20 Rue Surcouf, tel. 01 47 05 09 01, charming owner Arlette at your service).
(See “Rue Cler Restaurants” map, here.)
Some of these places line peaceful Rue de l’Exposition (a few blocks west of Rue Cler), allowing you to comparison shop sans stress.
$$$ 58 Tour Eiffel, on the tower’s first level, is popular both for its incredible views and the cuisine of its famed French chef, Alain Ducasse. Dinner here is pricey (you must order a complete menu, €80-170, more expensive menus give you better view seating) and requires a reservation (two seatings: 18:30 and 21:00; reserve long in advance, especially if you want a view, tel. 01 72 76 18 46, toll tel. 08 25 56 66 62, www.restaurants-toureiffel.com). Lunch is easier, with reserve seatings at 11:30 and 13:30 (€41 for three-course menu), or you can drop in and order à la carte (11:30-16:30, Mo: Bir-Hakeim or Trocadéro, RER: Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel).
$$$ La Fontaine de Mars, a longtime favorite and neighborhood institution, draws Parisians who want to be seen. It’s charmingly situated on a tiny, jumbled square with tables jammed together for the serious business of eating. Reserve in advance for a table on the ground floor or on the square, and enjoy the same meal Barack Obama did. Street-level seats come with the best ambience (€20-30 plats du jour, superb foie gras, superb-er desserts, daily, 129 Rue St. Dominique, tel. 01 47 05 46 44, www.fontainedemars.com).
$$ Au Petit Sud Ouest comes wrapped in stone walls and wood beams, making it a cozy place to sample cuisine from southwestern France. Duck, goose, foie gras, cassoulet, and truffles are all on la carte. Tables come with toasters to heat your bread—it enhances the flavors of the foie gras (salade with foie gras-€12, plats-€15, cassoulet-€16, closed Sun-Mon, 46 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, tel. 01 45 55 59 59, www.au-petit-sud-ouest.fr, managed by friendly Chantal).
$$ Le P’tit Troquet is a petite eatery taking you back to the Paris of the 1920s. Marie welcomes you warmly, and chef José cooks a delicious three-course €34 menu with a range of traditional choices prepared creatively. The homey charm and gourmet quality make this restaurant a favorite of connoisseurs (opens at 18:30, closed Sun, reservations smart, 28 Rue de l’Exposition, tel. 01 47 05 80 39).
$$ Billebaude, run by patient Pascal, is a small Parisian bistro popular with locals and tourists. The focus is on what’s fresh, including catch-of-the-day fish and meats from the hunt (available in the fall and winter). Chef Sylvain, an avid hunter (as the decor suggests), is determined to deliver quality at a fair price. Try filet de bar (sea bass) for your main course and œufs à la neige for dessert—but skip this place if you’re in a hurry (€35 menu, closed Sun-Mon, 29 Rue de l’Exposition, tel. 01 45 55 20 96).
$$ Pottoka’s young chef Sébastian Gravé creates a dining experience that changes regularly—attracting locals willing to crowd into this shoebox for a chance to sample his latest creations. Service is friendly, wines are reasonable, and the food is sensational (€22 two-course menu, €33 three-course menu, book ahead, daily, 4 Rue de l’Exposition, tel. 01 45 51 88 38, www.pottoka.fr).
$$ Café de Mars is a cool place for a fine-quality, reasonably priced meal. It’s also comfortable for single diners thanks to a convivial counter (closed Sun, 11 Rue Augereau, tel. 01 45 50 10 90, www.cafedemars.com).
$ Le Royal is a tiny neighborhood fixture offering the cheapest meals in the neighborhood. This humble time-warp place, with prices and decor from another era, comes from an age when cafés sold firewood and served food as an afterthought. Parisians dine here because “it’s like eating at home.” Gentle Michele and son Guillaume are fine hosts (€6 omelets, €9-12 plats, €14 for filling three-course menu, daily, 212 Rue de Grenelle, tel. 01 47 53 92 90).
$ Gusto Italia serves up tasty, good-value Italian cuisine in two miniscule places across from each other, each with a few tables outside. Arrive early or plan to wait (€12 salads, €14 pasta, daily, 199 Rue de Grenelle, tel. 01 45 55 00 43).
$ Boulangerie-Pâtisserie de la Tour Eiffel sells inexpensive salads, quiches, and sandwiches, and other traditional café fare. Enjoy the views of the Eiffel Tower (daily, outdoor and indoor seating, one block southeast of the tower at 21 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, tel. 01 47 05 59 81).
$ La Varangue is an entertaining one-man show featuring English-speaking Philippe, who once ran a catering business in Pennsylvania. He now lives upstairs and has found his niche serving a mostly American clientele. The food is cheap and basic, the tables are few, and he opens at 17:30. Norman Rockwell would dig his minuscule dining room—with the traditional kitchen sizzling just over the counter. Try his snails and chocolate cake—but not together (€12 plats, €19 menu, always a vegetarian option, closed Sun, 27 Rue Augereau, tel. 01 47 05 51 22, www.lavarangue.fr).
$ The Pizzeria across from La Varangue is kid-friendly and cheap (closed Sun, eat in or take out, 28 Rue Augereau, tel. 01 45 55 45 16).
Across the River: You’re not far from the Champs-Elysées, which is best at night. If you feel like walking, cross the river and stroll to this grand avenue instead. Try dining at Le Comptoir de L’Arc (closed Sat-Sun, see here).
(See “Rue Cler Restaurants” map, here.)
Ever since leaving the venerable Hôtel Crillon, famed chef Christian Constant has made a career of taking the “snoot” out of French cuisine—and making it accessible to people like us. Today you’ll find three of his restaurants strung along one block of Rue St. Dominique between Rue Augereau and Rue de l’Exposition. Each is distinct, and each offers a different experience and price range. None of these places is cheap, but they all deliver top-quality cuisine.
$$$ Le Violon d’Ingres, where Christian won his first Michelin star, makes for a good excuse to dress up and dine finely in Paris. Glass doors open onto a chic eating scene, service is formal yet helpful, and the cuisine is what made this restaurateur’s reputation (€65-90 menus, great-value lunch menu, daily, reservations essential, 135 Rue St. Dominique, tel. 01 45 55 15 05, www.maisonconstant.com/violon-ingres).
$$ Les Cocottes attracts a crowd of yuppie Parisians with its creative dishes served in cocottes—small iron pots (€15-20 cocottes, tasty soups, daily from 18:30, go early as they don’t take reservations, 135 Rue St. Dominique).
$$ Café Constant is a cool, two-level place that feels more like a small bistro-wine bar than a café. Delicious and fairly priced dishes are served in a snug setting to a dedicated clientele. Arrive early to get a table downstairs if you can (upstairs seating is a good fallback); the friendly staff speak English (€11 entrées, €16 plats, €7 desserts, daily from 19:00, no reservations taken, corner of Rue Augereau and Rue St. Dominique, next to recommended Hôtel de Londres Eiffel, tel. 01 47 53 73 34).
(See “Rue Cler Restaurants” map, here.)
Picnics with floodlit views of the Eiffel Tower or along the riverside promenade are très romantique, and Rue Cler is a festival of food just waiting to be celebrated. For a magical picnic dinner, assemble it in no fewer than five shops on Rue Cler. If they’re closed, small, late-night groceries are at 197 Rue de Grenelle (open daily until midnight), as well as where Rues Cler and Grenelle cross.
(See “Rue Cler Restaurants” map, here.)
This sleepy neighborhood was not made for night owls, but there are a few notable exceptions. The focal point of before- and after-dinner posing occurs along the broad sidewalk at the intersection of Avenues de la Motte-Picquet and Tourville (Mo: Ecole Militaire). Le Tourville and Café des Officiers gather a sea of outward-facing seats for the important business of people-watching—and fashion-model recruiting.
La Terrasse du 7ème, across the avenue, has a less-pretentious clientele (see listing, earlier). On Rue Cler, Café du Marché (listed earlier) attracts a Franco-American café crowd until at least midnight, though the younger-in-spirit L’Eclair cocktail café (a few doors down at #32) rocks it until 2:00 in the morning. Café Roussillon has a good French pub atmosphere at the corner of Rue de Grenelle and Rue Cler. O’Brien’s Pub is a relaxed Parisian rendition of an Irish pub, with French men in suits tossing darts and drinking pints (77 Rue St. Dominique, Mo: La Tour Maubourg).
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
The trendy Marais is filled with diners enjoying good food in colorful and atmospheric eateries. The scene is competitive and changes all the time. I’ve listed an assortment of eateries—all handy to recommended hotels—that offer good food at decent prices, plus a memorable experience.
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
This square offers Old World Marais elegance, a handful of eateries, and an ideal picnic site until dusk, when the park closes (use Bastille or St-Paul Métro stops). Strolling around the arcade after dark is more important than dining here—fanciful art galleries alternate with restaurants and cafés. Choose a restaurant that best fits your mood and budget; most have arcade seating and provide big space heaters to make outdoor dining during colder months an option. Also consider a drink on the square at Café Hugo or a pastry at Carette.
$$ La Place Royale offers a fine location on the square with good seating inside or out. Here you can expect a warm welcome and patient waiters, as owner Arnaud prides himself on service. The cuisine is traditional, well-priced, and served nonstop all day, and the exceptional wine list is reasonable (try the Sancerre white). The €41 menu comes with a kir, three courses, a half-bottle of wine per person, coffee, and—for Rick Steves readers with this book—a digestif that will allow you to linger even longer and savor the setting (€26-41 menus, €16 lunch special, daily, 2 bis Place des Vosges, tel. 01 42 78 58 16).
$$ Café Hugo, named for the square’s most famous resident, is best for drinks only, but if it’s basic café fare you crave, the setting is terrific, with good seating under the arches (daily, 22 Place des Vosges, tel. 01 42 72 64 04).
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
$$ Les Bonnes Soeurs, a block from the square, blends modern and traditional fare with contemporary bistro ambience. Isabelle takes good care of her clients and offers portions that are big and inventive. The delicious and filling pressé de chèvre starter (a hunk of goat cheese topped with tapenade and tomatoes) begs to be shared. The risotto is très tasty, the hearty French hamburger comes with a salad and the best fries I’ve tasted in Paris. For many, a main course is plenty; others like to order two starters (plats from €16, no menu, daily, 8 Rue du Pas de la Mule, tel. 01 42 74 55 80).
$$ Chez Janou, a Provençal bistro, tumbles out of its corner building and fills its broad sidewalk with happy eaters. At first glance, you know this place has a following. Don’t let the trendy and youthful crowd intimidate you: It’s relaxed and charming, with helpful and patient service. The curbside tables are inviting, but I’d sit inside (with very tight seating) to immerse myself in the happy commotion. The style is French Mediterranean, with an emphasis on vegetables (€16-20 plats du jour, daily—book ahead or arrive when it opens, 2 blocks beyond Place des Vosges at 2 Rue Roger Verlomme, tel. 01 42 72 28 41, www.chezjanou.com). They’re proud of their 81 varieties of pastis (licorice-flavored liqueur, €3.50 each, browse the list above the bar).
$$ Le Petit Marché delivers a cozy and intimate bistro experience inside and out with friendly service and delicious cuisine (€14-24 plats, daily, 23 Rue du Béarn, tel. 01 42 72 06 67).
$$ Café des Musées is an unspoiled bistro serving traditional dishes with little fanfare. They offer a good €27 three-course menu in the evening and a great €17 lunch special. The place is just far enough away to be overlooked by tourists, but it’s packed with locals, so arrive early or book ahead (daily, 49 Rue de Turenne, tel. 01 42 72 96 17, www.cafedesmusees.fr).
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
To reach these restaurants, use the Bastille Métro stop.
$$$ Brasserie Bofinger, an institution for over a century, is famous for seafood and traditional cuisine with Alsatian flair. You’ll eat in a sprawling interior, surrounded by brisk, black-and-white-attired waiters. While the cuisine is good enough, dine here for the one-of-a-kind ambience in their elaborately decorated ground-floor rooms, reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties. Eating under the grand 1919 coupole is a memorable treat (as is using the “historic” 1919 WC). (If you can’t get a ground-floor table, skip it.) Their €29 two-course and €34 three-course menus are a fair value. If you’ve always wanted one of those picturesque seafood platters, this is a good place (open daily for lunch and for dinner, fun kids’ menu, reasonably priced wines, 5 Rue de la Bastille, don’t be confused by the lesser “Petite” Bofinger across the street, tel. 01 42 72 87 82).
$$ Au Temps des Cerises is a warm place serving wines by the glass and meals with a smile. The woody 1950s atmosphere has tight seating and wads of character. Come for a glass of wine at the small zinc bar and say bonjour to Ben (€4-6, try their Viognier), or stay for a tasty dinner (€10 starters, €19 plats, good cheap wine, daily, at the corner of Rue du Petit Musc and Rue de la Cerisaie, tel. 01 42 72 08 63).
$$ At Vin des Pyrénées, the floor is a mismatch of old tiles, the crowd is a mishmash of loyal locals and visitors, and the chalkboard lists a mélange of authentic offerings. Try the pea soup and hachis parmentier—French shepherd’s pie (€17-€25 plats, €16 two-course lunch special, daily, 25 Rue Beautreillis, tel. 01 42 72 64 94).
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
These are closest to the St-Paul Métro stop.
$$ Robert et Louise (now run by Pascal et François) crams tables into a tiny, rustic-as-it-gets interior, warmed by a fireplace grill. The food is red-meat good, well-priced, and popular with tourists (€8 starters, €18 plats, €7 desserts, €13 lunch special, closed Mon, dinner only Tue-Wed, 64 Rue du Vieille du Temple, tel. 01 42 78 55 89).
$ Breizh (Brittany) Café is worth the walk. It’s a simple Breton joint serving organic crêpes and small rolls made for dipping in rich sauces and salted butter. The crêpes are the best in Paris and run the gamut from traditional ham-cheese-and-egg crêpes to Asian fusion (buckwheat crêpe topped with seaweed butter). They also serve oysters, have a fantastic list of sweet crêpes, and talk about cider like a sommelier would talk about wine. Try a sparkling cider, a Breton cola, or my favorite—lait ribot, a buttermilk-like drink (€7-13 dinner crêpes and plats, serves nonstop from 12:00 to late, closed Mon-Tue, 109 Rue du Vieille du Temple, tel. 01 42 72 13 77).
$ On Place du Marché Ste. Catherine: This small, romantic square, just off Rue St. Antoine, is an international food festival cloaked in extremely Parisian, leafy-square ambience. On a balmy evening, this is a neighborhood favorite, with a handful of restaurants offering mediocre cuisine (you’re here for the setting). It’s also kid-friendly: Most places serve French hamburgers, and kids can dance around the square while parents breathe. Study the square, and you’ll find three French bistros with similar features and menus: Le Marché, Chez Joséphine, and Au Bistrot de la Place (all open daily with €20-32 menus on weekdays, must order à la carte on weekends, tight seating on flimsy chairs indoors and out, Chez Joséphine has best chairs).
$ Several hardworking Asian fast-food eateries, great for an €8 meal, line Rue St. Antoine.
On Rue des Rosiers in the Jewish Quarter: These places line up along the same street in the heart of the Jewish Quarter.
$$ Chez Marianne is a neighborhood fixture that blends delicious Jewish cuisine with Parisian élan and wonderful atmosphere. Choose from several indoor zones with a cluttered wine shop/deli feeling, or sit outside. You’ll select from two dozen Zakouski elements to assemble your €14-18 plat. Vegetarians will find great options (€12 falafel sandwich—half that if you order it to go, long hours daily, corner of Rue des Rosiers and Rue des Hospitalières-St-Gervais, tel. 01 42 72 18 86). For takeout, pay inside first and get a ticket before you order outside.
$ Le Loir dans la Théière (“The Dormouse in the Teapot”) is a cozy, mellow teahouse offering a welcoming ambience for tired travelers (laptops and smartphones are not welcome). It’s ideal for lunch and popular for weekend brunch. They offer a daily assortment of creatively filled quiches, and bake up an impressive array of homemade desserts that are proudly displayed in the dining room (€10-14 plats, daily 9:00-19:00, 3 Rue des Rosiers, tel. 01 42 72 90 61).
$ L’As du Falafel rules the falafel scene in the Jewish quarter. Monsieur Isaac, the “Ace of Falafel” here since 1979, brags, “I’ve got the biggest pita on the street...and I fill it up.” (Apparently it’s Lenny Kravitz’s favorite, too.) Your inexpensive meal comes on plastic plates, the €8 “special falafel” is the big hit (€5.50 to go), but many enjoy his lighter chicken version (poulet grillé) or the tasty and massive assiette de falafel (€10). Wash it down with a cold Maccabee beer. Their takeout service draws a constant crowd (long hours most days except closed Fri evening and all day Sat, air-con, 34 Rue des Rosiers, tel. 01 48 87 63 60).
$ La Droguerie, a hole-in-the-wall crêpe stand a few blocks farther down Rue des Rosiers, has a lighthearted owner. It’s a good budget option if falafels don’t work for you, but cheap does. Eat as you walk or grab a stool (€5 savory crêpes, daily 12:00-22:00, 56 Rue des Rosiers).
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
To reach these eateries, use the Hôtel de Ville Métro stop.
$$ Au Bourguignon du Marais is a handsome wine bar/bistro for Burgundy lovers, where excellent wines (Burgundian only, available by the glass) blend with a good selection of well-designed dishes and efficient service. The œufs en meurette are mouthwatering, and the bœuf bourguignon could feed two (€11-14 starters, €20-30 plats, closed Sun-Mon, pleasing indoor and outdoor seating, 52 Rue François Miron, tel. 01 48 87 15 40, run by helpful Mattieu).
$ L’Ebouillanté is a breezy café, romantically situated near the river on a broad, cobbled pedestrian lane behind a church. With great outdoor seating and an artsy, cozy interior, it’s perfect for an inexpensive and relaxing tea, snack, or lunch—or for dinner on a warm evening. Their bricks—paper-thin Tunisian-inspired pancakes stuffed with what you would typically find in an omelet—come with a small salad (€15 bricks, €13-16 plats and big salads, Tue-Sun 12:00-21:30, closed Mon, closes earlier in winter, a block off the river at 6 Rue des Barres, tel. 01 42 71 09 69).
$ Pizza Sant’Antonio is bustling and cheap, serving up €11 pizzas and salads on a fun Marais square (daily, barely off Rue de Rivoli at 1 Rue de la Verrerie, tel. 01 42 77 78 47).
$ BHV Department Store’s fifth-floor cafeteria provides nice views, unbeatable prices, and many main courses to choose from, with a salad bar, pizza by the slice, and pasta. It’s family-easy with point-and-shoot cafeteria cuisine (Mon-Sat 11:30-18:00, hot food served until 16:00, open later Wed, closed Sun, at intersection of Rue du Temple and Rue de la Verrerie, one block from Hôtel de Ville).
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
Picnic at peaceful Place des Vosges (closes at dusk) or on the Ile St. Louis quais (described later). Stretch your euros at the basement supermarket of the Monoprix department store (closed Sun, near Place des Vosges on Rue St. Antoine). You’ll find small groceries open until 23:00 at 48 Rue St. Antoine and on Ile St. Louis.
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
Trendy cafés and bars—popular with gay men—cluster on Rue des Archives and Rue Ste. Croix de la Bretonnerie (closing at about 2:00 in the morning). There’s also a line of bars and cafés providing front-row seats for the buff parade on Rue Vieille du Temple, a block north of Rue de Rivoli (the horseshoe-shaped Au Petit Fer à Cheval bar-restaurant and the atmospheric La Belle Hortense bookstore/wine bar are the focal points of the action). Nearby, Rue des Rosiers bustles with youthful energy, but there are no cafés to observe from. La Perla dishes up imitation Tex-Mex and is stuffed with Parisian yuppies in search of the perfect margarita (26 Rue François Miron, tel. 01 42 77 59 40).
$ Le Pick-Clops bar-restaurant is a happy peanuts-and-lots-of-cocktails diner with bright neon, loud colors, and a garish local crowd. It’s perfect for immersing yourself in today’s Marais world—a little boisterous, a little edgy, a little gay, fun-loving, easygoing...and sans tourists. Sit inside on old-fashioned diner stools, or streetside to watch the constant Marais parade. The name means “Steal the Cigarettes”—but you’ll pay €11 for your big salad (daily 7:00-24:00, 16 Rue Vieille du Temple, tel. 01 40 29 02 18).
More Options: The best scene for hard-core clubbers is the dizzying array of wacky eateries, bars, and dance halls on Rue de Lappe. Just east of the stately Place de la Bastille, it’s one of the wildest nightspots in Paris and not for everyone.
The most enjoyable peaceful evening may be simply mentally donning your floppy “three musketeers” hat and slowly strolling Place des Vosges, window-shopping the art galleries.
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
This romantic and peaceful neighborhood is littered with promising and surprisingly reasonable possibilities; it merits a trip for dinner even if your hotel is elsewhere. Cruise the island’s main street for a variety of options, and after dinner, sample Paris’ best ice cream (described under “Ice-Cream Dessert,” later) and stroll across to Ile de la Cité to see a floodlit Notre-Dame. These recommended spots line the island’s main drag, Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile (see map on here; to get here use the Pont Marie Métro stop).
$$$ Le Tastevin is an intimate mother-and-son-run restaurant serving top-notch traditional French cuisine with white-tablecloth, candlelit, gourmet elegance under heavy wooden beams. The romantic setting (and the elegantly romantic Parisian couples enjoying the place) naturally makes you whisper. The menus (€33-44 for two courses, €40-67 for three courses) offer a handful of classic choices that change with the season (closed Mon, dinner only Tue, reserve for late-evening dining, fine wine list, 46 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, tel. 01 43 54 17 31, www.letastevin-paris.com, owner Madame Puisieux and her gentle son speak just enough English).
$$$ Nos Ancêtres les Gaulois (“Our Ancestors the Gauls”), famous for its rowdy, medieval-cellar atmosphere, is made for hungry warriors and wenches who like to swill hearty wine. They serve up rustic all-you-can-eat fare with straw baskets of raw veggies and bundles of sausage (cut whatever you like with your dagger), massive plates of pâté, a meat course, and all the wine you can stomach for €40. The food is just food; burping is encouraged. If you want to overeat, drink too much wine, be surrounded by tourists (mostly French), and holler at your friends while receiving smart-aleck buccaneer service, you’re home (daily, 39 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, tel. 01 46 33 66 07).
$$ La Brasserie de l’Ile St. Louis is situated at the prow of the island’s ship as it faces Ile de la Cité, offering purely Alsatian cuisine (try the choucroute garnie or coq au riesling for €20), served in a vigorous, Teutonic setting with no-nonsense, slap-it-down service on wine-stained paper tablecloths. This is a good, balmy-evening perch for watching the Ile St. Louis promenade. If it’s chilly, the interior is fun for a memorable night out (closed Wed, no reservations, 55 Quai de Bourbon, tel. 01 43 54 02 59).
$$ L’Orangerie is an inviting place with soft lighting and comfortable seating where diners speak in hushed voices so that everyone can appreciate the delicious cuisine and tasteful setting. Patient owner Monika speaks fluent English, and her gratin d’aubergines is sinfully good (€27-35 menus, closed Mon, 28 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, tel. 01 46 33 93 98).
$ Auberge de la Reine Blanche welcomes diners willing to rub elbows with their neighbors under heaving beams. Earnest owner Michel serves basic, traditional cuisine at reasonable prices. His giant salad can be a beefy meal all by itself (€21-27 menus, closed Wed, 30 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, tel. 01 46 33 07 87).
$ Café Med, near the pedestrian bridge to Notre-Dame, is a tiny, cheery crêperie with good-value salads, crêpes, and €11 plats (€14 and €20 menus, daily, limited wine list, 77 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, tel. 01 43 29 73 17). Two similar crêperies are just across the street.
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
On sunny lunchtimes and balmy evenings, the quai on the Left Bank side of Ile St. Louis is lined with locals who have more class than money, spreading out tablecloths and even lighting candles for elegant picnics. And tourists can enjoy the same budget meal. A handy grocery store at #67 on the main drag (open until 22:00, closed Tue) has tabouli and other simple, cheap takeaway dishes for your picnicking pleasure. The bakery a few blocks down at #40 serves quiche and pizza (open until 20:00, closed Sun-Mon), and a gourmet deli and cheese shop—aptly named 38 Saint Louis—can be found at #38.
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here.)
Half the people strolling Ile St. Louis are licking an ice-cream cone because this is the home of les glaces Berthillon (now sold throughout Paris though still made here on Ile St. Louis). The original Berthillon shop, at 31 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, is marked by the line of salivating customers (closed Mon-Tue). For a less famous but satisfying treat, the Italian gelato a block away at Amorino Gelati is giving Berthillon competition (no line, bigger portions, easier to see what you want, and they offer little tastes—Berthillon doesn’t need to, 47 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, tel. 01 44 07 48 08). Having some of each is not a bad thing.
(See “Restaurants near Luxembourg Garden” map, here.)
Sleeping in the Luxembourg neighborhood puts you near many appealing dining and after-hours options. Because my hotels cluster near St. Sulpice Church, the Panthéon, and Rue de Sèvres, I’ve focused my restaurant picks in the same areas. Restaurants around St. Sulpice tend to be boisterous; those near the Panthéon are calmer; it’s a short walk from one area to the other. Anyone sleeping in this area is close to the inexpensive eateries that line the always-bustling Rue Mouffetard. You’re also within a 15-minute walk of the grands cafés of St. Germain and Montparnasse (with Paris’ first café and famous artist haunts; see “Les Grands Cafés de Paris,” later in this chapter).
(See “Restaurants near Luxembourg Garden” map, here.)
The eateries in this section are served by the St. Sulpice, Mabillon, and St. Germain-des-Prés Métro stops. The streets between St. Sulpice Church and Boulevard St. Germain abound with restaurants, crêperies, wine bars, and jazz haunts (for this area, use Mo: St. Sulpice). Find Rue des Canettes and Rue Guisarde, and window-shop the many French and Italian eateries—most with similar prices, but each with a slightly different feel. Trust your instinct and cruise into the place that appeals most.
$$ Lou Pescadou-Chez Julien offers a comfortable atmosphere and above-average bistro fare in a zone where every restaurant looks the same (€9 starters, €18 plats, daily for lunch and dinner, some outdoor seating, 16 Rue Mabillon, tel. 01 43 54 56 08).
$$ La Maison du Jardin is a small, classy bistro with formal tablecloths and elaborately garnished dishes. Here locals and tourists dine elbow to elbow (€23-26 lunch, €32 three-course dinner menu, open Mon-Fri for lunch and dinner, Sat dinner only, closed Sun, 27 Rue de Vaugirard, tel. 01 45 48 22 31).
$$ Boucherie Roulière has a dark interior crammed with locals in search of a thick steak or other meat dish (€9 entrées, €20-27 plats, closed Mon, 24 Rue des Canettes, tel. 01 43 26 25 70).
$ Pasta Luna is a deli specializing in porky fare from the southernmost French island of Corsica. The proud owner lovingly and slowly makes sandwiches to order. Try the sheep cheese with fig jam or the cured pork loin (€6 sandwiches, add €2 for a drink and a cookie, served from 11:00 until the bread runs out—usually about 19:00, closed Sun, 15 Rue Mézières, tel. 01 45 44 32 02).
$ La Crêpe Rit du Clown cooks up yummy crêpes in a friendly atmosphere (Sun-Mon 12:00-16:30, Tue-Sat 12:00-23:00, 6 Rue des Canettes, tel. 01 46 34 01 02).
$ Gérard Mulot’s boulangerie-pâtisserie is a noteworthy neighborhood bakery. Purchase a cheesy quiche and chocolate dessert to go and dine al fresco in the nearby Luxembourg Gardens (Thu-Tue 7:00-20:00, closed Wed, 76 Rue de Seine, tel. 01 43 26 85 77).
$ Chez Georges is a bohemian pub lined with black-and-white photos of the artsy and revolutionary French ’60s. The place looks like a movie set filled with actors...except it’s all real. Have a drink as you sit in a cool little streetside table nook, or venture downstairs to find a hazy, drippy-candle, traditionally French world in the Edith Piaf-style dance cellar (cheap drinks from old-fashioned menu, Tue-Sat 14:00-2:00 in the morning, closed Sun-Mon and in Aug, 11 Rue des Canettes, tel. 01 43 26 79 15).
(See “Restaurants near Luxembourg Garden” map, here.)
A five-minute walk from St. Sulpice Church, this venerable boulevard is home to some of Paris’ most famous cafés and best pre- or post-dinner strolling.
$$ La Petite Chaise, founded in 1680, is Paris’ oldest restaurant (which for me justifies the trip here alone). It appeals to those in search of a classic Parisian dining experience, offering a good selection of traditional dishes, generous servings, and formal but friendly service (terrific €36 three-course menu, daily, 36 Rue de Grenelle, tel. 01 42 22 13 35, www.alapetitechaise.fr).
$ Le Basile is full of young, loud, and happy eaters thrilled to have found a place where drinks are dirt cheap and nothing on the menu costs more than €15 (open daily from 7:00, food served 12:00-23:00, 34 Rue Grenelle, tel. 01 42 22 59 46).
$ Guen Mai is perfect for those in need of a detox after indulging in St. Germain overload. Tuck into this natural food store—which doubles as a lunch spot offering a strict list of ultra-healthy vegetarian dishes (€6 soup of the day, €13.50 lunch specials, closed Sun, 6 Rue Cardinale, tel. 01 43 26 03 24).
St. Germain Café Culture: Consider a light dinner with a table facing the action at Hemingway’s Les Deux Magots or at Sartre’s Le Café de Flore (figure about €12 for an omelet and €18-28 for a salad or plat). A block north (toward the river), Rue de Buci offers a lineup of bars, cafés, and bistros targeted to a young clientele who are more interested in how they look than how the food tastes. It’s terrific theater for passersby from 18:00 until late (for more café recommendations, see “Les Grands Cafés de Paris,” later).
(See “Restaurants near Luxembourg Garden” map, here.)
These Left Bank restaurants are in one of Paris’ most attractive shopping districts (see here). To get here, use the Sèvres-Babylone Métro stop.
$$$ La Cigale Récamier is a classy place for a quiet meal at reasonable prices. It offers appealing indoor and outdoor seating on a short pedestrian square a block off Rue de Sèvres (€25 plats, €20 soufflés, no menus, closed Sun, 4 Rue Récamier, tel. 01 46 48 86 58).
$$ La Ferronnerie is an intimate bistro with green leather booths, vintage character, and delicious, fresh cuisine—its menu changes daily (€9 starters, €20-25 plats, closed Sun, 18 Rue de la Chaise, tel. 01 45 49 22 43).
$ Cuisine de Bar is a bar à pains (bread bar) that serves open-faced sandwiches (tartines) with bread made by the famous Poilâne bakery next door. The menu clearly states that these tartines can be eaten with your hands, although no self-respecting Parisian ever would do that (€9-14 tartines, €14.50 lunch menu includes tartine, salad or soup, a glass of wine, and coffee; Tue-Sat 8:30-19:00, Sun 10:30-16:00, closed Mon, 8 Rue du Cherche-Midi, tel. 01 45 48 45 69).
$ Au Sauvignon Café is perfectly positioned for people-watching near Sèvres-Babylone boutiques. The interior is vintage Paris, with wall-to-ceiling decor and a fine zinc bar (daily, 80 Rue des Saints-Pères, tel. 01 45 48 49 02). The nearby Café de la Croix Rouge also offers good café cuisine with Parisian ambience (daily, 2 Carrefour de la Croix Rouge, tel. 01 45 48 06 45).
(See “Restaurants near Luxembourg Garden” map, here.)
To reach these, use the Odéon or Cluny-La Sorbonne Métro stops. In this same neighborhood, you’ll find the historic Café le Procope, Paris’ more-than-300-year-old café (see “Les Grands Cafés de Paris,” later).
$$ Brasserie Bouillon Racine takes you back to 1906 with an Art Nouveau carnival of carved wood, stained glass, and old-time lights reflected in beveled mirrors. The over-the-top decor and energetic waiters give it an inviting conviviality. Check upstairs before choosing a table. Their roast suckling pig (€20) is a house favorite. There’s Belgian beer on tap and a fascinating history on the menu (€18-25 plats, €31 menu, a few fish options and lots of meat, daily, serves nonstop between lunch and dinner, 3 Rue Racine, tel. 01 44 32 15 60, www.bouillon-racine.com).
$$ La Méditerranée is all about seafood from the south served in a pastel and dressy setting...with similar clientele. The scene and the cuisine are sophisticated yet accessible, and the view of the Odéon is formidable. The sky-blue tablecloths and the lovingly presented dishes add to the romance (€29 two-course menus, €36 three-course menus, daily, reservations smart, facing the Odéon at 2 Place de l’Odéon, tel. 01 43 26 02 30, www.la-mediterranee.com).
$$ Café de l’Odéon offers a great chance to savor light meals with a classy crowd on a peaceful and elegant square in front of a venerable theater. Though limited, the menu is accessible and decently priced, and you’ll feel like a winner eating so well in such a Parisian setting. From May to October, the café is outdoors-only and serves lunch and dinner—or just go for drinks (good €9-15 salads, €17 plats such as salmon and steak tartare; May-Oct daily 12:00-23:00—weather permitting, no reservations, Place de l’Odéon, tel. 01 44 85 41 30). In the winter (Nov-April) they serve lunch only inside the palatial theater lobby.
$ L’Avant Comptoir, a stand-up-only hors d’oeuvres bar serving a delightful array of French-Basque tapas for €3-6 on a sleek zinc counter, was created to give people a sample of the cuisine from the très trendy Le Comptoir Restaurant next door, where the reservation wait time is four months. The menu is fun and accessible, it has a good list of wines by the glass, and crêpes are made fresh to go (daily 12:00-23:00, 9 Carrefour de l’Odéon, tel. 01 44 27 07 97).
$ Restaurant Polidor, a bare-bones neighborhood fixture since 1845, is much loved for its unpretentious quality cooking, fun old-Paris atmosphere, and fair value. Step inside to find noisy, happy diners sitting tightly at shared tables, savoring classic bourgeois plats from every corner of France (€12-17 plats, €25-35 three-course menus, daily 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-23:00, cash only, no reservations, 41 Rue Monsieur-le-Prince, tel. 01 43 26 95 34). Next door is the restaurant’s wine shop, Les Caves du Polidor, where you can sip wine and nibble on cheese-and-meat plates (daily, wine and snacks served 18:00-20:00, opens earlier when weather or owner is feeling sunny).
(See “Restaurants near Luxembourg Garden” map, here.)
To reach these restaurants, use the Cluny-La Sorbonne Métro stop or the Luxembourg RER stop.
$$ At Les Papilles you just eat what’s offered...and you won’t complain. It’s a foodie’s dream come true—one menu, no choices, and no regrets. Choose your wine from the shelf or ask for advice from the burly rugby-playing owner, then relax and let the food arrive. Book this place ahead (€35 four-course menu, €18 daily marmite du marché—a.k.a. market stew, bigger and cheaper selection at lunch, closed Sun-Mon, 30 Rue Gay Lussac, tel. 01 43 25 20 79, www.lespapillesparis.fr).
$$ Café de la Nouvelle Mairie offers a short, seasonal assortment of updated French classics, along with a host of natural wines and unique beers to wash it all down. Tasty tidbits are served all day, with a full lunch and dinner service at meal times (€8-€12 starters, €15-20 plats, €10 quiche lunch special, closed Sat-Sun, 19 Rue des Fossés St-Jacques, tel. 01 44 07 04 41).
$$ Le Pré Verre, a block from the Cluny Museum, is a chic wine bistro—a refreshing alternative in a part of the Latin Quarter mostly known for low-quality, tourist-trapping eateries. Offering imaginative, modern cuisine at fair prices, the place is packed. The astonishing bargain lunch menu includes a starter, main course, glass of wine, and coffee for €15. The three-course dinner menu at €32 is worth every centime. They pride themselves equally on their small-producers’ wine list, so follow your server’s advice (closed Sun-Mon, 8 Rue Thénard, reservations necessary, tel. 01 43 54 59 47, www.lepreverre.com).
$ On Rue Soufflot with Panthéon Views: A block in front of the Panthéon, these two cafés deliver dynamite views of the inspiring dome. Dine on classic café cuisine or just enjoy a drink: Both places are well-positioned for afternoon sun and soft evening light. Le Soufflot comes with friendly owners Serge and Frédéric (at #16, tel. 01 43 26 57 56). The less personal Le Comptoir du Panthéon draws a younger crowd (at #5, tel. 01 43 54 75 36).
$ Place de la Sorbonne: This appealing little square surrounds a gurgling fountain and faces Paris’ legendary university—the Sorbonne—just a block from the Cluny Museum. It offers several opportunities for a good outdoor lunch or a pleasant dining experience. Café de l’Ecritoire is a typical brasserie with salads, plats du jour, and good seating inside and out (daily, tel. 01 43 54 60 02). Patios serves basic Italian cuisine, including pizza, at decent prices (daily until late, tel. 01 45 38 71 19). Le Bac de la Sorbonne is a tad cheaper, but you get what you pay for.
(See “Restaurants near Luxembourg Garden” map, here.)
Several blocks behind the Panthéon, Rue Mouffetard is a conveyor belt of comparison-shopping eaters with wall-to-wall budget options (fondue, crêpes, Italian, falafel, and Greek). Come here to sift through the crowds and eat cheaply. This street stays up late and likes to party (particularly around Place de la Contrescarpe). The gauntlet begins on top, at thriving Place de la Contrescarpe, and ends below where Rue Mouffetard stops at St. Médard Church. Both ends offer fun cafés where you can watch the action. The upper stretch is pedestrian and touristy; the bottom stretch is purely Parisian. Anywhere between is no-man’s land for consistent quality. Still, strolling with so many fun-seekers is enjoyable, whether you eat or not. To get here, use the Censier Daubenton or Place Monge Métro stop (see map on here).
$$ Café Delmas, at the top of Rue Mouffetard on picturesque Place de la Contrescarpe, is the place to see and be seen. Come here for an expensive before- or after-dinner drink on the terrace or typical but pricey café cuisine (open daily).
$ Cave de Bourgogne, a local hangout, has reasonably priced good café fare at the bottom of Rue Mouffetard. The outside has picture-perfect tables on a raised terrace; the interior is warm and lively (€13-16 plats, specials listed on chalkboards, daily, 144 Rue Mouffetard).
Montmartre can be hit or miss; the top of the hill is extremely touristy, with mindless mobs following guides to cancan shows. But if you walk a few blocks away, you’ll find a quieter, more authentic meal at one of the places I’ve listed below. For locations, see map on here.
(See “Hotels & Restaurants in Montmartre” map, here.)
The steps in front of Sacré-Cœur are perfect for a picnic with a view, though the spot comes with lots of company. For a quieter setting, consider the park directly behind the church. Along the touristy main drag (near Place du Tertre and just off it), several fun piano bars serve mediocre crêpes and overpriced bistro fare but offer great people-watching. The options become less touristy and more tasty as you escape from the top of the hill. The Anvers Métro stop works well if you’re visiting Sacré-Cœur or taking my Montmartre Walk (see that chapter). The Abbesses Métro stop will land you in the heart of the residential Montmartre neighborhood.
$$$ Moulin de la Galette lets you dine with Renoir under the historic windmill in a comfortable setting with good prices. Find the old photos scattered about the place (€25 two-course lunch menu, €32 three-course menus, €28 plats for dinner, daily, 83 Rue Lepic, Mo: Abbesses, tel. 01 46 06 84 77, www.lemoulindelagalette.fr).
$$ Restaurant Chez Plumeau, just off jam-packed Place du Tertre, is touristy yet moderately priced, with formal service but great seating on a tiny, characteristic square (elaborate €17 salads, €18-25 plats, daily, 4 Place du Calvaire, Mo: Abbesses, tel. 01 46 06 26 29).
$ L’Eté en Pente Douce is a good Montmartre choice, hiding under the generous branches of street trees. Just downhill from the crowds on a classic neighborhood corner, it features cheery indoor and outdoor seating, €10 plats du jour and salads, vegetarian options, and good wines (daily, many steps below Sacré-Cœur to the left as you leave, down the stairs below the WC, 23 Rue Muller, Mo: Anvers, tel. 01 42 64 02 67).
(See “Hotels & Restaurants in Montmartre” map, here.)
At the bottom of Montmartre, residents pile into a long lineup of brasseries and cafés near Place des Abbesses, especially along Rue des Abbesses and Rue des Martyrs (unless another Métro stop is listed, use the Abbesses stop for these recommendations). Locals tend to gravitate to the cafés on the north side of Rue des Abbesses, leaving the sunnier and pricier cafés on the south side to visitors. Come here for a lively, less-touristy scene. Rue des Abbesses is perfect for a picnic-gathering stroll with cheese shops, delis, wine stores, and bakeries. In fact, both the baker at Au Levain d’Antan (Mon-Fri 7:30-20:00, closed Sat-Sun, 6 Rue des Abbesses) and the baker at Grenier à Pain (Mon and Thu-Sun 7:30-20:00, closed Tue-Wed, 38 Rue des Abbesses) recently won the award for the best baguette in Paris.
$$$ La Mascotte, a Montmartre institution, has been serving fancy seafood and chilled white wine to local celebrities for decades. The pricey restaurant is in the back; I prefer to hang out up front in the Art Nouveau bar, where diners crowd around the counter slurping and sipping the deal of the day: €13.50 for nine oysters plus a glass of wine (affordable wines by the glass, €45 sit-down meals, daily, 52 Rue des Abbesses, tel. 01 46 06 28 15, www.la-mascotte-montmartre.com). For all the seafood, minus the setting, dive into their raw bar next door to sample clams on the half shell or a handful of bigorneau—little black sea snails from Brittany.
$$ Le Miroir’s kitchen is run by a young and enthusiastic chef cooking up seasonal French fare. Go for high-quality ingredients served to a locals-only crowd. If you enjoyed the wine you had with your meal, cross the street to their wine shop and pick up a bottle for your next picnic (€27-44 menus, closed Sun-Mon, 94 Rue des Martyrs, tel. 01 46 06 50 73).
$$ La Balançoire’s rope swing, dangling from the ceiling, sets the tone for this playful spot serving French childhood favorites with a grown-up twist (€12 plat du jour, €15-20 plats, €35 three-course dinner menu, closed Sun-Mon, 6 Rue Aristide Bruant, tel. 01 42 23 70 83).
$$ Le Petit Parisien serves tasty homemade dishes to diners willing to walk uphill. The restaurant doubles as a quirky antique shop, so if you like the vintage sugar bowl on your table, ask if it’s for sale (€24-33 three-course dinner menus, daily, 28 Rue Tholozé, tel. 01 42 54 24 21).
$$ Autour de Midi et Minuit is a classic French bistro sitting on top of a jazz cellar (see the Entertainment in Paris chapter for concert details). Hot food served upstairs; cool jazz served downstairs (€15 lunches, €26-33 dinners, closed Mon, 11 Rue Lepic, Mo: Blanche or Abbesses, tel. 01 55 79 16 48).
$ Le Village is a dive bar turned trendy, serving tiny cups of espresso to garbage collectors in the morning and to mustached hipsters in the afternoon. They have one or two warm plats du jour and several meat and cheese plate combinations (€11 plat du jour, €10-15 main dishes, daily 7:00-24:00, 36 Rue des Abbesses, tel. 01 42 54 99 59).
$ La Fourmi sits at the bottom of the hill. Open all day, they offer the cheapest coffee and croissants in Montmartre, and simple, affordable lunches (€8-12). In the evening, the place is taken over by hilltop hipsters who come for the inexpensive beer and generous cheese plates (daily, 74 Rue des Martyrs, Mo: Anvers or Pigalle, tel. 01 42 64 70 35).
Escape the crowded tourist areas and enjoy a breezy canalside experience. Take the Métro to Place de la République, and walk down Rue Beaurepaire to Canal St. Martin. There you’ll find a few worthwhile cafés with similarly reasonable prices. If the weather’s good, the park-like scene along the canal just south of Place de la Bastille is a delight for picnics.
$ La Marine is a good choice (daily, 55 bis Quai de Valmy, tel. 01 42 39 69 81). In summertime most bars and cafés offer beer and wine to go (à emporter), so you can take your drink to the canal’s edge and picnic there with the younger crowd.
$ Pink Flamingo welcomes you to place your order, wander over to the canal with your hot-pink balloon in tow, and take a seat. A bicycle courier will find you to deliver your hot pie (€10-15, daily, 19:00 until late, 67 Rue Bichat, tel. 01 42 02 31 70).
The following companies all offer dinner cruises (reservations required). Bateaux-Mouches and Bateaux Parisiens have the best reputations and the highest prices. They offer multicourse meals and music in aircraft-carrier-size dining rooms with glass tops and good views. For both, proper dress is required—no denim, shorts, or sport shoes; Bateaux-Mouches requires a jacket and tie for men.
Bateaux Parisiens, considered the better of the two, features a lively atmosphere with a singer, band, and dance floor. It leaves from Port de la Bourdonnais, just east of the bridge under the Eiffel Tower. Begin boarding at 19:45, leave at 20:30, and return at 23:00 (€72-155/person, price depends on seating and menu option; tel. 01 76 64 14 45, www.bateauxparisiens.com). The middle level is best. Pay the extra euros to get seats next to the windows—it’s more romantic and private, with sensational views.
Bateaux-Mouches, started in 1949 and hands-down the most famous, entertains with violin and piano music. You can’t miss its sparkling port on the north side of the river at Pont de l’Alma. The boats usually board 19:30-20:15, depart at 20:30, and return at 22:45 (€100-150/person, RER: Pont de l’Alma, tel. 01 42 25 96 10, www.bateaux-mouches.fr).
Le Capitaine Fracasse offers the budget option (€60/person, €90 with wine or champagne; reserve ahead—easy online—or get there early to secure a table; boarding times vary by season and day of week, walk down stairs in the middle of Bir-Hakeim bridge near the Eiffel Tower to Iles aux Cygne, Mo: Bir-Hakeim or RER: Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel, tel. 01 46 21 48 15, www.croisiere-paris.com).
Here’s a short list of grand Parisian cafés, worth the detour only if you’re not in a hurry or on a tight budget (some ask outrageous prices for a shot of espresso). Think of these cafés as monuments to another time, and learn why they matter as much today as they did yesterday (see sidebar). For tips on enjoying Parisian cafés, review the “Cafés and Brasseries” section, on here.
Where Boulevard St. Germain meets Rue Bonaparte you’ll find several cafés (all open daily). For locations, see the map on here. Use the St. Germain-des-Prés Métro stop.
$$$ Les Deux Magots offers prime outdoor seating and a warm interior. Once a favorite of Ernest Hemingway (in The Sun Also Rises, Jake met Brett here) and Jean-Paul Sartre (he and Simone de Beauvoir met here), today the café is filled with international tourists.
$$$ Le Café de Flore, next door, feels more literary—wear your black turtleneck. Pablo Picasso was a regular at the time he painted Guernica.
$ Café Bonaparte, just a block away, offers scenic outdoor seating and the same delightful view for slightly less. Perch here for coffee or a light lunch (on the sunny side of the street, from Les Deux Magots, one block up Rue Bonaparte toward river, tel. 01 43 26 42 81).
$ Café le Procope, Paris’ first and most famous (1686), was a café célèbre, drawing notables such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Honoré de Balzac, Emile Zola, Maximilien de Robespierre, Victor Hugo, and two Americans, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Have a drink but not a meal. The dining rooms are beautiful, but the cuisine is average (daily 10:00-24:00, 13 Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, tel. 01 40 46 79 00). To reach it from Café Bonaparte, walk down Rue de l’Abbaye, then continue onto Rue de Bourbon-le-Château. Veer left on the picturesque Rue de Buci (more cafés), and turn right on Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie.
An eclectic assortment of historic cafés gathers along the busy Boulevard du Montparnasse near its intersection with Boulevard Raspail (Mo: Vavin). Combine these historic cafés with a visit to Luxembourg Garden, which lies just a few blocks away, down Rue Vavin (next to Le Select). For locations, see map on here.
$$ La Coupole, built in the 1920s, was decorated by aspiring artists (Fernand Léger, Constantin Brancusi, and Marc Chagall, among others) in return for free meals. It still supports artists with regular showings on its vast walls. This cavernous café feels like a classy train station, with acres of seating, brass decor, and tuxedoed waiters by the dozen. Bring your friends and make noise. The food is basic at best and the service can be impersonal, but those aren’t the reasons you came (€30-40 menus, daily, food served from 12:00 until the wee hours, come early to get better service, 102 Boulevard du Montparnasse, tel. 01 43 20 14 20).
$$ Le Select, more easygoing and traditional, was once popular with the more rebellious types—Leon Trotsky, Jean Cocteau, and Pablo Picasso loved it. It feels rather conformist today, with good outdoor seating and pleasant tables just inside the door—though the locals hang out at the bar farther inside (daily, 99 Boulevard du Montparnasse, across from La Coupole, tel. 01 45 48 38 24).
To reach these two cafés, use the George V Métro stop. These are also described in more detail in the Champs-Elysées Walk chapter.
$$$ Fouquet’s, which opened in 1899, has played host to coachmen, biplane fighter pilots, artists, today’s celebrities...and tourists. Though the intimidating interior is impressive, the outdoor setting is Champs-Elysées great, with pay-for-view €10 espresso (daily, 99 Avenue des Champs-Elysées, tel. 01 47 23 70 60).
$$ Ladurée, two blocks downhill, is a classic on Paris’ grandest boulevard (Mon-Sat 7:30-24:00, Sun 8:30-24:00, a block below Avenue George V at #75, tel. 01 40 75 08 75).
For locations, see the Louvre map on here.
$$ Café le Nemours, a staunchly Parisian fixture serving pricey but good light lunches, is tucked into the corner of the Palais Royal adjacent to the Comédie Française. Relish its elegant brass and Art Deco style, along with its outdoor tables that get good afternoon sun. Only two minutes from the pyramid, it’s a great post-Louvre retreat (fun and filling €10-13 croque monsieur and salads, open daily; leaving the Louvre, cross Rue de Rivoli and veer left to 2 Place Colette; Mo: Palais Royal, tel. 01 42 61 34 14).
$ Le Fumoir is another classy place, with brown leather couches perfect for kicking back with a coffee or cocktail (€22 two-course lunch menu, daily, 6 Rue de l’Amiral de Coligny, near Louvre-Rivoli Métro stop, tel. 01 42 92 00 24).
(See “Paris” map, here.)
$$$ Le Train Bleu is a grandiose restaurant with a low-slung, leather-couch café-bar area built right into the train station for the Paris Exhibition of 1900 (which also saw the construction of the Pont Alexandre III and the Grand and Petit Palais). It’s simply a grand-scale-everything experience, with over-the-top belle époque decor that speaks of another age, when going to dinner was an event—a chance to see and be seen—and intimate dining was out. Forty-one massive paintings of scenes along the old rail lines tempt diners to consider a getaway. Many films have featured this restaurant. Reserve ahead for dinner, or drop in for a drink before your train leaves (€60 menu, €9 beer, €7 espresso, daily, up the stairs opposite track L, tel. 01 43 43 09 06, www.le-train-bleu.com).
$ Café de la Mosquée, behind the Jardin des Plantes and attached to Paris’ largest mosque (see map on here), beams you straight to Morocco, with outdoor courtyards and an interior room, all in North African tearoom decor with a full menu to match (reasonably priced couscous, daily 10:00-23:00, 39 Rue Geoffroy St. Hilaire, Mo: Place Monge, tel. 01 43 31 38 20). Consider an afternoon tea-and-pastry stop (€2 pastries, eat in or take out).
$ Café la Palette, on le Left Bank, is across the river and a few blocks from the Louvre. Over 100 years old, this café feels real and unaffected by the passage of time (43 Rue de Seine, Mo: Mabillon). For more on this café, see here in the Left Bank Walk.