The best places to eat in Paris
Here's all the best food we ate in Paris, from escargots to a croissant bigger than the sun. Probably.
Many people call Paris one of the best destinations for foodies in the world, and having visited recently we're not going to argue with that. France has the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world and Paris is home to 136 of them – we managed to tick off 0 out of 136, but still managed to eat very well indeed for a lot less than a Michelin-starred meal would've cost.
The beauty of eating in Paris is that there's always somewhere new to try, whether you're after classics like steak, crème brûleé and escargots or something more contemporary. Here are some of the best places we ate on our last trip to the French capital…
Café Gustave | Eiffel Tower views
Who cares if you're heading to Paris to see the hidden gems, even the most boring of hipsters will be stunned by the Eiffel Tower. Yes it's the most popular, iconic landmark in one of the most visited cities in the world and will be completely rammed. Yes, Blackpool has one. And Vegas too. But unlike the countless copycats, this one's actually quite nice.
Work up an appetite by climbing 674 steps from the bottom of the tower to the second floor, or opt for the lazy route and take the lift. Either way, the view of Paris from the tower is incredible.
But to unleash your inner influencer and make your friends and family jealous, you'll need pictures with it in the background. For an Insta-friendly meal with a quintessentially Parisian view, Café Gustave will do the trick. The interiors are lovely, but if the weather's nice sit out on the terrace, tuck into classic French fare from posh steak tartare to a laid-back croque monsieur, and marvel at the famous tower looming large in the background.
Things to do in Paris
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Find out more...Seine river cruise | Sightseeing without the effort
We love a city break as much as anyone, but trying to fit in seeing all the top sights in Paris is knackering and will undoubtedly result in an astronomical step count. But what if you could sit back, see the sights and enjoy a gorgeous 3-course meal at the same time?
That's exactly what we did by booking a romantic river cruise along the River Seine, complete with authentic grub and an excellent live musician performing love songs just on the right side of cringey. We floated past the Eiffel Tower, Le Louvre, Notre-Dame and more – the Americans on board were particularly excited when we cruised past the Statue of Liberty to the soundtrack of New York New York. How very French.
What was very French was the grub. Mostly, anyway. The burrata starter was quite Italian, but the choice of sea bass or steak for the main and the outstanding chocolate rocher for dessert was most definitely French. Think super-sized Ferrero Rocher, only tastier. And washed down with a cocktail or two, it may just have been the highlight of our trip. Very touristy, but that's not always a bad thing.
Philippe Conticini | The biggest croissant you've ever seen
Yes we went to Paris and did the most touristy things imaginable. And we'd do it all over again.
Influencers adore Philippe Conticini, who bakes the most trendable pastries imaginable. But what has made this particular pastry genius' croissants go viral? Well, they're quite big. His croissants and pains au chocolat are practically the size of a small child, and once you've secured the goods you'll be cradling them like they're your own flesh and blood.
How do they taste? Like a croissant, only bigger. It's a feat of engineering as much as it's a baking miracle, and pre-ordering one to pick up at one of his many Paris boutiques is worth it even if just for a laugh.
You can find him flogging oversized pastries in London too if you don't fancy trekking all the way to the French capital. But we'd recommend heading to La Terrasse in the gorgeous Place Dauphine for an authentic taste of the least authentic croissant you're likely to find.
Au Pied de Cochon | Pigs, pigs, pigs and more pigs
We chose this place because it looked very French and they serve escargots and frog legs. After a visit it's difficult to tell whether Au Pied de Cochon loves or hates pigs – there are statues of them all over the place, murals of poor piglets in varying conditions and a picture on the menu of a chef wrestling with one. One thing's for sure – they love eating them.
This is a carnivore's paradise. The charcuterie in this relaxed brasserie can rival anywhere in France, and the menu has plenty to shock tourists uninitiated to classic French cuisine. Specialties include The Temptation of Saint-Anthony 'Patron of the Butchers', which features no less than breaded pig's tail, ear, snout and trotter. If that sounds a bit adventurous, they do a great-value 3-course menu for €26 that's more accessible to slightly squeamish tourists.
Having said that, we did try the escargots and frog legs. The snails had an earthy aftertaste but mainly tasted of the garlicky sauce they were swimming in, while the frog legs were like chicken but a little more delicate.
Le Crêperie de Josselin | The most authentic crêpe in Paris
Je voudrais la meilleure crêpe de Paris, s'il vous plaît – I would like the best crêpe in Paris, please.
When you rock up somewhere in Paris and only one server out of ten speaks English, you know you're on to a winner. La Crêperie de Josselin is probably the most authentic place for a crêpe in the city and provides the perfect opportunity to practise your awful French.
But no matter, you'll feel welcome even if you fluff your lines. Walking into these warm, cosy wooden interiors feels like walking into your long-lost French nan's house, and the crêpes themselves are as lovingly made as anything your actual nan has put in front of you.
Choose from a huge range of savoury and sweet crêpes which are served in a flash, and wash them down with a refreshing 750ml sharing bottle of traditional Breton cidre all to yourself. Don't worry, it's only 2.5%, so your only embarrassing moment will be trying to pronounce bonjour.
Fouqet's | Posh brekkie on the Champs-Elysées
After staring at the dizzying traffic circling the Arc de Triomphe for slightly too long, we strolled down the Champs-Elysées and reminded ourselves that it's most likely illegal to visit Paris and have a McDonald's breakfast. Thankfully, our bougie breakfast dreams were answered just a few minutes down the road at Fouqet's.
Our wallets didn't quite stretch to Michelin-starred restaurants, but we did want to splash out at least once while we were there. And while Fouqet's doesn't have a Michelin star, it felt posh enough to fit the bill. Suave staff welcomed us to this 5-star hotel and showed us to the upscale brasserie, where continental breakfasts are served in the morning and French classics later on. The interiors feature white tablecloths and stylish decor, while the terrace has great views of the most famous street in Paris.
Ordering the eggs benedict was a huge mistake. Don't get us wrong, the eggs were delicious, but the star of the show was the Petit Déjeuner Parisien that came with pastries, bread, jam, fruit minestrone, a soft-boiled egg, a hot drink and freshly squeezed juice. It made our perfectly cooked eggs look pathetic and is the ultimate Parisian breakfast experience most tourists dream of.
Other places to eat and drink in Paris
Ladurée for world-famous macarons. They're best known for their double-decker macarons and have colourful shops and restaurants all over Paris.
Le Grenier à Pain has bakeries all over Paris and magics up a pretty decent baguette.
La Petit Rose de France for a second breakfast after eating that giant croissant. You won't need one, but that didn't stop us from ordering an omelette.
The Latin Quarter has loads of restaurants serving up traditional 3-course set menus for as little as €12, which is worth it whether you're on a budget or not.
On a balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower. We stayed in a fancy room at the Pullman Tour Eiffel, which had perfect views of the tower from the balcony. Pick up some nibbles and a bottle of wine and watch the illuminations – the Eiffel Tower lights up every hour from sunset until it closes.
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