Eat and Drink in Paris
For me, food is the best way to experience the culture of a city, so I always prioritize it when planning a trip. Paris is full of delicious places to eat, and in one week I certainly couldn’t hit them all, but here are some spots I did get to eat at and would recommend! I hope to add to this list in the future.Of course, in Paris you also can't go wrong with picking up cheese and a fresh baguette (and maybe some wine) and having a picnic in one of their many beautiful parks.Scroll down to see all mentioned places on a map!
Pastries and bread in Paris
Boulangerie Cyprien
This bakery was near my hotel so I went a few times for pastries and baguettes. It’s small but has plenty of sweet and savory options, and I saw lots of locals stopping by in the morning on their way to work.
Liberté Patisserie Boulangerie
Most of Liberté’s beautiful modern space is occupied by the kitchen but with the windows and doors thrown open it feels more spacious. I tried the chocolate bread while sitting at one of the mismatched tables and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I stopped by mid-day and many locals were picking up savory lunch options, while tourists were picking up sweet snacks. It’s a good place to stop near the Canal Saint Martin.
Du Pain et Des Idées
Du Pain et Des Idées has been around since the late 1800’s, so is full of history, and served the best pastry I tried all week. I ordered escargot aux pralines and it was super moist and delicious. The only seating was at picnic tables outside but they were all full, so I walked around the cute neighborhood biting off pieces of my pastry as I went. Another good spot near the Canal Saint Martin.
Poilâne
Poilâne was recommended to me for their sourdough so I stopped in for just one slice (yes, you can buy just one slice!). If I lived near there I would buy loaves on the regular for my morning avocado toast. They have multiple locations.
Sweets in Paris
Pierre Hermé
Pierre Hermé is one of several popular macaron shops around the city. It's worth stopping in for a snack or a box of gifts to take home. There are several locations throughout the city.
Carette
Carette is another popular spot for macarons, tied to a bustling restaurant. I stopped by the location in Le Marais neighborhood to buy gift boxes for friends and had to get one macaron for myself. They have a handy allergy chart to help navigate any dietary restrictions and the staff is very helpful and friendly.
Gelato Amorino
Gelato Amorino
Gelato Amorino is a chain, so you can easily find one wherever you are in the city. They let you try as many flavors as you want (a favorite pastime of mine) and also order as many flavors as you want, even in a small cone or cup! They artfully arrange each flavor into a petal to make a rose. When I got back to New York I realized they have a few locations here, so I might have to stop in.
Jeff de Bruges
There are tons of chocolate shops around the city and I stopped by Jeff de Bruges while in the neighborhood one day. I handpicked a random assortment of pieces and snacked on them over the next few days. They even survived the flight back to Brooklyn.
Coffee in Paris
There are tons of traditional Parisian cafes all over the city; there’s practically one on every corner, each with cute chairs and tables parked outside. The coffee isn’t always guaranteed to be good but you should stop at one for the experience. If you want guaranteed good coffee in a more modern space, here are three that I tried.
Saint Pearl
Tucked away down a side street not far from the famous, but overpriced, Le Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore, Saint Pearl's space is tiny with limited seating, but cute and friendly. They have avocado toast on the menu and charcoal water in pitchers on the tables, so this is definitely not your traditional Paris cafe. I drank a good cappuccino while reading my book.
Café Kitsuné
This is located in what quickly became my favorite park, Jardin du Palais Royal. Café Kitsuné has outdoor seating but you can also walk on over to a chair or bench in the public space surrounding the fountains and sip your coffee while people watching.
Merci
Part cafe, part used book store, Merci is lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves. Plenty of seating plus a food menu makes this a good stop before continuing into the attached shop selling clothes and accessories. Head downstairs for kitchen goods and a restaurant.
Restaurants and bars in Paris
Au Rendez-Vous des Amis
A corner local spot not far from the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Au Rendez-Vous des Amis offers outdoor seating, a laid back vibe, and reasonable prices.
Café Trama
The croque monsieur was recommended at Café Trama and although both the sandwich and wine were a little pricey they were worth it. At lunchtime the restaurant was full of locals. I sat at the bar and enjoyed my book and the friendly service.
L’avant Comptoir
L’avant Comptoir was one of my favorite stops and I wish I had gone back a second time. The tapas menu hangs on illustrated cards from the ceiling and when I asked the bartender for a wine menu he replied “I am the wine menu” and helped me choose something based off my preferences. The space is small with standing room only inside and seating on high tops and couches outside. It was fairly empty at 4PM on a weekday; I wonder what it’s like later in the night.
L’as du Fallafel
L’as du Fallafel will come up in most of your searches for restaurants in Paris. There are two lines; one for dining in and one for takeout. Both are long. For the takeout line, someone takes your order and money while you’re waiting and gives you a ticket that you present when you get to the counter. Even if you order takeout you only get a measly wrapper around your falafel sandwich so most people seemed to be eating standing on the cobblestone street. I briskly (and carefully) walked the ~10 minutes to the Siene and sat on the grass along with others who had packed their own picnic. Don’t forget a plastic fork and napkins (the sandwiches are big!).The falafel sandwich is really good, with roasted eggplant, shredded cabbage, and a tasty sauce.
Le Village
I stopped in Le Village when looking for dinner in Montmartre, selecting it because it looked the least touristy and the most fun. The tightly packed outdoor tables were all full so I went inside and sat at the bar. I ordered steak tartare and a glass of wine. This seemed to be more of a drinking spot than a food spot, but they do have a full menu. It quickly became clear the bar was full of regular locals and I ended up chatting with and going out for drinks with a few of them afterwards.
Le Bienvenu
I went to Le Bienvenu with said new friends for late night couscous. The staff was so friendly and the food was plentiful. They bring out a family style platter of couscous for the table and each guest orders their stew, choosing from different vegetables and meat. They’re open 24 hours and it seems like a good place to eat couscous at any hour.
Le Pavillon de Canaux
A quirky spot in the 19th arrondissement on the Bassin de la Villette. Le Pavillon de Canaux looks like an old house, and each room in the big space, on both the main floor and upstairs, is decorated differently with various types of seating (including a bathtub in one room) and all options are up for grabs. There’s also plenty of outdoor seating in the patio out front, which is where I sat. You order at the counter, are handed a buzzer, and when the buzzer goes off head downstairs to the kitchen to retrieve your food yourself. Help yourself to silverware, water, and bread baskets. I got there right when they opened at noon and ordered from a menu of quiche, croque monsieur, and salads.
Chez Prune
The coffee wasn’t great but Chez Prune is a cute bistro good for sitting in and reading or writing postcards. It’s just off the Canal Saint Martin.
Bouillon Pigalle
Bouillon Pigalle is a two floor restaurant in Pigalle serving traditional French food at very reasonable prices. I went by one night after 8pm and the line was out the door, so I showed up at 7pm the next night to no line and managed to snag one of the last two-tops along the railing on the upstairs covered terrace. I had a great people-watching view of the busy street below as I sipped red wine and ate a bowl of chilled pea soup before enjoying steak frites. The steak wasn’t the best, but the soup and wine were very good, as was the service, the atmosphere, and the overall experience. Now that the NYTimes wrote them up I don’t suspect the line will get shorter anytime soon, especially since they don’t take reservations.
Breizh Café
This is another restaurant sure to come up in many of your Paris restaurant searches. Breizh Café is famous for their paper-thin sweet and savory crepes using high-quality ingredients. They have two locations in the city; I went to the one in Le Marais, which is on a cute corner with sidewalk seating. My friend and I made a reservation for right when they open at 10am and it got very busy shortly after that. We each had a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice and one of the crepes on special - a buckwheat crepe with asparagus, peas, Comté cheese, chorizo, a sunny side up egg, and spicy olive oil. So good!
Ellsworth
I sat at Ellsworth's bar for my last dinner in Paris, before walking down to the Seine to catch the hourly Eiffel Tower light show. The tables, which are reservation only, were all full but no one joined me at the small bar until I was well into my meal. The friendly staff made sure there was always a basket of fresh homemade bread in front of me and answered any questions I had. The menu consists of small plates meant for sharing but I made it work by myself. I started with the white asparagus salad with pecans and rhubarb. Next I had their famous fried chicken with buttermilk and pickles (still thinking about this dish). I finished off my meal with a wedge of fourme d’ambert cheese, which was described as blue but not strong. This was served with crackers, honey, and a caramelized onion jam. A memorable and delicious meal overall.
Markets and groceries in Paris
Marche Bastille
Only open Sundays and Thursdays, this outdoor market seems to go on forever and is full of produce, cheeses, breads, pastries, seafood, meat, knicknacks, and some lunch items. I wandered up and down and bought cheese and a baguette for later, and waited in a long line for a savory crepe that I ate in the nearby Place des Vosges square. At this market I noticed that almost every local rolls a shopping trolley behind them to carry their purchased goods in.
Marche des Enfants Rouges
Marche des Enfants Rouges is the oldest covered market in Paris, dating back to the 1600’s. More food stands than produce stands, this is a good place to come for lunch. It was bustling when I came by and is open almost every day, unlike most other markets in the city.
Fromagerie Crèmerie Frescolet
This beautiful cheese shop was right near my hotel so I popped in one day when walking by. Frescolet's space is minimalist but cozy, with lots of cheeses to choose from, as well as some other goods. With the help of the staff, who let me try some samples, I selected a cheese to pack in my picnic for Versailles the next day.