10 Best Restaurants in France

Those unable to score a sought-after table at chef Katsuaki Okiyama's restaurant Abri should have better luck at this small soba bar tucked away on a back street off the Faubourg-Montmartre. The chef's savory homemade buckwheat noodles are the big draw—enjoy them hot or cold, paired with duck and leeks, fried tofu and mushrooms, or more imaginative concoctions like eel, cod intestine, and the freshest sashimi. Reservations aren't accepted, so try to arrive before noon for lunch or 7 for dinner to avoid waiting in line.

Tours may be an unexpected place for Japanese cuisine of this caliber, but this sleekly handsome dining room has become one of the city's most sought-after tables (and not always an easy one to get). A warm welcome and accomplished chef Jean-Nobuki Rémon's dazzling small dishes await you, along with expert advice on wine pairings. From light-as-air vegetable tempura and savory miso soup to the freshest seafood (raw and cooked), each dish is a symphony of flavors. Desserts are not to be missed: try the plum liqueur-poached apple served with ginger ice cream.

One of Paris's first bento-box cafés (it's also a Japanese grocer), this cozy spot on storied Rue Ste-Anne offers an array of delicious eats, from smoked eel and grilled salmon to crispy chicken, fried tofu, and yummy veggie sides like marinated seaweed—a house specialty—and sesame spinach. For a meal on the go, this is the place. It's small, cafeteria-style, and no-frills, and crowds can snake down the block, so get there by noon for lunch. Bento boxes are also great to go.

Some Japanese expats say you won't find anything closer to authentic Japanese cooking in Paris than the kitchen in Kifuné. Sit at the bar to admire the sushi chef's lightning-quick skills, or opt for a more intimate table for tasting the sublime crab-and-shrimp salad starter or a deeply comforting miso soup with clams. To follow, you can't go wrong with the sashimi. Eating here will leave a dent in your wallet (though there is a €35 set menu at lunch), but for fans of Japanese cuisine, the meals are worth it. With only 20 seats, it often turns away would-be customers, so book in advance.

Run by Yoichi Kino, a 30-year master sushi chef whose family has specialized in smoked eel for generations, and Ryuma Takubo, who earned a Michelin star in Japan, Komatsubaki specializes in the exquisite vegetarian cuisine favored by Japanese monks. Choose from three sophisticated menus, including a stunning vegetarian version, all served on delicate dishes and accompanied by rare selection of white Burgundies, sakes, and teas. Watch the chefs at work in a tiny jewel-box setting, complete with an elegant authentic dining room that seats six on tatami mats. 

Housed in an 18th-century Marais mansion on a picturesque backstreet, this Japanese restaurant, bar, tearoom, pastry shop, and boutique redefines preciousness. It took four years for the architect and owner to construct, and every detail is a triumph of Japanese craftsmanship—from the rough wabi-sabi walls to the graceful sculptural touches to the ethereal porcelain tea and dinnerware used in the restaurant and for sale in the boutique. Walk-ins are welcome at the boutique and pastry shop, featuring a wealth of organic Japanese teas and exquisite pastries, but don't expect to get a seat at the tearoom or restaurant without a reservation—and don't forget your platinum card.

Small but mighty when it comes to fresh and delicious Japanese comfort food in the form of inari age: sushi rice wrapped in fried tofu (that used here is imported from Kyoto) and topped with vegetables, fish, or meat. The menu also features delicious udon, donburi, gyoza, and mochi for dessert. The dining room is spare but warm, with Noguchi lighting and lots of wood. The chef holds a sake sommelier certificate, and you'd be wise to take his pairing advance. There's also a tantalizing selection of sake cocktails and natural wines.

If you're having what is known in French as a crise de foie (liver crisis), the result of overindulging in rich food, this chic Japanese noodle house with a summer terrace and a second dining room upstairs is the perfect antidote. The blond-wood walls soothe the senses, and the freshly made soba (buckwheat noodles), served in soup or with a restorative dipping broth, will give you the courage to face another round of caramelized foie gras.

There's no shortage of Japanese restaurants around the Louvre, but this one is a cut above much of the competition. The menu has something for every palate, from warming donburi to sushi and sashimi. The black-and-white space is refreshingly bright and modern, and you can perch at one of the counters for a quick bite or settle in at a table. A no-reservations policy at lunchtime means you've got as good a chance as anyone at snagging a seat.