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A new wave of culinary confidence has been running through one of the world's great food cities and spilling over both banks of the Seine. Whether cooking up grand-mère's roast chicken and riz au lait or placing a whimsical hat of cotton candy atop wild-strawberry-and-rose ice cream, Paris chefs—established and up-and-coming, native and foreign—have been breaking free from the tyranny of tradition and following their passion.
Emblematic of the "bistronomy" movement is the proliferation of "gastrobistros"—often in far-flung or newly chic neighborhoods—helmed by established chefs fleeing the constraints of the star system or passionate young chefs unfettered by overblown expectations. Among the seasoned stars and exciting newcomers to the scene are Yannick Alléno, who left behind two Michelin stars at Le Meurice to open his locavore bistro Terroir Parisien at the Palais Brogniart and earned three stars at the storied Pavillon Ledoyen within his first year at the helm; David Toutain at the exceptional Restaurant David Toutain; Sylvestre Wahid at Brasserie Thoumieux; and Katsuaki Okiyama's Abri.
But self-expression is not the only driving force behind the current trend. A traditional high-end restaurant can be prohibitively expensive to operate. As a result, more casual bistros and cafés, which reflect the growing allure of less formal dining and often have lower operating costs and higher profit margins, have become attractive opportunities for even top chefs.
For tourists, this development can only be good news, because it makes the cooking of geniuses such as Joël Robuchon, Guy Savoy, Eric Frechon, and Pierre Gagnaire a bit more accessible (even if these star chefs rarely cook in their lower-price restaurants) and opens up a vast range of new possibilities for exciting dining.
Like the chefs themselves, Paris diners are breaking away from tradition with renewed enthusiasm. New restaurants, wine bars, and rapidly multiplying épicieries (gourmet grocers) and sandwich shops recognize that not everyone wants a three-course blowout every time they dine out. And because Parisians are more widely traveled than in the past, many ethnic restaurants—notably the best North African, Vietnamese–Laotian, Chinese, Spanish, and Japanese spots—are making fewer concessions to French tastes, resulting in far better food.
Founded in 1903 and patronized by literary luminaries like Marcel Proust and Gertrude Stein, Angelina is famous for its chocolat "l'Africain"—an ultra-rich hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. The beautiful chestnut "Mont Blanc" pastry is the ideal accompaniment. Book well in advance online to avoid being disappointed.
At this restaurant set on a pretty street leading right into the Place des Vosges, it's hard to know if you've landed in someone's chic private salon or their woodworking studio. Carpenter and wine lover Eric Wilmot shares his passion for wood and wine (and Harley-Davidsons) in this stylishly intimate space, featuring Persian rugs and velvet chaises, where you can indulge in some stupendous wines handpicked by the owner and served alongside a tempting array of nibbles—homemade foie gras, smoked salmon, artisanal cheeses, and some seriously decadent desserts.
Don't expect to be mobbed by tourists at this bright café two minutes from the Champs de Mars. Locals love it for the sidewalk terrace and garden seating in the back—not to mention the good coffee, tea, and stellar brunch. Even if you don't snag a seat outside, the charming interior is a cheerful spot to tuck into a heaping plate of eggs Benedict, smoked salmon tartine, or avocado toast. There are also fresh fruit smoothies and home-baked pastries. Its all-day hours (seven days a week) makes it the perfect place for a well-priced lunch or teatime. Reservations are always a good idea, especially on weekends.
This charming courtyard café-tearoom grew out of an adorable pastry shop (next door) specializing in the French sablé, those classic melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies, with an assortment of ethereal cream fillings. Marble-topped tables, velvet chairs, and other vintagelike touches make this one of the neighborhood's most charming spots for lunch, brunch, or dessert. The excellent food, homemade drinks, and stellar pastries are all icing on this scrumptious cake.
Eating a crêpe in Paris might seem clichéd, until you venture into this modern offshoot of a Breton crêperie. The plain, pale-wood decor is refreshing, but what really makes the difference are the ingredients—farmers' eggs, unpasteurized Gruyère, shiitake mushrooms, Valrhona chocolate, homemade caramel, and extraordinary butter from a Breton dairy farmer. You'll find all the classics among the galettes, but it's worth choosing something more adventurous like the cancalaise (traditionally smoked herring, potato, crème fraîche, and herring roe). You might also slurp a few Cancale oysters—a rarity in Paris—or try one of the 20 artisanal ciders on offer.
Pastry chef extraordinaire Cedric Grolet made his name at Le Meurice, the palace hotel just down the street, with his exquisite sculpted fruits—glorious trompe-l'oeil versions of the real thing made with various chocolates filled with creamy fruit or nut ganache. At this cafe near the Opéra, you can sample the master's sublime cookies and breakfast pastries along with other gourmet delights.
If you're serious about what's in your coffee cup, head straight to this streamlined café near the Place des Vosges, where you'll find only the best from roasters around Paris. A short but spot-on menu features avocado toast with a poached egg, cinnamon buns, and homemade cakes and cookies. The weekend brunch is very popular; arrive early or prepare to wait a little.
This was Paris's first coffee bar, founded by former Guatemalan ambassador to France turned coffee ambassador, Gloria Montenegro. With three spacious rooms, all coffee preparations under the sun, and a daily special brew chosen from among dozens of varieties of meticulously sourced beans from plantations around the globe, this is a Paris institution.
Set in a bright, modern space on a tiny street in the lower reaches of Montmartre, the popular Le BAL Café Otto caters to a diverse clientele who come for the great coffee, delicious homey food, lively crowd, and the art gallery/bookstore. Italian- and French-inspired cuisine (like spelt risotto with mushrooms, hazelnuts, and creamed spinach) during the week rests alongside a traditional weekend brunch menu featuring items like tender pancakes, fried eggs with ham and roasted tomatoes, and buttery scones with jam. On Sunday in spring and summer, brunch is truly an event, with artists, hipsters, expats, and young families enthusiastically enjoying all of the above. Note that the café closes at 10 pm on Wednesday and Thursday and 7 pm on Friday and Sunday, so perhaps look elsewhere for dinner.
A head-turning variety of luscious pastries, classic French breakfast sweets and breads, ice cream, chocolates, and homemade jams will tempt every sweet tooth at this charming bakery and tearoom. Tucked into the historic covered Passage Jouffroy, Le Valentin is a picturesque spot for breakfast, lunch, or teatime—or buy a box of irresistible French-Alsatian sweets to enjoy on the go.
This tiny gem of a coffee shop may not have the ambience of Paris's historic brasserie cafés, but it does have something you won't find in any brasserie in Paris—reliably excellent coffee served with care and enthusiasm. What's more, a small menu of delicious homemade sweets and sandwiches and salads at lunchtime pretty much covers all your restorative needs in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
One of the city's best examples of the casual gourmet cafés popping up around Paris, Mokonuts is run by a talented husband-and-wife team who create delicious dishes and pastries that are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. Prepare for crowds at breakfast and teatime, when you can choose from chunky multigrain cookies, sweet or savory muffins, tarts, and other sweet goodies. At lunch, locals elbow their way in for a variety of gourmet salads, sandwiches, and hot dishes. Accompany your meal with excellent coffee, a selection of teas, or a freshly made juice, like the refreshing orange-blossom lemonade. Dinner (€70) is served only by reservation for at least eight.
A dazzling array of gourmet pastries here includes all the classics in imaginative and delicious flavor combinations. There are also impossibly moist individual cakes, Paris's best baba au rhum, sublime cookies, and the specialty guimauve, a flavored, melt-in-your-mouth marshmallow. Be sure to sample the gorgeous Rosy Rosa dome cake with almond, rose-infused almond milk, and creamy dark chocolate all on a black sesame biscuit topped with rose petals. Next door, savory gourmet breads, quiches, sandwiches, and other takeout foods make this the perfect refueling stop after a visit to the Centre Pompidou. There's also outdoor seating in warm weather.
This all-in-one café-bakery-pâtisserie, a stone's throw from République, highlights classics from genius pastry chef Philippe Conticini, like his Paris-Brest (a crispy pâte à chou filled with delicate almond-hazelnut cream) and stellar line of viennoiserie (croissants, pains au chocolat, brioches, etc). Don't miss the Chignon Praliné, filled with an insanely tasty homemade Nutella topped with roasted hazelnuts; this treat redefines the breakfast pastry.
A five-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower, Terre de Café is a boon to coffee lovers. It also serves gluten-free pastries, healthy fruit smoothies, and gourmet brunch options.
Smoked chocolate . . . orange-carrot-ginger . . . coffee--black cardamom . . . these are just a few of the intriguing ice cream and gelato flavors featured at Paris's Instagram-famous glacier. Expect only the best seasonal ingredients plus cream and sugar in the ice creams and loads of fresh fruit in the nondairy sorbets. You can taste as many flavors as you like to help you decide, and servings, by the boule, are generous. There are lots of frozen cakes and pastries too.
The closest thing the pastry world has to a rock star, Pierre Hermé and his wildly imaginative flavor pairings (think raspberry, rose, and lychee; chestnut and black wheat; or jasmine and fraise des bois) are renewed every season and are never humdrum. At 86 Champs, Hermé has teamed up with fragrance and cosmetics giant L'Occitane for a colorful carousel ride of a café, with a half-moon pastry-and-chocolates counter and bar, where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or a quick bite. Indoor seating can be cramped; in warm weather try for a seat on the popular sidewalk terrace. Like many places on the Champs-Élysées, the dishes here are very pricey, and the service can be glacial and indifferent.
This cozy bar is always packed, and tables often spill out onto the sidewalk. Come for a hearty meal, a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine.
So-named to call one of the Parisian soup restaurants popular among workers in the early 20th century, Bouillon Chartier is a part of the Gérard Joulie group of bistros and brasseries, which discreetly updated the menu without changing the fundamentals. People come here more for the bonhomie and the stunning 1896 interior than the cooking, which could be politely described as unambitious—then again, where else can you find a plate of foie gras for €7.50? This cavernous restaurant—the only original fin-de-siécle bouillon to remain true to its mission of serving cheap, sustaining food to the masses—enjoys a huge following, including one regular who has come for lunch nearly every day since 1946.
The exceptional Art Nouveau decor and inexpensive menu are strong magnets for diners who are willing to stand in line for a seat at this historic brasserie, all to enjoy a three-course meal for as little as €20. The food is average and service brisk, but it's worth a visit between traditional meal times when there is no line.
There's nothing quite like a good old-fashioned Paris brasserie ... except, perhaps, for a good old-fashioned Paris neobrasserie, a lively new genre that takes the best of the classic eatery—lively atmosphere, copious menu options, all-day hours, classic decor—and adds a 21st-century vibe, all at reasonable prices. At Dubillot, you'll find the French classics—oeufs mayonnaise, house-made country pâté, steak tartare, smoked trout, leg of lamb, crispy frites—along with well-priced wines by the bottle or glass. Everything is homemade, and the chef is dedicated to preserving France's gastronomic heritage by sourcing all meats and produce locally. This is tradition brought up to date at its finest—and it's a lot of fun to boot!
This most stalwart of Breton addresses in the French capital is known for its savory buckwheat galettes and sweet wheat-flour crêpes, best enjoyed with a glass of local Breton cider. The city boasts several outposts of this restaurant; this one quite near the Les Halles market area is known for its cozy vaulted cider cellar, with more than 40 ciders to sample.
In summer, look for the crowd spilling out the front of this signless wine bar named for Jean-Louis, the bartender (bubar or barbu is French slang for "bearded"). The wine menu—with many selections available by the glass—features French wines and small-batch vintages from South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Try the small dishes and some lovely tartines (toasted bread with various toppings), or bring in whatever noshes suit your fancy from the neighborhood—the owner encourages it.
This Japanese-inspired mini-chain of coffeehouses is the place to be seen during Paris Fashion Week. There are four locations in Paris: one at 208 rue de Rivoli, one at 2 place André Malraux with a full restaurant menu, one at 30 rue du Vertbois that also serves as a roastery, and this one—the original and persistent favorite, thanks in large part to the views over the Palais Royal gardens.
Settle in on the terrace for lunch (try the beef carpaccio or salmon tartare) or join the locals along the zinc bar at this Latin Quarter favorite. Nestled at the foot of gently sloping Rue Monge, it offers friendly service amidst an old-school bistro ambience.
You may be tempted to call it a sandwich stand, but for Parisians it's more of a pilgrimage point at the beloved Marché des Enfants-Rouges. Alain's inspired creations burst with organic vegetables (raw or roasted), artisanal cheeses, locally cured ham, roast chicken, or pastrami, among other gourmet fillings, lodged between slices of bread, a buckwheat galette, or a socca (a Provençale flatbread made with chickpea flour). Each day brings fresh surprises on the blackboard menu, all to be enjoyed at the market's outdoor seating or at a nearby park.
With a cheerfully bright and tiny, wood-beamed dining room—there's more space in the loft-like upstairs—this spot is devoted to the egg in all its forms. Whether you like yours baked with smoked salmon, whisked into an omelet with truffle shavings, or beaten into fluffy pancakes, there will be something for you on the blackboard menu. It's perfect for a late breakfast or light lunch on weekdays (it opens at 10 am and closes in the late afternoon), though rather mobbed for weekend brunch (10 am to 6 pm).
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