What is your favorite restaurant in Paris?

Hey Valerie, 

If you're a foodie and really want to see local foodies favorite spots the three are a must...

1. Au Passage in the 11th

2. Le Servan in the 11th

3. Le Dauphine in the 11th

You'll get a taste of modern french cuisine here that is all about quality and market fresh ingredients. They are not necessarily the most fancy or expensive, but they are the most highly regarded by local foodies for sure! 

Bon apetit and bon voyage! 

To eat a full meal, Dominique Bouchet is by far my favorite restaurant in Paris. Chef Bouchet has worked at the vaunted Michelin 3 star palaces and now with his own place has been making world class food for many years, in a setting that is not as formal but still very nice.   And on a small scale, at Eric Kayser (there are several) they make a sesame baguette with comte cheese and greens that is so simple and yet I still remember it long after I'm gone.  

Grom. Even though its a cafe, and by cafe I mean icecream cafe, but its amazing! I lived outside of Paris for 6 months and everytime I went into the city I went to get some of their amazing icecream. 

Les Papilles - small, intimate, great wines, a prix fixe menu that is constantly changing based on fresh ingredients, written in French on a small chalkboard - we weren't sure exactly what we were getting but it was ALL delicious and the unknown added to the adventure!

Chez Janou is among my favorite... it's near Place des Vosges, which is also pretty by night :)

Here is their website : http://chezjanou.com/

I second Chez Janou in the Marais. Fabulous.

it is really depend of what type of foods and atmosphere you like because there is some many choices. The Le Café de Juliette is one of my favourites. it is in the heart of the "quartier Latin" (the student neighbourhood) and they have a good cuisine at a reasonnable price. Futhermore, it is almost at the top of a hill and the view of the Luxembourg Garden or the 5e arrondissement – Panthéon is going to be really beautiful especially in the two months (winter, is coming!!!!). you also have a lot of law student pressing the pace in order to be on time at school. the cafe sits just in front of the Pantheon-Sorbonne University (my former university). I think it is a very good choice for any kind of food-friendly mouths.

in the picture you can see the cafe terrace. you also have the pantheon in the back and the other old building on the right side is the Law school.

Hi Valerie,

Here are a few great French restaurants: Le Café de Mars, Le P'tit Troquet and Chez Françoise.

And if you're looking for a bit of luxury, I would recommend having Afternoon Tea in any of Paris' palaces: Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris, Hôtel Le Bristol Paris, Hôtel The Peninsula Paris, Hôtel Plaza-Athénée. You can check out some other ideas here: http://www.sayouitoparis.com/search/label/restaurants

Have a wonderful trip! 

Je Thé... Me my favorite place to go to for duck breast in the 15th. For 35 euros per person, you have a full meal: appetizer, main dish and desert. A mom and pop restaurant inside an old epicerie. Lovely!

It really depends on what you are looking for. I go out for gourmet modern French about once a month, because it's my job, but really I prefer the traditional places that serve food I wouldn't find in San Francisco or Brooklyn.

For modern, my current favorites are Le Pantruche - Bistrot Gourmand and Porte 12. Porte 12 only opened in October. I suspect they will have a Michelin star by next year and the price will have doubled, so it is a special opportunity.

For traditional French, I love the later service  at Restaurant Joséphine Chez Dumoneton Rue du Cherche-Midi when the crews arrive from the Montparnasse theaters and it gets lively. Much more relaxed and affordable, the Cafe Varenne on the Rue du Bac serves exceptionally fresh café cooking. 

www.OnlyinParis.com

L'Avenue is delicious !!! it's my favorite 

I love Au rendez-vous des camionneurs which is just on the Île de la Cité. The cuisine is experimental but it starts from french elements. 

Otherwise, typical and not turistic at all, for a real French experience go to A l'ami Pierre, 5 Rue de la Main d'Or.

Restaurant Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire, rue Balzac.  He is the most inventive chef that I have ever found and I have eaten at most starred restaurants in France. 

La Maison de L'Aubrac, Rue Marbeuff, for meat enthusiasts.

Georges, top floor of Pompidou center, creative cuisine and a great view of Paris by night.

The Buddha Bar is pretty good.

I lived in Paris for two years and these are the places I still return to, time and time again, just off the top of my head:

1. Au Passage - by far my favorite, it's small sharing plates so even better with friends!

2. Le Saint Régis - a very close second, I'm here at least once a week if not more. The only French Onion soup in the world I enjoy.

3. Steak frites: either Le Severo (the best! but needs reservations and is pricy if you're on a budget) or L'Entrecôte des Halles (this one, Le Relais de L'Entrecote, has multiple locations across the city)

4. Either Café Constant or Les Cocottes. Both are by chef Christian Constant; Cafe Constant is good for its prix-fixe lunches; Les Cocottes has fabulous langoustine ravioli

5. Bonus: While Le Red House is technically a bar (the best cocktail bar in Paris, by the way!), they'll often have food - tacos by El Nopal, wings by Emperor Norton, etc. And the nachos are pretty damn good too.

I've written about all of these in this Paris series: http://expatedna.com/?s=%225+best+things+I+ate+in+Paris%22

I have many favorites, but I'll throw out one from my last trip, which is on my list again for this June.

Pramil, 9 rue Vertois, 3rd, Tel 01 42 72 03 60. Metro: Arts et Métiers or Temple; Closed Monday; Lunch 2 courses for 24€; Dinner 3 course 33€, both with six choices per course.  Great quality/price ratio. Small, intimate place.  http://www.pramil.fr

Great question, I was going to start a similar post, we're heading there in 2 weeks!!

Café Divan in  Paris. Good food, reasonable price and nice place.