Updated as of November 10, 2026. As always, please reach out if you have questions or want a more extensive list of restaurants! I plan on extending this to potentially my top ten restaurants at some point.
If you’ve checked out my map, you’ll see that I’ve pinned quite a few restaurants across Paris. Here is my explanation for my top 5 recommendations! For the record, I’ve listed my favorites first, but this list only includes my favorites (it’s definitely not comprehensive of everywhere I went), so I personally don’t think you can go wrong with anything here. Here’s the order of descriptions, if you want to scroll directly to a place you’re curious about:
Joséphine Chez Dumonet (75-100 euros per person)
Le Poulbot (50-100 euros per person)
Kimono (70-100 euros per person)
La Petite Chaise
Carette
#1: Joséphine Chez Dumonet
https://www.josephinechezdumonet.fr/
Best staff
Best food
Immaculate atmosphere - old-timey, classic France
This restaurant came recommended from one of my favorite Chefs at Ferrandi - Chef Alex. While its roots go as far back as the late 19th century, the name Joséphine comes from the head chef in the 60’s who transformed it into the well-known restaurant that it is today. While it has since passed ownership, the atmosphere, warmness of the staff, and immaculate French cuisine is still being prepared by the Dumonet family. I’ve been nearly ten times this year (I bring almost everyone who visits) and every single time it blows me away. The staff are so knowledgable about the food, wine pairings, and the history of the place. I’ve seen them treat every guest with grace and utmost attention, and honestly they’re what keep bringing me back.
Make sure to book a reservation and give yourself the evening to sit back and enjoy - and tell them that I sent you!
My Favorite Menu:
Starters: Escargot and Langoustines. Both are dressed in their own uniquely fabulous butter sauces, and stop me mid-conversation for a moment to appreciate the miracle that has found its way to my mouth.
Mains: A combination of the duck confit (must), beef bourgignon (best I’ve tried in Paris), pigeon (I know- but trust me on this), and whatever else the staff recommends if you’re more than two or three people.
Dessert: There are a few approaches to take here. The chocolate mousse is revelational, truly. But the Souffle is an experience as much as it is a dessert - just know that when they say it’s got Grand Marnier in it, they mean it! I’ve tried a few others, and every dessert is a delight.
Drinks: Leave this to Oliver and Natalie, or any other waiter you’re lucky to meet. They’ll know how best to pair a bottle with your meal, and they’re happy to find something within your comfortable price range.
Bonus: If you still need a finishing touch, take a glass of Chartreuse to finish a truly French evening, and thank me later.
#2: Le Poulbot
Another great French restaurant, this time located near the Sacre Coeur in the north of Paris. Book a table for lunch after exploring the beauty and art of the Montmartre neighborhood. If you’re bringing a pet, you will need to sit outside, but the atmosphere inside and out are both amazing.
My Favorite Menu:
Starter: French onion soup
Mains: The marinated salmon is what keeps me returning time and again. Order this along with their seasonal vegetable - I’ve had two variations and both absolutely blew us away.
Dessert: The chocolate cake here is the best I’ve had in Paris. I haven’t tried the creme brulee yet, but it’s certainly on my bucket list!
#3: Kimono
I didn’t discover this restaurant until much later in the year, but it absolutely blew me away. Incredibly kind staff, a warm and cozy atmosphere, and every dish was knock-your-socks-off good.
What I Tried:
Starter: Stracciatella: the ginger, herbs, and toasted buckwheat combine to make an entire experience on your palate. I took my time eating it because I genuinely wanted to savor every single bite.
Mains: Salmon and steamed ginger (simple, but great). Poulet au Binchotan (ponzu sauce chicken) was the best chicken I have had in my recent memory. And the star of the show: Roasted Eggplant (aubergine in French). Holy moly. The inside was creamy and nutty and charred, the skin melted in my mouth, and it was topped with small cubes of bell pepper which added some crunch and brightness to every bite.
Dessert: “Dome” - a chocolate and cream and toasted buckwheat creation that toed the line between ice cream and sweetened mousse, with a crunchy base, chocolatey-nutty center, and thin chocolate coating. Once again, ate as slowly as I could manage to savor every bite!
#4: La Petite Chaise
https://www.restaurantlapetitechaise.fr/
I’ve only tried this spot once, but the fig sauce on the duck was so memorable that it’s got me wondering if I’ll be back in Paris someday soon for culinary school, specifically to try and learn that singular sauce. It’s a classic French restaurant, with a great atmosphere and kind staff.
What I Tried:
Starter: Green beans & mushrooms in a white/mustard sauce. Simple, fresh, delightful
Mains: Duck with a fig sauce, and the sauce was so good that we were dipping everything else on the table in it to try and not waste any of it! We got mashed potatoes (excellent), spinach (meh), and matchstick fries (excellent) for sides, and it was the coziest, most luxurious lunch imaginable.
Dessert: Chocolate cake with salted caramel sauce. To be honest, I think chocolate cake is one dessert that Americans do ubiquitously better than the French (sorry!). But!! To their credit - they do caramel so exquisitely that it sort of makes up for the dryness of the cake. I would try a different dessert next time, but maybe I’m just a chocolate cake snob…
#5: Carette - Le Marais
Hot chocolate.
More specifically: “Hot chocolate Carette.” AKA: thick, decadent hot chocolate, served with a side - no, a tower - of fresh whipped cream. So far, the best hot chocolate I’ve tried in Paris (and yes, I am on a determined mission to find out through trial who has the best).
Important: You need to go to the Le Marais location. The location at the Tracadero is more touristy, and the food pays a price for that. Le Marais can be busy, but feels true to form. And the location in Montmartre is take-away only I believe, so… just trust me and go to Le Marais! Make this your Sunday morning brunch spot. You’ll avoid the lines that come in the afternoon, and start your day at a beautiful square in an artsy neighborhood.
My Favorite Menu:
Have I eaten there? Of course. The only thing I would deeply recommend is to go for breakfast or brunch with one friend. Order one plate of the mushroom eggs, and one sweet crepe, and one “Chocolat Chaud Carette,” and share them all. Best scrambled eggs I’ve had in my life, and the crepe rounds out the most quintessential French terrace breakfast I could ever dream up.
Their lunch and dinner cuisine is also great, but I find significantly overpriced (specifically the sandwiches - just go to a local boulangerie for a sandwich). But the french onion soup and other main dishes certainly did not disapoint!
