Paris Restaurants

If you have an iPhone there is a great free application that you can download from Apple Store called "Tell me Where" or in French "Dit moi ou". Their selection of Paris restaurants are rated by customers rather than professional restaurant critics and we've found some amazing local bistros with this tool.

Another quick tip is to check the door for award stickers. Good stickers to look for:

Michelin (red stickers)
Pudlo Paris
Petit Fute

Don't get the award stickers confused with the "we accept lunch tickets" stickers as these are no indicator of quality.

We'll give you a list below of a few of our personal favorites which we have chosen for both great food and friendly service.

We don't eat out often enough to be a comprehensive guide to Paris's many restaurants but we've found a few great Paris food blogs, restaurant review sites and books which we're happy to recommend.

Recommended Food Blogs, Websites and Books

David Lebovitz - Living the Sweet Life in Paris
David Lebovitz, renowned pastry chef and author of several food books, has been living in Paris since 2002. David lists some of his favorite places to eat. The restaurants, bistros and wine bars selected are not fancy, but are places where you'll find a good mix of Parisians with a few visitors as well. Most of them are moderately priced, except where noted.

David also produces a beautiful food blog from Paris with the most incredible photographs, and recipes that really make your mouth water.

Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris by Clotilde Dusoulier
Great little guide book to Paris Bistro's, restaurants, bakeries and cafes. Clotilde Dusoulier, a native Parisian, wrote this fun and friendly guide you to some the best spots in town.

The Patisseries of Paris by Jamie Cahill
There is only so much pastry you can eat in your trip to Paris so be sure not to waste the calories on just any bakery. This guide book will lead you to the best pastry chefs, chocolate shops, tea rooms, cafe's and great gourmet grocery stores in Paris.

Our Favorite Paris Restaurants and Bistros

Food is excellent, presentation is beautiful and the service is extremely friendly. The staff are mostly American, English or Australian but all are bilingual and happy to help you with the menu or the extensive wine list.

35 euro 3 course dinner menu is good value for the standard of the food served.

Au Pied de Fouet
3 rue Saint Benoit
75006 Paris
01.42.96.59.10
15 to 20 euros

Also in St. Germain area is "Au Pied de Fouet" a very cute but tiny bistro tucked down rue Saint Benoit. Unbelievable good value with starters from 3 - 5 euro and main course 11 - 15 euro. Wine is also very good and inexpensive. We had an excellent dinner for four with everybody enjoying 3 courses and two bottles of wine and all for under 100 euros.

Service is also very friendly and fast. No reservations required but you might want to get there early to get a table.

This restaurant has two other locations: 45 rue de Babylone, 75007 Paris and 96 rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris

Le 14 JUILLET - Restaurant

99 rue Didot
Paris 14ème  
01 40 44 91 19.

Open 7 days a week.  About 25 to 35 euros
Dress: Casual
 


This is our neighborhood favorite and is also mentioned in the Michelin Green Guide as a good place to eat in the 14th arrondissement.

Very friendly young staff immediately make you feel at home.  Classic bistro style restaurant with old wooden tables, red and white checkered napkins and a chalk board menu which they carry around from table to table.  

The staff speak enough English to help you with the menu. Unpretentious classic French food including such staples as homemade pate, blanquette de veau and the house special "leg of lamb" for two.  

This might be a little out of the way if you are just visiting Paris as "rue Didot" is not very scenic but if you live in Paris and are looking for a friendly neighborhood bistro with classic French dishes for a good price and friendly service then you need to visit our friends at the 14th of July.

If you are going out to see a movie in Montparnasse then this is a great place for an early dinner. Two course dinner menu with a glass of wine is only 15 euro until 9:00pm. Regular menu prices are 22 to 26 for two course dinner. Excellent unpretentious French food for very reasonable prices. The restaurant is very popular with the Montparnassee locals and mostly overlooked by the tourists. Staff are friendly and very efficient.

Les Grillades de Buenos Aires
54, rue de Montparnasse
75014 Paris
01.43.21.56.74
20 to 30 euros

Very small Argentinean steak restaurant offering an all beef menu at affordable prices. I would normally not recommend steak restaurants in France as you're usually better off with fish, poultry or pork but if you're craving some red meat then try this little restaurant tucked away between all the creperies on rue Montparnasse.

Prices & Payment

All restaurants are required by law to post a menu with prices outside the door. The prices listed usually include 15% for tax and tip "service compris".   It's not necessary to leave an additional tip unless you really feel the service warrents it, in which case you leave an additional 5% or if paying in cash just round off the amount (for example the bill costs 57€ and you leave 60€).  If you need more help figuring out tips see our Paris tipping guide.

In France they don't always bring you water automatically but you just need to ask for "une carafe d'eau" if you would like a jug of regular tap water. Tap water is always free and don't feel obliged to order bottled water unless you prefer it.

At the end of your meal you need to ask for the check "l'addition, s'il vous plait".  It would be considered rude if they brought the check before you specifically requested it.

Most restaurants accept credit cards and will bring the credit card machine to your table rather than taking your card away.

Restaurant Hours

Dinner is served from 7:30pm on but most French people don't eat out until 8:30pm or later.

Most Brasseries and cafes serve food all day just look for a sign that says "service continu".

Reservations

Check the dress code as some of the more formal restaurants may require a jacket and tie.

Different Styles of Restaurants

Bistro
Often smaller and more casual than restaurants and often use chalk board or verbal menus. Most specialize in regional cuisine including classic french dishes coq au vin, pot-au-feu, confit de canard and entrecôte.

Brasseries
Brasserie is the French word for brewery so it's not surprising that here you will find beer, platters of smoked meat, assorted sausages and sauerkraut "choucroute".

Bars a Vin (Wine Bar ) - Great place to enjoy a glass wine and nibble on some cheese, platters of smoked meats "charcuterie, pates and possible even cooked meals.

Cafes
As well as serving coffee, tea and hot chocolate most cafes will serve sandwiches, salads and pastries.   My favorite sandwich is the "croque-monsieur" a toasted ham and cheese sandwich best enjoyed with wonderful spicy French mustard!

Salons de The - A tea room offering a selection of teas, coffee, hot chocolate and wonderful pastries.  Most salons de The also serve a light lunch of salads or quiche but close before dinner.

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