7 Parisian Hotels with Top Michelin-Starred Chefs
Some of Paris's grandest dining experiences can be found in the capital's top hotels. No surprise considering that great food and boundless luxury usually go hand in hand. The downside is you'll pay dearly for the privilege, the upside, if you decide to also book a room, you can linger over that last digestif in the true French style knowing you're only a heartbeat away from the sweetest of dreams.
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
Why it made the list
One of the more extravagant—and exorbitant—of the palace hotel dining rooms, Alain Ducasse surprised high-end diners when his eponymous restaurant reopened after the hotel's 2014 facelift with a glamorous new decor and a vegetable-driven menu. Carnavores never fear, there are meat and fish dishes, but no one has made vegetables, grains, and plant-based cuisine taste so good since Alain Passard's Arpège. Expect imaginative dishes and an excess of truffles—if such a thing were possible.
Le Bristol
Why it made the list
Over the years, his virtuosity and constancy have earned chef Eric Frechon the loyalty of a large following of international diners, who flock to L'Epicure restaurant to be thrilled once again. In the elegant French provincial-style dining room, overlooking a lovely interior garden perfect for dining al fresco in summer, an intricate ballet of waiters expertly tend to diners, tipping the lids off of silver chargers to reveal Frechon's divine creations.
Shangri-La Hotel Paris
Why it made the list
At L'Abeille, one of the Paris's more intimate dining rooms, chef Christophe Moret presides over an elegant yet unpretentious affair, where the waiters and an excellent sommelier strike the perfect balance between solicitous and hands off. Dishes like the whole poached golden Landes hen, boned before your eyes and whisked away to be served with a white truffle-infused reduction—arrive with a flourish and every guest leaves with a jar of honey, a nod to the favorite motif of Prince Roland Bonaparte, the hotel's former occupant, and the restaurant's name—the bee.
Four Seasons Hôtel George V Paris
Why it made the list
Chef Christian Le Squer‚ at the helm the hotel's Le George restaurant (there are three sharing five Michelin stars), is roundly celebrated for his subtle, experimental cuisine that pushes the boundaries of both presentation and flavor without being overly cerebral. Dishes like his signature Spaghetti en Timbale Truffée, a masterpiece of morel mushrooms, truffles, and succulent ham in a veal reduction, are a deluxe nod to the great French classics. A call out to chef David Bizet of L'Orangerie, whose masterful cuisine is pure delight from start to finish.
Hôtel de Crillon
Why it made the list
When the Crillon shuttered for a five-year renovation chef Christopher Hache, who'd earned two stars at the hotel's gilded Les Ambassadeurs, was sent on a prolonged world tour to gather ideas and hone his craft. Now at the head of L'Ecrin, the hotel's 26-seat jewelbox gastronomic restaurant (Les Ambassadeurs is now the bar), there's little doubt Hache will equal, if not surpass, his previous glory.
Hôtel Balzac
Why it made the list
With three Michelin stars under his toque Pierre Gagnaire is pretty much a household name among Parisian epicures, famous for brilliantly absorbing the latest trends and techniques into his repertoire (molecular gastronomy, vegetable-centric fare) and making them his own in a cuisine of exquisite refinement. The low-lit wood-paneled dining room is a cozy, unpretentious spot for a meal you will not soon forget.
Prince de Galles
Why it made the list
La Scène's bright white furniture and lustrous wood-paneling are a contemporary departure from the hotel's historic Art Deco interiors. But the centerpiece is the marble-clad open kitchen—the only one in a 5-star hotel dining room—where expectant diners can observe chef Stéphanie de Quellec work her magic in dishes of sublime finesse. The one-star Michelin chef is greatly respected among her (mostly male) counterparts, and we wouldn't be surprised to see a second star this year.
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