Where To Eat & Drink In Paris, By The City’s Finest Chefs, Sommeliers & Tastemakers

The only issue with dining out in Paris is that everywhere looks inviting. Stroll down any street in the centre of the French capital and you’ll be tempted by endless bars, cafes and bistros with patterned chairs and tables spilling out across the pavement. While there’s a good time to be had at plenty of these venues, if you spend enough time in Paris, you’ll realise the greatest spots to eat and drink often take a little more seeking out – usually with some insider knowledge.

Thanks to tips from those who call Paris home, I’ve been able to eat and drink my way around Paris like a local. And now you can, too. Below, some of Paris’ finest chefs, restaurateurs and tastemakers share where they like to eat and drink in the city, hand selected for your next trip.  

Barney O’Kane – Co-Founder of De Vie  

Over in Paris’ Montorgueil quarter, a foodie crowd has been drawn to a new spot of late. De Vie, is part bar, fine dining restaurant (known as Comptoir De Vie, under chef Adam Purcell) and shop, and is also where we hosted our recent crafts workshop and book swap. Co-founders Barney O’Kane and Alex Francis are both alums of celebrated Parisian bar Little Red Door, so it’s no surprise De Vie made the top 100 of last year’s Top 500 Bars list just six months after opening.  

It’s the kind of place you’ll want to carve out some time for: the drinks menu champions local, seasonal ingredients and keeps sustainability in mind, including a standout not-too-sweet pear skin liqueur made from waste produce. Once you’re in the De Vie mindset, carry on with your Parisian food and drink tour with these recommendations from Barney.

1. RORI Pizza – This shop in the 11th serves the most perfectly cut slices in the city, with the right amount of each topping.  A must-try is the Pepperoni Hot Honey Grandma Slice.
2. Le Mary Celeste – The devilled eggs at this wine bar and restaurant are non-negotiable. They’ve been on the menu since day one, so you haven’t really been to Mary Celeste if you haven’t tried them. (Keep scrolling for more recs from its founder below.) 
3. The Wellington – Head here for a perfect pint of Guinness, rumoured to be the best in Paris. While I argue all Guinness is practically identical, the warmth of hospitality at this pub transports you right to the Irish countryside. Best paired with a packet of Tayto crisps. 
4. Abstract Bistro Paris – Our neighbours! Stop in for a Martini Patisserie – a buttery, pastry-inspired martini that’s equally good before or after dinner. 
5. Tapisserie – A patisserie spot from the team behind restaurants Septime and Clamato (below, you’ll also find recs from their founder). It’s down the street, so its baked goods are best enjoyed after putting your name on the list for Clamato (a great snack while you wait). The desserts are my favourite in all of Paris, but it does get messy. 

Rémi Ségui – Director of Le Bar de la Cave at Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet

Le Bar de la Cave is the wine bar from renowned fine wine merchants Duclot, which you’ll find at Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet, offering a place to stop for a great glass of wine (guaranteed) with some cheese and charcuterie, along with tastings and expert advice from sommeliers. As its director, Rémi Ségui is behind the selection of many of the wines that are on offer – making him the go-to man for recommendations on what to order at the bar and purchase in-store. “Narrowing down my favourite food and drink spots is like asking a parent to pick their favourite child,” he says. “Let’s give it a try.”

1. Le Griffonnier – This is a classic French Bistrot with authentic recipes beautifully prepared including traditional ‘oeuf mayo’ – a must-try dish when you visit.
2. The Rooftop Bar At Grands Boulevards Hotel – A wonderful spot in the summertime with a glass of champagne and tasty canapés. Who doesn’t enjoy some time on a rooftop?
3. Experimental Cocktail Club – If cocktails are more your speed, I recommend this spot as it has a beautiful selection of cocktails and rare liquors in a cosy atmosphere. Perfect for a date.
4. Brasserie Lazare Paris – This spot is by the iconic French chef Éric Fréchon. One of my favourite dishes is the ‘Coquillettes pour enfant gâté’ pasta with ham, comté cheese and truffles. Try it and let me know what you think!
5. Le Bar de la Cave – Of course, last but not least, I have to mention the one and only Le Bar de la Cave, located at Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet – a one-stop-shop to enjoy a glass of wine or to share a bottle. We have a selection of over 3,500 types of wines and champagnes so you are not short on choices here! Have a glass and take a bottle (or two) home.

Josh Fontaine – Co-founder of Le Mary Celeste & Candelaria, & Founder Of Apéritif Brand Lutèce

Around the corner from one another in the Marais district of Paris, you’ll find Le Mary Celeste (home to delicious small plates, natural wines and cocktails) and Candelaria (the aforementioned no-frills taco spot with a killer bar hidden at the back). Two foodie spots that might seem completely unrelated, but share a passion for fine produce, excellent drinks, great vibes – and a co-founder in Josh Fontaine, who is also behind new apéritif brand Lutèce, “a new spirit for the modern drinker” created in homage to Parisian cafe culture. This is where Fontaine eats and drinks in the city.

1. Mardi – My local café where I can be found meeting neighbourhood friends over coffee several mornings a week. Don’t miss their frequent dinner events as well!
2. Le Chardonnay – A quality, all-day classic brasserie from a family of Parisian restaurateurs. Very central and open non-stop for food and drinks in a very walkable part of the city.
3. Paulownia – An unassuming, great new restaurant by my friends Tess and Geoffrey, who I met during harvest at Maison Valette in Burgundy. It’s in an up-and-coming part of the 20th arrondissement – it’s worth the trip
4. Bar Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon – The bar team here is doing fantastic work. One of my go-to spots when I’m looking for a refined cocktail experience. The wine list is full of hidden gems as well, at surprisingly affordable prices given the surroundings.
5. Le Doyenné – When you need a break from the city, take the train or split a taxi out to Le Doyenné. A spectacular organic farm supplies almost all of the ingredients for the neighbouring restaurant. When it’s warm, you can take your apéritif out to the garden, or in winter months chill by the open fireplace. And, of course, spend the night in one of the rooms upstairs.

Bertrand Grébaut – Head Chef at Septime

Hailed as “the quintessence of the new breed of Parisian restaurants” by the Michelin Guide, Septime is a restaurant absolutely worth the (often long) waiting list. It’s a Michelin-star restaurant with a difference: the fine dining and excellent service you’d expect, yet it still feels modern, fresh and utterly cool. Bertrand Grébaut, formerly of Alain Passard’s three-Michelin-starred Arpège, is the chef at the helm – he also oversees the menu at neighbouring sister spots Clamato (a seafood restaurant, which Service95 founder Dua Lipa hailed as one of her favourite in the city) and wine bar Septime La Cave. (Tip: if you can’t get a reservation at Septime, both of these are walk-in only.) Here’s where the celebrated chef eats post-service.

1. Bistrot des Tournelles – For the wine list of natural wines from the Beaujolais region – and their steak au poivre.
2. Song Heng – For the beef Pho.
3. Oobatz – For their sourdough pizza.
4. The Beans On Fire – Perfect for enjoying a coffee on the terrace at Square Maurice Gardette while eating a sugar roll.
5. Cave Canaille – For the selection of natural wines and the fish preserves from the Basque Country.

Jessica Yang and Robert Compagnon – Founders of Folderol and Le Rigmarole

Is there a greater – and more unexpected – food pairing than ice cream and natural wine? Perhaps not – considering that Jessica Yang and Robert Compagnon created a bar that specialises in both. Folderol is a consistently buzzing space loved by locals (and Service95 founder Dua Lipa), where you can find a great selection of natural wines served alongside artisanal ice cream (in a range of changing flavours, from green melon to peanut butter) – the perfect way to round off any evening. If that wasn’t enough culinary joy, the husband-and-wife chef duo are also the team behind Le Rigmarole, a French restaurant with a twist – cooking over a Japanese binchotan charcoal grill. These are the duo’s favourite spots in Paris.

1. Mokonuts– [A café and bakery owned by] great friends of ours, offering some of the freshest, most delicious, personal food in Paris. Omar and Moko just understand flavour and how to coax the best out of already amazing ingredients.
2. Sanukiya or Menkicchi – Respectively our favourite udon and ramen spots, perfect for lunch. Sanukiya is open from 11.30am-10pm, so it’s perfect for off-hours quick meals. Their fry game is on point. Menkicchi has the best balanced noodle-broth combination (get garlic to grate into the soup).
3. Oobatz – Full disclosure, we opened this pizzeria with Dan [Pearson] in May. We’re weirdly not the most rabid pizza fans, but natural-fermentation-obsessive Dan’s dough is amazing and light enough to make anyone fall in love.
4. Bistro des Tournelles – Our favorite traditional French spot. The best fries in Paris, great wine, the nicest guys...
5. Café Caractère – [Owner] Patricia has become a great friend, her coffees are always so perfectly balanced.