Neighborhood Bistros in Paris
 

Hello all. I will be visiting Paris in October and was hoping I could get suggestions for small, local restaurants. I know that this is almost an impossible request because there are so many places to choose from. On my past visits to Paris I didn't give much thought to eating and just ended up eating at or near the tourist sites.

But if you've been to a great little place and you're willing to share that would be great. I'm not looking for gourmet, or foodie, type places...just a place to get a moderately priced meal that is off the tourist track, and is uniquely French.

I am staying in the Saint Germain area, but I can venture to any part of Paris.

Thanks for any tips.

My husband and I ate a 2 amazing places on our last trip. One is called Spring which is run by this lovely American Chef, Daniel Rose and it was really special. Call now to get a reservation. Here's the website: http://www.springparis.fr/

The other was less pricey but just as wonderful: Les Papilles - 30 Rue Gay Lussac. This might be more of what you're talking about. Spring is renown. At this place there's a nightly menu that they prepare and you can choose the wine. It is tiny and very special and reasonable.

Walk through any back street with some commercial activity and it will tend to have a bistro, often at an intersection. No guarantee of quality, but check out their menu or day's prix fixe at noon. If it interests you, try it. Look at the locals eating there at lunch time; it will give you an idea of how popular the place is and what is being offered.

Hi
In the 6th I recommend
Cafe Bouillu Ecole médecine
Charette Créole gilles Chaplain
Bouillon Racine Rue racine is less good but has kept a splendid 'art déco' decoration.

Charette créole is Guadeloupean food - great.

In the 5th
Estrapade, rue Estrapade.
Pouic Pouic rue Lambineau

In the 4th : pain vin fromage : very small restaurant with 'racelettes and fondues'

in the 3rd :
Pramil, great.

In the 11th, close to Bastille :
Santa Carne, rue des tournelles (great meat - argentinina)
In the 18th
Sacrée fleur, rue clignancourt - fabulous meat too
Atelier ramey, superb too

And in the 12th, la biche au bois : fantastic wild meat and get a bottle of côte rôtie : 'only' 45 € - cheap for such a wine.

Enjoy
As for bars, I recommend 2 close to Saint-Michel :
- le bar de la fin du monde
- green linnet - go there on a wednesday for the quizz, loud but nice.

Thanks, Rseidon...Les Papilles looks like what I'm looking for.

Thanks to you, too, Whathello...I'll check those places out.

Michael...thanks for the suggestion. I've been reading that the roasted chicken & potatoes found offered from street vendors is a must. Funny, I never would have thought of that...I practically live on those roasted chickens from the markets here in the US.

I'm assuming they're somewhat tastier on the Paris streets.

Most outdoor food markets will have an ambulatory rotisserie stand offering chicken and pork.

We love Cafe Varenne which is near the rue du Bac Metro station.

L'Ange 20. We'll return this fall. Reservations a must.

<B>http://www.lange20.com/en/</B>

Here's our night here...scroll toward bottom of day report. They have moved from this location to one near the Place des Voges.

<B>http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chapter-six-journees-du-patrimoine/</B>

We also loved Les Papilles...You eat whatever they whip up that day

<B>http://www.lespapillesparis.fr/#about-1-1</B>

Night at Les Papilles.

<B>http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chapter-two-blue-skies-church-highs-french-fries-dead-guys/</B>

((H))

I agree with both of maitai's recommendations. We also enjoyed the Bouillon Racine Rue but I think L'Ange 20 and Les Papillose were both very memorable meals and I'd give the Racine Rue a "quite good." I haven't been to the others mentioned here. Have fun!

Hi. We just got back and our 3 favorites were L'ange 20 (ask for the chef's table so you can see them prepare the meal), Le Hide, and Pottoka (Basque) 3 courses for 37 euros. We were going to eat at Le Papilles but did not like the daily menu. All were super friendly with English menus and lovely service and great value.

La Bascule near Montmartre and Le Mesturet down the street from the Opera.

We stayed on Rue de Lille this last Spring and enjoyed this restaurant Les Antiquaires very much. Simple French food in a definite brasserie style restaurant. We liked it so much we ate there three out of the seven nights we were in Paris. We stayed on Rue de Lille and Rue de Bac just steps from this restaurant. This one is in St. Germain de Pres.

also agree with whathello about L'Estrapade.

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chap...nt-perfection/

((H))

We also like L'Ange 20. And I love Patooka.

We have always been happy at Brasserie Balzar near the Sorbonne.

Thanks to all for more restaurant recommendations to add to our list! L'Ange 20 seems to be a fave of many.

Thanks for all the replies. And thanks, Tom, for the link to your report.

Le Casse Noix, rue de la Federation, in the 15th.
http://le-cassenoix.fr/en/

We have returned to Rotisserie de Beaujolais on Quai de la Tournelle in the 5th many times. Located near the Seine.. We have usually been the only non French speakers there. Wonderful food and atmosphere.

topping

great thread. bmk.

Juveniles wine bar (1st)

Le Pantruche (9th).
Tip: Their soufflet is to die for.

La Véraison (15th)

Philou (10th)

Chez Marie-Louise (10th)

Les Antiquaires.(7th)
This one is close to Musée d'Orsay so it makes a perect stop for lunch.

In the Saint-Germain area I would recommend Semilla but it's more of a Contemporary French bistro.

All the restaurants I recommended above are reasonably-priced, around €20-€30 for a two-course meal, except for Semilla which is more upscale.

If you want to get away from places overrun with tourists, you might want to try La Souris Verte on rue Marcadet behind Montmartre.

I just had a fantastic meal (and evening) at the newly opened/rennovated Le Clou in the 9th on Ave Troudaine (at rue de Martyrs). Excellent food and service. The chef came out to meet at the end of my meal. A very neighborhood/local vibe. After walk over to Lulu White for a night cap and a bit of Jazz.

We like Philou too. In addition we have had very good meals at:

La Cerisaie
70 boulevard Edgar-Quinet, 75014
Montparnasse-Bienvenüe (4, 6, 12, 13) or Edgar Quinet (6)
Closed Sunday & Monday

and

Au Bon Coin
21 Rue de la Collégiale, 75005
Les Gobelins
Open 7 days

Both are small so make reservations. You can change your plans and cancel but it is harder to get a table if you don't reserve. Have a great time.

Thanks again for all the replies...I'll have to extend my stay in Paris as I now have more restaurants than days :)

Jim_Tardio, we agree with that!!! How about at least a month? We enjoy maitaitom's report links; however, need time to read them all.

One main issue we have is that we're never quite sure where we may end up of an evening, and sometimes hesitate to make reservations in another part of the city.

Thanks for starting this thread.

"Thanks again for all the replies...I'll have to extend my stay in Paris as I now have more restaurants than days :)"

I feel your pain. If you are into seafood, Aki is really good.

165 days, 7 hours, 2 mins and 40 second until we are back in Paris!

Just because any of us liked a particular restaurant doesn't mean that the OP will, but of course it is always good to have a lot of suggestions.

Frankly, what is missing is the exact definition of a "moderately priced meal." In my own monetary scale, that rarely exceeds 30-35 euros, but I'm sure it is not the case of everybody here.

It you are going to be speaking French in Paris, it also helps to know that the word "bistro" is as misused as the word "inn" in English. Is it a restaurant? Is it a bar? Is it a hotel? In ordinary French, a bistro is a café/bar, so if you ask for a good bistro, that is where you will be sent. If you are planning to eat in what is called a bistro in English, ask for suggestions for "un petit restaurant."

I consider moderate 30-50 euro. Below 30, I consider cheap. That is for meal plus wine. I do agree some on Fodors might call moderate 75 or more, though, but not sure.

I have never heard of anyone thinking of a bistro as just a bar, even in France. And in France, many places with the word bistro in their name are not, in fact, "bars" but are small restaurants, so I can't agree with you that there is such a different meaning, or any difference that I can see.

FOr example, one of my favorite restaurants in Paris is Bistro Champetre in the 15th (not a bar nor a cafe). I also like Bistro des Deux Theatres in the 9th (also a small restaurant). Bistrot Paul Bert in the 11th also seems like a small restaurant to me. Now sometimes they are more like cafe/restaurants but not usually just a bar.

bookmarking

Christina, that's exactly why I said that the word BISTRO is just like the word INN -- it can designate all sorts of different establishments going far beyond the original meaning.

But I must insist very firmly that if you ask a normal French person "tu connais un bistro sympa?" or "il y a un bistro ouvert dans le coin?" or any other such question, the immediate understanding is that you are looking for a café.

(On a totally different subject except for the fact that it is a beverage served in a bistro, the American confusion over the word <i>limonade</i> is also worth mentioning. It is usually translated as <i>lemonade</i> and poses absolutely no problem to speakers of British English because <i>lemonade</i> is a fizzy lemon-lime beverage such as Sprite or 7-UP. But to an American, lemonade is a drink made with lemon juice, water and sugar, known in French as <i>citronnade</i>. Almost no French waiter knows that the British and American usage are different on this subject.)

Yeah, around 30-35 euro per person is about as high as I like to go.

Whether you define a bistro as a cafe/bar or a small restaurant is fine with me. As long as I can get a good meal and a drink there I'm usually happy :)

A lot of places include all this on their awnings and anywhere else it will fit - I guess so they'll manage to attract everyone:
"Restaurant - Bistro - Brasserie - Cafe - Bar"

Please note that Les Papilles is one tough reservation, we ate there 6-7 years ago, but when we were in Paris just this past September, we could not get a reservation on any weeknight I requested. Try to reserve now via LaFourchette (the online version of OpenTable). There is a by-arrondisement listing on Paris by Mouth (or was it my France Today online newsletter which I love?) which is very handy.

Thank you, Aliced. I did manage to get a reservation for October...but I have to confirm that day before 3pm or it gets cancelled.

Then again with Les Papilles, you may have to drink tap water to keep the bill "moderate."

I love Bouillon Racine especially for the art nouveau building. Also enjoyed Le Pre Verre.

I have not read all the replies but if you are staying in the St Germaine area one of the greatest places to eat is in Rue Moffatard in the Latin district. It is an easy walk from where you are staying and there are so many little bistros in that cobbled street to choose from. Wont break the bank either.