Best Paris restaurant guides
 

We'll be in Paris for 5 days in late May. What are the best resources on restaurants? I don't necessarily need to eat in Michelin starred restaurants, but with only 5 days, I'd like to make some reservations at good mid-priced restaurants. Some days, we might eat our big meal at lunch. Online guides? Books I should buy?

Thanks so much for your help.
Alice

Michelin lists a lot more than starred restaurants; look for restaurants that have received status from Michelin as "bib Gourmand," where you can eat well for moderate prices.
I don't think you need much more than that for a guide.

Also look at the food website, HUNGRYONION.ORG.

Michelin lists a lot more than starred restaurants; look for restaurants that have received status from Michelin as "bib Gourmand," where you can eat well for moderate prices.
I don't think you need much more than that for a guide.

Also look at the France forums on the food website, www.HUNGRYONION.ORG

What I would not recommend for restaurants is TripAdvisor.

Hungry Onion is a great resource for Paris dining. The France forum there is filled with recommendations from locals, such as ParnParis and very frequent visitors, such as sfcarole, just to name two, but there are many more posters on the France forum who are extremely knowledgable about the current Paris food scene.

For a short trip, I follow my nose and eyes when food is in the offing.

Hungryonion is the place where lots of Chowhound posters went and has great suggestions for Paris. Paris by Mouth is another good resource and has lots of good suggestions for eating mainly on the right bank. I also agree with a lot of Wendy Lyn/Paris is my Kitchen recommendations. Hungry Onion is a website and the other people are on Instagram.

I subscribe to Paris by Mouth, another good source, as macdogmom says.

Thanks so much to ekscrunchy, Maribel, kerouac and macdogmom! I know where to do my homework now, I don't think I would have found these resources without you. My mouth is watering already.

I'll report back in after our trip.
Alice

Don't forget that all of the places suggested by the various guides and websites will be crowded with all of the people who follow those recommendations. That often means having to reserve at those places, which restricts your time and freedom to change plans. That's why I don't bother.

Also I have a detailed Paris trip report (well actually a food report) from May 2023 on hungry onion under my user name Annegrace. We’re not big on Michelin stars or tasting menus, but we had some great meals at new places and old favorites.

Excellent, macdogmom, I will definitely look it up. Sounds like you like the same kind of restaurants that we do.
Thanks! Alice

I also use le Fooding (the site in English)

https://lefooding.com/en/search/rest...ace/paris-8246

Thanks, Maribel, I will check it out!
Alice

What area of Paris are you staying in? The city is easy enough to get around, but if you list your location we might be able to suggest some restaurants near you.

We're staying in the Latin Quarter, I'd LOVE some nearby restaurant suggestions, thanks for asking, TPAYT! The last time we were in Paris, we stayed in the 10th, and it was nice but not as convenient for most of what we planned to see.

Alice

My experience with restaurants in the Fifth date from 2019 and 2017, so best recheck these recommendations for current status. Details in my trip reports (click my screen name to find them). And don't trust my spelling.

La Pie Noir, Le Cosi, l'Atlas, le Petit Saigon.

The only problem with this is there is a lot of mediocre food in Paris that is expensive Especially in neighborhoods where tourists find themselves. I learned the hard way. Places that are worth going to fill up. You don't necessarily have to reserve a long time in advance, but a little advance notice is worth it.

The good thing about suggestions on hungryonion.org is that they are not always the same as the ones in the guidebooks.

And there are lots of photos on some of the Hungry Onion Paris threads.

Here’s my trip report from 4 months ago in Dec. 2023
Our apartment was just off of St. Germain Blvd. and you might get a few tips.

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...nture-1719170/

Make sure you reserve ahead of time for everything.
we’ve been to most of tge restaurants listed several times but our new favorite was Bistrot ‘d Henry
Also Le Train Bleu is the biggest WOW and medium priced for the experience. (Both listed in my report)

https://www.davidlebovitz.com/paris/ You might want to take a look at his site. I know he just updated his recommendations.

Thats a great list! I meant to post it and forgot. I follow David L on various social media platforms (and have really enjoyed his books) and I think it’s a solid list. Most of the restaurants are on the right bank and if you’re staying in the fifth walking to the 4th, 3rd and 11th is a quick jaunt across the bridge. We ate at Kubri, Bistro Des Tournelles, Breizh cafe and Parcelles (highly recommend!) last May and have eaten at Frenchies wine bar (full of Americans), Bistro Paul Bert, Au Passage and Le Servan.

The problem I have with most guides (of any kind) is that locals have been eating the food in Paris for a very long time, and they are easily bored by many traditional offerings. Whereas most inexperienced tourists to Paris really should become familiar with traditional offerings before diving into modern cuisine. You don't learn anything from modern places, and the experience is usually impersonal.

Someone once said of bistrot cuisine: "the oldest pots make the best dishes." I will tell people to go to places that offer food you are unfamiliar with. It's part of the learning experience of travel. French onion soup will be better in the US. Same for steak au poivre. Better to go for harengs pommes à l'huile!

Regional restaurants in Paris have a lot to offer that you can't find in French restaurants in other countries. So the food of Auvergne or Aveyron can be a true surprise. For the locals, not so much. It's not always a question of eating at the best places, but eating something distinctive.

This is why I am against the 'hunt and peck' approach. You learn nothing by looking at menus in windows. When I find myself doing that, I know I'm doing it wrong.

Thanks, AJPeabody, I'll take a look at your trip reports and recheck these recommendations. We have a restaurant we've gone to since... since I can't remember when, and will likely go just for nostalgia's sake.
Alice

shelemm, this is sound advice. I generally avoid the normal guidebooks, I was very interested in the hungryonion site, I'd never heard of it before.
And Paqngo, I don't know why I didn't think about David Lebovitz, I see his advice all the time - good advice!
Thanks, Alice

Thanks, TPAYT, I will definitely look at your report, and thanks for the suggestions, the apartment you stayed in isn't too far away.
Alice

It is impossible for me to eat "expensive" food against my will since by law all menus are posted outside of every restaurant. And don't forget that there is no extra service charge or tip to pay. You pay exactly the amount indicated on the menu.

When we were last in France (Fall of 2022) I did extensive research on restaurants, wine bars, rooftop bars, for every city where we were travelling (Bruges, Brussels, Paris & Nice). I prepared it by arrondissement for Paris, and although we waledk 6-12 miles per day, upon returning to our hotel (Hotel des Jardins du Luxembourg) we usually have no desire nor stamina to trek across town for dinner. I noted days closed, as we were to arrive on a Sunday afternoon. Well, I found the document on our Excel spreadsheet. You have gotten great info above, but would be happy to send this list along to you should you desire. I have printed out restaurants w Metro Stops, days/hours, and specialties

One of our very favorite meals upon Sunday arrival was at Augustin Marchand d'Vins, (Wine Bar, super tiny, with only a few tables occupied all by young locals, and then there was us two!). One chef plus the proprietor. We picked it because of reviews and its location, a short walk thru Rue du Commerce St. Andre (ancient hidden passage in St. Germain). My sources for my list were several: David Leibovitz, Gayot Guide (online), Paris by Mouth (online), WSJ feature articles, Paris50, Michelin and several travel magazine excerpts featuring Paris food.

Another fave that week was: Les Papilles, which is small and must be reserved well in advance, we had dined there twice before, but now it is hugely popular. One menu served to all, three-four courses, excellent & very reasonable. It is ranked #26 on Paris50, and in the 5th on Rue Gay-Lussac, closed Sun & Mon. These two stand out as most memorable on this trip. (And while L'Ange 20 placed #14 on that list, in the 4th on Rue Tournelles, we never got there -- next time!)

I would say look at your nights, and if they include a Sunday & Monday, check restaurant website and make reservations now! Believe I made reservations thru the establishment or by La Fourchette. Have fun, Alice9

Aliced

aliced, we think alike! I like to eat close-ish to the hotel after a long day. I am already checking out what's open on Sunday/Monday. I would love your your list, thanks for the offer. We arrive on a Sunday as well. And thanks as well for the additional sources.

One question - how far in advance can I make a reservation?

Thanks so much,
Alice

A lot of places take online reservations now. Before Covid you had to call or get lucky if the restaurant was on La Fourchette. When we went back to Paris after 4 years of Covid induced no traveling I was pleasantly surprised by how much easier it was getting reservations. Go online to the restaurants you are interested in and see if you can reserve and what the time frame is. Paris by mouth used to have a great (free) website with restaurants they recommended separated out by arrondissement. I think you have to pay now but might be worth it for a month. We also like to eat close by for dinner because our trips were always for a conference my husband went to and spent all day working, so dinner had to be at 7 or 7:30 and walkable. That’s why we always stayed in the 3rd because it was full of our favorite places to eat.

Went to Les Papilles a few times awhile ago. It’s basic but decent but full of other Americans so if you don’t mind that…

Thanks so much, macdogmom, I hadn't thought about HOW I was going to make reservations, online is excellent. I will get busy on this.
Alice