PeggyE

I am trying to not put too much emphasis on this trip to Paris on exactly where we are going to eat and when. Is it possible to just wander the city and find places to eat (main concern is dinner) without always having a reservation? I am talking about cafes & bistros versus *'d dining establishments. And especially where you can sip wine & people watch without it costing an arm & leg. Any suggestions?
And does anyone have a name or location for a place to pick up picnic foods to spend an afternoon near Notre Dame by the Seine or the Luxembourg Gardens?
Thank you for any information. I am reading all the threads & gleaming good suggestions also.

Gretchen

You will walk by a place near Notre Dame to buy food. As for "can you just walk in", yes, maybe. But remember some of these bistros are neighborhood favorites, and may fill up. There are exceptional places to eat in Paris that don't cost an arm and a leg, and aren't starred. It doesn't take much effort to plan on eating at a couple of them by making reservations and having a really terrific evening.

kerouac

I've lived in Paris for 37 years and made a reservation nor more than about 3 times.

alihutch

I never pre book restaurants when on trips....just go for a wander and see what I fancy....

Michel_Paris

I don't book. I have a list per arrondissements, and based on how my day is going, I decide where to eat that night. I show up at 7:30 and in I go. If it looks overly busy, I have other choices.

I like food, but do not go to star'ed restaurants.

A search here will give you loads of recommendations.

greg

If you are not particular about a specific restaurant or the kind of tables you get, then you don't need reservations as long as the restaurant can accommodate you.

When I go to dinners without reservations, I seem to get lousy tables at the entrance or right outside of the kitchen with waiters buzzing by every 10 seconds. So now even at what seems like a casual cafe, I stop by or phone ahead a few hours ahead to get better tables.

During my last visit, I bought takeout food at Gerard Mulot in Saint Germain to have a picnic lunch at Luxembourg Gardens.

dunia123

You'll find any number of places you can just stop in and have a bite and a glass of wine. (I've done it at restaurants as well, but less often.) As for picnic foods, there are plenty of street markets where you'll find stalls of veggies and fruits along with places for cheese, bread, etc. Rue Cler is one that's within walking distance on the left bank of the Eiffel Tower. A good street to try out in the 2nd Arrondissement is rue Montorgueil. It's on the right bank, between Les Halles & Sentier metro stops. Fun to walk down, and you'll find pastries, breads, cheeses, wine shops, etc. Everything you'll need. Enjoy!

kerouac

Anyway, what a lot of us think is that you should allow yourself to go where you will -- and you will find food there without having to rush back to any specific address at any specific time. One of the main delights of Paris is to be able to wander at random. The restaurants and brasseries are everywhere, and the farther you go from the center often the cheaper and the more authentic the meal might be.

nukesafe

I have heard there are something like 8,000 restaurants/bistros in Paris. I'm not sure the number is right, but you will not go hungry!

Christina

I hardly ever make dinner reservations in Paris (or anywhere for that matter). I just don't like my life revolving around food or eating in some particular place and one particular time. Really, there isn't any city in the world where you will starve without restaurant reservations. People don't make reservations at cafes every time they want a drink.

nukesafe

I think I exaggerated the number of Parisian restaurants. TripAdvisor ranks restaurants on a list of 6,058. You still won't go hungry.

SemiMike

For affordable dining, I have a list called "A Selection of 80 Inexpensive and Good Parisian Restaurants (French Cuisine Only)" published by Paris Eiffel Tower News around 2006 (so may not be completely up to date). We have liked the handful on the list we have tried so far. I don't see it anymore on their Web site, so if you want the pdf file (22 pages, by arrondissement) email me at [email protected]

PeggyE

Thank you all! I do have a few names I have noted from this site & depending on how the day is going & what we see, we may reserve...but otherwise, yes, we will wander & eat & enjoy lovely Paris!

ThinGorjus

There is a Chinese/Thai restaurant called The Rose of Sommerard on the Rue Sommerard near the Cluny Museum right off of Blvd. St. Michel. The food is good and it is not expensive.

Thin

kerouac

<i>I have heard there are something like 8,000 restaurants/bistros in Paris.</i>

There are something like 1200 <b>JAPANESE</b> restaurants in Paris. Just imagine the others after that factoid.

kerouac

Trip Advisor doesn't even mention half of the restaurants in Paris.

nukesafe

Holy Moley, Kerouac! I wonder what criteria TripAdvisor uses to add a restaurant to their listing.

I'll admit, your way of finding restaurants, by wandering into a place that looks interesting, can reap big rewards. It can also get one a ho-hum meal. I don't go to Paris for ho-hum, so the listing of gems that others have found are pearls beyond price.