706 Best Restaurants in France

Under the soaring beams of Le Telegraph, a cultural space in Toulon's old central post office, this trendy new restaurant delivers the food and the fun. After a frothy cocktail apéro, you can tuck into dishes like Toulon bay oysters with tomato cubes and crisp nori seaweed flecked with fennel flowers or a rich tartiflette made with reblochon cheese and pancetta. Vegetables also play an important role on the menu, and prices for the tantalizing selection of wines by the glass start at an amazing €5. 

Without changing the vintage 1912 setting, superchef Alain Ducasse and Thierry de la Brosse of L'Ami Louis have subtly improved the menu, with dishes such as marinated salmon, frogs' legs in a morel-mushroom cream sauce, and an outstanding cassoulet served in a cast-iron pot. It's a splurge to dine here, so go all the way, and top off your meal with the caramelized tarte tatin or a rum-doused baba.

Set in a quiet, leafy courtyard a few steps from the Collection Lambert, this is a good place to enjoy fresh, unfussy, reasonably priced dishes paired with local wines and served by a friendly staff. The pretty dining room's bucolic frescoes set the tone for a cuisine based on whatever's fresh.

The more elegant sister to Mathieu Desmaret's locavore mecca, Pollen, this dining room set in a 14th-century cloister attracts a chic, upscale crowd that fits right in with the stunning decor. You'll find all the flair and precision that put this talented chef on the foodie map, but with an Asian touch in dishes like candied beets with miso yogurt and kumquat or roasted pollack with lemongrass, ginger, and lacquered leeks. For a more casual meal of appetizers and wine, with many options available by the glass, head to the wine bar and grab a seat inside or out on the beautiful cobbled terrace; there's also a cocktail bar with a menu of creative libations.

The genial atmosphere and imaginative menu make this Strasbourg’s go-to place to sample flammekueche. From the classic lardon-and-onion staple to the offbeat blue cheese, pear, and rocket variety, the pizza-like “flamms” are hearty, heavy, and best enjoyed with one of the local draught beers.

Don't let the dismal backstreet exterior put you off: Bistrot de l'Étoile is a delightfully retro 1960s pub that promises fast service and a great choice of dishes on the blackboard menu. The homemade desserts are great, too, like the panna cotta with your choice of sauce, including a red-fruit coulis.

Stepping through the door of this charming Belle Époque brasserie is a bit like traveling back in time, so beautifully preserved is its turn-of-the-century ambience, with classic globe lighting, tile floors, and linen-bedecked wooden tables. The expansive menu includes all the traditional French classics: steak tartare, moules frites (mussels and fries), foie gras, and escargots, all washed down with a local Côtes du Rhône. If you still have room, the cheese plate or a classic dessert (like pavé au chocolat Valrhona or crème brûlée) assure a happy ending.

Tile floors, mercury mirrors, bentwood chairs, and a menu of classic French comfort foods proffered by talented young chef Édouart Vermynck take you back to a charming Paris of old (the bistrot was first opened in 1922). Start with homey oeufs-mayo (eggs) or croque-monsieur with jambon de Paris (a type of cooked ham) followed by golden Landes hen with morel cream or tender scallops in a delicate beurre blanc. For dessert, don't miss the billowy mousse au chocolat or grandma's tarte tatin with raw crème fraiche. Set on a quiet street between Bastille and the Place des Vosges, this is a quintessential black book spot.

Set in the Galerie Vivienne, Paris's loveliest covered passage, this charmingly authentic 19th-century bistro feels both cozy and welcoming, and the food and drink are well above average. With all-day hours as well as a double terrace either inside Galerie Vivienne or on a picturesque street a few steps from the Palais Royal gardens, this is a satisfying spot for a quick coffee or glass of wine, a snack, or a full meal.

Just outside the upper city walls, this all-white urbanesque restaurant and wine bar, run by three food-and-design-savvy sisters, offers a reality check after the touristic, turreted streets of La Cité. The blackboard menu highlights experimental touches to classic dishes (like sautéed foie gras in a Thai broth) and helps attract a sophisticated, well-traveled clientele. If returning to the crowds leaves you feeling claustrophobic, consider one of the five loft-style guest rooms in the upstairs inn. Also ask about sister Delphine's B&B not far away.

This eatery in La Petite Venise, with a superb trompe l'oeil façade, is a spinoff of Jean-Yves Schillinger's two-star Michelin restaurant in Colmar. The contemporary dining room has leather sofas and stylish furnishings that provide the perfect setting for the chef's traditional-meets-contemporary menu. In summer the waterside terrace is a bonus. 

So-named to recall one of the Parisian soup restaurants (bouillons) popular among workers in the early 20th century, Bouillon Chartier is part of the Gérard Joulie group of bistros and brasseries, which discreetly updated the menu without changing the fundamentals. People come here more for the bonhomie and the stunning 1896 interior than the cooking, which could be politely described as unambitious—then again, where else can you find a plate of foie gras for €8? This cavernous restaurant—the only original fin-de-siècle bouillon to remain true to its mission of serving cheap, sustaining food to the masses—enjoys a huge following, including one regular who has come for lunch nearly every day since 1946.

The exceptional Art Nouveau decor and inexpensive menu are strong magnets for diners who are willing to stand in line for a seat at this historic brasserie, all to enjoy a three-course meal for as little as €20. The food is average and service brisk, but it's worth a visit between traditional meal times when there is no line.

With its dream location on the tip of Île St-Louis overlooking the Seine and Notre-Dame, you'd think this charming brasserie, like so many before it, would have succumbed to its own success. Yet it remains exactly what a decent neighborhood brasserie should be, with authentic decor, efficiently friendly service, and reliably good food. Try the classic leeks vinaigrette, country terrine, and a savory onion tarte à la maison for starters, followed by tender sole meunière, classic choucroute, or buttered entrecôte. The outdoor terrace simply can't be beat.

There's nothing quite like a good old-fashioned Paris brasserie . . . except, perhaps, for a good old-fashioned Paris neobrasserie, a new genre that takes the best of the classic eatery—lively atmosphere, copious menu options, all-day hours, traditional decor—and adds a 21st-century vibe, all at reasonable prices. At Dubillot, you'll find the French classics—oeufs mayonnaise, homemade country pâté, steak tartare, smoked trout, leg of lamb, and crispy frites—along with well-priced wines by the bottle or glass. Everything is homemade, and the chef is dedicated to preserving France's gastronomic heritage by sourcing all meats and produce locally. This is tradition brought up-to-date at its finest—and it's a lot of fun to boot.

This authentic brasserie has polished wood floors, Art Nouveau glass windows, and mirrored walls. The food is sophisticated, dependable, and includes seafood platters and authentic desserts made with Rose de Reims, a famous type of biscuit.

Overlooking the Pont Neuf, this elegant brasserie is idyllic at sunset, as artists Ingres and Matisse—who were regulars—knew all too well. Watch the colors change over the Garonne from a sidewalk table while enjoying the Beaux Arts cassoulet or seared wild sea bass.

A Champs-Élysées institution, Le Fouquet's brasserie has served steak tartare and lobster ravioli to the French royalty of stage and screen since 1899; Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour were regulars, and the César Awards dinner is still served here every year. The brasserie's two glassed-in terraces overlook Avenue George V and the Champs-Élysées and provide an excellent spot for watching the Parisian world go by. Settle into a black velvet chair for breakfast, lunch (€49 for three-course prix-fixe option), or dinner (€99 for three-course prix-fixe option, with glass of Champagne). It's not cheap, but the reliably good menu, designed by superstar chef Pierre Gagnaire, is full of French classics.

This inexpensive brasserie at the south end of Rue de la Charité is one of the city's largest and oldest, founded in 1836 and housed in a palatial building dating from 1925. Meals range from hearty veal stew or sauerkraut and sausage to more refined fare. Cooking is less than creative—stick with the great standards, such as saucisson brioché (sausage in brioche stuffed with truffled foie gras)—and, like the vast room setting, service is a bit impersonal and can be very slow. Nevertheless, the Art Deco style is as delicious as it comes.

Above all, you'll want to eat in this 1911 restaurant, part of the dependable Flo group, for its sensational Art Nouveau stained glass, mosaics, Daum lamps, monumental freso (uncovered beneath a mirror in 2023), and sinuous Majorelle furniture. That said, the food is also stylish, and the waiters exude Parisian chic.

Set in the shadow of Sainte-Chapelle’s spire, this bright and friendly brasserie has been serving classic fare—tartare de boeuf, cuisse du canard confit—to the lawyers and judges of the Palais du Justice across the street since 1930. Take some time to admire the 19th-century light fixtures and lovely tiled floor.

The seafood couldn't be much fresher than at this casual café-restaurant set two blocks from the seaport and featuring a vintage marine-inspired decor. The catch of the day is served sautéed or poached with vegetables on the side; the mussels come in a warm, garlicky broth; and the jumbo-shrimp salad with fresh tomatoes and avocadoes is generous. There’s plenty on the menu for meat lovers, too: classic steak-frites, escargots, charcuterie plates, and flavorful Camargue bull slow-cooked into a hearty stew. In warm weather, the spacious sidewalk terrace is a big plus.

Located on the Place St-Nicolas in the heart of Bastia, opposite the port, this restaurant has a shady terrace and impressive wood frontage. It's the perfect place to people-watch while enjoying an eclectic menu that ranges from pizza and burgers to poke bowls and Japanese and Thai standards.

If you want to know what the locals are craving, head over to this popular bakery a half-block from the Place des Vosges, where the bread, croissants, and gorgeous seasonal pastries like yuzu-black sesame tart, pear, and caramel sablé or pistachio mille-feuille are made on the premises. There’s also a choice of sinfully delicious gelatos.

It may not have the healthiest food in the Marais, and the coffee may not be third wave, but that doesn't keep chic locals from packing into it on a sunny (or even not-so-sunny) day. The people-watching from this choice spot—at the intersection of the à la mode shopping street Rue Charlot and the bustling Rue de Bretagne—is top-notch, and the café's 1950s film noir charm is irresistible.

Picasso, Chagall, Sartre, and de Beauvoir, attracted by the luxury of a heated café, worked and wrote here in the early 20th century. Today you'll find more tourists than intellectuals, and prices are hardly aimed at struggling artists, but the outdoor terrace is popular with Parisians and great for people-watching.

Overlooking the St-Sulpice church, this retro café recalls the Paris of yesteryear, before the proliferation of luxury boutiques and trendy eateries. It is a favorite spot for locals for a coffee, drink, or simple meal despite the sometimes slow service.

A pinnacle of Second Empire opulence, this Paris landmark was once an obligatory stop on the sophisticated gastronome's tour of Paris and a favorite watering hole among the likes of Victor Hugo, Gustave Flaubert, Arthur Conan Doyle, Josephine Baker, and Marlene Dietrich. While superfresh, heaping seafood platters are your best bet here, you'll do just as well with a classic French dish or an apéro on the terrace as the sun sets over the Opéra Garnier across the street—a magical Parisian scene indeed. A renovation has buffed the frescoed walls and ceilings to their original gilded luster. 

The best place to grab a bite in Place Garibaldi, this café has an eclectic feel that's as appealing as the food and friendliness—and it's a fabulous location for people-watching.

For 80 years this sawdust-strewn café with homey red-check tablecloths has reigned as one of the city's leading bouchons, and although its glory days are long past, it's still a good bet for an authentic experience. For a taste of classic Lyon gastronomy in a historic setting, the deftly prepared local classics like boudin noir, boudin blanc (white-meat sausage), or andouillettes (veal and pork tripe sausage) are hard to beat.