Paris

Bistro near Gare du Nord cooking hearty Breton-influenced dishes — game in season, seafood, and a famous Paris-Brest — at fair prix-fixe prices.

Yves Camdeborde's perpetually busy Saint-Germain bistro, serving brasserie fare by day and a more ambitious menu at night. A pioneer of the 'bistronomy' movement.

Unshowy 11th-arrondissement bistro cooking seasonal French food with a strong wine cellar — the kind of dependable, grown-up neighbourhood spot Paris does best.

Beloved Belleville bistro where chef Raquel Carena cooks a short, market-driven menu and the natural-wine list runs deep. A favourite of Paris chefs on their nights off.

Septime's no-reservations seafood sibling, serving small plates of oysters, shellfish, and raw fish from a daily-changing menu. Walk-in only, and worth the wait.

Open-kitchen restaurant from Pierre Sang Boyer offering surprise tasting menus that weave Korean flavours into French technique. Great value, fun format.

Quintessential 11th-arrondissement bistro with a chalkboard menu of French classics — steak frites, Pâris-Brest — done with confidence. Worn-in, convivial, and consistently good.

Long-running Belleville spot serving punchy Thai and Lao dishes — som tam, larb, grilled meats — to a crowd that keeps it permanently full.

Boisterous Basque-leaning bistro near the Invalides, where Stéphane Jégo cooks generous, gutsy food and the rice pudding arrives in a vat for the table.

Cosy Marais-edge bistro reviving French classics — vol-au-vent, pâté, generous mains — in a warm, candlelit room. A recent critics' favourite.

Polished neighbourhood bistro south of Pigalle, serious about sourcing — excellent beef, seasonal vegetables, and a thoughtful wine list. Classic done well.

Intimate Belleville restaurant serving refined, Italian-inflected tasting menus built on careful sourcing — ambitious cooking at a gentle price.

11th-arrondissement bistro from the Levha sisters, blending French cooking with subtle Southeast Asian accents in a pretty, light-filled corner room.

Tiny daytime cafe-restaurant where a husband-and-wife team cook an inventive, ingredient-led lunch menu and bake exceptional cookies. Book well ahead.

Sentier-district restaurant from a Vietnamese couple cooking the food of northern Vietnam — bun cha, fresh herbs, bright broths — with real authenticity.

Traditional bistro in Clichy serving French classics.

Boulogne-Billancourt outpost of Baca'v, serving traditional French bistro cooking.

Compact Korean spot serving carefully prepared traditional dishes.

Contemporary restaurant serving a modern, seasonal menu.

Classic bistro near the Eiffel Tower in the 15th, serving hearty, nostalgic French cooking.

Modern restaurant with a seasonal French menu.

Modern bistro with a concise, market-driven menu that changes frequently.

Modern neighbourhood bistro in La Garenne-Colombes with a market-led menu.

Japanese restaurant serving udon and donburi.

Contemporary restaurant serving a modern French menu.

Modern bistro in La Garenne-Colombes serving refined seasonal cooking.

Buzzy modern bistro in the 9th, sibling of Le Pantruche, with a short seasonal menu.

Long-standing Lyonnais-leaning bistro in the 11th, hung with sausages and known for hearty classics like cassoulet.

Tiny 8th-arrondissement counter specialising in Korean dumplings and beef tartare.

Ramen-ya in the 6th recreating a Tokyo back-alley, with rich tonkotsu and shoyu bowls.

Italian restaurant serving fresh pasta and seasonal plates.

Modern bistro set in a former apothecary in the 12th, serving seasonal small plates.

Traditional French bistro serving seasonal, market-driven classics at a Bib Gourmand price.

Neighbourhood bistro serving traditional French dishes.

Traditional bistro in the 15th serving generous, produce-led French cooking from chef Jérôme Bonnet.

Cantonese canteen in the 13th's Chinatown, popular for roast meats and classic dishes.

Traditional French bistro with a wine-bar bent.

Lively 10th-arrondissement spot serving pan-Asian dishes in a plant-filled room.

Korean restaurant serving home-style dishes.

Modern restaurant in Montrouge serving seasonal, produce-led plates and natural wine.

Traditional bistro serving classic French dishes.

Modern bistro with a short, seasonal French menu.

Beloved retro bistro in Pigalle serving modern takes on French classics.

Modern bistro in the 15th serving refined, seasonal French cooking.

Traditional bistro near the Eiffel Tower in the 7th, offering classic French dishes at fair prices.

Casual 11th-arrondissement spot from the Levha sisters, serving punchy pan-Asian plates.

Modern neighbourhood restaurant with a short, produce-led menu.

Modern bistro with a seasonal French menu.

Contemporary restaurant serving a seasonal French menu.

Convivial bistro in the 9th serving French classics like steak tartare and rum baba.

Modern bistro in the 14th with a market-led menu and good-value cooking.

Modern bistro in the 14th serving seasonal, produce-driven French dishes.

Modern bistro offering refined, seasonal French cooking.

Modern bistro with a concise, seasonal menu.

Modern restaurant in Nanterre serving seasonal, produce-driven dishes.

Modern wine-focused bistro in the 5th, pairing creative small plates with a strong natural-wine list.

Snug 9th-arrondissement spot specialising in buckwheat soba noodles.