The First Timer’s Guide To Eating In Paris

Anyone who’s ever ordered a cheese plate probably has opinions on Paris, and they’ll all recommend a different bistro that you need to go to. Our pick: Bistrot des Tournelles. It's a new-ish, charming neighborhood spot that checks all the bygone-era boxes, and isn’t crammed with tourists.

Most Parisian boulangeries are going to be better than any bakery back home. But somehow, Mamiche is another step up. There are two locations (plus a new takeaway address for sandwiches and other savory snacks), but if you’d like to eat your pain au chocolat and some exceptional babka by a body of water, head to the one near Canal Saint-Martin.

Comté that’s the same age as a toddler is great and all, but the burrata topped with sweet soy sauce, ginger sauce, and chili oil at Reyna, a Filipino restaurant in the 11th, might just be the best cheese you’ll eat in Paris. It’s creamy, spicy, and even better than their most famous dish, the fried chicken.

It’s day three and you’re down to your last Pepto. Get your vegetable fix at this sexy Middle Eastern restaurant in the 2nd, where plates of kohlrabi carpaccio and potato gnocchi in a creamy yellow curry fight for attention with a crowd that’s here to party. Don’t skip the laffa and accompanying yogurt-based dips—you can take a break from dairy tomorrow.

Wandering around the Marais is a lovely way to spend an afternoon in Paris. Less lovely: realizing you’re starving and nothing’s open for dinner yet. Fortunately, Le Mary Celeste begins service at 6pm during the week, and while reservations are always a good idea, they save some space for walk-ins.

Break out the iron: you’re having dinner in the poshest part of town. Gracefully tuck yourself into a velour banquette, order the €48 lamb chops, and get a bottle of something fizzy. This is one of the few Paris hotel restaurants that’s worth it, thanks in part to its history—it’s the address where James Joyce finished Ulysses, and the hotel bar was named in his honor.

After you finish the steak frites with chimichurri at Brutos, walk exactly 10 feet to Bar Principal, a wine and cocktail spot from the same team. It’s the kind of place that might make you want to smoke a cigarette, even if you don’t smoke cigarettes. Grab a table on the sidewalk, order a drink named after Kevin Bacon, and end the night with a round of fried chicken.

Sure, you could grab a sandwich at the train station before heading to Giverny. Or, you could book a table at this charming cafe between Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est. Dishes like tomatoes in a tangy tonnato sauce are much better than your standard cafe fare, there’s enough space for you and your suitcase at the outdoor tables, and the staff will pretend not to see you translating the chalkboard menu on your phone.

You spent the morning taking selfies at the Eiffel Tower, and now it’s time for lunch. L’Ami Jean is a quick walk from the thing you just spent thirty minutes photographing, and the perfect place to go through your camera roll over roasted sweetbreads braised in salted butter and a gigantic portion of very good rice pudding.

You’ve told yourself that Dior bag was a steal because “it’s cheaper in Europe,” and you’re definitely going to make it to the airport in time to drop off your VAT forms. Celebrate your kind donation to the French economy with a negroni au champagne and a decadent dish of comté mac and cheese as you pat yourself on the back for saving money.

If the Sacré-Cœur Basilica is on your list of things to see, time your visit to sunset. Everything will look extra beautiful and glowy, and you’ll be close to Citrons et Huitres when it opens for the evening. Meander on down and settle in for some raw fish and a glass or two of white wine. You and your little snacks will look equally stunning during golden hour.

Louis XIV probably didn’t laze on the grounds of his palace eating a veggie burger, but you certainly can. Outside food isn’t allowed in the palace or formal gardens, but access to the park is free, and that’s where you can picnic with falafel bowls and jackfruit tacos from Positive Café. If it’s too chilly for that, have a quick meal at the restaurant, then head over to take your Hall of Mirrors selfie.