Paris Restaurants

This little bistro is popular for good wine, a contemporary menu of well-executed small plates, and terrace seating that’s especially lovely on a summer evening. It draws lively and youngish crowd on weekends.

Ojii pulls off unforgettable Japanese fine dining in a slinky, ‘70s-inspired boîte. They do white-tablecloth in a sexy way, and it’s great for date night: Spend the night eating caviar tuna nigiri and sipping sake cocktails made with sobacha, yuzu, or plum wine.

Little Miss Geisha is inspired by Kyoto’s machiyas—traditional wooden townhouses—and while you can get a full lunch, dinner, or Sunday brunch here, we’d argue it’s best for an unhurried afternoon tea. The menu might be simpler than at proper mealtime, but the vibe is more leisurely, which makes up for the restaurant’s slow service. And you can spill out into the Jardin du Luxembourg for a stroll when you’re done.

Furia’s tacos are solidly the best in Paris. There are just six on the menu—including shiitake al pastor, cauliflower tempura, slow-roasted pulled pork, or tuna and shoestring fries. All delicious, although the fresh corn tortillas might be the real highlight. Grab a seven-euro glass—or a 35-euro bottle—from the well-curated list of natural wines and finish the night off with an order of flan and ice cream. Furia doesn’t take reservations, and it gets packed; come early.

It would be silly to go to Paris for a smashburger—so prioritize accordingly—but Dumbo does them really well. Expect the classic fixings: American cheese, extra-crispy French fries, and Heinz ketchup, for here or to go.

From Michelin-starred chef Assaf Granit, Boubalé—“my little darling” in Yiddish—serves incredible Ashkenazi food with a twist. We love the classic pierogi potatoes, schnitzel, entrecôte, and the herb salad, but unexpected items like tuna sashimi drizzled with a strawberry sorbet, soy sauce, and olive oil and finished with crunchy dried chives are just as delicious. Book a seat at the chef’s counter to watch all the behind-the-scenes preparation.

Saturday nights are for Hôtel Costes, when as many tables as possible are packed into the courtyard and it feels like every young hedonist in Paris is drinking spicy margaritas.

Despite being on the edge of town, Le Cadoret is always packed. Bear in mind it’s a bistro that gives the people what they want: French classics done well and inexpensively.

Freddy’s is in the top five most-visited bar à vins of our Paris-resident friends. The rustic stone walls, pretty chevron floors, artfully arranged bundles of wildflowers in old glass bottles, the museum-quality ceramics you eat off, the casual stools you perch on—it’s intoxicating and feels as Paris as Paris can be.

Chefs Robert Compagnon and Jessica Yang are not afraid of a little culinary unorthodoxy, and unsurprisingly their thirty-seat Le Rigmarole is pretty indefinable.