We probably don’t have to tell you this, but French cuisine is renowned the world over. From romantic Parisian cafes to Michelin star-rated spots that will blow you away, in this video, we’ll be discussing our top pick restaurants in Paris as of right now. Granted, it seems like just about everyday new chefs come out of the woodwork to open their daringly new establishments. And while some old yet tried and true classics will be featured in this video, we’ll make sure to give you a decent assortment of both fresh and well-established restaurants to choose from.
Year after year, Paris is routinely named on lists of top cities in the world to eat. The French Capital is bursting at the seams with a brilliant arrangement of bouchons, brasseries, and swanky bistros. Over the years, Paris has become increasingly cosmopolitan. While you’ll always be able to find traditional French grub in town, in modern times, you can also find chefs dishing out delicacies borrowing flavors from all over the globe. Asian-influenced dishes seem to have found an especially receptive audience in Paris in recent years.
So without further ado, Viewaction is proud to present to you the Best Restaurants in Paris You Have To Try!
Comice
Most of Paris’ world-famous haute cuisine is simply too pricey for most travelers to experience. While we all wish we could drop a grand on a meal every time we go out, fiscal limitations prevent the vast majority of us from doing so.
That being said, Michelin star-ratted Comice, from famed Canadian chef Noam Gedalof and his equally talented wife, sommelier Etheliya Hananova, offers culinary indulgences that won’t break the bank. The aesthetics of the establishment are likewise very balanced. The ambiance has been described as both relaxed and elegant.
Hananova’s wine selection which features bottles from all around the globe is downright terrific. The same can be said about Gedalof’s adventurous yet delicate take on contemporary French cooking. We recommend giving the duck fole gras with hazelnuts, balsamic, strawberries, and black pepper a go. The roast chicken and polenta with wild mushrooms is also phenomenal.
La Poule Au Pot
Chef Jean-Francois Piege, the owner of this Les Halles institution, is a culinary artist of the highest caliber. Piege, with the help of his wife Elodie, runs several other restaurants in the area. The first thing Piege did upon taking over this long-revered dining spot was rip out the old wallpaper and cafe curtains and give the place a fresh coat of polish.
While the place has been given a good scrub, it essentially feels exactly as it always has – well preserved in all of it’s glory. The menu consisting of cuisine bourgeoise is plated up family style. Onion soup is on the menu daily, and escargot, bone marrow, and frog legs are also always available.
We love the Charolais beef filet and the poached chicken. The puddings are also out of this world.
Granite
Right around the corner from the Louvre, the young team over at Granite are destined to earn themselves a star or three in the next few years thanks to their fabulous service, attractive décor, and delightfully crafted dishes.
Up-and-coming Chef Tom Meyer might only be 28 years old but he is no stranger to Michelin-starred kitchens. During his time working with three-star chef Anne-Sophie Pic, Meyer created more than 400 mouth-watering dishes. Now that he has his own restaurant to shine at, he’s clearly holding nothing back.
As you dine at Granite, you’ll be taken on a culinary journey from land to sea. The hors d
oeuvres alone are worth coming for. The shiso leaf cooked tempura-style topped with a beef consomme is worth trying. Then you have the breaded escargot served with squid ink. It’s both savory and crunchy – creating a play of textures and flavors that explodes within your senses.
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Le Bistrot Flaubert
Founded in the 80s by chef Michel Rostang, this quaint bistro adorned with flea market adornments has recently been taken over by rising chef Nicolas Baumann and star restaurateur Stephane Manigold.
Leading the kitchen is Korean-born chef Sukwon Yong. His Asian take on traditional French Bistro cuisine has led to this becoming one of the more satisfying and enticing restaurants in west Paris.
Be prepared to sink your teeth into dishes like Korean beef tartare coupled with avocado mousse and puffed rice. The lumache pasta with red curry, kimchi, and rabbit confit is also exquisite.
Chez L’Ami Jean
This bistro headed by Chef Stephane Jego is almost always packed. Jego is an expert at delivering gorgeous, traditional bistro food with a few modern tweaks that are so subtle and tasteful that the average foodie won’t even notice.
The dishes on offer are frequently inspired by southwestern French farmhouse cuisine. The food is so soul-enrichingly satisfying that you won’t even be deterred by the somewhat slow service. On the menu are dishes like Parmesan soup with bonito flakes and cabbage, roast lamb with smokey oregano, roasted pigeon with garlic and thyme, and rice pudding.
Restaurant Arnaud Nicolas
Chef Arnaud Nicolas has successfully breathed life back into an ancient yet artfully re-imagined branch of French cuisine with his handmade sausages, terrines, and pates. The restaurant which can be found in the Seventh Arrondissement, is adorned with beamed ceilings, exposed stone walls, and matching moldings.
You’ll be treated to dishes like meat pies and roasts that date back to antiquity. The seasonal menu featuring an ever-evolving assortment of fresh produce is sure to awaken your taste buds. The braised beef cheek with carrots and red wine is clearly one of Nicolas’ best offerings, but the veal sweetbreads with mushrooms and chocolate souffle are also divine.
La Scene
Chef Stephanie Le Quellec’s has reinvented traditional French haute cuisine for the modern age at this glamorous subterranean eatery. The chef works in an open-theater-like kitchen at the front of the room. Instead of a long, drawn-out stuffy affair, guests are treated to a fun and delightfully amusing dining experience that they won’t soon forget.
The Poached langoustines are served with buckwheat, blanc-manger, and claw meat. The Scottish grouse and morels are cooked to perfection in smoked tea. And for dessert, the ganache, which is made with Criollo chocolate imported from Venezuela, is made with delicate olive oil.
Le Grand Restaurant
Living up to it’s name, this French institution is known for its stellar veal sweetbreads. If you aren’t already a fan of offal dishes like this, you surely will be after dining here. Chef Jean-Francoise Piege cooks this signature dish on a bed of walnut shells in a hot box before serving them with morels and walnut mousseline.
Josephine Chez Dumonet
This century-old bistro with it’s lace curtains, bentwood chairs, and cut-glass room partitions is precisely why you endure all of those cramped hours in economy on your flight out to Paris. The boeuf bourguignon is by far the best we’ve found in town. The dish is created by patiently simmering meat to create a savory flavorful sauce from all those juices. You’ll probably want to book a table in advance and don’t forget to try the fantastic Grand Mariner souffle to round out your meal.
Menkicchi
Smack dab in the heart of downtown Paris, halfway between the Louvre and the Opera Garnier, you’ll stumble upon a handful of Japanese and Asian restaurants around Rue Sainte-Anne and it’s intersecting streets.
Menkicchi is known for it’s gyoza and ramen. Locals are particularly fond of the Le Speciale ramen, which is served with handmade noodles and pork bouillon. The dish is topped with a marinated egg and a generous slice of pork breast. To add a bit more umami and splash of color to the bowl, the ramen is accented with seaweed.
La Bourse et La Vie
This bistro is actually Chef Daniel Rose’s second Parisian restaurant. Since opening it’s become one of the city’s best.
Rose delivers near-perfect versions of traditional French dishes that people come from all over to taste. His superb fois gras de canard arrives at the table sitting atop a fresh artichoke heart with a swizzle of shallot vinaigrette. We highly recommend the braised lamb neck Provencal-style as well.
Juvenile’s
This bistro and wine bar is an excellent place to indulge in French comfort while enjoying a fantastic bottle of wine without having to book at least a quarter year in advance. Founded by a Scottish wine merchant and expat, Tim Johnston, this restaurant is now run by Tim’s daughter Margaux and her boyfriend, Romain Roudeau.
Roudeau heads up the kitchen while Margaux runs the dining room. The two create a culinary experience that consistently lives up to their motto of ‘always delivering the goods’. The menu is seasonal, but the kitchen shows off it’s own unique style with offerings like celery soup served with cockles, chives, and cream. The ducking filet with chestnuts and swiss chard is also rather remarkable – as is the scallops with leeks, parsley cream, and baby potatoes.
La Maquis
Situated in the 18th Arrondissement, far and removed from the swathes of tourists around Place du Tertre and Sacre Coeur, this friendly neighborhood bistro has a developed a cult following consisting of discerning locals and out-of-towners alike. Chefs Albert Touton and Paul Boudier have orchestrated a menu composed of dishes with a distinct Southern French and Italian slant. The housemade pastas are extraordinary while the ceviche with bottarga and the pork belly cooked in cider are also noteworthy.
Frenchie
Chef Gregory Marchand opened this contemporary restaurant 12 years ago in Le Sentier – Paris’s oldest and most historic garment district. Ever since the establishment opened it’s doors, it’s been seen as a local institution.
Marchand’s dishes are incredibly inventive and draw upon his experience cooking in London and New York. If you want to get a good idea of what’s trending in Paris right now, look no further than his tasting menu.
The scamorza stuffed agnolotti coupled with pickled squash and the guinea hen breast with Treviso are both phenomenal offerings. You’ll have to make reservations far in advance, but it’ll be well worth the effort.
Unfortunately, we’re just about of time. We’d love to keep telling you about all of our favorite Paris restaurants, but we’ll have to save our other top choices for another time.
Have you been Paris lately? If so, do you have any restaurant recommendations that you think our viewers should know about? Share your favorites in the comments section down below.
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As always, thanks for watching, and happy travels!