Eat & Drink

La Perla

Good Mexican food to be had within a stone's throw of the Ile de St. Louis. They mix a decent margarita too!

O Corcovado Marais

This Brazilian restaurant serves authentic food.

Creperie Beaubourg

The restaurant serves salty "galette" and sweet "crepes" with cider for a reasonable price. In summertime one can sit nicely outdoor.

Pain Vin Fromages

It's all about cheese, with a selection of Swiss dishes, and others.

Le Colimaçon

Cozy, charming space. Attentive service. French cuisine with daily specials.

L'Ambroisie

In the aristocratic décors of the 18th century the chef Bernard Pacaud and his son prepare modern and refined food. The "tarte au chocolat" is surreal.

Brasserie Bofinger

A beautiful, historical décor in the Art Nouveau style (see the ceiling upstairs); good Alsatian cuisine : choucroute, kuglopf, etc, plus good classic cuisine de brasserie.

Le Georges

On the top floor of the Centre Georges Pompidou, the restaurant Georges offers a panoramic view of Paris. Serves modern French food with classic desserts like "blancs en neige".

Amorino

The oldest of the many boutiques operated by this gelato (Italian ice cream) maker.

Glacier Berthillon

The most renowned French sorbet has his little tea shop since 1954. The wait in the queue is definitely worth it, also with some luck the queue isn't that big. On the corner, the queue for takeaway is usually bigger but, of course, faster. Taking the ice to the Seine is, of course. a possible option.

Pozetto

Little shop that's both a café and sells Italian ice cream. The ice cream flavours vary according to the season.

Palazzo del Freddo

Ice cream: not as marvellous as Giolitti or San Crispino but still worth trying. Prices are reasonable, quality good. Old ice cream making equipment on display.

Toks

Casual chain of family oriented sit-down restaurants with traditional Mexican menu: tortas, enchiladas, tacos, etc. Clean and affordable.

El Fogón Montañes

Casual street restaurant. Known for their large tortas (sandwiches).

Markotte

Organic sandwiches, salads and soups

Chez Marianne

At the corner of rue des Hospitalières-Saint Gervais, and the rue Rosiers, Chez Marianne—like the many falafel stands in the Pletzle—serves excellent sandwiches out of a walk up window, but unlike some of the others also has an attractive dining room and a truly lovely terrace where you can enjoy a full range of Jewish/middle-eastern dishes.

Le Loir dans la Théière

A highly recommended and quaint little tea shop, well worth a visit especially for brunch, which at €15.50 is a great value for the quantity, quality, and ambience. The cakes are huge, but if one is too late they might already be gone.

Ristorante Baia Chia

Good value Sardinian fish restaurant. Seafood antipasto, three pasta dishes, grilled fish and dessert for around €40. Don't try to order, just let them bring it to your table. Excellent Sardinian wines extra.

Panella L’Arte del Pane

Very upmarket (with matching prices) baker. Great window displays but you may find the taste doesn't match the appearance.

Aquila Nera, Ristorante Pizzeria

A street side restaurant with excellent food, attentive service and warm atmosphere. Eat outside or inside, depending on the weather. Try the fish fillet baked in potato which should please anyone who likes fish - it is excellent. Their marketing says they are a pub, perhaps to pull in tourists hankering after home but this is an Italian restaurant. The waiters hustle passers by into becoming satisfied diners. The white table cloths, linen and cutlery are presentable. The menu is varied and does not stress pizza, though they do have it. There are a variety of meat and fish dishes and pasta. Th

Nawab

This Indian and Pakistani restaurant is usually packed especially for lunch so be sure to call ahead and reserve a table. One of the reasons is that if you ask them to spice it up "like in Pakistan" they actually will.

La Travesia

Inexpensive but excellent Lebanese food. Vegetarian friendly. Just down the steps from the Sacre Coeur.

Le Basilic

Very nice atmosphere and service. Great food, and good selection of wines.

Flunch

Self-service restaurant, right next to the Pompidou centre. Steaks etc. are cooked fresh when ordered, other food is pre-cooked and there is a microwave in the table area should you need to heat anything up. A chance to try authentic French food at cheap prices. Just one minus - there is a free water and ice dispender next to the microwave, in the table area, AFTER you've paid and probably bought another drink! Price - e.g. one couscous, one steak with mixed vegetables, two pieces of bread, €16.50.

Le Surcouf

Very ordinary non-touristy cafe run by family from the Maghreb. "French" food is pricey for what you get, but the couscous dishes are huge, cheap and delicious with a home-cooked feel to them. There's a dog hanging around the bar, very friendly beast, but avoid if allergic or easily scared.

Au Grain de Folie

A one-woman operation with some mixed reviews, but apparently when she gets it right it's just about the best dining experience you'll ever have. Booking a day ahead is suggested.

La Taverne de Montmartre

Small restaurant with a nice rustic decoration, just below the artist's square, place du Tertre. Relaxing place, not overloaded with tourists. Excellent fondue offered for €17 per person (Oct 2008), including a salami salad for starters.

Le Buffet

Tasty, homey French food in a family-run restaurant. Lunch menu is around €12 (can be had until 20ː00).

Cafe des Deux Moulins

A popular destination for those who love the film Le fabuleaux destin d'Amelie Poulain, yet some locals still come here. Interior preserves the movie set. Great for lunch.

La Petaudiere

Piano bar. Tasty food, nice ambience, and excellent good piano music (prepare some coins for the pianist).

El Rey de la Biria

All other items are priced lower. Included in the price is a delicious soup (consomme).

Caféothèque de Paris

Coffee in Paris is usually found to be lacking, but not in this mini temple to coffee. A gem tucked into a backstreet by the river in le Marais roasts their own beans from around the world and has a small laid-back café area with armchairs. Staff are passionate about great coffee, not just a scaldingly hot coffee! They have some cakes and wine, and speak Spanish and English.

Queen Ann

The "salon de thé" serves soufflés and cakes. The small place has 12 tables. The hot chocolate makes the place highly addictable.

Au Progres

Small bar in an old place.

La Boule Noire

A small venue which is decorated to resemble a 1920s speakeasy, which has hosted a range of musicians from local singers to major arena acts.

Le Divan du Monde

A fairly major venue for indi-rock, hip-hop, and other concerts. The prices are usually pretty good and the size of the venue and decor are great.

Olympic Café

Run as part of the Laboratoire Multi-culturel populaire the Olympic Café is one of the few places in Paris where you can reliably find avant-garde jazz, making it at least spiritually a descendant of the club where the Art Ensemble of Chicago were resident for 5 years or so in the early 1970s. In addition to jazz they book music from around the world, especially Africa and the Caribbean.

The Auld Alliance Scottish Pub

Friendly staff and customers help create a welcoming atmosphere at the original Scottish pub in Paris. Excellent food is served every day including a hearty brunch. The pub is selling quality British crisps, even smokey bacon flavour. A wide selection of whisky is on offer. Sporting events are shown on eight large television screens. Regular darts and pool competitions take place and Monday night is quiz night.

Le Refuge des Fondues

Fondue restaurant for young people: menu for €17, including wine served in a baby bottle, appetizers, the fondue itself (cheese or meat), and dessert.

Truc Café

A classic French wine bistro filled with young trendy singles.

Café des Phares

Since 1992 this otherwise very attractive but fairly standard Parisian café has been host to a lively discussion of contemporary philosophy and attendant issues every Sunday night. There's a political discussion too, on the first Thursday of each month.

La Chaise au Plafond

The Chaise is one of those truly warm and welcoming cafés. The proprietor usually makes an effort to spend at least a couple of minutes at each table, and somehow manages to remember visitors even years later.

Café Lutèce

This little bistro would be totally unremarkable if it weren't for the location, on the north bank of Ile Saint-Louis, where you can watch the colours of the sunset light play over the towers of the Hôtel de Ville as you enjoy a glass or three of beer or house wine, or maybe a cognac.

Dome Du Marais

Wake Up Paris

A wonderful little bar with a Brazilian tilt that serves excellent caipirinhas. The staff is friendly and eager to strike up a conversation, especially about cachaça, the Brazilian liqueur that forms the base of their signature drink. It's a wonderful spot for catching a football match as well.

Le Lizard Lounge

Le Petit Fer A Cheval

Les Etages

Stolly's