Seek out Paris' lesser-known cafes and restaurants. Photo / Nico Knaack; Unsplash
Seek out Paris' lesser-known cafes and restaurants. Photo / Nico Knaack; Unsplash
Getting a table in a good restaurant near Paris’ main attractions can be a difficult undertaking. To avoid disappointment, try these authentic places that are off the beaten track, writes Victoria Trott
LE MARCHÉ DES ENFANTS ROUGES
While the main streets of the Marais are generally crowded, the Haut Marais (Upper Marais) is much quieter, and mostly home to hip clothes shops and art galleries. On the corner of Rue Charlot and Rue de Bretagne, the Marché des Enfants Rouges – opened in 1615 – is the city’s oldest food market. It’s named after the red clothes worn by the children at a long-closed orphanage. As well as stalls piled with appealing produce, there are several indoor eating places which give a good flavour of the city’s multi-cultural cuisine – from sushi to freshly made burgers. Closed Monday.
Marché des Enfants Rouges – opened in 1615 – is the city’s oldest food market. Photo / Getty Images
Paris has a large North African population due to its colonial past and, in the southeast corner of the Latin Quarter, opposite the Jardin des Plantes – originally Louis XIII’s medicinal garden – is the city’s main mosque. Its restaurant, whose walls are tiled in colourful geometric patterns, dishes up hearty couscous and tagines (from €19/$34). If the weather is nice, sit in the shady courtyard sipping a mint tea and nibbling a baklava. There’s even a hammam reserved exclusively for women. la-mosquee.com/le-restaurant
AU BABYLONE
If you’ve spent the morning shopping at the Left Bank’s swish department store Le Bon Marché, head around the corner to this old-fashioned, family-run bistro for lunch. Traditional French dishes are served on rectangular tables topped with red-and-white check cloths. Try a daily special (€18/$32), such as lamb with beans, followed by a fruit clafoutis for dessert (€6.50/$11.70). The staff are friendly and accommodating and there’s always decent, reasonably priced French wine by the glass. au-babylone.com
LE BON GEORGES
On a quiet street halfway between Montmartre and the department stores on Boulevard Haussmann, this upmarket bistro is named after the quartier in which it’s located (Saint Georges). With dishes made from top-notch regional produce chalked on a blackboard and an award-winning wine menu, it’s a popular spot with well-dressed locals, business people and, increasingly, tourists in the know – although it’s far from stuffy. The lunch menu is €26/$46.80 for two courses; just don’t ask for steak well done because it’s only served bloody. lebongeorges.paris
Le Bon Georges is a popular spot with well-dressed locals, business people and, increasingly, tourists in the know. Photo / Getty Images
NENI
While many people catching a train at Gare du Nord head to the well-established brasserie Terminus Nord, a more interesting option is this Middle Eastern restaurant called Neni on the first floor of 25hrs Hotel. Open from breakfast to dinner and serving brunch on Sunday, the main menu features mezze including a selection of hummus and falafels, chicken shawarma (€25/$45) – particularly good with the Lebanese white wine (€10/$18 per glass) – and balagan (a variety of dishes to share). Leave room for the panna cotta with oranges, kumquats, pomegranate and pistachio (€12/$21.60). neniparis.fr
Paris' cosiest Middle Eastern restaurant, Neni is found on the first floor of 25hrs Hotel. Photo / Supplied
CRÊPERIE DE QUIBERON
Many migrants who moved from Brittany to Paris to look for work in the 19th century settled in Montparnasse and, as a result, there are numerous crêperies serving the famous Breton pancakes. This tiny, red-fronted restaurant is one of the best in the area, offering crispy galettes (savoury pancakes) stuffed with cheese (€4.90/$8.80) or, if you’re hungry, try a Locmalo (chitterling sausage, potatoes and cheese) for €10.40/$18.70. A crêpe (sweet pancake) with homemade salted caramel (€7.30/$13) hits the spot to finish. Accompany with a Breton craft beer, apple juice or cider. Reservations advised. creperiedequiberon.fr
FLORÉAL BELLEVILLE
Enjoy panoramic views across Paris from the Belvédère de Belleville, then head down through the park to this restaurant-bar-gallery with a bright-blue Art Nouveau frontage. As well as exhibiting work by emerging artists, this hip, community-led cultural centre has an informal restaurant that changes its chef and menu monthly – expect dishes to reflect the multi-cultural surroundings. There are some interesting original cocktails, like Flo and Réal, and the coffee comes from award-winning local coffee roasters Brûlerie de Belleville. florealbelleville.com
Floreal Belleville has an informal restaurant that changes its chef and menu monthly. Photo / Supplied
LA RECYCLERIE
Instead of elbowing your way through the tour groups in Montmartre, head north of Sacre Coeur, towards the flea markets of Saint Ouen, to this former train station that houses a recycling space, an urban farm, a library and a rustic-ramshackle café. It’s all about local, seasonal food here, from breakfast through to dinner. Half of the menu is vegetarian – the lunch menu is €14.90/$26.80 for two courses and coffee – and the wine is organic. There are regular events including guided tours, markets and cinema nights. The station is on the petite ceinture – a disused railway line that is now a walking route. La Recyclerie is now open from Saturday morning to Sunday evening. larecyclerie.com
La Recyclerie is housed in aformer train station. Photo / Adrienroux Recyclerie
For more things to see and do in Paris, visit france.fr/en
