25 delicious food tips in Paris – from top bloggers and Paris locals

I must admit that I love to eat so it’s fortunate that I’m heading for Paris this weekend where food is taken very, very seriously. I’m hoping to taste my way through the best that the city can offer as well as enjoy the Paris lights and Christmas spirit. We’re flying Air France from my local airport of Bristol and in just a short hop we’ll be arriving at the Hotel Pullman in Montparnasse, which I gather has great views of the Eiffel Tower. To help me get the best from our long weekend I’ve been asking blogging friends and Paris locals for their food recommendations. Here are some ideas for markets, cool cafes and grand restaurants as well as fun food experiences that I’m hoping to try when I’m in Paris;

Easy and affordable eating

1. Le Puits de Légumes vegetarian restaurant recommended by Barbara Weibel at Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel

Vegetarian food is catching on in Paris, but the selections are still few and far between. One of the best is Le Puits de Légumes, a cozy cafe with seating for 30, located between Cardinal Lemoine and the Quais de Seine in the 5th Arrondissement. The smiling owner doubles as waitress and cook and pulls out all the stops to make sure customers are happy and well-fed. The portions were huge and I loved the tray of condiments and spices that allowed everyone to season their food individually. Best of all, the price is very affordable, with a three course meal that included coffee and dessert for less than 20 Euros

2. Le Relais Gascon in Montmartre recommended by Michael Schuermann from Easyhiker

In Montmartre (where we lived for 20 years), we generally took friends and visitors to Le Relais Gascon on Rue des Abbesses (50m away from Metro Abesses): young, student-ish, a little bohemian perhaps. Order one of their full-meal-sized salads.

3. Opium Oyster bar recommended by Doni Belau from Girls’ Guide to Paris

There is a fairly new place on rue de Seine that offers just oysters (and a few other shellfish) and has only four tables, called Opium. It’s reminiscent of a small oyster cabin that you might find in Cap Ferrat on the Atlantic coast of France. The owner is extremely friendly and the oysters are to die for, perfect for a holiday celebration. After filling up on oysters you can go down the street for a Spanish Jamon sampling at Da Rosa. A roaming tapas style evening and a fun way to eat.

4. Rue du Faubourg St Denis recommended by Michael Schuermann from Easyhiker

Best place for a “food journey around the world”: Rue du Faubourg St Denis in the 10th. Start at the Gare de l’Est end, with a sandwich from the Mauritian fast food stall, continue with a Kurdish pizza (or something from the new-ish Syrian restaurant at the very end) and finish with some baclava from one of the North African patissiers.

5.Parisian Crepes recommended by Chantal Dewolf from The Wolf Will Travel

For authentic Parisian crepes, head over to the Montparnasse district to La Creperie de Josselin (67 Rue du Montparnasse, 75014 Paris). It’s a little (literally), family-run business – hence no website- but the crepes are to die for! On weekends, the lines for the creperie are spilling out onto the street, but the wait is totally worth it. Large sarrasin crepes (savory) are served with pichets of cider, and for dessert why not try a flaming sweet crepe?

6. Grillades Au Feu Du Bois recommended by Michael Schuermann from Easyhiker

For Couscous, we loved to go to a place on 92 Rue du Faubourg du Temple in the 11th, simply called Grillades Au Feu Du Bois – very Algerian, with men in kaftans on benches, serving huge portions (best as take away: one portion of the Couscous Royale feeds 2). In general, we always feel that Couscous is best when it is treated as every day working man’s food, not as some chi-chi novelty food waiting to be “fused” with the chef’s latest whim.

7. Le Bal Café is recommended by Ludovic Yken from Paris Offbeat

If you want to try an amazing brunch on Sunday morning, just go the Bal Café where you will find the best English food in Paris. And in the same time, you can visit the exhibition of Le Bal, a very small museum of Photographers (it’s the place of Magnum agency)

8. L’orillon Bar is recommended by Ludovic Yken from Paris Offbeat

L’orillon Bar is the new bar in town ! and a secret : Top quality products at the bar and in the kitchen. There are classic beers as well as monthly featured brew. Plus a selection of excellent wine ! And you can order a cheese or charcuterie broad , really good with an excellent quality/ price ratio. Check out this review from Le Fooding

9. Raclette at Chalet Savoyard recommended by Chantal Dewolf from The Wolf Will Travel

For fondue/raclette, ideal for a winter visit, I’d recommend a restaurant in the 11th arrondisement called the Chalet Savoyard. What makes this place stand out is the fact that the raclette is served with a hulking 1/2 wheel of cheese, placed on a raclette grilling apparatus right on your table. A huge part of the experience is watching the cheese grill, scraping it off, and serving yourself. Be prepared to leave STUFFED! (Booking essential)

10. Le galopin is recommended by Ludovic Yken from Paris Offbeat

Le Galopin is a little restaurant set in the pretty Saint-Marthe square, the menu changes according to the mood of the chef ( Romain Tischenko) and the fresh products available on the markets. The chef is a real magician and his fusion cuisine is a delight!

Dining in grand surroundings

11. Le Restaurant at Musée d’Orsay recommended by Mark Heers at Travel Wonders of the World

When visual exhaustion finally sets in after gazing over one too many Monets, van Goghs, Cezannes, Gaughins or Renoirs in the grand ex-railway station which is now the Impressionist Mecca, Musée d’Orsay, make your way to le premier étage for an aristocratic afternoon tea in Le Restaurant. With vibrant ceiling frescoes lined with gold leaf, glittering chandeliers and elegant service, take your time savouring every mouthful of decadently tangy and velvety lemon and meringue tart as your eyes soak in a visual feast of original artworks and a panoramic vista along the Seine.

12. Le Train Bleu is recommended by Vera Marie Badertscher from A Traveler’s Library

Big Ben Bar, at Le Train Bleu in the Gare de Lyon was as close as we came to a splurge on our visit to Paris. I wanted to eat at Le Train Bleu, or at least to see the gilded age glory of this train station restaurant from the late 1800′s. We inadvertently did it right. Because we did not have reservations and were there an hour before they opened for dinner (at 7:00 p.m.) we were served dinner in the bar–really just an extension of the dining room. So we got the great view of the decor, ate fabulous food, and paid much less. Read Vera Marie’s other Paris eating suggestions

13. Restaurant at top of Tour Montparnasse – recommended by Abigail King of Inside the Travel Lab

Forget the Eiffel Tower. The best place to have dinner in Paris if you’re looking for iconic views is at the restaurant in Tour Montparnasse – where you can see the Eiffel Tower. Arrive early to grab one of the coveted window seats and time your trip with the seasons to make sure you’re in position as the sun sets. Food is fresh, French and earns its high price tag but as you might expect from a position like this, it doesn’t attract a local crowd.

14. Cafe Marly at the Louvre recommended by Ana Silva O’Reilly from Mrs O Around the World

For dinner and a glass of champagne, we booked a table at the Louvre, no less. I loved the intimate ambiance of Cafe Marly, with views of the Louvre pyramid. The food was delicious and I couldn’t help noticing the waitresses, clad in Lancel handbags and Christian Louboutin heels. So French and so chic! (and not very touristy)

Sweet and delicious in Paris

15. L’Eclair de Génie recommended by Lindsey Tramuta from Lost in Cheeseland

Eclairs aren’t just indulgent, they are the quintessential French pastry and often the first the French bite into as children. It’s easy to eat on the go, celestially creamy and eminently giftable. Now, it’s also fashionable – at L’Eclair de Génie, renowned pastry chef (and éclair authority) Christophe Adam crafts some 30 flavors as original as the designs themselves. I’d take a lemon Yuzu or Vanilla-Maple-Pecan éclair over a staid chocolate one any day. Pick up a small box to-go and I guarantee you’ll be back for more. Read about the new wave of eclairs in Paris

16. Mariage Freres is recommended by Vera Marie Badertscher from A Traveler’s Library

At Mariage Freres, tea can count as a meal if it is high tea and if you are not extremely hungry. At our landlord’s suggestion, we visited this tea room near our apartment. Turns out that in this country where not very many people drink tea, Mariage Freres produces the absolute best. The brothers Mariage started trading back in the 17th century, and are still at it. The building is quaint, the service impeccable and the varieties of tea astounding. Price for two pots of tea and one complete plate of snacks: €20.00. This was absolutely one of the high points of Paris for me.

Wonderful food markets to wander