I’m often asked where to eat in Paris. So, posted below in no particular order are some of my favorites–a few just discovered; others are ones I used to love but haven’t gone to in quite awhile. So, I cannot guarantee they are still around or good. Please write in if you’ve dined at any that should no longer be on this list. These are (or used to be) all reasonably priced and very good:
La CuiZine
73 Rue Amelot, 11th arrondissment
01 43 14 27 00
Fall 2013, ate here for the first time. A friend who ate with us discovered this restaurant in the 11th through La Fourchette (French version of Open Table). It’s not much on décor but great food. Had a grilled shrimp salad and Dorade. Noel and my friend, Adrian, each had 2 entrées (hardly ever done in Paris except at brasseries), but Adrian has lived here long enough to be bold about it. She and Noel both started with clams and then Noel had duck foie gras and Adrian had the shrimp salad. She and I shared their incredible decadent chocolate molten cake drizzled with raspberry sauce. Now one of my favorite neighborhood spots.
Moissonnier
28 rue Des Fosses des St-Bernard, 5th
01 43 29 87 65
Best quenelle—a ground loaf fish that’s poached—you will ever taste. Recommended by a Parisian friend. Lives up to its reputation. Other items on the menu also, but I usually just have a salad and the quenelle. Tiny place, family run, probably good to have a reservation. In the 5th, near the Arab Insititute (which also has a great museum store).
L’Ange 20 restaurant—tiny place make a reservation.
8, rue Geoffroy L’Angevin, 4th
01 40 27 93 67
Discovered this hole in the wall from a Parisian friend who no longer goes there because she doesn’t like one of the waiters. Picky, picky! Truth is it was better when it first opened. The restaurant sits twenty in a square space with diners packed in like sardines. Open kitchen at the back. A waiter, a chef and a sous chef serve up delicious entrees, plats, and dessert for about 30Euros fixed price. I’ve had delicious meals there that included a smoked salmon salad with delicious potato salad on the side. Main dish was a blanquette du veal dans sauce crème avec champignon. I’ve eaten there about four or five times. Each time food was great, but the most recent time was a bit disappointing and uneven. But if you’re planning to be near the Centre Pompidou, it’s worth the walk down the nearby street, which looks deserted and a little iffy, but it’s perfectly safe.
Les Fetes Galantes–make a reservation
17, rue de l”Ecole Polytechique, 5th Arr.
Traditional French. Tiny joint, maybe only half dz tables. Charming, family run. Noel and I have dinner there whenever we’re in Paris. Postcards, business cards, and dollar bills cover the walls, and woman’s lingerie hang from some of the rafters. Never had a bad meal here.
Domaine de Lintillac
10, rue Saint Augustin, Arrondissement 2
Phone 01.40.20.96.27
For a review see http://www.insiderparisguides.com/restaurants/sample.html
This restaurant is all about duck and is a typical French bistro that mostly locals know about. Fun neighborhood place, good food, good vibes, but be prepared: The French always like to prepare their duck on the rare side. To get around this, I always have Confit de Canard. You usually need a reservation. I’ve only been to the one in the 2nd, but there are 2 others, one in the 7th and the other, I think, in the 18th.
Marie Edith
34, rue du Laos, Arron 15th.
01-45-66-44-60
I loved my meal here, but it was ages ago. In fact, though it’s an intimate place, there were eight of us there celebrating someone’s birthday and everyone loved what they ate.
Le Bistrot du Dome
2 Rue de la Bastille, 4th
Very close to the Bastille, lively area, but the restaurant is on a side street so it’s quiet. Very good seafood, reasonable prices. Noel and I really enjoyed our meal here in April. Typical French cuisine.
Le Petit Bofinger
6 Rue de la Bastille, 4th
01 42 72 05 23
Same street as above. Charming. Typical French fare. Reasonable. Noel and I ate here one night and Bistrot du Dome the other. I think if we had to choose one, we’d go to Dome over this one, but we enjoyed both.
Chez Omar
47 Rue de Bretagne, 3rd
A neighborhood place in the 3rd, consistently good grilled fish and other fare, limited menu. I usually have the grilled swordfish.
Cave de L’Os Moëlle
181, rue de Lourmel, 15th Arr
01.45.57.28.28
An unusual, communal dining experience. A friend of mine who lives in Paris loves it and I’ve eaten there twice, but I’m too picky an eater to enjoy it. Your food is whatever the restaurant decides they are making that day. They pass it around family style. I’d rather pick my own, but it’s different.
Le Baron Rouge
11th
1 rue Théophile-Roussel
Métro: Ledru-Rollin
Closed Sunday afternoons and Mondays
Slightly off the well-worn tourist path, close to the lively d’Aligre market. Great if you like oysters. People line up to eat freshly shucked oysters over large wine kegs at the bar entrance.
Marty’s
20 Avenue de Gobelins
Paris , 5 arr.
43-31-39-51
Seafood, art deco
Had two very good dinners. Art Deco interior. Probably is a bit more expensive than the others.
A few other ideas for when you want a break from French food:
Higuma
32 bis, rue St-Anne, Arr 1, near Louvre, Palais Royal
Asian cuisine. Super fresh, made in front of you. Japanese noodles, rice dishes, ramen soups, Good lunch stop. I’ve also had dinner there. Always busy.
Marco Polo
8, rue de Conde, 6th arr.
Satisfies any Italian craving you may have. Filled with locals. Make a reservation. Sometimes the waiters can be a little rude, but the food is good.
L’as du Fallafel
34, rue de Rosiers, 4th arr.
Best falafels in Paris, good lunch stop.
Paris Main d’Or
133, rue du Faubourg St -Antoine at entrance to Passage de la Main d’Or, 11th arr
Corsican food, my type of place, tasty pasta, but Noel thought his sardines were too fishy. We go back and always have pasta now.
Le Paprika
28, avenue de Trudaine (corner of rue des Martyrs), 9th
Tel: 01 44 63 02 91
Métro: Pigalle/ Notre Dame de Lorette
Hungarian! This place is a riot with strolling musicians. The food used to be great; haven’t been for several years. Interesting residential neighborhood, not far from Museum of the Romantic Life and Musee Gustave Moreau.
Sabraj
175 rue Saint-Jacques, 5th close to Luxembourg Gardens
01.43.26.70.03
Indian, very good esp Vegie dishes, inexpensive, casual.
Yugaraj
14 rue Dauphine
Indian restaurant in 5th I think. Expensive but delicious.
Also, there are lots of Indian restaurants in Paris. My favorite is Sabraj in the 5th, an easy walk from Luxembourg Gardens.
Dalloyau
2, place Edmond-Rostand, 6th , across from Luxembourg Gardens
They have a tea room upstairs, pastries and great chocolate ice cream.
Fun Markets/ Streets (some of these are open two days a week, but I don’t know the days other than what I listed)
Rue Montorgueil (gentrified area in the 2nd), all the time.
Rue des Martyrs 9th all the time
Rue Mouffetard 5th all the time, fun to just walk the street.
Blvd Raspail (organic market in 7th, very civilized) Sundays till 1
Barbes Market (18th) (like going to a market in the 3rd world), under the Barbes metro, Sat AM till 1
Richard Lenoir Market 11th Sundays till 1
Aligre market 12th (Sunday/Tues)
Passy (16th, very civilized)
Kathy Borrus 