These 17 Paris Restaurants Are Why Locals Love Their City
This video puts some of our greatest food episodes together: the best restaurants in Paris that we keep going back to, from neighborhood bistros to a palace breakfast. If you want to eat where Parisians eat and avoid tourist traps near the big monuments, this is a good place to start.
What we tried
- A tiny neighborhood bistro with a short menu, where Colleen had what she called the best crème brûlée of her life (tonka bean, served warm). Lunch for two was about €100 when we filmed.
- An onion soup tour, from the cheapest (and one of the best) to the most expensive, plus a disappointing €14 bowl in a tourist café near Notre-Dame.
- Five breakfasts, from a €3.60 croissant and coffee at a bakery near Gare du Nord to a five-course breakfast at Le Meurice for €75 per person, with pastries by Cédric Grolet.
- Five bistros within walking distance of major sights, including Atelier Maître Albert, Guy Savoy’s bistro near Notre-Dame, with rotisserie chicken from the Loire Valley.
- A pork-focused restaurant near the Opéra where you can order a whole roasted suckling pig for a group.
- Our list of foods to try by season, plus street food, bistro classics, desserts, cheeses and pastries.
Our tips for eating well in Paris
- A short menu is a good sign: a kitchen can’t do 40 dishes well.
- Many restaurants have the same menu at lunch and dinner, so dinner is not always more expensive.
- Small, popular places fill up, so make a reservation, especially in season.
- Steer clear of the first café with a big red awning next to a monument. Walk a few streets farther.
- Eat by season: white asparagus and strawberries in spring, mushrooms in autumn, raclette and fondue in winter.
Our verdict
Some of the meals we enjoyed most were not the most expensive. The neighborhood bistro got five stars from both of us, while a famous historic café breakfast was the one we wouldn’t go back to. All prices are from when the videos were filmed.
Want our full list? Our guide to the 125 best restaurants in Paris has every place we love, sorted by neighborhood. At the start of your trip, book a Devour food tour to get your bearings with a local guide. And our Paris Guide Bundle brings together all our best recommendations for the city.