1. Les Philosophes
If you’re on a budget or just looking for a spot to warm up, get a steaming bowl of French onion soup from Les Philosophes café, in the heart of Ile-de-France. This bustling traditional French café is situated in Le Marais, one of the trendiest and quirkiest of the Parisian arrondissements and a great place to people watch from the cosy outdoor seating. The duck confit with fresh local bakery bread also comes highly recommended by their happy customers.
Where: 28 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75004
2. Le Refuge des Fondus
What is not to love about gigantic bowls of cheese? For €21 you get a welcome drink, a selection of Spanish style snacks, a cheese or meat fondue and, best of all, as many baby bottles of wine as you can drink! And, if you’re feeling a little gluttonous after consuming all that wine, cheese and meat, you can polish off your meal with a healthy fruit salad, also included. This is the perfect place to head to with a group of friends for a fun, cosy meal and there are plenty of bars to venture out to in the Montmartre area afterwards.
Where: 17 Rue des Trois Freres, 75018
3. 58 Tour Eiffel
This restaurant is located on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower itself, so you really can’t get a more iconic Parisian dining experience than this! At nightfall, the restaurant becomes an elegant French brasserie with the best views in town. Choose from a variety of different menus starting from £75 a head which all include a glass of champagne. Other delicacies include smoked salmon, pan fried cod, guinea fowl breast and dates flavoured with Menton lemon among many, many more. Book your tickets here.
Where: The Eiffel Tower!
4. Pho Banh Cuon 14
Perhaps an unusual choice if you’re heading to Paris enjoy traditional French food, but the huge Vietnamese community in the 13th arrondissement of Paris also have some culinary delights they’re eager for you to try! Despite its location slightly outside of the main tourist areas, queues are often round the corner at this popular pho house. Don’t worry though, the queues move quickly and you’ll soon be sat down with a hot bowl of healthy delicious pho for less than €9!
Where: 129 Avenue de Choisy, 75013
5. Relais de l’Entrecôte
Looking for Steak Frites in Paris? Try Relais de l’Entrecôte, which has 3 great locations all over the city and has been serving up steak since 1959! The restaurant is decked out in the traditional French style, with red and gold awnings and wicker chairs crowded cosily on the cobbled pavements outside the restaurant. It’s steak or…steak at this place, so you know they’re good at what they do!
Where: 3 locations in Paris
6. L’As du Fallafel
Though you might not see fallafel as a traditional Parisian cuisine, grabbing a shwarma or mixed falafel salad has become one ofthe things to do in the trendy Le Marais district. Le Marais was originally the Jewish quarter of Paris, so there are plenty of traditional Middle Eastern restaurants in this area. This is a great option for food on the go snacks, so a great spot for lunch!
Where: 32-34 Rue des Rosiers, 75004
7. Comptoir de la Gastronomie
Think of French food and you probably think of snails in a garlicky, buttery stew, right? If you want to try this traditional French delicacy, head to Comptoir de la Gastonomie, where you can get 6 large snails for 8,5€, or a nice round dozen for 16€. Snails can be paired with a variety of different wines, and luckily the restaurant has an extensive list of wines for every budget to make that perfect match!
Where: 34 Rue Montmartre, 75001
