Paris Restaurants

Vantre is what Frenchie was 15 years ago. Chef Iacopo Chomel and sommelier Marco Pelletier met at Le Bristol's Epicure (after runs at Le Clarence and Le Taillevent, respectively), but despite their fine dining backgrounds, Vantre is relaxed and unpretentious. There are just a handful of seats, and the place is only open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. You might notice the crowd is full of chefs from other restaurants, who gather here to split a bottle of wine over lunch. Speaking of: At lunch, opt for the set menu, which goes for just 26 euros for an entrée, plat, and dessert, and get whatever bottle the sommelier tells you to.

At this modern French bistro, you could get away with not looking at the menu at all. The servers are kind and make thoughtful recommendations: this tapa, this dessert, that natural wine. People come for the hot dogs on weekend lunches. Not joking—try one, and you’ll rethink hot dogs entirely. Make reservations; people come back week after week as the menu changes.

At the bottom of Père-Lachaise, this sweet tavern serves a tight menu of tapas and Catalan wines. It’s worth crossing town for the lush and intimate cobblestone courtyard, where we see ourselves spending long summer afternoons eating grilled octopus and French-fry patatas bravas.

Chef Assaf Granit has become known for flavorful Mediterranean food and good vibes. His fourth Paris restaurant, Tekés, is the kind of place you could bring anyone, for any reason, and know you’ll have a fantastic time. Expect open-fire vegetarian cooking—perhaps grilled leeks, beetroot kabobs, za’atar and garlic galettes—in an airy space with high ceilings. The music is always killer, the vibe celebratory, and the service energetic and personable.

Old-school Aux Deux Amis gets shoulder-to-shoulder crowded, so make a reservation or be prepared to squeeze in at the bar to order natural wine and tapas with the masses. The menu changes regularly—expect it might be written by hand and only in French, in which case you can ask your server (or, if you’re at the bar, a new friend) to decipher.

Basque fine dining restaurant Sugaar is one of the buzziest reservations in Paris, and the candlelit space is equally suited for intimate date nights or fancy gatherings with friends. Start with a round of martinis and fatty tuna pinxos before diving into white asparagus, charcoal-cooked fish, and sheep’s cheese tarts.

The name “snack bar” is misleading; this cozy neighborhood spot is a full-blown natural wine bar with dim lighting and an excellent dinner menu, which changes frequently. Think mussels in harissa bouillon, crispy gochujang chicken wings, tomatoes in lemon caper sauce, and fresh spring asparagus, cooked perfectly.

The tasting menu at Minore might baffle you at first glance. But by the time you finish your first course, you’ll wonder why you haven’t seen black mullet paired with strawberries before. Minore’s inventive menu is the work of chef Katsuaki Okiyama, whose previous restaurant, Abri, firmly kicked off a wave of Japanese-French dining in Paris. The cocktails here are just as surprising and wonderful as the food, thanks to Okiyama’s partner, bartender Hugo Cobe. Try the margarita, made with wasabi, passionfruit, and cherry vinegar.

If you’d like to experience classic Parisian bistro food—escargot, duck à l’orange, cordon bleu, foie gras, eggs mayonnaise, frog legs, and more—dodge the tourist traps near the Eiffel Tower and aim straight for Paul Chêne. The food here is excellent and the service is personal and warm. (Often, the owner Harold Chêne will serve you himself.) Don’t skip the orange cognac liqueur, which they make in house based on an old family recipe. The restaurant only has a handful of tables, and they always book out; make reservations by phone and well in advance.

The crown jewel of Cheval Blanc’s culinary program is three-Michelin-starred Plénitude. Chef Arnaud Donckele fuses classic French dishes from Normandy and Paris with Mediterranean inspiration. The meat and fish here are great, but the sauces, creams, and broths steal the show. Reservations are difficult to get and worth booking your whole trip around.