4 Must-Visit Food & Dining Spots in Paris

4 Oct

Looking for the best food in Paris? Here are four standout venues that actually live up to the hype.

Paris: the undisputed capital of romance, fashion, and food.

It’s a city that satisfies every sense, offering a feast for the eyes and a treat for the stomach on each and every corner. On a recent four-day trip to France’s capital, I set out like every food lover does: in search of Paris’s finest food. I dreamed of chalkboards scribbled with bistro staples, from escargot and steak frites to beef bourguignon.

In my pursuit, I found that the Paris food scene goes far beyond the traditional bistro. From glamorous rooftop dining and easy lunch bites to lavish cafes, there really is something to indulge everyone’s appetite. The hardest part is choosing where to go first.

Here are my top four eateries from Paris.

Where to eat in Paris

Use the interactive map below to explore all four locations across the Right and Left Banks.

Billie

First up, we have Billie.

Located on Rue des Petits-Champs in the 1st arrondissement (just steps from Palais-Royal and Opéra), Billie is a retro-chic restaurant serving Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. It’s known for its laid-back vibe and atmospheric versatility.

By day, Billie makes for a dreamy, sunlit lunch break, perfect for lingering over fresh pasta, colourful salads, and a cold glass of wine while you recharge from a morning of shopping. As evening falls, the atmosphere shifts as the lights go down and a resident DJ spins vinyl to set the mood for dinner.

We experienced Billie’s day-time vibe, stopping for a well-needed spot of lunch. We went for the tequila pasta and the famous kale salad – and I can confirm that the online hype is entirely justified. The kale salad was delicious, packed with almonds, avocado, parmesan, and an incredible dressing. I would suggest ordering this as a sharer for the table, as the portion was huge, and despite my best efforts, I barely made it halfway.

We booked in advance and managed to grab a table out front, which made for a lovely spot of people-watching as we ate. Heads up: if you’re booking an evening table, I’d do so at least two weeks in advance. (We initially tried booking an evening slot a week before, but it was completely full!)

A glowing yellow-framed menu hangs on a dark green wall beside an open doorway, revealing a warmly lit room with flowers and lamps. — *Billie is a retro-chic restaurant serving Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.*

A woman in a striped top, sunglasses perched on her head, sits outdoors with an orange cocktail as pedestrians pass a historic city façade. — *We had a table out front, which made for a lovely spot of people-watching*

A restaurant table holds tequila pasta, kale salad, bread, drinks, and a small bowl of parmesan; the meal feels lively and inviting. — *The tequila pasta and kale salad were both delicious.*

A richly topped pasta dish with greens and grated cheese sits on a restaurant table beside an orange spritz cocktail and wine, creating a lively dining mood. — *Aperol, bread, and heaps of cheese…what’s better than that?*

Les Antiquaires

If you want that classic Parisian bistro experience, I’d highly recommend Les Antiquaires.

Located between Rue du Bac, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Seine river, this cosy venue is the ideal refuge between gallery visits and riverside walks. The interior is beautiful and authentic, filled with leather-bound books, charming ornaments, and moody lighting. To top it off, the staff are incredibly warm and welcoming, making the experience even more enjoyable.

The menu – designed as a gorgeously vintage newspaper – is a love letter to French classics. It’s packed with staple dishes like French onion soup and beef bourguignon, but I couldn't leave Paris without finally trying escargot. We started with a serving of six wild snails bathed in an beautifully moreish garlic sauce, and they were delicious. Extracting them from their shells was somewhat of a workout, but eating them was beyond easy.

For mains, we had the rib steak, served with bearnaise sauce and a portion of homemade french fries (it goes without saying, but the french fries in Paris are unmatched). The meal was lovely, and after finishing with a coffee, we were well-fed and fully charged for a day of mooching round the Louvre and taking in the beautifully charming streets of Paris.

Vintage “Les Antiquaires” restaurant menu on a dark table, with two ribbed water glasses and silverware; its antique typography gives a cozy, elegant feel. — *The menu is designed as a gorgeously vintage newspaper.*

A warm table lamp glows among old books beneath a distressed glass-front cabinet of jars, with a dark tufted leather chair creating a cozy vintage mood. — *The interior is beautiful and authentic, filled with leather-bound books, charming ornaments, and moody lighting.*

A restaurant table holds a basket of crusty bread, escargot in garlic butter, and polished cutlery as diners in striped shirts reach across; cozy, elegant dining. — *We started with a serving of six wild snails bathed in an beautifully moreish garlic sauce.*

A bistro steak dinner features rib steak, bearnaise sauce, golden fries in newspaper-lined baskets, bread, and water glasses on a dark table. — *For mains, we had the rib steak, served with bearnaise sauce and a portion of homemade french fries.*

Carette

When it comes to viral food sensations, it’s always hard to tell how much is genuine quality and how much is just clever marketing. But after a visit to Carette, any lingering doubts promptly melted away.

Known across the city (and all over social media) for its decadent hot chocolate and chantilly cream, Carette is a historic Parisian tea room and pâtisserie, dating back to 1927. They have three flagship locations on the Right Bank – one in Place des Vosges, the original opposite the Eiffel Tower at Place du Trocadéro, and a cosy spot in Montmartre at Place du Tertre. (Each location is pinned on the map). Whichever you choose, I’d highly encourage making a detour during your trip.

We visited the Place de Vosgues location, and despite the social media fanfare, the line was short and we were seated in under 10 minutes. Of course, we went straight for the signature Chocolat Carette, served in a traditional silver pot alongside a generous bowl of fresh Chantilly cream. I also ordered a pain au chocolat, which I boldly claimed as the best one I’ve ever had. I back that statement completely.

The hot chocolate itself is insanely good. The rich combination of the chocolate and cream is a match made in heaven – it’s sweet, but not too sweet, which makes drinking it far too easy. Between the sunlit terrace and the gold-accented, vintage interior, the venue oozes that classic, effortless tea-room elegance that Paris does so well.

Two dark brown, textured Carette Paris menus rest on a cream café table beside a small pink vase, creating an elegant, intimate dining atmosphere.

A café table holds espresso in Carette cups, a polished silver teapot, croissant, and tall whipped-cream dessert, creating an elegant Parisian mood. — *We tried the signature Chocolat Carette, served in a traditional silver pot alongside a generous bowl of fresh Chantilly cream.*

Low-angle view of a sunlit red-brick European building with stone arches and tall windows; café terraces bustle beneath beige umbrellas, creating a lively, historic street scene. — *Between the sunlit terrace and the gold-accented, vintage interior, the venue oozes that classic, effortless tea-room elegance that Paris does so well.*

Gigi

Last, but certainly not least, we have Gigi.

Gigi is a beautiful Italian bar and restaurant perched high above Avenue Montaigne in the 8th arrondissement. It was the one venue that kept coming up time and again while researching Paris recommendations, and luckily, we managed to get an evening booking on our first night.

While it is on the pricier side, it is such a treat. We went for the burrata pizza and the tomato pasta, (which, in the excitement, I forgot to photohgraph), and a lovely bottle of white wine. The interior is just stunning – low lighting, plush seating, and floor-to-ceiling panoramic glass facing the Eiffel Tower – and we made sure to step out onto the terrace to snap a few photos with the tower glowing in the background.

The service itself was excellent, and the atmosphere came alive as a fantastic live singing duo wove through the dining room. We were told they also host late-night DJ sets that go until 2 am – we didn’t have time to stay, but next time, it’ll definitely be on the itinerary.

If you fancy dressing up, enjoying a drink, and taking in some spectacular views, then this is the place to do it.

An elegant restaurant table set with wine glasses, a pepper mill, olive oil, and candlelight beside a curved booth and large windows. — *The interior is stunning – low lighting, plush seating, and floor-to-ceiling panoramic glass facing the Eiffel Tower.*

An elegant restaurant place setting features a floral plate marked “Gigi,” clear glasses, and polished cutlery on a white linen tablecloth. — *The tableware, like the interior, was beautiful.*

A smiling woman in a red dress poses on a rooftop at night, with the golden Eiffel Tower and Paris city lights glowing behind her. — *We made sure to step out onto the terrace to snap a few photos with the tower glowing in the background.*