Looking for the best restaurants in Paris to eat at? Well, you’re in the right place. Our insider guide has the low-down on the best restaurants at the moment. Forget expensive tourist-traps serving up unmemorable dishes – this list has the best, tried and tested restaurants where real locals eat.
My guide predominately focuses on restaurants serving French cuisine in different formats. From small sharing plate restaurants to Michelin standard cooking, our list has something for all budgets. If you’re looking for other cuisines scroll down to the bottom of the article.
This guide is split into the following sections:
Best Restaurants in Paris For Modern & Classic French Food
This section lists our favourite French cuisine restaurants where you can enjoy great food for lunch or dinner. They serve a mix of classical and modern French cuisine. If you’re looking for classic French bistro food (snails, onion soup, pâté), check out my best bistros Paris guide. In the mood for a steak? Discover my guide to steak frites in Paris.
Les Enfants du Marché
Les Enfants du Marché is one of my favourite spots in Paris – great food, insane wine and a really fun atmosphere. Started by restauranteur Michael Grossman in 2019, the outdoors, casual counter dining spot has become insanely popular with industry professionals, tourists and in the know foodies. Oh and don’t be surprised if you bump into celebrities (Dua Lipa is apparently a big fan).
You might think, given the location and counter space, that the food is cheap and cheerful. Think again. The talented Shunta Susuki is at the helm at Les Enfants producing stunning, refined, bistronomique food. It’s modern French to the max with awesome ingredients. Everything is home made – arrive early and you’ll see the chefs working on a whole 20kg tuna and preparing native lobsters from Brittany that were landed that morning. The meat dishes are stunning – XL pork chops cooked on the bone and served with a slick, rich meat jus – delicious. The prices are on the higher side so to be prepared to spend but boy is it worth it.
Note that Les Enfants is really popular and you’ll need to arrive at opening if you want don’t want to queue. Expect a party atmosphere as the day goes on with music ranging from hip-hop to French pop classics. It’s an absolute blast if you like good wine and good food. My advice is to go early with a group of friends, order as much food as you can and of course, order some awesome bottles of their natural wine. For me it’s way up there as one of the best restaurants in Paris.
What to know before you visit
- You can’t reserve
- Their opening times vary with the seasons
- It’s covered but still open-air – if it’s windy & cold be-aware that your food won’t stay hot for long!
- Arrive early for lunch otherwise prepare to queue
- The majority of the eating space is on the counter
- My favourite space is on one of the two tables at the end of the bar
- Not suitable for children
Address: Marché des Enfants Rouges, 39 Rue de Bretagne, 75003
Website: https://lesenfantsdumarche.fr
Pristine
Pristine is a cracking local-produce driven restaurant that’s located in the heart of Paris in the 9th arrondissement. Started by Michelle Primc and Jérémy Grosdidier (ex. Le Jules Vernes), the restaurant focuses fresh, seasonal produce that only comes from the Paris region. As you’d expect, their menus change almost daily!
Enter the restaurant you’ll find a beautiful dining space – it’s modern Parisian with industrial accents. Exposed stone walls, terrazzo tables and beautiful leather banquets – it’s a very nice place to be.
The food is awesome – it’s modern French with international twists. When you sit down you’ll be served their home made bread along with their incredible whipped, smoked butter. It looks like mayonnaise and as an insanely light texture. They smoke it, whip it and aerate it resulting in a deliciously smokey and light butter – delicious.
During my last visit we had some stellar dishes (that happened to be mainly vegetarian). Highlights include a fantastic trout dish with textures of beetroot (roasted, raw and pickled) and a lovely fried cauliflower dish with chilli and a smoked yoghurt. A fresh giant ravioli with butternut squash, pesto and egg yolk was incredibly well done and packed a punch. Finally, their mushroom tart was very well done as was their take on tarte tatin with apples and Jerusalem artichoke (oh yes it works so well).
What to know before you visit
- Vegetarian friendly
- Open every day of the week for lunch and dinner
- You can reserve online
Address: 8 Rue de Maubeuge, 75009
Tel: 09 55 67 47 54
Website: https://pristineparis.com
Clown Bar
Perhaps the most well known ‘underground’ Parisian restaurant in the foodie world, Clown Bar is certainly worth a mention. Well known for their out-there, experimental dishes such as veal brain in a dashi based broth infused with yuzu and ginger. It’s a real gem of a restaurant and a prime example of modern, forward thinking French cuisine.
Named after the next-door Cirque d’Hiver’s historical past, the restaurant itself is rather incredible. Behind the central zinc topped bar you’ll find an eclectic mix of clown themed tiles dating back from the 1920s. The interior dining space is on the smaller side and booking a table in advance is must. You’ll no doubt be surrounded by international foodies as it’s become one of the restaurants to eat so don’t expect to be surrounded by locals.
On the food side there’s an ever changing selection of small plates and a few ‘mains’ to choose from. The small sharing plates are awesome. Creative combos using the best of fresh ingredients combined with modern techniques. Expect the aforementioned veal brain with a dashi broth (definitely worth a try!), sea bream tartare, sweet breads with wild mushrooms and a really interesting beef tartare. Their wine list is awesome too with an all natural line-up from small producers.
What to know before you visit
- Currently open all week
- Open for lunch and dinner
- You can reserve online but you’ll need to reserve 1-2 weeks for a Saturday evening booking
Address: 114 Rue Amelot, 75011
Tel: 01 43 55 87 35
Website: https://www.clownbar.fr
Café des Ministères
Run by power couple Jean et Roxane Sévègnes, Café des Ministères is an incredible little restaurant near the Assemblée Nationale. Jean, the head chef, had worked in Michelin star kitchens across the world (including with the great Alain Ducasse in London and New York) before starting his own restaurant in Paris. The restaurant is as traditional as you’ll get and focuses on really good, home made French food. It’s a small restaurant typically frequented by in the know foodies and locals.
It’s a superb introduction into genuine French cuisine. The starters cover the classics; eggs mayo, terrine, foie gras… but be careful, they’re really generous with the portion size. Their boudin noir is superb and comes with a home made mustard infused with honey.
For the main courses Jean revisits the classics and it’s one restaurant in Paris where you’ll find a vol-au-vent (a puff pastry pie without a lid) with sweetbreads and top notch French free-range chicken. It’s incredibly delicious and finished with a superb chicken jus and a healthy dose of fresh truffle. There’s also an XL pork chop to share, scallops cooked à la parisienne with pommes duchesse. Their wine list is pretty incredible too – lots of classic French wine from incredible domaines from around the country.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on weekends
- Open from 9am for drinks with the kitchen open for lunch and dinner only
- You can reserve online but you’ll need to book weeks in advance for dinner
Address: 83 Rue de l’Université, 75007
Tel: 01 45 33 73 34
Website: https://www.cafedesministeres.fr
La Rotisserie d’Argent
A classic French restaurant that is well worth a mention, La Rotisserie d’Argent is the sister restaurant to the famous 1 Michelin star La Tour d’Argent. Already featured in our Best Rotisserie Chicken Paris guide, you won’t only find roasted chicken here. They’ve got a whole host of other well cooked, classic French dishes that are refined yet distinctly homely. Just like its big brother, the service is slick yet not overbearing and has a traditional French brassiere atmosphere. You’ll dine with local French families and, if you’re in the window section, have a great view out to the River Seine and the Notre Dame cathedral.
The food is refined home-style French food with quality ingredients. It’s unpretentious, honest, good cooking and makes for a great family meal. Want a selection of steamed seasonal vegetables with your main? No problem, and you won’t be charged an arm and a leg either.
Their starters are a great way to try some French classics such as Foie Gras, Escargots (snails cooked in garlic butter) and Oeufs-Mayo (simple hard boiled eggs with fresh mayo). The mains cover some great classics; roast duck breast, Coq au Vin and veal kidneys in a mustard sauce. If you’ve got space for a dessert, try their cheese selection – you may be lucky to try cheese from the Tour d’Argent.
What to know before you visit
- It’s easy to get a reservation on the same week
- You can reserve online
- Try the cheese board!
Address: 19 Quai de la Tournelle, 75005
Tel: 01 43 54 17 47
Website: https://rotisseriedargent.com/en/
Speciality Wine & Small Sharing Plate Restaurants
Small sharing plate restaurants with interesting, unique wines are a hallmark of the modern Parisian dining scene and for good reason. The reality of Parisian real estate means there are a lot of awesome intimate dining spots where the kitchens are small and the chefs are forced to be creative. This results in lots of awesome restaurants which serve up small sharing plates (referred to as ‘tapassiettes’ in France) paired with great, unique wine. These restaurants are perfect for couples or groups of friends who love good food and aren’t fussy eaters (note these restaurants are mainly not suitable for children).
Aux Deux Amis
Situated on the bottom of rue Oberkampf, Aux Deux Amis is an awesome restaurant and for me, defines the modern Parisian restaurant. Lively on weekends and sleepy on weekdays, it’s a spot where you’ll find locals sipping on vin nature and nibbling on saucisson. The vibe is effortlessly cool, relaxed yet occasionally manic. The grumpy yet friendly locals really make the atmosphere typically Parisian.
The current chef, Isabel Garcia, is all about French classics peppered with modern twists. You’ll find braised rabbit with mustard, tuna tartare seasoned with a Japanese sesame oil and a delicious octopus served with baby potatoes. The wine is a big highlight of Aux Deux Amis with a small, curated wine list featuring the big hitters of the natural wine world. There’s also a local IPA on tap for the beer lovers.
What to know before you visit
- Book ahead (you need to call)
- Not children friendly
- It get’s lively during weekend nights
Address: 45 Rue Oberkampf, 75011
Tel: 01 58 30 38 13
Website: https://www.instagram.com/auxdeuxamis/
Au Passage
Down a small, dimly lit street in the 11th district of Paris lies Au Passage. With a mosaic lined facade and warm lighting, the restaurant is very much inviting on a cold winters evening. Inside you’ll find great small sharing plate food coming out of the kitchen and awesome funky wine served from the bar. Specialising in nose-to-tail food, raw fish and locally grown vegetables, the food is eclectic and varied. Another prime example of the modern ‘tapassiette’ restaurant in Paris – it’s friendly, interesting and makes for a great evening out.
The menus literally change daily so don’t be surprised if what you see on social media isn’t on the menu when you go. What I can say is that the restaurant uses all parts of an animal. If there’s pork on the menu don’t just expect the chops – there will be the ears, feet, loin on there as well. In addition, there’s usually an awesome selection of raw fish with oysters and tartars on the menu. The dishes have world influences with some great Asian touches – during my last visit we had an awesome take on panipuri.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on Sundays and Mondays
- You can reserve online
- It’s usually easy to get a table on the same day
Address: 1 bis Pass. Saint-Sébastien, 75011
Tel: 01 43 55 07 52
Website: https://www.restaurant-aupassage.fr
Le Servan
Le Servan is an awesome modern, neobistro offering an ultra refined mix of French & Asian cuisine. Run by two powerhouse sisters Tatiana & Katia, who combine years of experience in Asia and France to produce an amazing dining experience. Tatiana’s experience in Michelin starred Apèrge and Astrance shows on the plate, its refined and incredibly forward thinking cuisine. Katia’s wine selection focuses on small, esoteric producers and they have some very good bottles.
The menu is traditionally formatted with starters/entrees and mains. In my experience they’re all generally on the smaller size and perfect for sharing. Expect sweetbreads seasoned with house XO sauce, raviolo with seasonal, Asian filling and an ever changing tartare (veal, beef or fish!). These dishes are precisely cooked and very well seasoned. They have a limited dessert menu but i’d honestly focus on their savoury dishes.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on Sundays
- You can reserve online
- You’ll need to book 1-2 weeks in advance for prime weekend slots
Address: 32 Rue Saint-Maur, 75011
Tel: 01 55 28 51 82
Website: https://www.leservan.fr
Le Jourdain
If you’re in the North-East of the city, around the Belleville area, then Le Jourdain is a great lunch or dinner spot. Very much a ‘where locals eat’ kind of restaurant, it’s an intimate, cosy space where you’ll feel dine like a real Parisian. A patinaed marble wall coupled with low lightning adds a lovely warmth to the dining space which is next to a beautiful retro striped bar.
Le Jourdain’s menu in the evening is all about small sharing plates and are very reasonably priced. There’s traditional options such as pork terrine de campagne and Iberico ham. If you’re vegetarian then there’s plenty of inventive veg based dishes – marinated eggplant, confit and grilled leeks seasoned with feta – delicious. One of my favourite dishes that seems like it’s permanent fixture is their beef or veal tartare (pictured) with a home made oyster mayo and fried garlic crisps. If you’re coming for lunch the menu is more of a traditional format with entree, main and dessert.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on weekends
- You can reserve online
Address: 101 Rue des Couronnes, 75020
Tel: 01 43 66 29 10
Website: https://www.lejourdain.fr
Fine Dining Restaurants
The restaurants in this section serve incredible tasting menu food for under €150 per person. They don’t currently have Michelin stars but the majority are noted in the guide. You’ll eat very well and experience high end service with incredible wine to match.
Passionné
Passionné is a superb fine dining restaurant headed up by the talented Japanese chef Satoshi Horiuchi. Hailing from Hokkaido, Satoshi brings his love of classical French cuisine to Paris in a beautifully decorated restaurant. Located just behind the Grands Boulevards in the 9th arrondissement, there’s a lot of bars around for pre-dinner drinks. The restaurants is moody with rich mid-night blue walls and dim lighting. It’s intimate yet not too cramped (unlike many restaurants in Paris!).
The food is modern French and the restaurant only offers a Carte Blanche tasting menu (there’s no a la carte option). In the evening, their tasting menu (currently €145 per person) includes 7 courses with fish, seafood and meat. Naturally their menus change with the seasons and what comes from their carefully chose, local suppliers. During my last visit I had a wonderfully cooked fillet of trout with an awesome sauce gribiche and a great rare breed beef course with a slick jus. The extra wine pairing includes some great classic French wines.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on Mondays
- You can reserve online
- No dress code
Address: 17 Rue Bergère, 75009
Tel: 01 42 28 58 14
Website: https://restaurantpassionne.com
Semilla
Located in the 6th arrondissement on the famous rue de Seine, Semilla is a great contemporary restaurant. Started by the team behind Freddy’s, Semilla opened their doors in 2012 and is deservingly featured in the Michelin guide. The cool, industrial accented restaurant is very inviting mixing old Parisian bistro with trendy decor. The open, high tech kitchen contains a brigade of young, talented chefs putting out some really tasty, refined food.
Semilla has a 5 course tasting menu and an a la carte section. The menu changes frequently but on the a la carte you expect seabass tartare, suckling pig chop, sea bream with fennel and a Côte de Boeuf to share. The menu might seem on the simple side but what comes on the plate is not. It’s refined cooking and each element on the dish is prepared with care and attention. The seasoning is on point and their sauces are very good. They’ve also got a killer classical wine list and a very knowledgeable sommelier who can help out if needed.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
- I’d advise to reserve in advance (by phone)
- There’s no dress code
Address: 54 Rue de Seine, 75006
Tel: 01 43 54 34 50
Website: https://www.semillaparis.com
Dilia
Dilia, located in the up and coming 20th arrondissement is a gem of a fine dining restaurant. Started by Italian chef, Michele Farnesi, his aim was to a create high end, unpretentious multi course dining experience. It’s classic French with a touch of Italian flair. The restaurant itself feels very much of the area – it’s a warm old, genuine Parisian bistro ambiance. There’s not just tasting menus on offer, they have a very accessible lunch time menu at €28 for entree, main and dessert. The tasting menu in the evening is what you want to go for however. There’s multiple course options ranging from 5 (€59) to 8 courses (€92).
The food is genuinely good and has all the hallmarks of a Michelin star restaurant. There are classy amouse-bouches before the starter courses – tortellini en brodo served with a light broth. Fillet of turbot is served with confit leek and a rich cream/fish sauce. On the meat side we had a superb pigeon dish with a rich jus and confit legs. As we went bang in game season, there was also a classic Lièvre à la royale – wild hare braised in red wine served glazed – incredible. Their wine list mainly revolves around natural Italian wines although they have plenty of great French bottles.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- You can reserve online
- Easy to get a table the same day
- No dress code
Address: 1 Rue d’Eupatoria, 75020
Tel: 09 53 56 24 14
Website: https://www.dilia.fr
Best Michelin Star Restaurants in Paris
Paris has an incredible 130 Michelin starred restaurants to choose from and admittedly, there are some that are much better than the rest. These restaurants are selected for the originality and quality of cooking above all. In my experience eating here, there are a lot of Michelin star restaurants in Paris that are good.. but ultimately forgettable. The following restaurants are, in my experience, extremely memorable with incredible cooking and equally mind-blowing wine!
Le Clarence
Le Clarence is to date, probably my favourite Michelin star restaurant that I’ve been to in France. During my visits there hasn’t been a single course (out of many) that didn’t elicit a delighted reaction from myself or my partner. In fact I think I ran out of superlatives by the end of the meal.
They currently hold 2 Michelin stars with the kitchen headed up by Chef Christophe Pelé. The cuisine here is an incredible mix of classic French with contemporary Chinese influences (from Chef Christophe’s time spent in China). There are show-stopping combinations that you really wouldn’t expect to work yet manage to blow you away. It’s really that good. The restaurant itself is worth a visit alone – it’s like dining in a French château. When you arrive you’ll have a glass of champagne with some amouses-bouches on a large comfortable sofa infront of a roaring wood burning fire (if you visit in the colder months!). The main dining room is equally as stunning with 3 separate rooms including one with a small library on the side.
There are different tasting menu options (3,5 or 7 steps at dinner) and i’d recommend that you come hungry and go for the 7 course option. It’s incredible. The menus naturally change with the seasons but you can expect a few dishes around a fish/seafood ingredients and meat with a few inter-step dishes. During my last visit there were 3 dishes dedicated to langoustines including insane langoustine dumpling balls served in an umami rich broth. There was also a perfectly cooked fillet of turbot followed by a citrus infused ravioli as a mid-course. The meat dishes comprised of a roasted fillet of venison served with a rich jus, fresh winter truffle, potato ‘spaghetti’ with an XO sauce.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on Sundays and Mondays
- You can reserve online (you’ll need to put down a deposit/block on your card)
- Relatively strict dress code – no casual footwear and shirt advised for men (no tie required)
- Take the wine pairing – you can taste incredible wine from incredible bottles from the Château de Haut-Brion
Address: 31 Av. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 75008
Tel: 01 82 82 10 10
Website: https://www.le-clarence.paris
Septime
Septime is one of Paris’ most well known Michelin star restaurants. Consistently ranking in the W50 Best Restaurant award, it’s become the restaurant to eat at. They currently hold 1 Michelin star and the creative, young team are absolutely deserving of it. Situated on the buzzing rue Charonne in the trendy 11th district, you wouldn’t immediately think that Septime is a starred restaurant. The industrial-chic interior with lime wash walls and low, dim lighting feels very relaxed – and it is. The service is distinctly Michelin yet there’s absolutely nothing stuffy about the experience. The staff are super friendly and forget about a dress code – come however you would like.
The food, as with many of the best restaurants, is carte blanche. Their tasting menu is available in 5 steps for lunch or 7 steps for dinner. It’s seasonal with the courses changing every few months. There are lots of inspirations and nods to the Scandinavian fermentation movement (think NOMA) which isn’t something you’ll frequently see in Paris. During my last visit the standout dishes were an incredible vegetable broth infused with herbs to start along side a very well done truffle flatbread. Following this there was an excellent no waste carrot dish with confit and barbecued carrot and to follow a roast cauliflower with a peanut sauce and finished with a rich meat jus.
I’d definitely recommend the wine pairing but note, don’t go for pre-dinner drinks as they are very generous with the wine. The wines are mainly natural and pair very well with the food.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on weekends
- You need to reserve online 3 weeks before the date of your choice. Reservations open at 10am French time each day. Make sure to reserve as soon as the clock hits 10!
- No dress code
Address: 80 Rue de Charonne, 75011
Website: https://www.septime-charonne.fr/en/
L’Orangerie
One of three Michelin star restaurants in the George V hotel close to the Champs Elysée, L’Orangerie is a great high end French restaurant. They currently have 1 star with Chef Alan Taudon on the pass. It’s classy dining space in a conservatory jutting out into the central courtyard is a lovely place to eat at and the service, as you’d expect is slick as it gets. The food is focused on seafood, fish and vegetables and currently don’t serve any meat.
Their dinner only tasting menus are available in either 5 or 7 courses. The dishes are incredibly well presented and a hell of a lot of flavour to match. We had scallops matched with cucumber and caviar, langoustines served raw in a warm umami rich broth and turbot served on a cauliflower ‘risotto’. They really do a good job at bring flavour to the plate whilst not going crazy with ingredient pairings. Their wine list is also incredible due to the fact that they share the cave with their big brother, 3 star restaurant, Le Cinq.
What to know before you visit
- Open every day for lunch and dinner
- Vegetarian friendly
- Smart dress code
Address: 31 Av. George V, 75008
Tel: 01 49 52 72 24
Website: https://www.fourseasons.com/paris/dining/restaurants/l-orangerie/
Ze Kitchen Galerie
Located on the left bank, very close to the Seine, Ze Kitchen Galerie is a rather unknown but very inventive 1 star restaurant. The dining space is covered in contemporary art which changes regularly (hence the gallery part in the name). The art matches the kitchen’s philosophy of modern, forward thinking cuisine artfully presented on the plate. They have tasting menus available in the evening and have simple (and very affordable) a la carte options for lunch.
During my last visit for lunch we picked the entree, main and dessert option which came in at only €41 each. The mains consisted of a roast pigeon and sweetcorn dish with roast breasts and confit legs. The sweetcorn included sautéd baby corn and an ultra smooth corn purée. The dish was finished with a super rich jus, baby aubergine, seared foie gras and Thai basil. The other main was an awesome lobster ‘risotto’ dish with a lemon grass & yuzu broth. It’s a great affordable 1 star restaurant with a lot of talent in the kitchen. I’d certainly recommend going if you’re in the area and fancy a high end lunch!
What to know before you visit
- Closed on weekends
- Open for lunch and dinner throughout the week
- No strict dresscode
Address: 4 Rue des Grands Augustins, 75006
Tel: 01 44 32 00 32
Website: https://zekitchengalerie.fr/en/
Auguste
Auguste is a small, intimate 1 Michelin star restaurant owned by the chef Gaël Orieux. Close by to the Invalides in the 7th arrondissement, the elegant restaurant is airy and matches the slick, friendly service. The food is classic French with some modern twists and the kitchen has a distinct focus on sustainability especially when it comes to the fish. The menu changes almost daily and elements are adjusted to what comes from the market. Their tasting menus are served in the evening with either 4 or 6 courses. I’d recommend going for their 6 course menu as it includes (and quite rare to see not as an optional extra) a cheese course.
The food is refined yet classic French food. Oysters seasoned with modern gels to start, red mullet with a silky reduced bisque and halibut served with a classic beurre blanc. Their pastry section is very good and it’s one restaurant where you’ll very likely get an excellent soufflé (why don’t more restaurants serve them?!). Their very reasonable (€45) lunch menu is a great, accessible way to try Michelin standard food.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on weekends
- Open for lunch and dinner throughout the week
- No strict dresscode
- You can reserve online
Address: 54 Rue de Bourgogne, 75007
Tel: 01 45 51 61 09
Website: http://www.restaurantauguste.fr
Asian & African Restaurants
If you’re looking something different to French food then check out our recommendations below. Each link will take you to a sub guide which has our own recommendations for each cuisine.
Asian Restaurants in Paris
Paris has an incredible Asian food scene, from Vietnamese to Japanese food, there are some incredible restaurants. Check out our sub guides below:
Pan-Asian Restaurants
Chinese Restaurants in Paris
Vietnamese Restaurants in Paris
Korean Restaurants in Paris
Indian Restaurants in Paris
Japanese Restaurants in Paris
Best Ramen in Paris
African & Middle Eastern Food and Restaurants in Paris
Feeling like falafel or some authentic West African food? Discover our sub guides below:
Best Pan-African Restaurants in Paris
Ethiopian Restaurants in Paris
Finding the best Falafel in Paris
Italian & Spanish Food in Paris
Pizza, pasta and tapas – check our guides to awesome Italian & Spanish food below:
Best Italian Restaurants in Paris
Best Pizza Paris
Spanish Restaurants in Paris
