:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Where-to-Eat-in-Paris-in-2025-FT-BLOG0625-Le-Grand-Cafe-02-a248070dc8e64d3eaef106b05cac51eb.jpg?w=780&resize=780,470&ssl=1 "Where to Eat in Paris in 2025")
You could eat out every day in Paris and still only scratch the surface of its richly layered food scene. One of the top international cities for food and drink in the 2025 Global Tastemakers awards, marinated in rich gourmet traditions, Paris lures legions of international chefs to train in its kitchens. This talent is one of the key ingredients to the multicultural magic of today, where hot new openings vie for your attention alongside established restaurants that are places of pilgrimage. Even neighborhood bistros set the gustatory bar high, via careful ingredient sourcing and attention to technique. After all, Paris was the birthplace of the restaurant — a concept that has evolved over time and is now hitting a new crescendo. Here are some of the standouts I’ve recently tried in diverse districts across town — some tastebud-tickling, some epiphany-inducing, and all guaranteed to serve un bon plat.
Auberge du Mouton Blanc
Courtesy of The Travel Buds Studio / Auberge du Mouton Blanc
There’s a lot to love about Auteuil, a former hamlet in western Paris that still exudes tranquil village vibes. (The petite street market! The Art Nouveau buildings! The boutiques!) It’s also catnip for history nerds like me: This is where Marcel Proust was born, Honoré de Balzac scribbled, and Madame Helvétius entertained Ben Franklin at her famous Enlightenment-era salon at 59 rue d’Auteuil. Where did all these luminaries eat? The Auberge de Mouton Blanc (circa 1668) drew habitués like Molière and Jean de La Fontaine, and today it’s a neighborhood institution. So the recent renovation was a big deal for locals.
New owners, the Dumant family, have a knack for reinvigorating historic haunts with a contemporary feel. (Other Paris spots include Aux Crus de Bourgogne and Auberge Bressane.) There’s still a wood bar and decorative mosaic floor spelling out “Mouton Blanc” — and a “white sheep” statue watches over diners in the now light-filled space. Newer touches allude to nearby landmarks: framed equestrian prints (the Longchamp racecourse) and mounted tennis rackets (Roland Garros Stadium). The food is classic comfort fare from Normandy; think herring and potatoes, veal smothered in cream sauce, and moules frites — served in generous portions.
Le Christine
Courtesy of Hugo Sourdin / Le Christine
The bustling cafes of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district have long nourished the city’s writers and artists. Hemingway’s haunts are still in full swing today, and many of the city’s nearly 50 million annual visitors are angling for one of the sidewalk seats. But if you want a memorable meal — dare I say revelatory — hightail it to Le Christine in a tiny alleyway far from the throngs of tourists.
Chef Rodolphe Despagne has been at the helm of this gastronomic retreat since January, and the imaginative tasting menu is a delight, starting with the fun interpretation of sour-cream-and-onion Pringles that appears on your table before the amuse-bouches. Among the procession of creative dishes (choose five or seven), the mussels pack a punch — smoked on a bed of pine needles and served with homemade brioche and a separate frothy bowl of mussels, salicorne, hazelnuts, and confit lemon. Do yourself a favor and order the wine pairings; sommelier Erwan Mevel has curated a superb list from across Europe.
Daimant Saint-Honoré
Courtesy of Daimant Saint-Honoré
In a meat-centric city like Paris, where it’s not unusual to see boudin noir (blood sausage) and ris de veau (sweetbreads) on the menu, the rise in vegetarian restaurants is nothing short of extraordinary. No longer are vegetarians forced to eat a side for wont of a meat-free main, but they’re happily dining in veggie-forward restaurants that are so good, they can convert carnivores.
Case in point: Daimant Saint-Honoré, a stylish and chic haunt which opened in a coveted location between the Opera and the Louvre. Alice Tuyet, founder of the pioneering Daimant Collective, is on a mission to transform restaurant dining for the betterment of the planet. Snag a seat on the outside terrace or inside the red-walled dining room, and graze on shared appetizers like pickle-studded broccoli guacamole served with buckwheat chips, before tucking into the Dirty Polenta and mushroom croquettes that are house signatures. That “Snickers” dessert, though…
Le Grand Café
Courtesy of Oddur Thorisson / Le Grand Cafe
The Grand Palais, a striking Belle Epoque monument built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, has reopened with a bang this summer after a big restoration. (The glass-topped nave set the stage for fencing and taekwondo competitions during the 2024 Olympic Games.) To celebrate the makeover (a whopping 60 tons of green paint were used), the landmark is launching an inaugural summer season jam-packed with high-energy events like the Grand Bal Rio-Paris, DJ-fueled soirees, and exhibitions featuring works created in situ by artists like Ernesto Neto.
Such a majestic space needs a restaurant to match, and the Loulou Group is stepping up to the challenge with Le Grand Café. This could be the prettiest terrace in Paris, with tables perched on original mosaic tiled floors among the soaring columns, with a view across to the Petit Palais. The dining room — all marble, mirrors, and velvet — also exudes grandeur, especially when the jazz ensemble plays at night. Food runs the gamut from salads to seafood platters. Did I mention that legendary barman Colin Field, who reigned over the Ritz for 30 years, is mixing drinks behind the bar?
Irwin
Courtesy of Irwin
Chef Irwin Durand, whose resume includes Michelin-starred restaurants across France, including his last stint as head chef at Le Chiberta, unveiled his own gastronomic restaurant in April. It’s clear Durand is having fun with his brigade in the kitchen, developing uber-creative dishes with playful whimsy. Case in point: the roasted Provençal asparagus, paired with a juniper berry-infused sabayon, that was inspired by a Gin and Tonic. This was just one of the flavor-packed dishes served in a recent dinner tasting menu — a parade of plates that’s paced perfectly by the team (a special shout out to charming restaurant director Mickaël Larrive).
Inspired by the elements, the sleek Irwin dining room was designed in marble and wood — an aesthetic match for the upscale 8th arrondissement, whose suit-clad denizens appreciate the three-course lunch. Take the time for dinner, though. Here it’s elevated to high art. The miso-infused vanilla dessert — like “eating a giant vanilla pod,” explains pastry chef Tessa Ponzo — will have you scraping the bottom of the plate for every last morsel.
Magnolia
Courtesy of Leo Kharfan / Magnolia
Follow the cool crowd to Pigalle to indulge in what my French dining companion called “the best tartare in Paris.” (It was studded with crispy fried onions and drizzled with mayonnaise.) American chef Noah Howell, who honed his skills at Michelin-starred establishments like Whatley Manor and The Ledbury in the UK, before overseeing Le Collier de la Reine in Paris, took over the kitchen at this popular bistro at the end of March.
If you’re lucky to nab a table at Magnolia, you might find yourself swooning over the menu (it’s short and changes seasonally). The shallot tarte tatin — dressed in Reblochon cheese — might be the best bite I’ve taken in a restaurant this year. It’s a small space, and the mood is loud and fun — perfect for kickstarting a night out in trendy Pigalle.
Misso and Han Rooftop Guimet
Courtesy of Young-Kyung Lee / Misso
There’s never been a better time to eat Korean food in Paris, with a slew of restaurants serving everything from street-food hits to fine-dining fare. (Here’s just a few talked-about addresses: Sétopa, Jip, La Table de Mee, Mojju.) One of my longtime favorite takeout spots is Misso in the Butte-aux-Cailles, a village-like district in the 13th arrondissement. Chef Young Kyoung Lee has been a passionate ambassador of family-style Korean cuisine since 2006, and she routinely invites talent from her homeland to share recipes in Paris.
In the latest news, she’s taken the helm of the restaurant inside the Guimet Asian Arts Museum — a sublime portal to Asia with a staggering collection. There’s kimbap, bulgogi, and bibimbap on the menu at Hanok par Misso. What’s more, Lee’s K-cuisine will be served this summer on the rooftop, where you can also enjoy a DJ-spun soundtrack and views of the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night.
Ritz Paris Le Comptoir Sèvres
Courtesy Vincent Nageotte / Ritz Paris Le Comptoir
You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to pâtisserie in Paris, the world’s pastry capital and birthplace of iconic treats like the macaron, mille-feuille, and Saint-Honoré. Whether you credit TV cooking shows or Instagram, the obsession for pastry is reaching new heights, with a legion of top chefs sating our appetite with creations crafted with the precision of couture. Chief among them is François Perret, who’s worked as the head pastry chef for the Ritz Paris since 2015. (You may know him from the Netflix show The Chef in a Truck.) The legendary hotel, home to the Ritz Escoffier culinary school, got a sugar rush when Perret opened Le Comptoir back in 2021. The gourmet boutique drew pastry fans for Perret’s signature madeleines, trompe l’oeil marble cake (it’s really an entremet), even a liquid dessert.
Now Left Bankers can get in on the action with a new shop just across from Le Bon Marché department store. “We got lucky with the real estate,” Perret told me at the opening. “The rue Cambon boutique gets 500 clients a day, and we’re happy more Parisians will now have access to our gourmandises.” In fact, according to Perret, it’s the accessibility of pastry that makes it a joy for everyone. New is the coffee blend created with in-demand roaster Lomi, and to go with it, there’s a coffee-flavored eclair (also a trompe-l’œil). Take-away sandwiches include a chicken Caesar that tastes exactly like the salad.
SENsation
Courtesy of Philippe Vaurès Santamaria / SENsation
On a recent Tuesday night, every table was booked at chef Samuel Lee’s Chinese neo-bistro. SENsation — a nod to the chef’s name in Mandarin — opened in February to instantaneous acclaim. Lee worked for a decade at the Shangri-La Paris, where Shang Palace became the first Chinese restaurant awarded a Michelin star in France. The setting for his new venture is a complete departure; the hip, restaurant-packed 11th arrondissement is a dynamic playground for chefs.
The draw at SENsation isn’t just the marvelous roast duck, prepared in multiple, meticulous steps over a 24-hour period. (This delicacy, combining the cooking techniques of Cantonese and Peking roast duck, must be ordered two days in advance.) F&B veterans and in-the-know Parisians gobble the lip-smacking starters like the Chao Zhou-style marinated Gillardeau oysters, shrimp croquettes, and delicate spring rolls topped with aged Comté cheese, served by a friendly, down-to-earth staff. The bistro’s pretty design, a melange of old and new, reflects Lee’s approach to cooking: Think exposed stone walls, classic tiled floors, Pagoda-shaped lanterns, and marvelous Chinese paintings including “Five Drunken Princes Returning on Horseback,” depicting a joyful ride during the Tang dynasty.
Tarántula
Monterrey-born chef Emmanuel Peña, who worked for 12 years at popular Parisian taqueria El Nopal, is behind this buzzy Mexican-French bistro near Bastille. Tarántula is like your effortlessly cool friend with a reputation for hosting killer dinner parties. For one thing, it oozes sex appeal with its playlist and 1930s decor illuminated by candlelight. Then there’s the clientele: a good-looking, food-dedicated crowd sipping mezcal hibiscus margaritas and glasses of natural wine.
And then there’s the food. Beyond the ambience, the small plates — slow-cooked pork tacos, white asparagus on a bed of beans, and chorizo — are an absolute thrill. We ordered the grilled Roscoff onion, what we assumed to be a simple veggie side, and it turned out to be the chili-infused star of the show. Another must: the roasted half-chicken in a butter sauce accented with Japones peppers. Slice the tender, slow-cooked meat and stuff it in blue corn tortillas — you may need to order more than the trio that come with it. (They’re that good.)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-grill-mat-tout-b71deb5627154c7d82a1138f38b1787a.jpg?w=390&resize=390,220&ssl=1 "Grill Owners Can’t Stop Raving About This Smart Safety Find")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-anyday-bowl-tout-95a47066cdb043e5882e6d23ffaf5575.jpg?w=390&resize=390,220&ssl=1 "The Microwave-Safe Dish That Revolutionized My Weeknight Cooking")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/fw-roundup-do-this-not-that-expert-approved-berry-storage-tout-b253d35e90ad4f3da395aac14f5e5b7e.jpg?w=390&resize=390,220&ssl=1 "The Best Berry Storage Containers, According to Pro Chefs")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Your-Favorite-Herb-Could-Soon-Become-a-Key-Treatment-for-Alzheimers-FT-BLOG0625-8f920871af6a41b08ac0f5c3162f85dc.jpg?w=390&resize=390,220&ssl=1 "Are Rosemary and Sage the Future of Alzheimer’s Treatment?")