I often get requests for restaurant recommendations from visitors – sometimes friends, sometimes friends of friends. It’s tough to make a recommendation without knowing a person’s level of openness to eating new and different things.

If it’s the kind of person who doesn’t branch out beyond boneless chicken breast and chain restaurants, then they’re not going to love fried veal brains covered in raspberry powder from Chateaubriand or a glistening raw oyster with a shaving of fresh wasabi from Vivant Cave.

On the flip side, if it’s a foodie who loves new, exciting restaurants and wants to eat the best Paris has to offer, then I don’t want to recommend the safe bet restaurant that may leave them underwhelmed when they have precious few days in the culinary wonderland that is Paris.

This led me to start categorizing my restaurant recommendations based upon how adventurous of a diner a person is.

On the scale from “Play it safe” to “Anything goes”, it’s safe to assume there are some who fall in the middle. So here are restaurants for “play it safe” eaters. I have some great recommendations for adventurous eaters who are up for anything. And next, I’ll create a list for those that are somewhere in the middle.

Paris Restaurants for that Everyone Will Love

 

First up: Paris Restaurants that should make everyone happy, even if you like to play it safe.

All these places have solid French food choices that you can expect to enjoy. It will allow you to experience French cuisine without having to worry if you will be eating something that freaks you out.

But I’m still going to urge you to branch out, be adventurous, and allow yourself to be surprised by what the French can do with their quality produce and mad cooking skills.

I’ve had many friends who have hated certain vegetables their entire lives, and found a love for them here in Paris. I have a dear friend who so encapsulates the term “picky eater” that she doesn’t like the two things that everyone in the world likes – sandwiches and pizza. (Right??) It’s a bread + moisture thing, but surely when it comes to something as delicious as pizza, anything can be overcome.

I got this friend to eat chicken hearts by pretending I thought it was a mushroom, and guess what – she loved them! Along with a slew of other things she branched out in trying and ended up loving. So give it a chance; you never know what an open mind might allow you to enjoy.

These are excellent restaurant choices for that anyone who wants to eat well in Paris:

1. Josephine Chez Dumonet

I would recommend Josephine Chez Dumonet to anyone, whether adventurous or not, because it is my favorite example of classic French cooking in an old world bistro, and I think every first time visitor should include a classic French restaurant in their eating itinerary. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but you can find mouth watering fall-apart tender beef Bourgignon, crispy skinned duck confit with potatoes cooked in duck fat, and classic desserts like the giant Grand Marnier soufflé (order it at the start of the meal), a perfect Paris-Brest pastry, or a crispy thousand-layered millefeuille filled with cream. Some people complain about the service or about being seated in the English-speaking section. So what. Focus on the beef Bourgignon. (Incidentally, a half portion is substantial.) I’ve always had delightful waiters that send us walking out laughing and taking photos, but go in expecting the worst, and then you won’t be disappointed.

2. Pottoka

Located on a quaint side street near the Eiffel Tower, Pottoka offers seasonal contemporary cooking from the Basque region of France near the border of Spain. They frequently change their menu, have friendly staff, and put much care and effort into the presentation and freshness of the food.

3. Juveniles Wine Bar

Really delicious bistro cooking located near Palais Royale, north of the Louvre. You can expect starters such as foie gras or asparagus with poached egg; mains like 7-hour slow cooked lamb, and a chocolate cake that you 100% cannot miss. The name “Donald’s Chocolate Cake” does not do this dessert justice. Just get it and thank me later.

4. Holybelly

If you’re looking for a delicious breakfast or brunch, look no further. They have great lunch options as well, but their breakfast dishes really shine. Do not miss their pancakes with fried eggs, bacon & bourbon butter. At least one person needs to get that greatness. Sweet & salty, soft & crunchy, buttery & Bourbon-y. It’s got it all. Those kind of pancakes aren’t French, and it doesn’t matter. This is about great food. You can have a croissant and café crème every other day of the week, but Holy Belly is one of the greats. They don’t take reservations, and they are likely to have a line out the door if you go at any peak time, like weekends. If you go on the weekend, go early.

No reservations accepted.
Address: 19 Rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010 Paris
Hours:

5. Bistro Paul Bert

Classic French food in a classic bistro setting. They will bring you a chalkboard with the day’s specials written in French, but they are usually pretty accommodating to translate for you. Just be prepared to make a choice quickly as the server can’t stand around all day repeating everything five times.

This is a great choice for classic French food (sole meunière, duck parmentier, steak au poivre) and wonderful, huge classic desserts like Ile Flottant, soufflés, and Crepes Suzettes. They have my favorite steak au poivre in town with a side of perfectly crisp frites. They will not cook steak above medium, as they indicate on the special chalkboard that this dish comes cooked “rare, medium rare, or badly cooked.”

News alert: Steak tartare means raw ground beef. If you’re a picky eater, it would likely surprise and disappoint you when your steak shows up ground and uncooked. I can assure you it’s delicious, but wanted to spare you the shock and trauma of mis-ordering on that one.

6. Les Cocottes

A “cocotte” is a dutch oven. Everything here is served in mini dutch ovens, which often means slow cooked meat and vegetables. This is a place that should not be sought after by food lovers excited by Paris food, but if you need a reliable choice that is sure to please just about anyone, they have friendly service, a nice atmosphere, and lots of options. I’d recommend any kind of beef cheek or slow braised beef. Be sure to get the waffle with salted caramel or the chocolate tart for dessert (just get both). One of its shining features is that it is open every day, and you don’t have to reserve. That of course means that you should arrive early or expect to wait.

Super Safe & Picky Eaters

If you’re truly unwilling to branch out and eat French food or try anything new, then this is most unfortunate. But if you refuse, then at least eat non-French food that is good, rather than tourist trap cafes & bistros. I’m not going to wax poetic here, but want to give some examples in the event that even classic French food is too outside the comfort zone.

1. Hero

Korean fried chicken – You can get it plain, with spicy sauce (pictures), or with a sweet garlic sauce, along with a craft cocktail in a hip and fun setting. (By the Quixote group who owns Candelaria, Mary Celeste, and Glass)

2. Paris New York (PNY)

Burgers & fries – Keep in mind that they have excellent quality meat here, and the French usually eat their burgers on the rare side of the spectrum. It’s completely safe because it’s fresh, but maybe not what you’re used to. You can order it well done, but if it has a little pink in it, know that you have nothing to fear.

3. Big Fernand

Burgers & mustachioed men at 3 central Paris locations in the 1st, 2nd, and 9th. I’m including the 2nd below, because it’s so close to the loveable Rue Montorgueil.
Big Fernand “Montorgueil”
32 rue du Saint-Sauveur, 75002 Paris
Open daily 12-5pm and 6-10:30pm (Open until 11pm on Saturday)
09 67 22 40 06

 

4. Grazie

Thin crust pizzas in a fun atmosphere with good cocktails

5. Ober Mama or East Mamma

Delicious wood-fire oven thin crust pizzas and homemade pastas. No reservations accepted, so get there early because it’s a hot spot.

http://www.bigmammagroup.com

6. The Beast

The Beast brings Texas BBQ to Paris, from a Frenchman who trained with some of the best Texas BBQ pit masters in the state. This guy knows his stuff and does it right.

7. Picnic

You can’t go wrong with a picnic filled with fresh baguettes, French cheeses, meat, fruit, and pastries. Pick your own food and sit in front of a beautiful monument at sunset. There is nothing better when the weather is nice.