189 Best Restaurants in Paris, France

This world-renowned, cavernous spot with Art Deco murals practically defines the term brasserie. It's been popular since Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir were regulars, and today it attracts a mix of bourgeois families, tourists, and lone diners treating themselves to a dozen oysters. Recent additions to the excellent brasserie menu are pan-fried foie gras, beef fillet flambéed with cognac, a caramelized apple tart, and profiteroles made with Valrhona chocolate.

After taking over the original La Régalade, chef Bruno Doucet kept some of what made the old restaurant so popular (country terrines, reasonably priced wines, convivial atmosphere), but he also had a few tricks under his toque, notably creating a successful haute-cuisine-meets-comfort-food destination. With its reasonable €52 prix-fixe menu, this chic bistro has evolved into a staple of the neighborhood.

Chef Stéphanie le Quellec's gleaming dining room on the elegant Avenue Matignon is the perfect setting for the refined, scintillating cuisine that earned the former Top Chef winner a loyal following among Paris gastronomes as well as two Michelin stars. Whether you're having lunch in the ground-floor brasserie, with its burnished bronze bar, or downstairs in the elegant 30-seat dining room with an open kitchen, Le Quellec doesn't skimp on luxury ingredients in signature dishes like Pompadour potato soufflé with Osetra caviar, poached langoustine, and the famous foie gras tart, all masterfully paired with handpicked small-producer wines. Unlike some other two-star chefs, le Quellec is always in the kitchen, and in plain view of the dining room. Pastry chef Pierre Chirac's irresistible desserts round out a perfect meal.

This legendary Michelin-starred restaurant and its setting overlooking the Seine remains magnifique; if you don't want to break the bank on dinner, treat yourself to the somewhat cheaper four-course lunch menu. This entitles you to succulent slices of one of the restaurant's numbered ducks (the great duck slaughter began in 1919 and is now well past the millionth mallard, as your certificate will attest). Don't be too daunted by the vast wine list—with the aid of the sommelier you can splurge a little and perhaps taste a rare vintage Burgundy from the extraordinary cellars, which survived World War II.

One of 100-plus locations worldwide, the largest branch of the Ladurée tea salon empire is worth the splurge, thanks to the sumptuous pastries, which steal the show. In addition to more than a dozen flavors of macarons, it has assorted cakes, sundaes, pastries, savory dishes, and beautifully boxed treats ideal for gift-giving. Reserve a table in the elegant wood-paneled rooms upstairs or the glassed-in storefront, or grab a bite in the secluded Art Nouveau bar in the back. Though pricey, the menu promises generous salads and flavorful plats du jour. If you run into a long line, keep in mind the charming, historic flagship salon de thé on the Rue Royale (near Place de la Concorde) and the cozy tearoom on the second floor of St-Germain-des-Prés's Rue Bonaparte outpost. 

This laid-back, no-reservation wine bar near the Place d'Aligre market is a throwback to another era, with just a few tables plus giant wine barrels along the walls for filling and refilling your take-home bottles. A fun time to come is Sunday morning (yes, morning) when it's packed with locals who have just been to the market and want to linger over good food and that first petit blanc of the day.

The Paul Bert delivers everything you could want from a traditional Paris bistro (faded 1930s decor, thick steak with real frites, and good value), so it's no wonder its two dining rooms fill every night with a cosmopolitan crowd. The impressively stocked wine cellar helps, as do the laid-back yet efficient staff, excellent and abundant cheese trolley, and hearty dishes such as monkfish with white beans and duck with pears. The prix-fixe lunch menu is only €22, or you can order à la carte.

This charming Quartier Latin bistro with woodwork and murals dating from 1925 is always packed and boisterous. A glance at the affordable menu makes it easy to understand why: dishes such as chestnut soup with spice bread, sea bass marinated in lime and coconut, and apple and quince tatin (upside-down tart) with gingerbread ice cream put a fresh twist on French classics. Service is reliably courteous. If you don't finish your bottle of wine, you can take it with you to savor the last drops.

One of the area's most historic (and romantic) spots has welcomed everyone from Napoléon to Colette to Jean Cocteau beneath its mirrored ceiling and is still a contender for the most beautiful restaurant in Paris. This once-Michelin-starred spot has made a few changes of late, transitioning to a menu of far more reasonable (but still delicious) fare. The no-choice prix fixe is reasonably priced at €57 for two courses or €68 for three.

In a highly publicized battle, the prestigious helm of Paris's most haute (literally; it's in the Eiffel Tower) restaurant was wrested from Alain Ducasse by three-star chef Frédéric Anton of the prestigious Le Pré Catelan in the Bois de Boulogne, with Anton's "zero waste" approach and his idea to serve less complicated fare, focusing on French meats and vegetables produced by smaller French artisanal farms and regional delicacies, winning out. Though not cheap (tasting menus from €290), winning a second Michelin star in 2024 clinched the restaurant's standing as one of Paris's top splurge-worthy dining rooms.

Live a Belle Époque fantasy as you dine beneath the chestnut trees on the terrace of this fanciful landmark pavillon in the Bois de Boulogne. Each of chef Frédéric Anton's dishes is a variation on a theme, such as l'os à moelle: bone marrow prepared two ways, one peppered and the other stuffed with porcini and cabbage, both braised in a concentrated meat jus. For a taste of the good life at a (relatively) gentle price, order the five-course €185 lunch menu and soak up the opulent surroundings along with service that's as polished as the silverware.

Parisian to its core, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée's Art Deco dining room—including a beautiful mural that's a registered historic landmark—is a cherished neighborhood treasure. Masterful updates of French classics include dishes like terrine of wild boar, langoustines and mayo, coquilles St-Jacques à la Grenobloise, and a stunning steak tartare prepared table-side. We love the house-made foie gras with slices of fresh figs and a rich dried-fruit chutney along with a fresh green salad generously topped with shaved black truffles. Bonus: if the gastronomic dining room helmed by star chef Jean Imbert is out of your price range, these delectable classics are also prepared here by Imbert.

The impressive but unfussy gastronomic menu here features Asian-inflected dishes that express the food's far-flung influences. A starter of "zakouskis," several small dishes that may include deep-fried giblets, fresh radishes with anchovy butter, or herb-infused cockles, warms you up for a sublime entrée of whole lacquered quail, cod with spicy black-bean reduction, or crispy melt-in-your mouth pork on a bed of braised leeks. Deliciously nuanced desserts, a good selection of natural wines, and an unbeatable two-course €26 lunch menu add up to an essential Paris dining experience.

Perhaps the most traditional of all Paris luxury restaurants, this elegant two-star grande dame basks in renewed freshness under chef Giuliano Sperandio, who brings a welcome contemporary spirit that translates to daring on the plate. Dishes such as scallops meunière (with butter and lemon) are matched with contemporary choices like a splendid line-caught Saint-Pierre cooked over fennel twigs with a gratin of herb mussels and roasted langoustine or duckling poached in vin jaune with saffron-caviar sauce. One of the 19th-century paneled salons has been turned into a winter garden, and contemporary paintings adorn the walls. The service is flawless, and the legendary wine list is full of classics.

Paris's grandest Belle Époque beauty, hidden within the Gare de Lyon train station, has been fully restored to a culinary status almost befitting its eye-popping decor. The menu of French classics is not cheap, though the €56 "travelers menu" for lunch assures you'll be wined, dined, and on your train in 45 minutes. But why not linger? The chic bar is a great place to meet for coffee or a cocktail whether you're heading off on a train or not. Magnificent hardly describes this historic monument's lushly gilded boiserie, extravagant frescoes, and original globe lighting.

A head-turning variety of luscious pastries, classic French breakfast sweets and breads, ice cream, chocolates, and homemade jams will tempt every sweet tooth at this charming bakery and tearoom. Tucked into the historic covered Passage Jouffroy, Le Valentin is a picturesque spot for breakfast, lunch, or teatime—or buy a box of irresistible French-Alsatian sweets to enjoy on the go.

Classic bistros are making a comeback in Paris, and this neighborhood favorite embodies everything people love about this French institution. Here, traditional fare is lovingly prepared with top-quality ingredients and paired with a wine list that's so good it's a draw unto itself. The casual-chic atmosphere full of happy diners makes for a reliably delightful lunch or evening out.

With chef Alain Solivérès (formerly of Taillevent) at the helm, this much-beloved outpost has taken on a new shine—and a Michelin star. The food is sophisticated and the atmosphere is lively and chic; reservations are essential. Pastry chef Kimiko Kinoshita's gorgeous creations top off a ravishing, well-priced meal. With wines starting at around €40 (and €58–€65 lunch menus on weekdays), this is a wonderful place for a classic yet informal French meal.

This lively and popular brasserie is open from 8 am to 1 am every day, serving a copious morning breakfast, brunch on weekends, and an excellent full menu from noon until midnight of everything including cheese and ham boards to share, French onion soup, and an excellent burger. In keeping with the area's literary past and its name (Les Editeurs means "the publishers"), the book-lined space hosts monthly discussions with best-selling contemporary authors.

Part wineshop and épicerie, part restaurant, Les Papilles has a winning formula—pick any bottle off the well-stocked shelf, and pay €7 corkage to sip it with your meal. You can also savor one of several superb wines by the glass at your table while enjoying the excellent set menu of dishes made with top-notch, seasonal ingredients. Your meal might begin with a luscious velouté, a velvety soup served from a large tureen, and proceed with a hearty-yet-tender meat dish alongside perfectly cooked vegetables, followed by a cheese course and dessert—well worth spending a little extra time for lunch or dinner.

Don't let the casual decor and laid-back atmosphere here fool you: this is a seriously ambitious restaurant full of Parisian foodies who would be happy to keep this gem all to themselves. Starters like smoked eel and cabbage topped with a delicate tuille of black rice, smoked zucchini ravioli with lemon butter, or roasted pigeon are gorgeously presented and so deliciously complex they defy description. Though a little out of the way, it's in a great up-and-coming neighborhood and well worth the trip.

The deep sidewalk terrace at this three-in-one gourmet grocer, restaurant, and café is a great place to linger over lunch and a glass of wine, or an early (for France) dinner. The daily menu of hot dishes, soups, and salads complements a wide selection of tasty pastries and classic sandwiches made with top-notch ingredients. In the gourmet shop, Plisson scoured France for all its specialties: cherry juice from Provence, ciders and biscuits from Normandy, the famous Paris ham, and wines and Champagne from the best producers everywhere. Prices are steep, but it's great for a splurge.

This tiny gem of a coffee shop may not have the ambience of Paris's historic brasserie cafés, but it does have something you won't find in any brasserie in Paris—reliably excellent coffee served with care and enthusiasm. What's more, a small menu of delicious homemade sweets and sandwiches and salads at lunchtime pretty much covers all your restorative needs.

One of the city's best examples of the casual gourmet cafés popping up around Paris, Mokonuts is run by a talented husband-and-wife team who create delicious dishes and pastries that are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. Prepare for crowds at breakfast and teatime, when you can choose from chunky multigrain cookies, sweet or savory muffins, tarts, and other sweet goodies. At lunch, locals elbow their way in for a variety of gourmet salads, sandwiches, and hot dishes. Accompany your meal with excellent coffee, a selection of teas, or a freshly made juice, like the refreshing orange-blossom lemonade. Dinner (€70) is served only by reservation for at least eight.

This fine-dining restaurant located steps from Palais Royal breaks from tradition in more ways than one. In a converted stone cellar, just one massive dining table awaits guests who take their seats alongside strangers to embark on a nine-course culinary voyage from chef Matan Zaken. The menu embraces influences and ingredients from France and beyond, often playfully toeing the line between sweet and savory.

Modestly billed as a “chic deli,” the Hôtel de Crillon’s second restaurant is among Paris’s best grills—with plenty on the menu to tempt pescatarians and vegetarians too. Using top-quality meats, poultry, seafood and seasonal produce, chef Paul Pairet’s dishes are a marvel of flavor and finesse. The beef cut of the day, cooked to perfection, is flourished tableside and carved just how you like it, but you can also choose from a half-dozen beef dishes, along with roast chicken and deliciously tender line-caught fish. The starters, side dishes (don't skip the lettuce with garlic and aged-vinegar vinaigrette and the homemade fries), and desserts are equally good. Sit at the bar and order from the blackboard menu at lunch or dinner, or grab a table. It's quite popular, so be sure to reserve in advance.

Omar Dhiab’s eponymous restaurant breaks with fine-dining codes from the get-go: open the door to the restaurant, and you'll immediately come upon the open kitchen, where the young chef presides in jeans under his pressed chef's jacket. The laid-back ambience pervades in the plain, bright dining room, where Dhaib's mastery of balancing bitter and sour is center stage. Expect clever winks at Dhiab's Egyptian heritage and French childhood classics, like his signature sweetbread croque monsieur or his grandmother's semolina pudding served family-style for dessert.

A dazzling array of gourmet pastries here includes all the classics in imaginative and delicious flavor combinations. There are also impossibly moist individual cakes, Paris's best baba au rhum, sublime cookies, and the specialty guimauve, a flavored, melt-in-your-mouth marshmallow. Be sure to sample the gorgeous Rosy Rosa dome cake with almond, rose-infused almond milk, and creamy dark chocolate all on a black sesame biscuit topped with rose petals. Next door, savory gourmet breads, quiches, sandwiches, and other takeout foods make this the perfect refueling stop after a visit to the Centre Pompidou. There's also outdoor seating in warm weather.

One of the city's best-kept secrets, this gem of bistro has been a fixture since 1936, and the new owners have retained the old-world vibe that's ever harder to come by in Paris, especially in the Marais. Cozy and full of charm—with beamed ceilings, stone walls, and a timeless decor—the atmosphere perfectly highlights chef Julien Chevallier's deliciously down-to-earth and seasonally inspired meats, fish, and charcuterie. A masterful wine list featuring natural wines rounds out the experience. Book a terrace table in summer. Stock up on gourmet items to bring home with you at the épicerie next door.

Chef Giovanni Passerini, a favorite Parisian chef, has done it again with this wine-focused spot, the companion to his wildly popular Italian restaurant just a few steps away. It's a wine bar, gastro-bistro, and pasta factory all in one, and the oh-so-good plates of highbrow Italian comfort food are served with his typically masterful selection of well-priced French and Italian wines. The atmosphere is casual and fun while diners get down to the real business of eating and drinking and enjoying every minute of it.