Looking for the top restaurants in Paris? For classic French cooking at fair prices, book a table at long-running bistros such as Bistrot Paul Bert, Chez Dumonet, Aux Lyonnais or L’Ambassade d’Auvergne. For a once-in-a-lifetime splurge, Le Cinq, Taillevent and Astrance are among the city’s great fine-dining addresses. This list mixes both, organized by arrondissement so you can match a meal to your sightseeing.

We have checked that every restaurant below is still operating. A few places from earlier versions of this list have closed or changed hands, and we have removed them (see the end of the article). Menus and prices change often, so use the price levels as a guide and check each restaurant’s website before booking.

Quick overview

Restaurant	Area	Style	Price level
Restaurant du Palais Royal	1st	Refined French, garden terrace	$$$
Willi’s Wine Bar	1st	Wine bar and bistro	$$
Aux Lyonnais	2nd	Lyon-style bistro	$$
L’Ambassade d’Auvergne	3rd	Auvergne regional cooking	$$
Les Papilles	5th	Wine shop and bistro	$$
Chez Dumonet (Joséphine)	6th	Old-school bistro	$$$
Les Cocottes	7th	Casual counter dining	$$
Le Cinq	8th	Three-Michelin-star haute cuisine	$$$$
Taillevent	8th	Classic fine dining	$$$$
Chez Michel	10th	Bistro with Breton touches	$$
Bistrot Paul Bert	11th	Classic Paris bistro	$$
Le Troquet	15th	Neighborhood bistro, Basque influences	$$
Astrance	16th	Creative fine dining	$$$$

1st and 2nd arrondissements

Restaurant du Palais Royal

Tucked under the arcades of the Palais-Royal, this elegant restaurant looks straight onto one of the most beautiful gardens in Paris. In warm weather the terrace is the draw; in winter the intimate dining room takes over. The seasonal French menu leans toward refined cooking, so treat it as a special-occasion meal.

• Address: 110 Galerie de Valois, 1st
• Metro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre or Pyramides
• Price level: $$$

Willi’s Wine Bar

Opened in 1980 by British wine lover Mark Williamson, Willi’s is a Paris institution near the Palais-Royal. Expect a long, thoughtful wine list (especially strong on the Rhône), seasonal bistro cooking, and walls lined with the colorful wine posters the bar commissions every year. Set menus make it good value for the area.

• Address: 13 rue des Petits-Champs, 1st
• Metro: Pyramides or Bourse
• Price level: $$

Aux Lyonnais

This late-19th-century bistro with tiled walls and mirrors serves the hearty cooking of Lyon: pike quenelles, coq au vin, sausages and generous desserts, with Beaujolais and Côtes du Rhône to match. Long part of Alain Ducasse’s group, it is now run by the Dumant brothers. It’s not the place for a light meal, and service can be brisk at busy times.

• Address: 32 rue Saint-Marc, 2nd
• Metro: Richelieu-Drouot or Bourse
• Price level: $$

3rd and 5th arrondissements

L’Ambassade d’Auvergne

Serving the food of the Auvergne region since the 1960s, this rustic restaurant near the Centre Pompidou is famous for aligot (cheesy mashed potatoes stretched tableside), sausages, lentils with bacon and a giant bowl of chocolate mousse. Portions are huge, so come hungry.

• Address: 22 rue du Grenier-Saint-Lazare, 3rd
• Metro: Rambuteau
• Price level: $$

Les Papilles

Part wine shop, part bistro, Les Papilles near the Luxembourg Gardens serves a set market menu, often with a soup served from a tureen and a slow-cooked main brought to the table in a cast-iron pot. You choose your wine from the shelves around you, much of it from small producers, at shop prices plus a corkage fee.

• Address: 30 rue Gay-Lussac, 5th
• Metro: RER B Luxembourg
• Price level: $$

6th and 7th arrondissements

Chez Dumonet (Joséphine)

If you want a classic Parisian bistro with banquettes, mirrors and white tablecloths, this is it. Chez Dumonet is known for its crisp duck confit, pan-fried foie gras and generous traditional desserts, and many dishes come in half portions, which helps the bill. Perfect for a first trip to Paris.

• Address: 117 rue du Cherche-Midi, 6th
• Metro: Duroc or Falguière
• Price level: $$$

Les Cocottes

One of chef Christian Constant’s restaurants on Rue Saint-Dominique, a short walk from the Eiffel Tower. Diners sit at high counters and order salads, soups, verrines and hearty dishes served in small cast-iron cocottes. Service is quick, making it a good lunch stop between sights.

• Address: 135 rue Saint-Dominique, 7th
• Metro: École Militaire or RER C Pont de l’Alma
• Price level: $$

8th arrondissement: fine dining

Le Cinq

The restaurant of the Four Seasons Hotel George V holds three Michelin stars under chef Christian Le Squer. The setting is grand, the service polished and the cooking precise, with a strong focus on French classics reinvented. Lunch menus are the most accessible way in, though still a serious splurge.

• Address: 31 avenue George V, 8th
• Metro: George V or Alma-Marceau
• Price level: $$$$

Taillevent

Founded in 1946, Taillevent is one of the great names of Paris dining, set in a 19th-century mansion near the Champs-Élysées. What sets it apart is its warmth: the service is formal but never stiff, and the wine list is legendary. Book well ahead and dress smartly.

• Address: 15 rue Lamennais, 8th
• Metro: George V or Charles de Gaulle-Étoile
• Price level: $$$$

10th, 11th and 15th arrondissements

Chez Michel

A short walk from Gare du Nord, this cozy bistro is known for hearty, seasonal French cooking with Breton accents and generous desserts. It is a handy address if you arrive on the Eurostar or are staying nearby.

• Address: 10 rue de Belzunce, 10th
• Metro: Gare du Nord or Poissonnière
• Price level: $$

Bistrot Paul Bert

East of the Bastille, Bistrot Paul Bert is many people’s idea of the perfect Paris bistro: tiled floors, chalkboard menus, an excellent wine list and textbook dishes such as steak-frites with peppercorn sauce and île flottante for dessert. Reserve, as it is popular with locals and visitors alike.

• Address: 18 rue Paul Bert, 11th
• Metro: Faidherbe-Chaligny
• Price level: $$

Le Troquet

A friendly neighborhood bistro in a quiet part of the 15th, Le Troquet serves market-driven French cooking with Basque influences, from veal axoa to seasonal fish. The menu changes regularly, and the set menus offer good value. Combine it with a visit to the Eiffel Tower or Invalides.

• Address: 21 rue François-Bonvin, 15th
• Metro: Cambronne or Sèvres-Lecourbe
• Price level: $$

16th arrondissement

Astrance

Chef Pascal Barbot’s Astrance made its name with creative tasting menus built on pure flavors and touches of Asian ingredients such as miso, lemongrass and chili. In 2020 it moved to a larger home on Rue de Longchamp, in the former premises of Joël Robuchon’s restaurant Jamin, and it holds a Michelin star. Expect a tasting-menu experience and book early.

• Address: 32 rue de Longchamp, 16th
• Metro: Iéna or Boissière
• Price level: $$$$

Restaurants removed from this list

Earlier versions of this article recommended Le Gaigne, Le Pré Verre and La Table Lauriston. All three have since closed or been replaced by new restaurants under different names, so we no longer include them.

Tips for booking and eating out

• Reserve, especially for dinner and for the fine-dining addresses, which can be booked up weeks ahead. Many restaurants take online bookings.
• Lunch menus are the cheapest way to try top restaurants.
• Many bistros close on weekends or in August, so check opening days.
• Service is included in French restaurant prices; leaving a little extra for good service is appreciated but optional. Read our guide on eating out in Paris for etiquette.

For more ideas, see our guide to the best Michelin-star restaurants in Paris and, if you’re watching your budget, the best affordable restaurants in Paris.

Summary

The top restaurants in Paris range from cozy bistros like Bistrot Paul Bert, Chez Dumonet, Aux Lyonnais and L’Ambassade d’Auvergne to temples of haute cuisine such as Le Cinq, Taillevent and Astrance. Pick one or two special meals, fill the rest of your trip with neighborhood bistros and lunch menus, and always book ahead for the places you don’t want to miss.