French food is wonderful, but after a few weeks (or a few years) of cheese, baguettes, steak tartare and blanquette de veau, almost everyone in Paris craves something else. Fortunately, the city’s immigrant communities have given it excellent Lebanese, Vietnamese, Thai, South Indian, Sri Lankan, Mexican and Italian food, usually at lower prices than a typical bistro.

The quickest answer: the Marais is best for falafel and casual Asian and Italian meals, the 10th arrondissement for Indian and Sri Lankan food and tacos, the Latin Quarter for Lebanese mezze, and the 11th and 13th for Vietnamese and Chinese cooking. This guide is organized by neighborhood, so you can eat well wherever your sightseeing takes you. For a list organized by cuisine, see where to eat non-French food in Paris.

Neighborhood	Best for	Picks in this guide
Marais (3rd/4th)	Falafel, Thai, Italian, bento, tacos	L’As du Fallafel, Au Petit Thaï, Le Petit Italien, Nanashi, Candelaria
Latin Quarter and islands (4th/5th)	Lebanese	Savannah Café, La Taverne du Nil
10th arrondissement	South Indian, Sri Lankan, North Indian, tacos	Muniyandi Vilas, Kashmir House, El Nopal
11th arrondissement	Vietnamese	Paris Hanoï
13th arrondissement and Belleville	Chinese and Southeast Asian	See our Chinatown guide

The Marais

L’As du Fallafel (Middle Eastern)

Rue des Rosiers is the heart of the Marais’ historic Jewish quarter, and L’As du Fallafel is its most famous address. The falafel special, stuffed into pita with grilled eggplant, cabbage, hummus and tahini, is messy, filling and inexpensive. Expect a line (it moves fast) and choose between takeaway and a table inside. It closes on Saturdays and early on Friday afternoons for Shabbat. 34 rue des Rosiers, 75004, metro Saint-Paul

To explore the area further, see our guide to the Jewish Quarter of Paris.

Au Petit Thaï (Thai)

A pretty, wood-paneled dining room a few steps from rue des Rosiers, serving Thai curries, pad thai, basil stir-fries and mango sticky rice. Service is friendly, and the cooking can be spicier than most Thai food in central Paris if you ask. 10 rue du Roi de Sicile, 75004, metro Saint-Paul

Le Petit Italien (Italian)

Near Place des Vosges, this small, buzzing Italian restaurant serves fresh pasta, risotto, antipasti and a good list of Italian wines. It is very popular, so book ahead, especially for a terrace table. 5 rue Saint-Gilles, 75003, metro Chemin Vert

Nanashi (Japanese-inspired bento)

One of the restaurants that made bento boxes fashionable in Paris, Nanashi serves light, healthy Japanese-inspired dishes with meat, fish and vegetarian options. It gets busy at weekend lunchtime, so arrive early, or take a bento to a nearby square for a picnic. 57 rue Charlot, 75003, metro Filles du Calvaire

Candelaria (Mexican)

A tiny taqueria with a cocktail bar hidden behind a door at the back. The tacos are good, the cocktails even better. Go early to avoid a long wait. 52 rue de Saintonge, 75003, metro Filles du Calvaire. More upper-Marais ideas in our Haut Marais guide.

The Latin Quarter and the islands

Savannah Café (Lebanese)

A small, welcoming restaurant on rue Descartes, near the Panthéon and rue Mouffetard, with Lebanese-inspired mezze, grilled meats, curries and baklava. The mezze sampler is a good way to share. 27 rue Descartes, 75005, metro Cardinal Lemoine

La Taverne du Nil (Lebanese)

On the Île Saint-Louis, this rustic, family-run Lebanese restaurant is a nice change from the island’s more touristy options. Go with a group and order a spread of mezze (hummus, fattoush, grilled meats) to share. 16 rue le Regrattier, 75004, metro Pont Marie

The 10th arrondissement

The streets around La Chapelle, sometimes called Little Jaffna, are home to Paris’s Tamil community, with Sri Lankan and South Indian restaurants, grocery stores and sari shops. Nearby, Passage Brady is lined with Indian and Pakistani restaurants.

Muniyandi Vilas (Sri Lankan and South Indian)

A busy, no-frills canteen with cheap, spicy food. Try the kothu parotta (chopped flatbread stir-fried with vegetables, egg or meat), a thali or a freshly made parotta. It is small and tables turn quickly. 207 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010, metro La Chapelle

Kashmir House (North Indian)

A friendly North Indian restaurant near Gare de l’Est, with classic curries, tandoori dishes and naan, sometimes accompanied by live Indian music. Spice levels are mild unless you ask. 36 rue de Chabrol, 75010, metro Poissonnière or Gare de l’Est

El Nopal (Mexican tacos)

A small taco counter near Canal Saint-Martin with handmade tortillas and some of the most authentic tacos in Paris. It is takeaway only, so grab your order and eat by the canal. Popular fillings can sell out in the evening. 3 rue Eugène Varlin, 75010, metro Château-Landon or Colonel Fabien

The 11th and 13th arrondissements

Paris Hanoï (Vietnamese)

A simple, inexpensive Vietnamese restaurant on rue de Charonne, known for generous bowls of pho and bò bún (rice vermicelli with beef, herbs and spring rolls). Arrive around 7 pm to avoid queuing. 74 rue de Charonne, 75011, metro Charonne or Ledru-Rollin

For Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian and Thai food in one area, head to the 13th arrondissement’s Asian quarter around avenue de Choisy and avenue d’Ivry, or to Belleville in the northeast. See our guide to Chinatown Paris.

Tips for finding great global food in Paris

• The best-value meals are often at lunch, when many restaurants offer set menus.
• Small, popular places may not take reservations. Arrive at opening time.
• Many restaurants close one or two days a week, often Sunday or Monday. Check hours before going.
• Restaurants change owners and menus regularly, so read recent reviews before making a special trip.

Summary

Paris’s global food scene is one of its best-kept pleasures. Line up for falafel on rue des Rosiers, share Lebanese mezze in the Latin Quarter, eat kothu parotta in Little Jaffna, grab tacos by Canal Saint-Martin and slurp pho on rue de Charonne. Wherever you are sightseeing, a great non-French meal is rarely far away.