Another list of the supposedly-best places to eat in Paris? Yes, but this time from an insider, who has tried hundreds of local joints. And the results are...
For great food in an elegant environment
Ellsworth & Chez Gladines
Ellsworth and Gladines feel like home, in different ways. The first has found the perfect balance between sophistication and comfort. You can eat next to business people just like old regulars, and their meals, a refreshing take on the French classics, never disappoint. Gladines, on the other hand, is specialized in food from the South-West, which everyone should try at least once in their life.
Ellsworth 34 rue de Richelieu, 1st arrondissement, tel: 01 42 60 59 66, (Metro: Palais-Royal, Pyramides)
Chez Gladines 30 Rue des cinq Diamants, 13th arrondissement, tel: 01 45 80 70 10 (Metro: Place d'Italie, Corvisart)
For brunch lovers
Holybelly & Marcelle
It may not look like it, but Paris is getting strong in the brunch game. These two places are two very solid contenders for the “Best Brunch spot in Paris” award, if it ever existed.
Holybelly has two locations, both on the same street, one at number 5 (pancakes, eggs & sides, daily specials, specialty coffee and craft beer) and one at number 19 (seasonal breakfast sharing plates, plats du jour, specialty coffee and natural wines).
Holybelly 5 and 19 rue Lucien Sampaix, 10th arrondissement, tel: +01 82 28 00 80 (Metro: Jacques Bonsergent, République)
Restaurant Marcelle 22 Rue Montmartre, 1st arrondissement, (Metro: Etienne Marcel, Les Halles) tel: +01 40 13 04 04 (Metro: Etienne Marcel, Les Halles)
For dinner in your typical French brasserie
La Coupole & Polidor
If you have ever watched a period piece set in Paris, you have seen these places. Untouched since the roaring twenties, these places have welcomed hoards of scholars from the Quartier Latin, as well as celebrated artists and writers. Have a seat at the bar and watch History unfold.
La Coupole 102 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 14th arrondissement, tel: 01 43 20 14 20 (Metro: Vavin, Montparnasse Bienvenue)
Polidor 41 Rue Monsieur le Prince, 6th arrondissement, tel: 01 43 26 95 34 (Metro: Odéon)
For breakfast in front of a historical monument
Comptoir du Panthéon & Le Vauban
Grab a seat outside and look around: you are less than a hundred feet away from the Panthéon (Comptoir du Panthéon) and the Invalides (Le Vauban). You are eating this croissant across from Napoléon’s (les Invalides) and Marie Curie’s graves (le Panthéon). Not tourist traps, but extremely well operated places with great food options, these two spots can attract food lovers and sightseers alike.
Comptoir du Panthéon 5 Rue Soufflot, 5th arrondissement, tel: 01 43 54 75 36 (Metro: Cluny - La Sarbonne, Luxembourg)
Le Vauban 7 Place Vauban, 7th arrondissement, tel: 01 47 05 52 67 (Metro: Saint-François Xavier)
For Italian better than in Italy
Popolare & Grazie
When Popolare opened in 2017, if was a revolution: you could have a delicious, adult-size pizza in Paris for 4 euros?! Better deal than the dollar slice, and much better taste! If you are brave enough to stand in line, this is the best quality/price ratio you will find in France. Grazie, on the other hand, has one of the tastiest carte: great antipasti, pizzas to die for. Elegant but not showy, its setting, a few blocks from the Bastille, is also one of its best assets.
Pizzeria Popolare 111 Rue Réaumur, 2nd arrondissement, tel: 01 42 21 30 91 (Metro: Bourse, Sentier)
Grazie 91 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 3rd / 11th arrondissement, tel: 01 42 78 11 96 (Metro: Saint-Sebastian Froissart)
For the best French food you’ll find in Paris
Les Papilles & Septime
These two restaurants hold a special place in any foodie’s heart that has ever been to Paris. Two of the greatest chefs in Paris, both serving affordable quality meals in a welcoming setting. Worth every penny, hands down.
Les Papilles 30 Rue Gay-Lussac, 5th arrondissement, tel: 01 43 25 20 79 (Metro: Luxembourg)
Septime 80 rue de Charonne, 11th arrondissement, tel: 01 43 67 38 29, (Metro: Charonne)