Where to eat in Paris?

We have been saying Paris is also the Capital of Gastronomie, thus has a lot to offer you when you crave for a good breakfast/lunch/dinner varying from high-end Michelin Star restaurants to most delicious street foods. The great gastronomic scene of the city offers a wide range of selection for every taste. Where to eat in Paris looks like an easy question but its hard to make a choice in the huge list of choices.

If you have more time to spend in the city, check our complete guide of things to do in Paris !

Now, let’s have a look at where to eat in Paris:

Best breakfasts in Paris:

Eggs & Co

This rustic hen-house-sized cafe in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés has become a hit by freeing the French talent for cooking eggs from the corset of traditional cameo roles. Here it’s all-eggs, all-the-time, with a menu that runs to well-executed basics like scrambled, boiled and omelettes and more sophisticated dishes like oeufs en cocotte (eggs baked in ramekins with cream, mushrooms, and other garnishes). 

Address: 11 Rue Bernard Palissy, 75006 Paris

Occupying a narrow, tiled space that was once a Moroccan restaurant near Canal Saint Martin, this is now the most popular new breakfast destination in Paris. Getting a table will often require a wait, even a long one, since they don’t take reservations. But it’s worth it because this “Melbourne-style cafe” does the best breakfasts in Paris. It offers dishes like black-rice porridge made with coconut milk and garnished with fromage blanc and seasonal fruit, or fried eggs and pancakes with bacon, Bourbon butter and maple syrup.

Address: 5 Rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010 Paris

Best lunch in Paris:

Breizh Cafe

By far our favorite crêperie in Paris for Traditionalists like me is the Breizh Café. It is definately the crep place for people who always order a complète (ham, cheese, egg), appreciate the higher quality organic ingredients and the crispy lacy edges of their buckwheat galettes. Hunters can look to daily and seasonal specials to top their galettes with sea scallops and smoked duck breast. Dessert crêpes offer a few Japanese touches like ginger and yuzu alongside classic constructions with apples and ice cream. You can begin with ultra-fresh oysters or langoustines, sip artisanal ciders throughout the meal, and simply enjoy the Breton lifestyle.

Address: 1 Rue de l’Odéon, 75006 Paris

Hugo & Co

It’s been a while since an outstanding restaurant opened in the historic Latin Quarter, which is why Cambodian-born Tomy Gousset’s new place has been such a hit. Here, the chef, who spent time in the New York, preps a first-rate small-plates menu that will please both vegetarians and carnivores. Standout dishes include the savory pancake with guanciale; a breaded free-range pork cutlet with a fried egg, black rice, red cabbage, and curry sauce; and a black chocolate tart with puffed buckwheat and cappuccino ice cream. It’s an instant local favorite. 

Address: 48 Rue Monge, 75005 Paris

Best cafes in Paris:

Café de Flore

Another hit of the conversations around where to eat in Paris is Cafe de Flore. Located in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés neighborhood, The Cafe has attracted many philosophers and intellectuals over the years, and still does. Its Art Deco interior, with immense mirrors and large red seats make it a very quiet and intimate café. In 1887, the statue of Flora, flowers and spring goddess, located opposite the Boulevard inspires a young man to open a new café: le Café de Flore.

Throughout the years, this sculpture has never ceased to inspire the great literary people of the 20th century. In 1917, the café welcomes the surrealists such as André Breton, soon followed by “la Bande à Prévert”, a group of intellectuals lead by Jacques Prévert. Other iconic French philosophers, such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir have made it their HQ.
After welcoming the Resistance during WWII, Café de Flore started seeing designers such as Yves Saint Laurent in the 1960’s. All these people have made it one of the most iconic cafés of Paris.Address: 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris

Angelina

Always in the list of where to eat in Paris, Angelina is a full service café and tea room, serving breakfast, brunch, salads and sandwiches, but for many, the hot chocolate and desserts are the main attractions. The original Angelina patisserie and tearoom, designed in the luxurious Belle Époque style, is located at 226 Rue de Rivoli. Founded in 1903 by Austrian confectioner, Antoine Rumpelmayer, the tea room was named after his daughter-in-law. Since then it has been a favorite spot for over a century for well-heeled Parisians and celebrities, including Marcel Proust and Coco Chanel.

Address: 226, rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris

Best dinner options in Paris:

La Bourse et La Vie

This dining room near the Bourse (the former stock exchange) is compact and cozy, complete with all the markers of a comforting old bistro. At first sight, La Bourse et la Vie appears to have much in common with an ordinary bistro serving classic dishes like steak-frites and pot au feu. But look closely, you’ll notice the leeks are dotted with hazelnuts from Piemonte and steak is 30-day aged Simmental beef. His version of pot au feu is deeply delicious and evokes the classic dish that was bubbling a century ago on stoves. However, it’s radically different and probably more delicious than the original because it marries perfectly cooked cuts of veal and lightly cooked vegetables with the sort of profound bouillon that has become Chef’s signature.

Address: 12 rue Vivienne, 75002 Paris

Ze Kitchen Gallery

William Ledeuil is one of those rare chefs who has got fusion just right at his convivial, gourmet restaurant. Or, rather, he has created his own distinctive Franco-Asian style. A great example is marrying Lozère lamb and French fish with Asian herbs and condiments, like wasabi and Thai basil. Desserts are original, too. And it’s called Kitchen Galerie because you can see Ledeuil and his team at work in the open kitchen. The dining area is a loft-like space with modern art on the walls. Address: 4 Rue des Grands Augustins, 75006 Paris

Bonus – L’As du Fallafel

A must do in the list of where to eat in Paris, especially if you’re in to street food. Walk down rue des Rosiers any day of the week, and you will easily spot L’As du Fallafel thanks to the long queue in front of its green facade, with staff running up and down scribbling orders for the take-away window. ‘Often imitated, never equalled’ is the slogan here, and few who have tried other falafels along this street have confirmed!

Address: 32-34 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris