Where To Eat & Drink In Paris, By The City’s Finest Chefs, Sommeliers & Tastemakers

One of the best and worst things about Paris is that everywhere looks inviting. Stroll down any street in the centre of the French capital and you’ll come across bars, cafes and bistros with charming names printed on colourful awnings, with patterned chairs and tables dotted across the pavement, inviting you to stop for a glass of wine or something to eat. And while there’s a good time to be had at plenty of these venues, if you spend enough time in the city, you’ll realise its greatest spots to eat and drink aren’t always the most easy to come across – in fact, they’re sometimes in the last places you’d think to look.

I realised this after a friend told me to walk through the nondescript door at the back of taco spot Candelaria in the Marais, to reveal a packed cocktail bar that served possibly the best margarita I’ve ever had. I noticed this again after heading upstairs at Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet – the branch of the famed French department store solely dedicated to food. I’d passed it countless times on my trips to the city, but little did I know that tucked away above the fresh produce and patisserie stall was a chic little bar allowing you to stop by and order anything from a glass of natural wine to a rare vintage champagne – without a reservation, on arguably one of the busiest streets in Paris.

Thanks to recommendations from those living in the city, I’ve been able to eat and drink my way around Paris like a local. And now, you can too – here, some of Paris’ finest chefs, foodies and tastemakers share where they like to eat and drink in the city, ready for you to note down and visit during your next trip. After all, the best way to experience Paris is to ask a Parisian…

Rémi Ségui – Director of Le Bar de la Cave at Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet

Le Bar de la Cave is the wine bar from renowned fine wine merchants Duclot, which you’ll find at Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet, offering a place to stop for a great glass of wine (guaranteed) with some cheese and charcuterie, along with tastings and expert advice from sommeliers. As its director, Rémi Ségui is behind the selection of many of the wines that are on offer – making him the go-to man for recommendations on what to order at the bar and purchase in-store. “Narrowing down my favourite food and drink spots is like asking a parent to pick their favourite child,” he says. “Let’s give it a try…”

1. Le Griffonnier – This is a classic French Bistrot with authentic recipes beautifully prepared including traditional ‘oeuf mayo’ – a must-try dish when you visit.
2. The Rooftop Bar At Grands Boulevards Hotel – A wonderful spot in the summertime with a glass of champagne and tasty canapés. Who doesn’t enjoy some time on a rooftop?
3. Experimental Cocktail Club – If cocktails are more your speed, I recommend this spot as it has a beautiful selection of cocktails and rare liquors in a cosy atmosphere. Perfect for a date.
4. Brasserie Lazare Paris – This spot is by the iconic French chef Éric Fréchon. One of my favourite dishes is the ‘Coquillettes pour enfant gâté’ pasta with ham, comté cheese and truffles. Try it and let me know what you think!
5. Le Bar de la Cave – Of course, last but not least, I have to mention the one and only Le Bar de la Cave, located at Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet – a one-stop-shop to enjoy a glass of wine or to share a bottle. We have a selection of over 3,500 types of wines and champagnes so you are not short on choices here! Have a glass and take a bottle (or two) home.

Julie Caute – Owner & Founder Of Dame Jane

Tucked away in Paris’ Belleville district, you’ll find Dame Jane – the low-intervention wine bar and restaurant from Julie Caute. Expect seasonal menus, guest chef appearances, a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere and, of course, great wine. A must-visit whenever you’re in the city. Here’s where Caute frequents…

1. Chez Ammad (the bar at Le Le Grand Hôtel de Clermont) – A proper ‘bar de quartier’ [neighbourhood bar], which opened in the 1970s, hidden between Pigalle and Abbesses, where you can eat couscous and spend old-school evenings listening to an original punk soundtrack.
2. Café Les Deux Gares – My favourite lunch ‘cantine’, as we say in French. Extremely tasty plates, amazing natural wine selection, wonderful terrace and sublime view of Gare de l’Est. It’s by far the best lunch in Paris, and if you feel like lingering they’re open all day long, which is a plus! 
3. Delicatessen Cave – Very sharp wine selection (natural, of course) and the owner, Mireille, is making her magic and constantly digging up the talented, upcoming wine makers throughout the country.
4. Muniyandi Vilas – In the 10th arrondissement, this place serves the best chai tea and parathas in town, pour manger avec les doigts [to eat with your hands]! Very comforting when I miss travelling. Expect the unexpected! 
5. Le Mékong – A [Cambodian restaurant] where you’re always welcome.

Josh Fontaine – Co-founder of Le Mary Celeste & Candelaria, & Founder Of Apéritif Brand Lutèce

Around the corner from one another in the Marais district of Paris, you’ll find Le Mary Celeste (home to delicious small plates, natural wines and cocktails) and Candelaria (the aforementioned no-frills taco spot with a killer bar hidden at the back). Two foodie spots that might seem completely unrelated, but share a passion for fine produce, excellent drinks, great vibes – and a co-founder in Josh Fontaine, who is also behind new apéritif brand Lutèce, “a new spirit for the modern drinker” created in homage to Parisian cafe culture. This is where Fontaine eats and drinks in the city…

1. Mardi – My local café where I can be found meeting neighbourhood friends over coffee several mornings a week. Don’t miss their frequent dinner events as well!
2. Le Chardonnay – A quality, all-day classic brasserie from a family of Parisian restaurateurs. Very central and open non-stop for food and drinks in a very walkable part of the city.
3. Paulownia – An unassuming, great new restaurant by my friends Tess and Geoffrey, who I met during harvest at Maison Valette in Burgundy. It’s in an up-and-coming part of the 20th arrondissement – it’s worth the trip 
4. Bar Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon – The bar team here is doing fantastic work. One of my go-to spots when I’m looking for a refined cocktail experience. The wine list is full of hidden gems as well, at surprisingly affordable prices given the surroundings.
5. Le Doyenné – When you need a break from the city, take the train or split a taxi out to Le Doyenné. A spectacular organic farm supplies almost all of the ingredients for the neighbouring restaurant. When it’s warm, you can take your apéritif out to the garden, or in winter months chill by the open fireplace. And, of course, spend the night in one of the rooms upstairs.

Bertrand Grébaut – Head Chef at Septime

Hailed as “the quintessence of the new breed of Parisian restaurants” by the Michelin Guide, Septime is a restaurant absolutely worth the (often long) waiting list. It’s a Michelin-star restaurant with a difference: the fine dining and excellent service you’d expect, yet it still feels modern, fresh and utterly cool. Bertrand Grébaut, formerly of Alain Passard’s three-Michelin-starred Arpège, is the chef at the helm – he also oversees the menu at neighbouring sister spots Clamato (a seafood restaurant, which Service95 founder Dua Lipa hailed as one of her favourite in the city) and wine bar Septime La Cave. (Tip: if you can’t get a reservation at Septime, both of these are walk-in only.) Here’s where the celebrated chef eats post-service…

1. Bistrot des Tournelles – For the wine list of natural wines from the Beaujolais region – and their steak au poivre.
2. Song Heng – For the beef Pho.
3. Oobatz – For their sourdough pizza.
4. The Beans On Fire – Perfect for enjoying a coffee on the terrace at Square Maurice Gardette while eating a sugar roll.
5. Cave Canaille – For the selection of natural wines and the fish preserves from the Basque Country.

Jessica Yang and Robert Compagnon – Founders of Folderol and Le Rigmarole

Is there a greater – and more unexpected – food pairing than ice cream and natural wine? Perhaps not – considering that Jessica Yang and Robert Compagnon created a bar that specialises in both. Folderol is a consistently buzzing space loved by locals (and Service95 founder Dua Lipa), where you can find a great selection of natural wines served alongside artisanal ice cream (in a range of changing flavours, from green melon to peanut butter) – the perfect way to round off any evening. If that wasn’t enough culinary joy, the husband-and-wife chef duo are also the team behind Le Rigmarole, a French restaurant with a twist – cooking over a Japanese binchotan charcoal grill. These are the duo’s favourite spots in Paris…

1. Mokonuts– [A café and bakery owned by] great friends of ours, offering some of the freshest, most delicious, personal food in Paris. Omar and Moko just understand flavour and how to coax the best out of already amazing ingredients.
2. Sanukiya or Menkicchi – Respectively our favourite udon and ramen spots, perfect for lunch. Sanukiya is open from 11.30am-10pm, so it’s perfect for off-hours quick meals. Their fry game is on point. Menkicchi has the best balanced noodle-broth combination (get garlic to grate into the soup).
3. Oobatz – Full disclosure, we opened this pizzeria with Dan [Pearson] in May. We’re weirdly not the most rabid pizza fans, but natural-fermentation-obsessive Dan’s dough is amazing and light enough to make anyone fall in love.
4. Bistro des Tournelles – Our favorite traditional French spot. The best fries in Paris, great wine, the nicest guys…
5. Café Caractère – [Owner] Patricia has become a great friend, her coffees are always so perfectly balanced.

Olivia McCrea-Hedley is Copy Editor at Service95