Our Top 5 Parisian Bistrots : Authentic French Cuisine (English version)
The Parisian food scene is impressive and there are no shortage of interesting and great restaurants to experience authentic French cuisine. Here we share a list of our 5 favourite french bistrots in Paris - the places we have been to many numerous times over the past 6 years living here. These are the vetted addresses we reserve when friends and family from out of town come to visit because they never disappoint.
My hope in sharing these is that you can more easily navigate the often saturated market of restaurant reviews and potential tourist traps in this city (I am looking at you Bistrot Richelieu). If you are visiting Paris for only a few days you should feel confident in reserving any of these places for a truly authentic French dining experience.
Just opposite Les Marches (french bistrot)
The Quintessential French Bistrot Experience
Bistrots are a cornerstone of Parisian culture where traditional french food and conviviality intertwine.
In Australia (specifically my home town of Perth) my experience is that french cuisine tends to be associated with expense and the high-end, limited to special occasions like anniversaries or date nights for couples. Since living in France I have found that this is in stark contrast to the typical local bistrot, which are frequented by groups of friends and family catching up over delicious comfort food and exchanging a solid banter with the servers.
The bistrot atmosphere is cosy and welcoming. Often completely crowded and filled with the buzz of conversations, don’t be surprised to butting elbows with the table next to you!
Bistrot food is consistently traditional French recipes often including duck, steak tartare, steak and chips, creme brulée - but each place will have their own speciality. This will become very evident if you continue to read and peruse the menus of various establishments included in this post. I think that if you eat at a bistrot everyday for a week then you will quickly become a connoisseur of classic french cuisine.
Our top 5 Parisian Bistrots
Below you will find our 5 favourite french bistrots in Paris, along with a drop down list summarising the main points of interest for each : table size, vibe, cost, reservations, etc.
The menus of for each place (as of summer 2023) are attached to give an idea of the style and price - just click on the menu button under each restaurant. Note that menus tend to be seasonal and so may differ in winter/colder months.
1. Chez Janou
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Our hands-down favourite restaurant in Paris and the one we return to each time someone comes to visit us in France, without fail! The cuisine is traditional French Provençal in a relaxed, but vibrant and crowded setting.
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Cozy tables suitable for primarily couples and small groups (4-6).
Max 8 people.
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Lively, convivial and a bit frantic - tables will be pulled out to get to your seat so don't expect lots of space. Mix of tourists and locals.
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Traditional french provençal dishes including fish with an olive tapenade, duck fillet with rosemary and a rich gravy, vegetables stuffed with a seasoned mince and roasted. They also have a crazy number of Pastis (french spirit + liqueur) selection.
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The ravioli du dauphiné for entree and their chocolate mousse!
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Very reasonably priced for a memorable dining experience. You will walk away completely filled.
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Le Marais (3rd arrondissement) just next to Place de Vosges (one of Paris's most beautiful small parks). We were lucky to live right near this place for our first 3 and a half years in Paris.
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Essential! This place books out probably 3-4 days in advance. They don’t take internet reservations and often will not answer the phone. It is best to pass by in person during the day to make your reservation for later in the week, particularly for larger groups. Note that lunch times might be easier to find a table, but try to get a dinner here if possible for the ambience.
2. Brasserie Dubillot
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Delicious French fare in a very cool, modern brasserie with loads of character. The upstairs in particular is very pretty.
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Suitable for both couples and larger groups up to 12 people (potentially more if you email).
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Younger, relaxed, more instagrammable feel. Mix of tourists and locals.
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A range of classic french dishes but many with a modern twist. Different menu at lunch to dinner. Nice interesting cocktail menu (unusual for a bistrot) and a good wine selection.
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My favourite french onion soup in Paris (only in colder months).
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Generally affordable, but some few menu options are fancier and more expensive.
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www.lanouvellegarde.com/en/brasserie-dubillot/
222 Rue Saint-Denis, 19002
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Reserve at least 2 days in advance (more for big groups) although they allow for walk-ins if you have time to wait. Very easy process to reserve online at the following location:
3. Les Marches
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A traditional feel, family french bistro, located near the Eiffel Tower. Eat here for dinner and then walk up to Trocadero for a view of the Eiffel Tower ideally on the hour when all the lights sparkle.
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Generally Small groups up to 6, but they can certainly seat larger groups, just make sure to send an email, call or pass by a few days in advance.
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Family Bistrot or catchup with old friends. Generally french clientele but happy with foreigners. It is the go to Bistrot with Noémies family.
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Very classic seasonal French dishes. A good spot to try snails, steak tartare, but mostly for the steak and chips with different sauce options (think bearnaise/truffle/mustard/ or pepper).
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The oeuf meurette is like poached eggs in a bourguignon sauce (winter menu) and the dishes with Morrile mushrooms (very seasonal and strongly flavored) are incredible. Guaranteed you will be asking for bread refills to soak up the sauce. And for dessert, only if you are a fan of Rum, I would strongly recommend the Baba au Rhum (my go to choice). They serve this in the traditional way and leave the bottle.
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Very affordable and tasty bistrot.
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5 Rue de la Manutention, 75116
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Reserve at least 1 day in advance. Very easy process to reserve online at the following location: http://www.lesmarches-restaurant.com/
4. Brasserie Rosie
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A modern bistrot (younger crowd) offering contemporary French cuisine in a trendy setting.
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Small to very large groups.
They have a few separate rooms for groups in excess of about 15 people.
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Stylish and modern, attracting a younger hip crowd of locals. Relaxed, more instagrammable feel.
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A fusion of traditional french and innovative dishes with a good variety for all tastes (not just heavy on the red meat as many bistrots can be).
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The 5hr Lamb Shoulder is fabulous.
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Affordable but a tad more expensive then more traditional bistrots like Les Marches.
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53 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, 75011
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Reserve in advance but they also accept walk-ins. Very easy process to reserve online at the following location: https://brasseriesalamode.com/brasserie-rosie
5. Brasserie Lazare Paris
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An elegant, modern and refined brasserie. Located within the train station Gare Lazare, it has perhaps less charm then other options on account of the location and has more of a fancy restaurant feel than a bistrot, but the food is incredible! As such, I suggest going here for a lunch (rather than dinner) and eating with a spritz.
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Suitable for both couples and larger groups up to 8 people (but can seat larger numbers if you email).
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Sophisticated, filled with business people. More of an upscale Parisian restaurant experience primarily with working locals.
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A range of classic french dishes changing with the season. You will find pigeon, mussels and roast chicken.
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The blanquet de veau is hands down the best I have ever eaten (winter only) and they have equally won awards for the best sausage and mash in Paris (honestly I consider myself a bit of an aficionado of the bangers and mash and after first trying Lazare's at the Paris Taste expo, Noémie and I have returned here quite a few times!). The coffee creme brulée is also great, but avoid the croque monsieur as it is disappointing.
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High-end pricing. More expensive.
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Gare Saint-Lazare (Rue Intérieure, 75008).
Top of the first stairs of the interior arcade (amongst the shops) or enter from the outside.
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You could probably get a table at lunch by walking in, but it is an easy process to reserve online so I recommend this (particularly for dinner). The address is:
Special Mentions - the Parisian Bouillons & Grand Brasseries
That is it for our top 5 Bistrots in Paris, but honestly there are soo many good places to eat in Paris that I feel obliged to mention a few other addresses. The following aren't in our top 5 but are Parisian Establishments with a different vibe to the generally smaller restaurants presented above. I would highly recommend going to at least one of these places for dinner or lunch! They comprise the Parisian Bouillons and the Grand Brasseries.
The Parisian Bouillons - Chartier, Pigalle, République, Pharamond, …
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Bouillons are true Parisian establishments. The restaurants represent delicious, very affordable french comfort food in a stunning decor. The word Bouillon means 'broth' in the french language, and these restaurants are named after the dish served to the working class. The Bouillon is to Paris, as Bouchons are to Lyon or Pub Meals are to Australians. Honestly they deserve their own detailed blog post, but this summary will have to do for now.
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Whilst almost completely disappearing in the 2000's, the Bouillon has seen a strong revival in recent years. There are 3 addresses I can personally recommend; although there are currently at least a dozen addresses:
• Bouillon Chartier (www.bouillon-chartier.com)
• Bouillon République (www.bouillonlesite.com/bouillon-republique)
• Bouillon Pigalle (www.bouillonlesite.com/bouillon-pigalle)
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Typically accommodates families, friends and larger groups.
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Nostalgic, evoking the charm of the early 20th century. Think stained glass windows, painted alfrescos and winding art nouveau staircases. You will be surrounded by a loud buzz of convivial noise as bow-tied servers balance unimaginably sized platters of food and drink. Both locals and tourists flock to these restaurants, although the Parisians tend to eat after 20h00: if you come at 18h00 there won't be any french people.
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The food is likely the same as those recipes in your grandmas french cookbooks. Expect authentic classics like boeuf bourguignon, onion soup, escargot, leeks in vinaigrette, profiteroles and crème brûlée. Served in a very simple, no frills way.
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Bouillon Pigalle won the best Egg Mayonnaise two years running. For only 2.50 Euros I always add this to my entrée! At all Bouillons I also tend to order the french onion soup as an entreé (rather than the main), before going a boeuf bourguignon or confit of duck and taking the Profiteroles (without fail) for dessert.
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Extremely affordable! Check out the attached menu for an idea.
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Traditionally you cannot make a reservation at a Bouillon. On arrival, you will probably see a long queue of people and simply join in the wait with the others. This moves quickly, but can take up to an hour in busy times and you will only be seated if your entire party is with you when you arrive at the front of the queue. Also, dont be surprised to see a single person holding a spot in the line before being joined by a much larger group. Regarding reservations, the exception to the norm is Bouillon Pigalle and République which now takes some few reservations online, allowing you to skip the queue! I highly recommend these places for if you are a large group or a tourist with places to see and dont want to spend time queuing. Lunch times or the afternoon are also quieter then dinner. The web address for both Bouillon Pigalle and République : https://bouillonlesite.com/reservation.
You should easily be able to locate the others in the title by typing Bouillon + the name in google maps, but leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Grand Brasseries - Bofinger, Terminus Nord, Au Pied de Cochon, Vaudeville, …
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These are very similar to the Bouillons discussed before but fancier. Think better wine lists, more attentive service, more refined food menus and more expensive. I stress that these are not better or worse than Bouillons, they are simply a different vibe. The Grand Brasseries will have magnificent decors steeped in Parisian history, and notably can be reserved in advance - no queues here.
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Ideal for both couples and larger groups.
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Grand, opulent, fancy. Older crowds and more reserved/intimate conservations.
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Tend to specialise in seafood dishes (lobsters, mussels, oysters, fish) and Alsatian specialties (choucroute and pork hock and sausages), but they have large menus so I guarantee that you will always find a few dishes that take your fancy.
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Alsatian specialities like coucroute are local to the french region on the border of Germany and will be quite different to what you will find in Parisian Bistrots and so is always an interesting choice. Plus anything flambéed (alcohol + fire) is pretty special.
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A higher-end, expensive option.
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Reserve in advance on their site, but generally only a day or so before. Larger groups (>6) should reserve at least a week before.
A special note regarding Au Pied de Cochon which is open to 5 am in the morning! If you are looking for a french onion soup or 14hr slow cooked pork shoulder after midnight, this is a solid place to go!
French Bistrot Tips
As a couple of general tips regarding french bistrots :
If you finish your bread basket you can always ask for more, important since many dishes have an amazing sauce which is obliged to be finished (thinking Bistrot Les Marches and that amazing oeuf meurette sauce)!
Often you will be presented with extensive wine lists, but in our experience the house wine (pitchers) are also very good quality.
Whilst it is normal to order an entrée, dinner and desert, the portions are large. If you are a small eater or eating a lunch, think to go for just entrée + dinner or dinner + dessert.
Tipping on the bill isn't the norm for french culture. Purely at your discretion you can leave a token amount on the table when leaving to show your appreciation if you feel the experience warrants it.
Split billing is generally ok - but keep this to total amounts rather than listing off each item you ordered and expecting the server to do your math.
Don't forget to book in advance so you won't be disappointed. It is becoming more and more vital to reserve in advance if you want a guaranteed spot in a restaurant. If going for a walk-in, you will have the best chance either very early or very late in the dinner service. You can often also put your name down on a waiting list, but this isn’t guaranteed and it is always safer to book.
Bistrots tend to be open for Lunch through to Dinner (generally 12 til midnight). Don't be surprised to have a 9.30pm or 10.00pm reservation and leave the restaurant after 12.
Conclusion:
The 5 bistrots shared above are those that Noémie and I have been to many numerous times since living in Paris and never disappoint. It was honestly a difficult choice to narrow it down to these 5, but ultimately if we have foreign guests or visitors, these are the places that we would reserve.
Have you been to any of these?
What are your favourite bistrots and do you agree with our opinions?
Please share in the comments your own experiences! Noémie and I are always keen to find new addresses.
Bon App!
Lloyd et Noémie