Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Where do we eat in Paris?

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Where do we eat in Paris?

We are a family of 6, all of the kids are teenagers. We will be in Paris next week, staying on the left bank in the 7th district. Any recommendations for feeding this crew?

You didn't say what kind of dining you are looking for, upscale, as cheap as possible, or whatever. Based on other teens I know, I will presume you want something fairly casual. I'd recommend brasseries in Paris--these are kind of large, lively, less-formal group- or family-oriented restaurants. They often have seafood/shellfish dishes, but usu a variety of other stuff, also. There are several of them on Montparnasse blvd between blvd Raspail and Montparnasse tower/RR station and a block or two east of there. This would be a good area for you to walk around looking for a restaurant, probably--there are quite a few brasseries and generally a lot of younger people around there. Also, down a side street (rue du Montparnasse, about 1-2 blocks west of the Tower) are about a half dozen creperies which also offer a good choice for casual, fun dining with plenty of choice. They have dinner crepes and dessert crepes; I think Joslyn's is considered one of the best. Finally, there's an upscale sandwich place in St-Germain, Cosi's, that might be fun; you pick your own ingredients (good fresh stuff) and it's on flat bread, they have wine and opera music playing--definitely better than fast food hamburger joints. For a few ideas, go to the Timeout guides WEB site for Paris (www.timeout.com), then the restaurant section and look at their selection of brasseries. I'm sure some folks will recommend the cheap, fast-food joints across from the Seine on rue du Hachette, etc.--I hate this area myself and think the food is execrable, but that's just me. A lot of young kids who aren't gourmets do find it fun. It's rather low-quality, cheap food (e.g., lots of cheap Greek souvlaki sandwiches with fatty, poor grade cheap meat) in unpleasant, noisy settings in an area teeming with tourists. Anyway, I'm sure you'll be around that area at some time or another, you can't miss it, so you can see for yourself. More a quick lunch place than dinner.

If the children aren't picky eaters just about anywhere in Paris is good. Try a book called "Cheap Eats, Paris" good ideas and they panned out for us. Several good vegetarian places also included. We found a really nice place moderately expensive called "L'Argentueil" at #8 rue d'Argenteuil, just off the Opera Blvd. Great food and a really nice young couple Bruno (the chef) and Martine Scheffer run the place. Have a great time, we just got back after five weeks and a wonderful experience.

There are several cafeterias called "SELF" that have a good selection of inexpensive items - something to please everyone. They're only open during the day - not for dinner. The picnic route works great for kids - ours always enjoyed finding things they like in the little grocery shops, bakeries, and open-air markets.

Well, plan to spend lots of money anywhere you go, I'm afraid. The drawback of going to a brasserie or cafe and ordering a la carte so everybody "gets what they want" is that it's expensive: you pay for everything on the table, including stuff that would be free here like water and bread. Hopefully your hotel will maybe have a "breakfast buffet" instead of the standard continental breakfast--our kids loved the one at our budget-hotel last year, and really chowed down on stuff like dry cereal, yoghurt, cheese, hard boiled eggs etc. They also like picnic-style with carryouts from a food shop or bakery, especially for those late-afternoon re-fuelings teens seem to require. I'd recommend going at least some nights to the small fixed-price restaurants that dot the Parisian landscape. The 3- or 4-course fixed price menus, often including wine and water, often end up being better value and quality than the a la carte at a brasserie or cafe.

The 7th is full of wonderful and inexpensive places to eat. In addition to the suggestions mentioned above, there are numerous inexpensive places on the corner opposite the Bir Hakeim metro station - including a shop with incredible sandwiches, similar to subs (and you don't see many of these around Paris). On rue St. Dominique, on either side of ave Bosquet, there is every type of shop imaginable and a huge variety of take out food should you wish to picnic or dine in your room. Be sure to wander all over the rue Cler area. With a group that size, it's probably best to make reservations for dinner if you plan to dine in a restaurant.

nancy: by all means, make sure you have a chance to try ice cream by Berthillon on the Ile St. Louis in Paris. There is an "oce cream parlor" on the main drag, and if it is closed, there are several cafes that carry it as well. This will change your idea of what ice cream is...Also, La Coupole is a huge, classic cafe and resturant. Can be expensive, but great fun (Blvd. Montparnasse, Metro: Vavin) And, try Moroccan or Tunisian food--cous cous os a Parisian specialty, and is filling, and very warming on colder days. One recommendation is Chez Hamedi, 12 rue Bouterie in the 5th district, metro Cluny-La Sorbonne

Try any cafe, they have a "menu du jour" or "formule du jour" for a relatively cheap price (around $10, except beverages). Try to avoid rush hour (1-2 PM), if you are not used to smoke-filled rooms, plus a table of 8 is somewhat difficult to accommodate at that time ! But after 2, things become much quieter. Another option would be to try the "Lina's" restaurants. It's a slightly upmarket chain of French-style delis, very good, kind of trendy, the staff usually speak English. There might be a dozen scattered around Paris, not in the 7th, to my knowledge, the closest being rue des Saints-Pères, opposite medical school. Otherwise, there are a lot of "sandwicheries" on the streets, they'll never starve !

Another suggestion because of where you are staying-try Asian-it is a great neighborhood for it and a great money saver when you have a bunch of people. I know many people might consider it a sacrilege, but I eat mostly ethnic in Paris and then eat French food outside of Paris where it is more reasonable Two of my favorites in the 7th: Chinese & Thai: FOC LY 71, Avenue de Suffren 75007 Tel: 01.47.83.27.12 and Vietnamese (more expensive) Tan Dinh 60 rue de Verneuil (near the Orsay) 75007 Tel:01.45.44.04.84 a couple of other suggestions: eat lunch in the resturants (which is cheaper), then go to the Latin Quarter at night and buy greek sandwiches and stroll and eat if the weather permits. Also, make your own picnics-buy great baguettes, lovely french butter and ham at the supermarket and stop for pastries after!