Dining out in Paris should be fun, relaxing andnever, never stressful. Whether a 3-star restaurant or a neighborhood bistro there should always be a warm welcome and an excellent rapport qualité-prix-a positive relationship between price and quality. Bon appétit!
Bistros & Restos 16th to 20th Arr.
Le Bistro des Vines-17th Arrondissement
M,Claire and I had seen my pal, the blues pianist Mitch Woods, perform two vibrant shows at the Meridien Hotel on Friday night and we wanted to extend the fun over lunch on Saturday.
Le Shang Palace at Le Shangri-La
We were met in the hotel lobby and escorted to a waiting elevator for our journey to the third floor home of Paris’ just opened Shang Palace and elegant cuisine with strong Cantonese influences.
Caius-17th Arrondissement
I was meeting the PR agent extraordinaire, MM for lunch at one of her favorites. Just a few blocks from L’Etoile it’s a quietly elegant spot that attracts business types and the odd romantic couple at lunch. Evenings are decidedly more romantic.
Le Poulpot-18th Arrondissement
There is the Montmartre overrun by tourists: Sacre Coeur, and la Place des Tertres, and the village on a hill of les Montmartrois. I was meeting Chris, my Australian mate from Sydney for lunch to discuss the rental of his 2 BR flat just off the Rue Lamarck, high up in that Montmartre.
Le Ripaille-17th Arrondissement
It was a quiet Monday and my colleague Corrine LaBalme of LA BELLE FRANCE (sadly defunct) was writing a feature about the Batignolles area of the 17th and wanted company. She had heard good things about RIPAILLE but this was her first visit to this quaint neighborhood bistro.
La Bonne Franquette
This typical Montmartre bistro that periodically becomes a cabaret, has stood on this site in various permutations for over 400 years. Being the snob that I can be, that was reason enough to avoid it, but on this crisp fall morning I popped in to take off the chill with a café/calva, and met owner Patrick Fracheboud who went the extra mile and served me a glass of calvados with my coffee.
Events
Regularly scheduled literary salons with guest writers, private dinners, restaurant openings, wine tastings,market visits and cooking classes attract a discerning, sophisticated crowd who love to have a good time while they learn. Our cadre of Paris–based colleagues happily share their passion for this magical city.
The Paris Insider Newsletter
THE PARIS INSIDER family of weekly newsletters,Including THE PARIS INSIDER (Tuesday,) THE PARIS READERS CIRCLE (Wednesday,) THE PARIS WEEKENDER (Thursday,) and THE PARIS INTERVIEW (Friday) offer freshly written reviews about restaurants, museums, books, events, showings and what's on in Paris. Arriving at 9:15 AM Pacific Time you'll receive all of this plus tips on excursions to the surrounding regions from Champagne to the Loire Valley and much more. Thank you for subscribing.
Bistros
No one should have a bad meal in Paris! Whether a 2-star restaurant or a local bistro there should always be an excellent rapport qualité prix– relationship between price and quality. At my favorites you will be treated as a regular and have a satisfying experience. Just tell them “Terrance sent you.”