What could be better than dining out in Paris, a city that knows how to eat.
The French attitude towards food
and the culture of not only what to eat but how to go about eating it
is so celebrated that people around the world emulate the way the French do food.
In this video, I'm sharing five of my top recommendations for where to eat in Paris.
In a city where competition is high,
these five all deserve a coveted spot on your Paris wish list.
Let's start with Bouillon Chartier,
a place where I can almost guarantee you'll have to wait in line
and I can guarantee that you'll find the wait 100% worth it.
The wait is much improved by the fact that they serve little cups of sangria for 1 Euro.
This is a genius idea and, if you like it,
you can get pitchers of the sangria once you're inside.
Oh that's nice.
The word 'bouillon' usually refers to soup stock or broth
but in this context it's a type of restaurant meant to serve good food cheaply and quickly.
A friend of ours who used to live in Paris said Chartier was her favourite bouillon in the city.
It's located in the 9th arrondissement inside a former railway station.
If you've seen our video on the Musee d'Orsay
you already know how much I love me a repurposed train station
and this is another outstanding example.
Good evening. Two people?
Good evening. Yes.
Chartier is exactly as charming as you hope dining in Paris will be.
You're transported back to the style of the Belle Epoque
with its high ceilings, vast mirrors,
and giant clock that used to keep travellers and trains running on time.
Two brothers opened Chartier in 1896 and its had only 4 owners since.
They estimate they've served about 50 million meals in that time
and, if there's any justice in this world, they'll serve at least 50 million more.
Waiters flit about in black vests and white aprons
writing orders directly onto paper tablecloths.
Marc and I ordered a bottle of red wine
and, because the prices here are so affordable,
it's a fantastic opportunity to sample traditional French cuisine
from escargot to steak frites.
I started with œuf mayonnaise
and Marc, because he hates mayonnaise for reasons inconceivable to me,
got a mixed green salad.
We also shared avocado with shrimp and cocktail dressing.
For our main meals, we both ordered rump steak with peppercorn sauce and fries.
We followed with a cheese course of both blue and camembert, which we shared.
And dessert was stewed apples for Marc
and Chantilly cream for me.
The entire meal with a bottle of wine, appetizers, entrees, a cheese course, and dessert
cost 53,90 €, which is really excellent value.
Add to it Parisian charm and the steady hum of happy eaters
and I'd call the whole experience priceless.
Next is a Paris institution with more than one claim to fame.
Au Pied de Cochon was the first restaurant in Paris
to get a license to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Since it opened in 1947, Au Pied de Cochon has literally never closed.
Legend goes there are no locks or light switches here because they'd never be used.
Perfect for night owls like me.
Unlike Chartier, the ceilings here are low and cozy
with red leather chairs and white linen tablecloths.
It's located opposite where the famous market at Les Halles used to be
which makes sense because it was a great place to find leftover pig,
which is important for a brasserie named after pig's feet.
The menu is full of piggy-themed dishes, including other classic brasserie fare.
We ordered French onion soup inspired by Julia Child
who loved to come here with her husband Paul to tuck into a comforting bowl.
Everyone from Josephine Baker to Jean Paul Gaultier has dined here.
My favourite touch is that the bill comes with little pink piggies made of meringue.
Next is Cafe de Flore, one of the oldest, and most famous, cafes in Paris
that's also had its fair share of famous clientele over the years.
Since it opened in 1880 it's been a hub for artists and intellectuals
to meet up, work, and be inspired.
Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir were regulars here
and now it's a favourite spot of Ina Garten
who says it's the quintessential Parisian cafe experience.
She says her idea of the perfect meal in Paris is an omelet and a glass of champagne at Flore.
Located on a corner in the 6th arrondissement it's the perfect place for people watching
and has always been known as the place to see and be seen in Paris.
I highly recommend reading Adam Gopnik's essay called A Tale of Two Cafes
if you want to know more about Flore and its rival cafe.
Marc and I each ordered a cafe au lait which comes with the coffee and milk in separate little jugs,
which elevates just 'having a coffee' to its own experience.
Oh, that's good.
To eat, we each had 'le Flore' which is a toasted sandwich with ham and cheese.
Gooey cheese and creamy coffee on a sunny sidewalk in Paris?
There's a reason the seats at Cafe de Flore are so desired.
Oh my god.
That's...
That's...good cheese.
This next cafe way up in Montmartre might already look familiar to you.
This is Cafe des 2 Moulins, which means Two Windmills,
and it's named after the close by Moulin Rouge
and the Moulin de la Galette, which Renoir immortalized
in one of his best known paintings
and you can now see it now down at the Musee d'Orsay.
Its main claim to fame, however, is as the make believe workplace of Amélie
in the movie named for her.
Amelie is one of my favourites,
so being able to visit 'the set' would be enough incentive,
but I was quickly won over as well by the pale pink paint,
the neon lights, the tiled floor,
and details like the vintage clock and fan.
It feels authentic and lived in.
Yes, of course, there are lots of other tourists here, just like at Flore, but who cares.
Chances are they're also here because they loved the movie Amélie
which forms a kinship amongst you anyway.
And don't get me wrong, you'll find locals here too.
There's a little tribute to Amélie near the bathroom
so don't miss checking that out.
I like that the cafe embraces its connection to the movie.
We ordered the 'goûter d'Amélie', which is your choice of coffee, tea or hot chocolate
with crème brûlée, of course.
I ordered mine with a café au lait
and channeled my inner Amélie when cracking the top,
which was extra satisfying.
Next is Frenchie To Go,
the smaller, cheaper takeaway spot next to a Michelin Star restaurant called Frenchie.
Frenchie To Go uses the same suppliers and high quality ingredients
without the Michelin Star price tag.
They serve British and American street food with a French twist and everything is homemade.
It's open for breakfast and lunch
and there are a handful of seats inside if you want to eat in, like we did.
We each got the pulled pork sandwich
where the coleslaw and greens are packed in the sandwich.
It was delicious and I love the relaxed modern style here.
I hear the larger restaurant is also fantastic
and there's a Frenchie wine bar on the same street, so they have you covered from early to late.
We've devoted other videos to great dining experiences in Paris
so I'll link those for you if you're interested.
In Canal St. Martin, for example,
there's a place where, when you order your pizza,
they give you a pink balloon.
This is so cool!
You go wait anywhere along the canal
and they'll deliver your pizza by finding your balloon.
It's so much fun and the pizza is also legit good.
I also highly recommend visiting the original Ladurée
for macarons and coffee served in the prettiest pastel china.
You'll also want to reserve a place ahead at Angelina
for both its famously thick hot chocolate, which Coco Chanel herself was a fan of,
and pastry so good that a Paris pastry chef told me it was the best in Paris.
For five other specific recommendations on exactly what and where to eat in Paris,
check out our 5 Foods To Eat In Paris video.
I would add to those foods by the way a visit to Poilâne bakery
for a taste of their iconic sourdough,
best enjoyed picnic style at the Luxembourg Garden.
So I'll link all those videos below
along with others about what you can do in Paris
in the hours or minutes between all the delicious food.
I hope you enjoyed this video.
Remember to give it a like if you did, and subscribe for lots more travel adventures.
Thanks for watching!