31 Best Restaurants in Paris, France

California-born chef Gina McLintock's elegant-cozy interiors perfectly echo her scrumptious gourmet bistro fare with an Asian twist. Crowd-pleasers include dishes like delicate pumpkin beignets, rib-eye steak, and a juicy bacon burger. Live jazz on Saturday draws a fun Parisian crowd, and the small terrace is lovely in summer.

Set in a brick-and-stone-walled building on a pedestrian street near Rue Montorgueil, Frenchie has quickly become one of the most hard-to-book bistros in town, with tables booked months in advance, despite two seatings each evening. This success is due to the good-value, €140 five-course dinner menu (prix fixe only); boldly flavored dishes such as calamari gazpacho with squash blossoms or melt-in-the-mouth braised lamb with roasted eggplant and spinach are excellent options. Service can be, shall we say, a tad brusque, but for some that's a small price to pay for food this good.

A perennial favorite, this lively, unpretentious bistro is prized by expats and locals for its friendly atmosphere, consistently good food, solid wine list, and English-speaking staff. Dishes like pork belly with crushed potatoes or swordfish with fresh vegetables always hit the spot, especially when followed by decadent chocolate ganache infused with candied bergamot or poached peaches with white wine and sorbet.

The Paul Bert delivers everything you could want from a traditional Paris bistro (faded 1930s decor, thick steak with real frites, and good value), so it's no wonder its two dining rooms fill every night with a cosmopolitan crowd. The impressively stocked wine cellar helps, as does the heaping cheese cart, the laid-back yet efficient staff, and hearty dishes such as monkfish with white beans and duck with pears. The prix-fixe lunch menu is only €22, or you can order à la carte.

This charming Quartier Latin bistro with woodwork and murals dating from 1925 is always packed and boisterous. A glance at the affordable menu makes it easy to understand why: dishes such as chestnut soup with spice bread, sea bass marinated in lime and coconut, and apple and quince tatin (upside-down tart) with gingerbread ice cream put a fresh twist on French classics. Service is reliably courteous. If you don't finish your bottle of wine, you can take it with you to savor the last drops.

This quaint, casual bistro a few blocks from the Musée d'Orsay is open seven days a week and serves its own scrumptious versions of the deeply satisfying French classics like a country terrine, brandade de morue (a garlicky, salty cod and mashed potato dish) and blanquette de veau (a delicious, creamy veal dish). Desserts are also traditionally French, and the giant dollop of chocolate mousse is to die for.

Across from a pretty square on the border of two up-and-coming neighborhoods, this light-drenched spot is one of Paris's standout gastro-bistros. By adhering to a tried-and-true formula—meticulously sourced produce, natural wines, and an open kitchen—the dishes here are small wonders of texture and flavor. This is a great choice for diners eager to experience what the Paris dining scene is all about in a hip, off-the-beaten-path locale.

Hide Kobayashi, known as "Koba," is one of several Japanese chefs in Paris who trained with some of the biggest names in French cuisine before opening their own restaurants. Not surprisingly, this great-value bistro near the Arc de Triomphe became instantly popular with locals as well as visiting Japanese and Americans who follow the food scene. Generosity is the key to the cooking here, which steers clear of haute-cuisine flourishes; both the monkfish fricassee with anchovy-rich tapenade and a classic veal kidney in mustard sauce, for instance, come with a heap of mashed potatoes. For dessert, try the stunning île flottante (floating island), made with oven-baked meringue. Wines by the glass start at €8—unheard-of in this area.

With amazing food and a convivial, unpretentious atmosphere, Septime has become one of the hottest tables in town. Seasonal ingredients, inventive pairings, and excellent natural wines bring in diners ready for exciting and sophisticated dishes like creamy gnochetti in an orange-rind-flecked Gouda sauce sprinkled with coriander flowers.

Chef Tomy Gousset, who learned his skills in some of the city's most prestigious kitchens, flies solo at this wildly popular bistro, which won its first Michelin star in 2019. The appealingly spare dining room is an excellent backdrop for some truly dazzling dishes that taste every bit as sublime as they look. Best of all, despite being one of the best tables in the neighborhood, it's not wildly expensive.

The otherwise unexciting 15e arrondissement is home to much-lauded chef Ludivine Merlin and her Basque-inspired recipes. Basque cooking is known for its bold flavors and generosity, and the choices at Afaria are no exception. Crisp-skinned duck breast with balsamic-fig vinegar (for two) is served dramatically, inside a ceramic roof tile, with the accompanying potato gratin perched on a bed of twigs. Big chunks of spoon-tender, slow-cooked pork from Gascony come in an earthenware dish with cubes of roasted celery root. Tapas are served at a high table near the entrance and there's a large-screen TV for rugby matches.

There are three good reasons to go to Astier: the generous cheese platter plunked on your table atop a help-yourself wicker tray, the exceptional wine cellar with bottles dating back to the 1970s, and the French bistro fare (even if portions seem to have diminished over the years). Dishes like marinated herring with warm potato salad, sausage with lentils, and baba au rhum are classics on the frequently changing set menu, which includes a selection of no less than 20 cheeses. The vintage 1950s wood-paneled dining room and traditional red-checked tablecloths attracts plenty of locals and remains a fairly sure bet in the area, especially because it's open every day.

If it's steak you're craving, put your faith in Jean-Luc Roulière, a fifth-generation butcher who opened this long, narrow bistro near St-Sulpice church. Partner Franck Pinturier is from the Auvergne region, which is also known for its melt-in-the-mouth meat, so start with a marinated octopus salad or a rich marrow bone before indulging in a generous slab of Limousin or Salers beef, excellent veal kidney, or, for the meat-shy, sea bream with fresh vegetables.

To see what well-heeled Parisians eat these days, book a table at this chic little bistro run by Jacques Lacipière as soon as you get to town. The contemporary dining room is unusually comfortable, and the sidewalk tables have an Eiffel Tower view, but it's the excellent, well-priced cuisine du marché that has made this spot a hit. The sophisticated fare sometimes features Salers beef and green asparagus, roasted lobster with mushroom risotto, and game in season. House-made desserts could include citrus terrine with passion-fruit sorbet or caramelized apple mille-feuille with hazelnut ice cream. The €39 prix-fixe menu for lunch or dinner, featuring dishes with distinct haute-cuisine touches, is one of the city's great bargains.

This handsome, contemporary Marais bistro and wine bar is the perfect place to enjoy traditional fare and excellent Burgundies served by the glass and bottle. Unusual for Paris, food is served nonstop from noon to 11 pm, and you can drop by just for a glass of wine in the afternoon. Always on the menu are Burgundian classics such as jambon persillé (ham in parsley aspic jelly), escargots, and boeuf bourguignon (beef stewed in red wine). More up-to-date picks include a cèpe-mushroom velouté with poached oysters, although fancier dishes are generally less successful.

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.

Without changing the vintage 1912 setting, superchef Alain Ducasse and Thierry de la Brosse of L'Ami Louis have subtly improved the menu, with dishes such as marinated salmon, frogs' legs in a morel-mushroom cream sauce, and an outstanding cassoulet served in a cast-iron pot. It's a splurge to dine here, so go all the way, and top off your meal with the caramelized tarte tatin or a rum-doused baba.

Tile floors, mercury mirrors, bentwood chairs, and a menu of classic French comfort foods proffered by talented young chef Édouart Vermynck take you back to a charming Paris of old (the bistrot was first opened in 1922). Start with homey oeufs-mayo or croque-monsieur with jambon de Paris followed by golden Landes hen with morel cream or tender scallops in a delicate beurre blanc. For dessert, don't miss the billowy mousse au chocolat or grandma's tarte tatin with raw crème fraiche. Set on a quiet street between Bastille and the Place des Vosges, this is a quintessential black book spot.

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.

Run by legendary bistro chef Yves Camdeborde, this small, Art Deco restaurant gets booked up early for its satisfying menu of traditional French cuisine. Favorites include classics like rib steak with potato puree and grilled salmon. Reservations are not accepted, resulting in long lines and brisk service. Camdeborde also has two local tapas bars, one right next door and a much larger one (Le Comptoir du Marché) around the corner at the Marché Saint-Germain, where delicious small plates, good wine, and a festive atmosphere are guaranteed.

A true neighborhood haunt, this bustling little bistro near the Musée Picasso offers a convivial slice of Parisian life at a good value. Traditional French bistro fare is adapted to a modern audience. The best choices are the old tried-and-trues: hand-cut tartare de boeuf; rare entrecôte served with a side of golden-crisp frites and homemade béarnaise; and the classic Parmentier, with pheasant instead of the usual ground beef.

Giant mirrors, red leatherette banquettes, vintage posters, and checker-tile floors add up to a '60s movie set of a Parisian bistro. But the menu of delicious comfort food—made with top-quality artisanal ingredients and the best produce from throughout France—is delightfully real. Wines and menus are exceedingly reasonable for this neighborhood, which is one reason it's filled with locals.

Just off glitzy Avenue Montaigne, Chez Savy's Art Deco cream-and-burgundy interior is blissfully intact, occupying its own circa-1930s microcosm. Fill up on rib-sticking specialties from the Aveyron region of central France—lentil salad with bacon, foie gras (prepared on the premises), perfectly charred lamb with featherlight shoestring frites, and pedigreed Charolais beef. Order a celebratory bottle of Mercurey with your meal, and feel smug that you've found this place.

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).

The rare authentic Parisian bistro that refuses to change, Les Ambassade claims one of the city's great restaurant characters: maître d' Francis Panek, with his handlebar mustache and gravelly voice. Settle into the dining room in an ancient Marais house to try rich, rib-sticking dishes from the Auvergne, a sparsely populated region in central France. Indulge in a heaping serving of the superb lentils in goose fat with bacon or Salers beef in red wine sauce with aligot (mashed potatoes with cheese). You might want to loosen your belt for the astonishingly dense chocolate mousse, served in a giant bowl that allows you to decide the quantity.

Despite the chic, updated decor, this tiny, reliable bistro hasn't sacrificed substance for style. The servers are friendly, the wine list is small but well curated, and the dining is first-rate, with a three-course dinner menu (you can order à la carte, but it's less of a bargain) of original dishes marrying terroir-driven ingredients like Charolais beef, foie gras from the Landes, and organic eggs with contemporary touches and pretty plating.

David Rathgeber spent 12 years working for celebrity-chef Alain Ducasse before taking over this landmark restaurant, where he has created his own menu and welcomes a devoted clientele. Expect classics with a subtle modern touch, such as the signature cassoulet with six different meats, and crème caramel with salted butter—all executed with the precision you would expect of a Ducasse veteran. The excellent two-course lunch menu is a bargain at €23. Each month, the tea "tasting ateliers" span the globe via the world's greatest teas, pairing them with French cuisine.

Come for the early sitting at this little bistro specializing in classic French fare and you'll often discover the dining room filled with more than a few tourists (the waiters speak English perfectly). The reasonably priced (€60) five-course tasting menu may account for the restaurant's popularity—there are two seatings each night. The service can be brusque, with waiters plunking even the higher-priced bottles of wine on the table without waiting for the customer to swill and slurp. Still, these problems seem to be minor judging by the ever-crowded tables. The restaurant's popular wine bar (La Cave de l'Os à Moelle), just across the street, serves a popular, prix-fixe menu for €31.

Portraits of cows adorn the stone walls of this no-nonsense bistro near the Luxembourg Gardens, hinting at the kitchen's penchant for meaty cooking (Ferrandaise is a breed of cattle). Still, there's something for every taste on the market-inspired menu, which changes monthly and lists at least one fish, one poultry, and one vegetarian main. The dining room buzzes with locals who appreciate the friendly service and good-value three-course prix fixe (€22 at lunch, €37 at dinner).

When the opulence of the neighborhood begins to overwhelm, this refreshing island of unpretentious pleasures is a good place to restore both body and budget. In addition to the charm of its bright, cheerful interiors—complete with mirrors, fresh flowers, globe chandeliers, and a zinc bar—you'll find a sophisticated daily menu of market-fresh dishes and small plates. After sampling the excellent and well-priced wines by the glass and deliciously uncomplicated desserts, you'll understand why Parisian foodies keep this address to themselves.