Where to eat in Paris

Planning where to go and what to see on a short break in such a dense, culturally rich city as Paris is tough. Sure, you might have to sacrifice a museum here or a walking tour there but ultimately, it’s not impossible to cram a lot into circa 48 hours in the French capital. Finding the best Paris restaurants, however, is fiendishly difficult. But we’re here to make your decisions a little easier: Discover with us the best places to eat in Paris.

Gallic gastronomy

If you’re really pushed for time and want to combine a sightseeing tour with dinner, then you need to check out Bustronome. Hop aboard a double-decker coach (with a glass roof) and explore Parisian landmarks while tucking into a multiple-course meal of quality French food, prepared on the coach itself with table service included.

Want a different type of tour? Ducasse sur Seine, a Seine-based boat/restaurant hybrid, is one of the latest additions – and so far, the only floating one – to legendary French chef Alain Ducasse’s restaurant empire. 

For good ol’ steak frites, look no further than Le Relais de l’Entrecôte. This exceptionally busy Parisian institution is the archetypal bistro – waitresses in French maid’s outfits? Check. Red checked tablecloths? Check. But a tourist trap this is not. Le Relais de l’Entrecôte is beloved by both tourists and locals, so you know it’s good. What’s on the menu? Well, there isn’t one, because they only serve steak frites. All the waitresses need to know is how you like it cooked, before they wheel out the pièce de résistance: melt-in-your-mouth, thinly sliced entrecôte steak, doused in a top secret dark-green sauce and perched atop a pile of gloriously crisp chips. And if you enjoyed all that pageantry (and delicious steak), then you’re in luck, because it happens not once, but twice. A second helping of steak? Of course! More frites? You bet. 

If you can’t handle the queues there, you’d do well to check out Bistrot Paul Bert. Widely regarded as one of the best bistros in town, this charming, effortlessly cool restaurant serves up authentic French cuisine, skilfully prepared using fresh ingredients. 

Walk through the doors of Bistrot Victoires and you’ll be forgiven for thinking that you can smell smoke. Your nose isn’t deceiving you – the steak at this cosy bistro comes served with a sprig of burning thyme and everyone is ordering it. For classic gallic grub that doesn’t break the bank (20€ for two courses), in a location comfortably insulated from the tourist-filled centre of Paris, you can’t go wrong. 

Vegan Paris 

But in the land of steak frites, is there any room for vegans? The answer is a resounding ‘oui’, and there are several vegan restaurants in Paris worth your time. 42 Degrés in the 10th arrondissement is as good a place to start as any. Everything here is cooked below – you guessed it – 42 degrees. Why 42? The theory goes that cooking any further than that will ruin the food’s nutritional value. The “cheese” board is a highlight. 

Alternatively, head to Brasserie Lola for a classic French brasserie cuisine… that’s 100% plant powered. For a cheap and cheerful, on-the-go vegan fix, swing by Hank Burger in Le Marais and try the superlative vegan burgers. 

Cut the crêpe

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, Paris is the perfect place to indulge it.

You like your pancakes a little more substantial than the ubiquitous, wafer-thin crêpes that you’ll find all over Paris? Pop into Pancake Sisters for stacks of thick, fluffy pancakes with a host of sweet (and savoury) toppings. It all sounds very un-French, but it’s also all very delicious. 

Few of Paris’ boulangeries compare to Du Pain et des Idees in the 10th arrondissement. Christoph Vasseur and co. excel at making bread, using traditional techniques to bring back the best of French baking. The cherry and pistachio variant of their signature ‘escargot’ might just be the best pastry you’ve ever had in your life.

Dining in the dark

Yes, there might be one in London, and yes, this might feel a little ‘gimmicky’, but the food at Dans le Noir? is no joke. Head to the 4th arrondissement for a truly sensory dining experience and the chance to eat in total darkness, aided by visually impaired hosts. Menus are varied, but typically consist of modern French cuisine, prepared on-site using fresh, seasonal ingredients. 

The best of the rest

Let’s say that foodie bus tours aren’t your thing. Let’s say the idea of eating in the dark repulses you more than the thought of being served a tasting menu of escargot, frog legs, beef tongue and tripe. There’s plenty more out there for you. 

Paris is a great melting pot of international cultures and cuisines, and some of the best restaurants in Paris reflect this. 

Hole-in-the-wall Japanese-French fusion restaurant Abri is mostly worth a visit for one thing and one thing only: a pork tonkatsu sandwich. Served only on Saturday lunchtimes, this sandwich consists of pork tonkatsu, cheese, kewpie mayo, mustard, omelette and cabbage, squeezed between crustless white bread. If it turned out this sandwich was the sole reason for Abri’s one Michelin star, we wouldn’t be surprised. Prepare for queues. 

If you’re after Middle Eastern food, visit Rue de Rosier in La Marais and its cluster of mezze restaurants, including La’s Du Fallafel and Miznon. If you fancy African food, pay a visit to Massawa in the 10th arrondissement for top-notch Eritrean cooking. Candelaria is home to some of the best Mexican food in Paris, but the main event is the secret (not anymore) bar that you’ll find behind an unmarked door at the back of the restaurant.