Top 10 restaurants in Paris

Paris is not only the city of love, but also the cradle of French gastronomy from where all the nuances and flavors of the country come from. Join me to know which are the best places to eat in the city.

Ana Caballero

Ana Caballero

9 min read

Top 10 restaurants in Paris

Restaurant in Paris | ©Anna Urlapova

Every cuisine in the world has a touch that makes it special and recognizable. It can be the use of spices, the spiciness or the preparation of its dishes. However, French cuisine has many nuances that define it and have made it one of the most famous in the world.

The mixture of sweet and salty, the raw materials, the mastery of the masses, the subtlety of butter and the mastery of meat and fish have made eating in Paris become a culinary experience. That's why, if you are thinking of visiting the French capital, I'm going to leave you a list of ten places to eat that you can not miss. Let's start!

1.Enjoy a private gastronomic tour of French products

Gastronomic Tour| ©Viator.com
Gastronomic Tour| ©Viator.com

If you want to taste in a unique and exclusive way all the delicacies that Paris has in store for you, one of the best plans I offer is to book a private gastronomic tour so you can have a personal guide who will take you to different places to taste the characteristic products.

From a famous macaroon with a good coffee, to taste a glass of local wine with a French cheese. Let your taste buds fall in love with this experience that will certainly be a worthwhile part of your trip to the French capital. You can choose to do the private tour with your group of friends or family or, if you are traveling alone, in a small and exclusive group, which will be guided through different markets and key places where you will make the obligatory stops to taste the most famous local product of the city. Bon apetit!

Interesting details

  • Price: between 140€ and 150€.
  • Duration: about 3 hours of gastronomic tour.
  • Direction: with this type of tour you will visit different typical places around Paris.
  • Recommended for: groups of friends or family who want to taste and learn about the local gastronomy of France.

2. Taste the delights of the Marché d'Aligre in small groups

Visiting Marché d'Aligre| ©Leo Granate
Visiting Marché d'Aligre| ©Leo Granate

If you want to get off the beaten path and get to know the gastronomy of Paris in an authentic way and close to its people, one of the best places to visit is the Marché d'Aligre, located in the 12th arrondissement. For six days a week, a large market is located in this sector, divided into an outdoor and an indoor part, where you can stroll around to discover the fresh and local products that the Parisian on foot takes.

Fortunately, so you don't feel so lost, you can find tours for small groups that take you for a morning to know this picturesque place and, of course, to offer you a gastronomic experience tasting the food and ingredients of the market stalls. An experience for your palate that goes beyond the classic and gives you a deeper insight into the flavors that predominate among the local residents.

Details of interest

  • Price: between 60€ and 70€.
  • Duration: approximately 2 hours.
  • Address: Marché d'Aligre, Place d'Aligre, 75011.
  • Recommended for: groups of friends or families who want to taste local flavors and live an experience closer to everyday life.

3.Do a wine and cheese tasting in the heart of the Latin Quarter

Bottles of Wine| ©Hermes Rivera
Bottles of Wine| ©Hermes Rivera

Paris may have many places and interests that make it unique but, within its gastronomy, two of its main pillars are wine and cheese. If you want to know and taste closely these two raw materials in a special and unique way, you have the opportunity to do it in some of the tastings that are organized in the Latin Quarter, a place full of history and French culture.

In this way, you will not only taste the different types of wines and cheeses that are most famous in Paris, but you will be guided at all times by expert chefs and sommeliers who will advise and instruct you on the nuances that you will taste. There are different tours that organize this type of French-style tastings and, if you like the world of wine, it is certainly a plan to take into account.

Details of interest

  • Price: between 40€ and 50€.
  • Duration: the tastings usually last around 2 hours.
  • Address: Latin Quarter of Paris.
  • Recommended for: couples and groups with a taste for wine and cheese.

4.Discover the Moulin Rouge with a spectacular dinner

Dinner at the Moulin Rouge| ©Viator.com
Dinner at the Moulin Rouge| ©Viator.com

The Moulin Rouge is one of the biggest shows in Paris and, in addition to offering a show full of excitement and music, it also offers a delicious dinner that you can enjoy to the rhythm of the cancan. For decades this place has been the nerve center of Parisian bohemia and, today, continues to offer performances every week.

If you are interested in seeing this spectacular performance and enjoy a dinner full of glamour, you should plan ahead, as tickets and table reservations are usually purchased well in advance. That's why I recommend you to have a tour or ticket already organized where, usually, you can choose from several menus inside the Moulin Rouge, in addition to enjoying the most famous cabaret in France.

Details of interest

  • Price: between 190€ and 200€ with dinner and show included.
  • Duration: 4 hours approximately.
  • Address: Moulin Rouge, 82 Boulevard de Clichy, 75018.
  • Recommended for: couples who want a special dinner.

Book tickets for the Moulin Rouge with dinner and transportation

5. Taste the gourmet cuisine at L'Atelier Maître Albert

Dining at L'Atelier Maître Albert| ©The Fork
Dining at L'Atelier Maître Albert| ©The Fork

If you are visiting the center of Paris and want to be assured of a first class dining experience, I recommend L'Atelier Maître Albert, a restaurant located a few steps from Notre Dame with a classic and cozy style and a traditional food in the purest gourmet style that will make your mouth water.

Its decor around a large living room with fireplace and dishes based on meats, fish and vegetables simmered make it a place not only comforting, but of a quality typical of the French capital. I recommend you to book a table in advance as it is a very popular place in Paris.

Details of interest

  • Price: around 25€ per person.
  • Address: 1 rue Master Albert 75005 Paris.
  • Recommended for: romantic dinners, couples.

6. Food and history at Brasserie Lipp

Entrance of the Brasserie Lipp| ©Arnaud 25
Entrance of the Brasserie Lipp| ©Arnaud 25

If you want to taste the most traditional dishes of Paris in a place with more than 130 years of history, you should definitely come and visit Brasserie Lipp, a restaurant located in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district and specialized in typical food and brasserie.

Some of its most typical dishes are Bismark herring, cod brandade, sauerkraut or roast free-range chicken. The popular restaurant is open every day and has a continuous service both for lunch and dinner, so if you have the opportunity, do not miss the opportunity to try their delicacies.

Details of interest

  • Price: around 35€ per person.
  • Address: 151 Bd Saint-Germain, 75006.
  • Recommended for: couples and families who want to try traditional dishes.

7. La Criée, the authentic taste of the sea

Oyster plate at La Criée| ©Matteo R
Oyster plate at La Criée| ©Matteo R

If you are passionate about seafood and seafood products, you can't miss La Criée, a chain of restaurants specialized in fresh seafood that will offer you for a very reasonable price, both lunch and dinner of very good quality, as takeaway.

Fresh oysters, tuna tartare, grilled prawns, even a French version of Fish & Chips. Whether you travel with friends or family, this place has a top quality product and you can find it all over the city, although one of its largest restaurants is located in the center of the city.

Interesting details

  • Price: around 20€ per person.
  • Address: 31 Bd de Bonne Nouvelle, 75002.
  • Recommended for: families and groups of friends.

8. The croissance Du Pain et des Idées

Crosaints at Du Pain et des Idées| ©sanagiyuki
Crosaints at Du Pain et des Idées| ©sanagiyuki

The French are true masters at making dough, whether to make their delicious baguettes or their famous croissants. For this reason, you can not leave Paris without trying one of the most popular bakeries in the city, the Du Pain et des Idées.

This place sells the most famous croissants in Paris but also has a wide selection of breads and other sweets, and you even have the option to ask them to prepare a sandwich to take away and taste it while walking through the city of light and love. Undoubtedly a unique and very typical experience.

Interesting details

  • Price: 10€ approximately per person.
  • Address: 34, Rue Yves Toudic, 75010.
  • Recommended for: lovers of bread and sweets.

9. The famous crepes at the Creperie Bretonne

Crepes at the Creperie Bretonne| ©Marina
Crepes at the Creperie Bretonne| ©Marina

One of the most typical foods that can be seen all over Paris is undoubtedly the crepes. These delicious doughs that can be eaten both sweet and savory are originally from France and like both tourists and locals, so you can find many establishments and stalls that sell them.

However, I recommend you go to try them at one of the best places in the city, the Creperie Bretonne, one of the most famous places located in Montparnasse and attracts every day thousands of sweet tooth who want to try for a very affordable price this delicacy.

Interesting details

  • Price: between 4€ to 9€.
  • Address: Rue de Montparnasse.
  • Recommended for: families and couples with a sweet tooth or pancakes.

10. Romantic date at Altitudes 58

View of the Restaurant Altitudes 58| ©KenV-NZ
View of the Restaurant Altitudes 58| ©KenV-NZ

Going to Paris and not going up the Eiffel Toweris like not going. This huge and famous international monument is the icon of the city and from the top you can not only see the fantastic views of the whole city, but you can also enjoy a romantic dinner or lunch in their restaurant on the heights.

The Eiffel Tower has its own restaurant, the Altitudes 58, where they offer menus and a menu full of traditional dishes and products of French gastronomy. The price, as you might have guessed, is higher than that of a regular restaurant, but think that not every day you will be able to toast and eat a gourmet dish at the top of one of the Wonders of the Modern World.

Details of interest

  • Price: 45€ approximately per person.
  • Address: Champ de Mars, 5 Av. Anatole France, 75007.
  • Recommended for: Romantic dates and couples.

Typical dishes of Paris

Ratatouille Dish| ©amirali mirhashemian
Ratatouille Dish| ©amirali mirhashemian

Paris enjoys being the capital of one of the richest countries in the world and, in addition to being geographically positioned between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, has a very versatile climate that gives rise to top quality products. This makes the raw material is great and the basis of their elaborations have an extra flavor.

In addition, Paris has been one of the cradles where haute cuisine has developed and the great chefs of the world. This city has known how to mix tradition and the products of the sea and the earth with the most innovative culinary techniques of each era, giving rise to typical dishes such as:

  • Foie gras
  • Coq au vin
  • Snails
  • The Brioche
  • The Crepes
  • The Quiche
  • The Ratatouille

How much budget do you need to eat in Paris approximately?

Money| ©cottonbro
Money| ©cottonbro

You should keep in mind that Paris is a quite expensive capital in relation to other European countries. That is why, when calculating a budget to eat on your visit to the city, you have to decide what kind of places you want to visit and the plan you want to go with.

You can find restaurants that cost around 35€ a fork, but you can also choose to eat in stalls or more local restaurants where a lunch can cost around 15€.

Lunch, dinner and restaurant opening hours in Paris

Having a snack| ©Daria Shevtsova
Having a snack| ©Daria Shevtsova

Paris, like other northern European cities, tends to wake up early and go to bed early and meal times are also reflected. As a general rule, stores usually open at 9am and close at around 7pm so, as you would imagine, lunch and dinner are adapted to these times.

The local Parisian usually has lunch between 12 and 2 noon and dinner at around 8pm, so restaurants will offer their menus at these times. However, being in such a busy city, you will never have a problem finding any place open where they can offer you a tasty dish at a reasonable price.