Paris food

It's probably sacrilege, but I've never much cared for macarons (it's a texture thing). But if you google "best macarons in Paris, you'll find lots of lists.

I'm not sure what qualifies as best places to dine for you- it's such an individual thing. DH and I don't spend time often in Michelin starred restaurants or even formal white linen tabled restaurants. We prefer the brasserie and bistros. On our last visit (we stayed very near the Pantheon as well), we had one of our favorite dinners at a little place called le Volcan on the corner of rue Mouffetard and rue Thouin.

I highly recommend Café Constant in the 7th arrondissement at 139 Rue Saint-Dominique. Exceptional, high quality food in a very relaxed, comfortable, not stuffy setting.
Here’s their website

Macarons aren’t my favorite French sweet either, but Ladureé bakery has outstanding macarons (not macaroons).

I am saving all these names and I am planning to stop by those places. Thanks

We don't eat out much in Paris because we couldn't afford to and also spend a lot of time in Paris, so we cook in when we spend time there but we have a handful of favorites. For our anniversary two years ago and my birthday this year we went to L'Initial. Really wonderful meal -- 7 courses for 48 Euros -- beautiful presentation and very good food. We have often spent close to that for food less impressive. It would be a good splurge meal.
http://restaurant-linitial.fr

for really good classic French bistrot food we like Chez Dumonet Josephine. Their boeuf bourguignon is outstanding and you. can order a half portion. Their grand marnier soufflet is fabulous.

For an inexpensive place with lots of atmosphere try Bouillon Chartier. Classic French comfort food.

I like Cafe St. Victor on Rue Monge. I like their duck, the escargot, the onion soup gratinee, the creme brulee. . . It should be very close to where you are staying. FYI, there are macarons and there are macaroons. But when, I checked the spellings it looks like they are interchangeable??? Anyway, one is coconut and its like a drop cookie. I don't care for them. The other is a sandwich like cookie consisting of two puffy wafers made mostly of egg white and flavorings and some kind of filling. I love them, but I've never purchased at any particular place. I love falafel and they are an inexpensive meal. In the Marais, the falafel place I like (and I think a whole lot of other people judging by the lines) is L'As du Fallafel (Beware, they are not open Friday nights and probably not Saturday). We do a lot of picnicking for lunch in Paris. A bottle of wine, baguette (always 1 euro!!) some good cheese and maybe some fruit. There are many good places to picnic. Luxembourg Garden, the touilleries, Place des Vosges, Champ du Mars.

The French spelling for macarons has only one “O”. Most Americans say macaroons when referring to macarons. jules description is right, macarons and macaroons are very different. I did see a macaroon in Paris at one bakery last month, but macarons are just about every where now and have been very popular for several years.

Many of my favorite 5th arrondissement restaurants will be closed during August. However, you can check with:

Lilane

Le Mavrommátis

Au Bon Coin

Nossa Churrasqueira

L'Estrapade

Tourists always like:

Le Coupe Chou

As for macarons, McCafé sells excellent ones, 6 for 5.20€. Put them in a fancy box and few will know the difference.

Macaroons are English cookies containing a high proportion of coconut in the dough.

Personally I think the best macarons are from Pierre Herme - there are now several stores in Paris.

https://www.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-paris-france

We will hop a bus or Metro for dinner and get to different neighborhoods at night when we are in Paris.

I concur with Susan on Cafe Constant. We did find it a bit busy the night we went, but the wait was short.

We love Les Papilles. You must email them for a reservation. It is not cheap but not over-the-top, either. There is a prix fixe meal at night and it was fabulous. Beware the cost of wine as the owner likes to recommend very good bottles. But you can order by the glass or have him pull something to suit you. Really great for lunch or dinner, but at dinner it is quite the experience.

Leon de Bruxelles has several locations and the food is very good and reasonably priced. The mussels are superb.

Le P'tit Troquet is divine and a bit special, but not overpriced.

We had a great time and an excellent meal on Bustronome. Of course it is for tourists, but it is unique and the food unexpectedly good.

We went to the Polidor which was very relaxed, relatively inexpensive and delicious. It was frequented by a bunch of interesting people like Ernest Hemingway. That was one of our favorite stops. Though it is touristy, we love having macarons and hot chocolate at Angelina's because the environment is just so darn cute.

For Café Constant, I’d make a reservation or go between 2:00 and 6:00 ish. I prefer sitting outside (only 3 tables outside when I was there a month ago), or downstairs. Upstairs is fine but not my first choice. They also have a €37 prix fixe menu.

Another vote for Polidor, aside from excellent, reasonably priced meals; it’s like walking back in (Paris) time.

Couple of tips we used. Download Google map of Paris into your android or Apple devive and the save places (restaurants, bakeries, museums etc.) you might like. The places will show up as stars on the map, even if your off line. We often checked the map when we were in a neighborhood to see what was nearby.
We also found the menu translation section on the Eating and Drinking in Paris book to be invaluable. The book is paperback, small and eaasy to carry. We liked that we were able to check what menu foods were quickly and obscurely.
A casual but good Israeli restaurant in the Marais is Miznon. We eat there mainly when we wanted a break from rich foods. The ratatouille and roasted cauliflower are amazing.

Go to the blog written by David Leibovitz.......just google him and you will see it. He is a chef that moved to Paris from New York and writes a great blog about life and food in Paris. He has a column called TEN INSANELY DELICIOUS THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T MISS IN PARIS.......write the places down he suggests and google map them and make a copy to take with you. We did this on our first Paris trip and it was the smartest thing we have ever done. We knew the exact route to walk from our hotel to each one. Eric Kayser’s pain aux cereals is just as good as he says......I even handed my map over the counter to a cute young lady selling me macaroons at Gerard Mulot’s and she was thrilled that we cared enough to find them....and then she took us in her care and made certain we got everything we needed! The falafel is fantastic at L’As du Fallafel....and very filling and cheap. The chocolate covered marshmallows at Pierre Marcolini I can still taste. I came home and told friends that had been to Paris about our fun experiences and they were shocked that they had been there numerous times and had never heard of these places! The French shop people seemed charmed that we had worked so hard to find them and make certain we had tried their specialty. I think you will be glad you did! Get a wireless wifi to have on you each day ( Hippocketwifi.com) while you are there and you can use your maps and Google translate features to help you!
Have. Great trip.....lucky you!

Posted by Barbra
Burbank, CA
07/28/18 07:43 AM
439 posts
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If you see a boulangerie with a line out the door--get in it.

OK, so in that area you're staying I'd recommend a little place just down the hill from Pantheon, passing by that nice church behind it where Pascal is buried, St-Etienne du Mont, called Table de Genevieve (?) or something. At intersection of rue Descartes and rue des Montagnes There's a homey bistro next door, which is OK, but pretty good vibes. Crowded though.

My other advice is look for the ardoise (black slate out front) listing the plat du jour in FRENCH. If that looks good to you, go in.

Also, find where all the tourists are eating, and then walk away in any direction. If you see or hear no English at a place, that's the one.

Avoid rue Cher, for example.

This is the best advice of all. I traveled with my BIL once and he was always asking everyone where to go, as a result of which we passed by sooo many places I would rather have gone. Returning in September for the Best of Paris and I can't wait to wander or flaneur as they also say.

We also ate at Polidor and the food was excellent. For macarons, you can't beat Pierre Hermes. Galleries Lafayette has an excellent cafeteria where you pick out exactly what you want, my pork casserole and lemon tarte were both delicious. After dining, check out the rooftop terrace for some amazing views. Enjoy your trip to Paris!

"Avoid rue Cher, for example."

Not to highjack, but do you mean Rue Cler? I wasn't planning on eating there, but was going to walk through and pick up some cheese and picnic items one day. Just wondering why you say to avoid it. Too touristy/crowded?

I like Rue Cler. Although there are other markets that are nice, too. I love to buy a piece of roasted chicken and a croissant and make a sandwich of sorts. Other than a bit of salt and pepper, nothing else needed. I've never had what I would consider a bad meal in Paris. Now Mont Saint Michel, that's another story. . .

thanks. I was hoping to assemble a little picnic to snack on in the park by the Eiffel Tower, and Rue Cler's proximity made it seem like a nice little walk from les invalides to Tour Eiffel prior to ascending the tower at sunset.

Please folks: no negative feedback as we are all entitled to our own opinion but, for my money (Or Euros - whatever the case might be) Paul's at 84 Av. des Champs-Élysées is fantastic (I heartily recommend the pistachio ones)
Paul's in Paris