The Best Restaurant in Side Trips from Paris, France

Background Illustration for Restaurants

The Ile-de-France's fanciest restaurants can be just as pricey as their Parisian counterparts. Close to the Channel for fresh fish, lush Normandy for beef and dairy products, and the rich agricultural regions of Picardy and the Beauce, Ile-de-France chefs have all the ingredients they could wish for, and shop for the freshest produce early each morning at the huge food market at Rungis, 18 km (10 miles) south of the capital. Traditional "local delicacies"—lamb stew, pâté de Pantin (pastry filled with meat), or pig's trotters—tend to be obsolete, though creamy Brie, made locally in Meaux and Coulommiers, remains queen of the cheese board.

Little Tokyo

$$
Freshness is the name of the game at this popular Japanese eatery near the Passerelle Saint-Nicolas. Though the interior is pleasantly minimal, the food is the focus here: generous, attractively presented plates of market-fresh sushi and sashimi along with a range of hot dishes: tempura, udon noodles, miso soup, and an excellent selection of saki.