Some favorite dining and eating places in Paris                                                                                                                                                                                                         [The "Best" of Paris]( Some favorite dining and eating places in Paris [David Lebovitz](
Apr 22 Lunch at the counter at Le Petit VendĂŽme Before I start, I just want to say that I wince a bit when Iâm asked who has âthe best baguetteâ in Paris, or where the âbest croissantâ in Paris is. People probably think that Iâm not a nice person for being reluctant to name a specific address for âthe best baguetteâ or croissant or some macarons. But the truth is, with over 1,300 bakeries, itâs doubtful that I (or anyone) could taste everything and be able to conclusively declare something as âthe bestâ in Paris. And even if I could, my idea of best might not be yours. (In 2007, I named the croissant from my local bakery on my blog as â[the best in Paris](,â which prompted a taste-test years later by some online group, who werenât as convinced. They also didnât mention that the bakery had changed hands twice since I wrote that piece, and with 2,259 posts on my blog, itâs impossible for me to go back and update all the posts as things inevitably change.) In addition, if you come to Paris and take the mĂ©tro across town to grab a baguette and itâs not up to snuff, I donât want to take responsibility for ruining anyoneâs vacationâŠor even a half-day of it. I want you to have a great time on your vacation!âŠnot curse me out. (Or do a post about my recommendations.) So rather than saying something is âthe best,â think of these recommendations as my favorites. [davidlebovitz]( A post shared by David Lebovitz ([@davidlebovitz]() For the record, macarons have had quite their day in Paris (and beyond), and while theyâre not going anywhere, things have settled down. I am a little stodgy and a firm believer in hewing close to the classics. I donât think you can go wrong with [LadurĂ©e](, which went [up for sale]( last year, or [Pierre HermĂ©](, whose flavors are well-thought-out and more intriguing, without being silly. The mini ones at [Richart]( (above) are nice, and I also like the ones at [La Maison du Chocolat](. Now that Iâve gotten the âbest macarons in Parisâ out of the wayâŠđâŠwe can move on. A caveat: My picks lean toward the Right Bank as I donât go over to the Left Bank much. Itâs a different vibe over thereâand certainly tidierâand while I head over there once in a while, we do most of our eating and drinking on this side of the Seine. And a broad generalization, but the farther away you get from the single-digit arrondissements in Paris, the more youâll find the dining and baking more diverse. This is a longer post. (Sorry, I couldnât stop myself from writing about my favorite places in Paris!) Some readers have noted that they preferred shorter posts while others wanted longer ones. If youâd like the full post, you can upgrade to a paid subscription. [Subscribe now]( A Great CrĂȘpe The best crĂȘpe in Paris isnât a crĂȘpe at all. Itâs the buckwheat galetteâthe Breton name for buckwheat crĂȘpes, which also go by the name crĂȘpe au blĂ© noir, just to keep us on our toesâserved up at [Breizh CafĂ©](. [Breizh CafĂ©]( started with one always-packed restaurant in the Marais and has now branched out with eight more places around the city. There are other [good crĂȘperies]( in Paris, but 9 out of 10 times, we go to [Breizh CafĂ©](, which is easier now that there are more addresses in town. Being partial to simplicity and tradition, I invariably go with the complĂšte; a buckwheat crĂȘpe/galette with ham, cheese, and an egg on top, which theyâll scramble if you prefer your eggs not sunny-side up. Being Breton, butter isnât optional, but essential. For the pat offered alongside, I choose Bordier seaweed butter, but the rosy [piment dâEspelette]( with spicy Basque peppers is also delicious smeared over the whole shebang. The Perfect Place for Oysters While cheap oysters never sound like a good idea, itâs very hard to argue when the very reasonably priced oysters are alive and shucked right in front of you, then served with a goblet of cool white wine while youâre standing in the midst of one of the busiest marchĂ©s in Paris. Thatâs my idea of heaven, folks. At the Bastille market, on Sunday, there are generally two vendors opening and shucking les huitres, offering them up by the platter. I like both vendors and the freshness at both stands is unparalleled. A plateau of oysters will run you somewhere between âŹ9-15, and a cup of vin blanc ordinaire around âŹ2. While we donât do it often, as we usually bring oysters home and eat them, since you get more for your âŹâŹâŹ, we like going to [LâEuropĂ©en](, across from the Gare de Lyon where thereâs a mix of locals and travelers. For a more âsit down,â full-meal experience, you canât go wrong with [LâEcailler de Bistro]( from the same owner of the popular [Bistro Paul Bert](. On the left bank, [HuĂźterie RĂ©gis]( is popular. I havenât been but according to their online menu, a dozen oysters will run you between âŹ32 and âŹ69. I have been to [Avant Comptoir de la Mer](, which is excellent and fun. One stand-out at this mostly stand-up seafood comptoir is a giant mound of salted French butter on the bar. Itâs traditional to serve oysters with rye bread and salted butter, a tradition Iâm happy that exists, and happy to indulge in. Fabulously Fair-Priced Standard Bistro Fare When we just want a simple French meal without pretense and a friendly welcome, we head to [Aux Bons Crus](. The typewritten menu lists the standards, including leeks vinaigrette, Ćufs mayonnaise, and a frisĂ©e salad with bacon, and the daily specials on the chalkboard reinforce their commitment to the French classics, like chicken in vin jaune and pistachio-flecked sausages. The prices are fair, and the only time Iâve ever had something I really didnât like was an unfortunate salade Niçoise. (I arrived after a day of shooting food photography and just wanted a salad, which was a mistake.) We enjoy the warm atmosphere, the [steak-frites](, and the generous Floating Island and Baba au rhum for dessert, which are both big enough to share. House wine by the carafe is a good value and pairs just fine with the food. [davidlebovitz]( A post shared by David Lebovitz ([@davidlebovitz]() [Le Bougainville]( is popular with the locals for a reason; it serves straightforward French food with an excellent wine list. (Plus very good wines by the carafe or glass. Much better than a typical French bistro.) Itâs not farm-to-table fare; some of it may have the feel and flavor of a French cantine (lunchroom), but the hearty food is served forth without a lot of frills and is similar to the food youâd get at a great French routier (truck stop), which are beloved places to eat in France. But if your aim is to Live (or Eat) Like a Local, this is a good address to do that. The house-made [terrine]( is outstanding. A few other places serving typical bistro fare, without a lot of fuss, that are fun: [Bouillon Pigalle]( and [Bouillon RĂ©publique,]( which offer up classic French food at reasonable prices and of good quality. The restaurants have become popular and donât take reservations, so expect a ~30+ minute wait for a table at mealtimes. [Ă la Biche au Bois]( is quite fun and still resolutely old-fashioned. At a higher price point, [Le Bon Georges]( has hit its stride and the quality of ingredients is exceptional and the staff as wonderful as can be. We are fans. Take-away Jambon-beurre-fromage (Cantal) from Le Petit VendĂŽme A Superior Sandwich, or Two I donât live for âLikesâ but interestingly, my most Liked pictures on Instagram are the ones of jambon-beurre (ham and butter) sandwiches, eaten on the streets of Paris. Although itâs a close call, Iâm going with [Le Petit VendĂŽme]( as my favorite sandwicherie in Paris, but donât count out [Caracter du Cochon](, which is terrific in its own way. Both are decidedly different and [Le Petit VendĂŽme]( offers a variety of sandwiches, not just ham and butter (you can ask for a sandwich Simple or Mixte, choosing from two or three ingredients, respectively, offered, which include Cantal cheese (recommended!), pork sausage, Camembert, rillettes, blue cheese, or go with the SpĂ©cial, with goat cheese, mountain ham, Provençal olive oil and black pepper, which is another favorite. You can eat at the counter (see photo at the top of the post), which is a great place to banter with the staff, or grab it to go. A jambon-beurre from Caracter du Cochon (in the Marais) Solo, the engaging owner of [Caracter de Cochon](, offers up dozens of hams from around France and neighboring countries, so you can pick your jambon. (Another candidate for great sandwiches in Paris is [CheZaline](.) I love his little shop in the upper Marais and whatever ham you choose, heâll do a great job preparing your sandwich with it. The Parfaite Pastry The Paris-Brest by [Jacques Genin]( is the one in town to beat. For a while, Chef Genin went on hiatus, only making desserts and pastries by special order. He finally closed the Tea Salon (which was a good idea as the few tables were constantly full and customers werenât rushing to leave, so the wait could be interminable), which allowed him to concentrate on his chocolates, his exceptional caramels (I usually like my caramels on the non-fussy side, but the mango-passion fruit caramels are seriously superb), and on making desserts to order, which are now for ordering to-go only. There are a lot of outstanding pastry chefs and shops in Paris and I list my favorites [here]( and [here](, but I dream about Jacquesâ Paris-Brest, which is a crown of pĂąte Ă choux encircling a layer of rich hazelnut praline cream made from Italian hazelnuts. Just thinking about it now makes me want to run over there and grab oneâŠ! Another favorite pastry in Paris is the merveille at [Au Merveilleux de Fred](. Visitors (and locals) sometimes wince at the word âmeringueâ with visions of tooth-achingly sweet desserts. True, I eat sugar for a living, but while they are a little sweet, theyâre so light and airy, I promise you wonât have any trouble polishing it off. Pro tip: Skip the bite-size ones, the merveilleux that are the size of a golf ball, which donât have the right proportion of meringue to cream, and get the standard ones, which are the more generous size of a softball. Theyâre harder to eat on the street but worth indulging in, with a fork or spoon, so you can properly enjoy them. I am partial to the chocolate and coffee varieties. [davidlebovitz]( A post shared by David Lebovitz ([@davidlebovitz]() Another runner-up: The Maple Tart at [Tapisserie]( from the newer kids on the bakery block, from the team that brought us [Septime](. The tarte is a wonder of zesty maple flavor with a perfect plouf of crĂšme chantilly, perched in a buttery round of pĂąte sucrĂ©e pastry. A Non-Pareil Chocolate Bar The [Atlantique]( tablet, above, from Franck Kestener is truly a marvel. Dark chocolate from Venezuela enrobes lip-smacking salty caramel with a plage (layer) of a whisper-thin crunchy biscuit, which is neatly also tucked inside. Kestener claims eating this bar will make you feel like youâre on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, but I always feel like itâs taking me closer to heaven. Runners-up for the best chocolate bars in Paris are the Kalouga [Bernarchon]( bars available [at their boutique]( and at Denise Acaboâs fabulous candy shop, [A lâEtoile dâOr](, in Montmartre... Subscribe to David Lebovitz Newsletter to read the rest. Become a paying subscriber of David Lebovitz Newsletter to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content. [Subscribe]( A subscription gets you: Special additional subscriber-only posts sent out throughout the month
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