Great Paris RestaurantsIt takes years of hits and misses to put together a list of great restaurants to suit every mood. It's hard to find a bad restaurant in Paris but here is a list of our all time favorites:
Price review for a meal consisting of appetizer + meal OR meal + desert:
$ = 10 - 25 euros per person without wine or drinks
$$ = 25 - 40 euros per person without wine or drinks
$$$ = 40 - 60 euros per person without wine or drinks
$$$$ = over 60 euros per person without wine or drinks
Count about 5 - 8 euros for a glass of wine.
Our Number One - Casual Chic French $$
LE HIDE: This is a small bistrot in the 17th arrondissement. It is owned by a wonderful chef name Koba who is classically trained in French cuisine but adds a little asian spirit to his cooking. The food is amazing, and the prices are very reasonable. Our favorites are the crayfish raviolis, anything with leeks or asparagus and the scallops. The staff are very friendly and bilingual. It is a small, cozy place that is always completely full - so make reservations. You'll want to go back again and again. Great place to go with friends or as a couple. They don't take large groups of more than 7 people.
www.lehide.fr
Closed on Saturday lunch and Sunday
Great for a Special Occasion - Chic-Trendy French $$$$
LE QUINZIÈME: This restaurant is owned by the Jamie Oliver of France. His name is Cyrill Lignac and the originality and quality of his food are really quite spectacular. We took our two teenaged daughters there and they have not stopped talking about it since. It is a little pricey but worth the experience if you are celebrating something special. The service is the best I have seen to date. As we were leaving, all the women in our party received a small breakfast cake for the next morning (this little touch really impressed me and I try to do it now when good friends come over). About 70 euros per person for 3 course meal with lots of added little touches and extras that will surprise you. Worth every penny!
www.restaurantlequinzieme.com
Closed Monday, Saturday lunch and Sunday
For an Italian Fix - Casual Authentic Italian $
PRESTO FRESCO: Discovered not too long ago, this has become one of our favorites when we are in the mood for great pasta or pizza. It's the real deal with ingredients from Italy and a great cozy atmosphere. Ask for the bourrata as an appetizer - it's amazing and feeds 4 people. Another plus, this is the chef's district where all the famous cooking stores are located. What could be a better way to spend and afternoon. Quite busy on Friday and Saturday nights - so make a reservation if that's when you would like to go.
PRESTO FRESCO
4 Rue Montmartre
75001 Paris, France
01 40 26 83 94
DELITALY: This restaurant has the added advantage of being located in the center of a very chic open air market called Poncelet. Great food with reasonable prices and offers a great selection of anti-pasto. The market is fun and lively on weekends and very typically French. Great way to set the Paris mood.
DELITALY
23 Rue Poncelet
75017 Paris, France
01 48 88 00 72
Subway: Ternes
Closed on Sunday
Great Deal for Good French Food - Casual Chic $$
BISTROT DE LA MUETTE: Here is a concept that exists in a few restaurants in Paris.
The idea is to provide everything you need for dinner for one price. This will include a cocktail, a starter,
the meal, a desert, a coffee or tea and a bottle of wine for two people. You have a choice of different
options in each one of these categories. The price is set at 39 euros and the food is very good. No
surprises when the bill comes. There is a choice of 7 restaurants to choose from and Bistrot de la Muette
is a good one. It is situated a very chic and trendy part of Paris and is very close to a wonderful shopping
area on rue de Passy. If you sit in the room with the water wall, even better!
www.bistrocie.fr
Open 7 days a week
Very Trendy Chic French Food with Great Decor $$$
LA GARE: This restaurant is in a converted train station. The decor is very nice and they have a
fabulous outdoor terrace in the summer. They also boast the best mashed potatoes in Paris and we have
admit they are pretty good. Great place to go with a group. Trendy and chic.
fabulous outdoor terrace in the summer. They also boast the best mashed potatoes in Paris and we have
admit they are pretty good. Great place to go with a group. Trendy and chic.
Open 7 days a week with Sunday brunch
TV Chef Who Knows How to Use Spices $$
mbc: This restaurant has a great decor and caters to the area's business crowd. The prices are
great with a 2 course set at 19 euros. What is different about this one is the chef's use of spices and flavors.
Actually the name is the acronym for Mint, Basil and Coriander - his favorites. The only problem is that
it is only open on weekdays.
Open on weekdays only
Some Thai Food Perhaps $
Orchidée Thai: Good prices, good food, good service!
38, rue Laugier
75017
08 99 23 05 18
Métro: Pereire
Closed on Sunday
Great French Bistrot in St-Germain (one of our favorite neighborhoods) $$
Le Pré Verre: Every time we go to this place, there is a line-up. That is a very good sign. If
the Fench community eats there, it is good quality at a good price. It's owned by two brothers; one is the
chef and the other is a wine expert. Another chef who is great with spices.
Make a reservation especially for a Friday or Saturday dinner.
Le Suffren: Our Canadian friends Lyne and Marcel brought us to this place and we loved it.
It is huge, open all the time and the food is very typical French brasserie style. They also have great
seafood and the prices are very reasonable. It turns out that the owners really like Canadians as we
understand that they lived in Montreal for a while. We are very warmly greeted! Close to the Eiffel
Tower!
84 Avenue Suffren 75015 Paris, France
01 45 66 97 86
Open 7 days a week