I’ve been flooded with requests for tips on where to eat in Paris (I’ve been living full time in Paris since January 2023), so here’s my list of my current favorite restaurants and cafes in Paris right now. I’ll try to update this list regularly because I try new restaurants every week!
Remember that in August, about one third of places in Paris are closed for 2-4 weeks so call before you go anywhere that month.
Best Ambiance Restaurants
To be clear, these are the “see and be seen” restaurants that you go to mostly for the ambiance and people, not for the food. Great for date nights if you want to dress up. The food is good but won’t blow your mind. For all of these places, you must have a reservation.
Go to Mun (Japanese) or Langosteria (Italian seafood in Cheval Blanc hotel) for iconic Eiffel Tower views in an upscale environment.
I also love La Plume Rive Droite (Japanese), Loulou (Italian by the Louvre), La Cour Jardin at Hotel Plaza Athenee, Rivie in the Hoxton Hotel, and Ralph’s for their gorgeous courtyards.
Hotel de Crillon is great for a fancy treat yo’self breakfast. You can also book a massage at the hotel after you eat. It’ll give you access to the spa that also includes a gym and swimming pool.
Booking an afternoon tea at Salon Proust at the Ritz Paris is also a quintessentially French experience.
Laperouse is a quirky French restaurant great for an unusual date night. It used to be a brothel and has private rooms you can book.
Pink Mamma (Italian) is probably one of the most Instagrammed restaurants in Paris.
I love Drouant for a traditional french brasserie fancy business lunch. I love their tableside preparation of beef tartare!
Best Foodie Restaurants
Bouche is very popular in the foodie community. It’s one of the restaurants where Parisian chefs eat. It has a hipster vibe. Book early as this is a very hard reservation to get Thursdays to Saturdays.
Early June has monthly rotating chefs from around the world. They don’t take reservations for groups smaller than four people, so plan to either get there just before or shortly after they open. If you come later than that you won’t be able to get a table. It’s literally packed every day.
Deux Restaurant is my favorite place to do brunch. It’s a fixed price multi-course menu that changes regularly but always includes these to die for pancakes with a hazelnut chocolate sauce. It’s very casual and great for families.
Creme Restaurant is my favorite place to grab lunch (though dinner is awesome as well!) when I’m exploring the Montmartre area. The owners are a young couple who will make you feel at home. The menu changes every day.
Cafe les Deux Gares is my favorite French cafe because of the to-die-for food and killer wine list. It’s casual and cozy and when the weather is nice it’s amazing to eat outside. I introduced this place to my dear French friend who grew up in Paris and he continues to go here regularly now.
L’insolite is my favorite place to grab a delicious meal when I haven’t made a reservation anywhere. Hopefully you’ll be seated by the open kitchen and fireplace. Make sure you order the artichokes cooked with anchovy butter!
Gramme is my favorite for a creative brunch. They have several locations in Paris. Prepare to wait in line on weekends.
Rouge Do is where I go when I want creative, more upscale Vietnamese food (you’ll love the charismatic Vietnamese owner and his entire family who cooks in the kitchen!) and Asian Soupe is where I go when I want the more traditional stuff.
There is a very low key insanely adorable mom and son Japanese chef team that cooks delicious home-style Japanese comfort food at Zakuro.
Lebanese food in Paris is delicious and so far my fave is at Kubri.
For sushi, Blueberry Maki for a more casual dinner and Sushi B, Charbon, or Sushi Shunei for more upscale sushi.
I don’t do fine dining often because I find it makes me uncomfortably full. I’ve been to several 3 Michelin places I wouldn’t recommend because I found the vibe uptight and the food unmemorable. So far, my favorite fine dining experience has been at Maison.
Best Coffee Shops
Buddy Buddy is my favorite place to order a matcha blended with oat milk and peanut butter. It’s so pretty inside you feel like you’ve stepped into a beauty retail store. It’s a Belgian brand originally and this outpost opened recently.
Clove Coffee Shop is one of my favorite places to grab coffee in Paris. The owners are always there and serve the best coffee in ceramics that they’ve handmade. It’s in Monmartre, which is a must visit neighborhood for any trip to Paris. It’s very close to the Wall of Love, a great tourist stop.
Petit Palais is a museum worth stopping by and it has an outdoor cafe that’ll give you quintessential Parisian vibes. Seats fill up during lunch so get there early.
Best Bakeries
Get to bakeries in Paris early on weekends because they will run out of their best items by noon.
Sain Boulangerie makes my favorite chocolate chip cookies not only in Paris but in the world! Their croissants are unusual because of the ancient grains they use, so they’re crunchier and a bit harder than other croissants. I actually love the texture.
Mamiche has two locations in Paris and makes my favorite croissant in Paris.
Boulangerie Utopie also makes incredible croissants and comes a close second for croissants for me. I also love their baguette sandwiches. It’s probably the bakery I find myself going to most often.
Cedric Grolet is a must visit for lunch if you have a sweet tooth! Ignore the bad reviews from haters who are jealous of his success. His desserts are by far the best I’ve had in Paris in terms of flavor, creativity, and presentation. Make a reservation several months in advance as it books out. You can also pre-order for pickup. There’s also a location in the gorgeous Meurice hotel.
Pierre Herme is another famous bakery with several locations in Paris. They also have delicious croissants, but not all locations have croissants. This one does. It has the famous raspberry croissant that’s gone viral on the internet.
Best Bars / Nightlife
The bar at Hotel Particulier is a great place to grab a drink for a date night. It’s cozy, hidden, and romantic. The hotel is a bit hard to find as you have to walk through a gate then down a path in a very suburban neighborhood.
Silencio Club is my top pick if you want a wild late night out. Make sure you dress up and get there before midnight or you’ll have trouble getting past the doorman.
The rooftop bar at Hotel National Des Arts et Metiers and poolside bar at Hotel Molitor are also very fun options.
Best Food Markets
D’Aligre is the best farmers market in Paris where all my foodie friends shop if they’re going to throw a dinner party. You can grab a bite there as well.
Check out La Grande Epicierie, the super luxurious grocery store at Bon Marche, if you’re in the area. You can eat there as well. They have a deli and a massive cheese, meat, and seafood section. The produce there is also gorgeous and includes rare varieties not easily found in other markets.
Marches des Enfants Rouges is another market that has food stands as well.
Julie