Maison Sota. Deep in the 11th, in a former coffee storage facility, the chef of the legendary Clown Bar has opened the most whimsical, elegant, unpretentious, and tasty restaurant in town. The tasting menu ranges from savory french toast amuse-bouches to Japanese shaved ice desserts in summertime. The upstairs communal table is made of a single 24’ piece of wood, and I could continue talking about all the other reasons to go here but instead just book a table and dig in.
Verjus. upstairs is paris' best deal of a tasting menu: seven course for less than seventy euros. This place is my favorite go-to in town. It’s the most magical meal you’ll have in paris in a really special little spot. and a half block down is their other spot, Ellsworth. they do the best fried chicken in town, in case you get a craving while you’re over here.
Amagat hidden on the backside of a hidden alley deep in the 20th, it is about as impossible to find as a restaurant can be, but WELL WORTH THE TROUBLE. they only do lunch on sundays and I would recommend this as the light is just beautiful and you feel like you’ve taken a drive to the spanish countryside as endless amounts of perfectly-prepared tapas land on your plate. from croquettes to ceviches, cured meats to fried squid, each one is exceptional. The seafood restaurant Caché shares a kitchen and is equally tasty.
Vivant used to be run by Pierre Touitou, the 23 year old wunderchild of A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou. But the torch has now been passed on to our dear friend Rob who is an exceptional chef from Mexico and who infuses the dishes with his country’s culinary heritage. It’s casual, unpretentious, and delicious.
Rose Kitchen Tucked inside the open market of Lea Enfants Rouge in the Marais, this is the first restaurant by a Thai friend of ours who used to cater private dinners for fashion week and art openings. She has exceptional taste, both in food and style, and the spot is ideal for a lovely lunch as you’re touring the neighborhood. it is not to be confused with the classic Rose Bakery which has a couple locations across town and is also pleasant.
Rigmarole. Top 5 spots in town, hands down. Yakitori skewers of various sorts along with AMAZING homemade pastas and unexpected little side dishes (if they have the tempura butternut squash, GET AT LEAST TWO ORDERS!!!). this place is really spectacular without much fussiness. Sadly, it’s joined the long list of now-discovered-and-impossible-to-get-into. Book a month in advance via their website. They have also now opened the best ice cream spot (sorry Berthillion!) in town just next door called FOLDEROL. Def. worth a detour.
For a simple pizza and aperol spritz outdoors, check out Bambini on the terrasse of the Palais de Tokyo. You get a peek at the Eiffel Tower, a tasty menu, and then a visit to two museums (the Musee de L’Art Moderne is adjacent as well).
Cedric Grolet Opera After winning the award for world’s Best Pastry Chef with his work for the Meurice Hotel, Grolet went on to open a bakery/tea salon on Avenue de L’Opera which does the most insane made-to-order sandwiches at noon, super-tasty breakfasts, and pastries the rest of the day. Check ahead for store hours as they are rather weird and try to land on the one day a week (usually Tuesdays) when they do ham and cheese sandwhiches. They are the best in the world.
Le Comptoir du Ritz. Not to be outdone, the Ritz has now opened their own pastry shop, on the backside, across from Chanel on Rue Cambon. While the madeleines are the prized treat they talk about most, it is the trompe l’oeil marble pound cake that in my book is hands down the best pastry in Paris. They claim it’s for two people but I’ve never had trouble polishing one off single-handedly.
For an authentic Japanese tea service, you must visit Ogata in the Marais. For baller sushi, look no further than Sushi B. or Jin.
for traditional fish dishes, there is an iconic place deep in the 14th called Le Duc that is like a time warp back to the 50s-60s mid-century design. the food is impeccable, the decor one-of-a-kind, the clientele true parisians.
George V The Four Seasons in Paris is as uninviting as you could possibly imagine, but the pain au chocolate at their fancy restaurant (not to be confused with the area that serves breakfast to hotel guests) is bar none the best I have ever tasted. It defies description and is well worth the astronomical price. In fact, they are so aware of how obscenely expensive it is that they give you a box of four additional ones to take home with you afterwards, making your low-life friends forever grateful. Apparently there is also an exceptional **italian restaurant ****on the premises as well.
kunitoraya 2, beautiful, special japanese noodle place disguised as an old french bistro. a real favorite of sarah and me, and our parents as well! YOU SHOULD REEEAALLLLY GO HERE HAS WELL, YOU WON'T REGRET IT. LUNCH IS PERFECT. start with some salmon onigiri and then a nice bowl of yuzu noodles with shrimp tempura. perfection. there's now a #3 (#1 oddly doesn't exist anymore) at the corner of the street that's more laid-back but just as good.
Abri, a french spot run by japanese on the run du faubourg poissoniere. the lunch is barely 25 euros for four courses that will blow your mind wide open. reserve at least a day or two in advance. never been for dinner but if lunch is any indication, it will be the greatest thing that has ever happened to you. And now, for those wanting something a bit simpler, there is Abri Soba, for noodles and little else.
Gyoza Bar-in a tiny, magical alleyway/passage, it has only one thing on the menu, pan-fried dumplings, but they are OUT OF THIS WORLD. the chef has a 2 star michelin place a couple doors down, and the meat comes from the same high-end butcher, while all the vegetables inside are local, from farmers' markets. get there as soon as it opens at 6:30 or be prepared for a long wait to sit at the stylish counter...
three other quick-bite places we like are Yam T'cha for high-end Asian steamed buns right off Rue St. Honore (they also have a super-fancy spot around the corner, which is quickly becoming another favorite of ours) a block or two past Rue Du Louvre. Grille near the Bourse (the stock market) that serves falafel by a former sous chef of a place voted #4 best restaurant in the world. the fries are fried in duckfat and the pita is rolled out and baked in front of you. Lastly, a little stretch of the Rue Tiquetonne and its intersection gives you great pizzas at Dalmata and exceptional Shanghai soup dumplings at Petit Bao. The rest of the street features boutiques like Aesop and michelin-starred sake bars like ERH.
septime. if you can plan ahead and book a table a month in advance, or show up right at noon for a last-minute spot for lunch, you will be in for a real treat. constantly on the Top 50 restaurants in the world, this is oddly one of the most LA-contemporary spots in Paris though they would never acknowledge this. def. worth a visit, along with their more informal apps-only bar, Clamato a few doors down.
cibus (best italian restaurant in paris). really really weird owner, but the food is just...ahhhh....i've taken every band under the sun there and they all still talk about it years later
briezh half japanese half bretagne creperie that is AWESOME. the best crepes in paris, bar none. but make sure to reserve in advance and then stroll through the Picasso Museum.
Dilia way out of the way but ideal if you are trying to see a concert at the nearby Maroquinerie, this tasting-menu-only italian spot is on a picturesque square facing an impressive Church. Make sure to book a table outside in the warm months...
with half the restaurants closed on sunday and the other half closed on mondays, it can be tricky finding a place to eat sometimes. that’s where Loulou comes in, a beautiful italian spot inside the Musee des Arts Decoratifs which itself is essentially an extension of the Louvre. It’s open all week long and super tasty. reserve in advance and make sure to get a table on the 2nd floor (which in France is actually the first floor!). They have also opened up a new pizza-only spot by the Palais de Tokyo called Bambini.
other great Sunday/Monday options which can be a bit pricey include the bistro inside the Crillon Hotel (Daumont) which is AWESOME, and the dim sum inside the Shangri-La Hotel.
If you are just looking for classic, traditional French bistro fare, look no further than La Fountaine de Mars, Le Bon Georges, the completely unrelated Chez Georges, L’Ami Louis (which requires a bank loan and arterial cleanse) or one of my favorites Le Voltaire (though beware all four of these will be full of americans as well as a few french regulars)! You would think there are a million addresses like this in Paris but the reality are few are consistently great like the ones above.
One of the best things to have come about from the pandemic is the complete rethinking of Paris’ oldest restaurants, Le Grand Vefour, (est.1756) in the Palais Royal. It used to be a stuffy indoor affair, a dusty 3 star menu that hadn’t changed in 6 years and started at $300 per person in what is arguably the city’s most beautiful dining room. But now they’ve expanded outside under the garden’s archways and turned the place into an 18-hour-a-day high bistro. Go for tea and croissants for breakfast, a light lunch, or best an aperitif with an accompanying charcuterie and cheese plate. The view and the location cannot be beat. Even if it rains you are protected by the architecture but still have a view!
Cafe Verlet An iconic, century-old coffee shop that also happens to serve a decent croque-monsieur and French toast. The place has a really nice cozy feel, great to catch up with a friend or have a meeting.
Toraya A block or two away from the flagship Hermes store on Faubourg St. Honore, this impeccable Japanese tea salon is the best place for a mid-afternoon pick-me up (their iced green tea is unbeatable. i would just stay away from the super-weird japanese confectioneries). But their bento lunch sets are sooooo good too, especially the crab and avocado one.
Verjus, on Rue Richelieu, right next to the Palais Royale, is a great great, incredibly friendly winebar. The upstairs restaurant is one of our favorite in paris.
Cafe Flore a classic, go just for a drink or coffee or a croque-monsieur. it's funny, it's the only place in paris that is equally flocked to by tourists and locals. a very rare occurence in any city i feel. go late night and then turn around the corner to hit up the Montana nightclub.
RESTAURANTS
Maison Sota. Deep in the 11th, in a former coffee storage facility, the chef of the legendary Clown Bar has opened the most whimsical, elegant, unpretentious, and tasty restaurant in town. The tasting menu ranges from savory french toast amuse-bouches to Japanese shaved ice desserts in summertime. The upstairs communal table is made of a single 24’ piece of wood, and I could continue talking about all the other reasons to go here but instead just book a table and dig in.
Verjus. upstairs is paris' best deal of a tasting menu: seven course for less than seventy euros. This place is my favorite go-to in town. It’s the most magical meal you’ll have in paris in a really special little spot. and a half block down is their other spot, Ellsworth. they do the best fried chicken in town, in case you get a craving while you’re over here.
Amagat hidden on the backside of a hidden alley deep in the 20th, it is about as impossible to find as a restaurant can be, but WELL WORTH THE TROUBLE. they only do lunch on sundays and I would recommend this as the light is just beautiful and you feel like you’ve taken a drive to the spanish countryside as endless amounts of perfectly-prepared tapas land on your plate. from croquettes to ceviches, cured meats to fried squid, each one is exceptional. The seafood restaurant Caché shares a kitchen and is equally tasty.
Vivant used to be run by Pierre Touitou, the 23 year old wunderchild of A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou. But the torch has now been passed on to our dear friend Rob who is an exceptional chef from Mexico and who infuses the dishes with his country’s culinary heritage. It’s casual, unpretentious, and delicious.
Rose Kitchen Tucked inside the open market of Lea Enfants Rouge in the Marais, this is the first restaurant by a Thai friend of ours who used to cater private dinners for fashion week and art openings. She has exceptional taste, both in food and style, and the spot is ideal for a lovely lunch as you’re touring the neighborhood. it is not to be confused with the classic Rose Bakery which has a couple locations across town and is also pleasant.
Rigmarole. Top 5 spots in town, hands down. Yakitori skewers of various sorts along with AMAZING homemade pastas and unexpected little side dishes (if they have the tempura butternut squash, GET AT LEAST TWO ORDERS!!!). this place is really spectacular without much fussiness. Sadly, it’s joined the long list of now-discovered-and-impossible-to-get-into. Book a month in advance via their website. They have also now opened the best ice cream spot (sorry Berthillion!) in town just next door called FOLDEROL. Def. worth a detour.
For a simple pizza and aperol spritz outdoors, check out Bambini on the terrasse of the Palais de Tokyo. You get a peek at the Eiffel Tower, a tasty menu, and then a visit to two museums (the Musee de L’Art Moderne is adjacent as well).
Cedric Grolet Opera After winning the award for world’s Best Pastry Chef with his work for the Meurice Hotel, Grolet went on to open a bakery/tea salon on Avenue de L’Opera which does the most insane made-to-order sandwiches at noon, super-tasty breakfasts, and pastries the rest of the day. Check ahead for store hours as they are rather weird and try to land on the one day a week (usually Tuesdays) when they do ham and cheese sandwhiches. They are the best in the world.
Le Comptoir du Ritz. Not to be outdone, the Ritz has now opened their own pastry shop, on the backside, across from Chanel on Rue Cambon. While the madeleines are the prized treat they talk about most, it is the trompe l’oeil marble pound cake that in my book is hands down the best pastry in Paris. They claim it’s for two people but I’ve never had trouble polishing one off single-handedly.
For an authentic Japanese tea service, you must visit Ogata in the Marais. For baller sushi, look no further than Sushi B. or Jin.
for traditional fish dishes, there is an iconic place deep in the 14th called Le Duc that is like a time warp back to the 50s-60s mid-century design. the food is impeccable, the decor one-of-a-kind, the clientele true parisians.
George V The Four Seasons in Paris is as uninviting as you could possibly imagine, but the pain au chocolate at their fancy restaurant (not to be confused with the area that serves breakfast to hotel guests) is bar none the best I have ever tasted. It defies description and is well worth the astronomical price. In fact, they are so aware of how obscenely expensive it is that they give you a box of four additional ones to take home with you afterwards, making your low-life friends forever grateful. Apparently there is also an exceptional italian restaurant on the premises as well.
kunitoraya 2, beautiful, special japanese noodle place disguised as an old french bistro. a real favorite of sarah and me, and our parents as well! YOU SHOULD REEEAALLLLY GO HERE HAS WELL, YOU WON'T REGRET IT. LUNCH IS PERFECT. start with some salmon onigiri and then a nice bowl of yuzu noodles with shrimp tempura. perfection. there's now a #3 (#1 oddly doesn't exist anymore) at the corner of the street that's more laid-back but just as good.
Abri, a french spot run by japanese on the run du faubourg poissoniere. the lunch is barely 25 euros for four courses that will blow your mind wide open. reserve at least a day or two in advance. never been for dinner but if lunch is any indication, it will be the greatest thing that has ever happened to you. And now, for those wanting something a bit simpler, there is Abri Soba, for noodles and little else.
Gyoza Bar-in a tiny, magical alleyway/passage, it has only one thing on the menu, pan-fried dumplings, but they are OUT OF THIS WORLD. the chef has a 2 star michelin place a couple doors down, and the meat comes from the same high-end butcher, while all the vegetables inside are local, from farmers' markets. get there as soon as it opens at 6:30 or be prepared for a long wait to sit at the stylish counter...
three other quick-bite places we like are Yam T'cha for high-end Asian steamed buns right off Rue St. Honore (they also have a super-fancy spot around the corner, which is quickly becoming another favorite of ours) a block or two past Rue Du Louvre. Grille near the Bourse (the stock market) that serves falafel by a former sous chef of a place voted #4 best restaurant in the world. the fries are fried in duckfat and the pita is rolled out and baked in front of you. Lastly, a little stretch of the Rue Tiquetonne and its intersection gives you great pizzas at Dalmata and exceptional Shanghai soup dumplings at Petit Bao. The rest of the street features boutiques like Aesop and michelin-starred sake bars like ERH.
septime. if you can plan ahead and book a table a month in advance, or show up right at noon for a last-minute spot for lunch, you will be in for a real treat. constantly on the Top 50 restaurants in the world, this is oddly one of the most LA-contemporary spots in Paris though they would never acknowledge this. def. worth a visit, along with their more informal apps-only bar, Clamato a few doors down.
cibus (best italian restaurant in paris). really really weird owner, but the food is just...ahhhh....i've taken every band under the sun there and they all still talk about it years later
briezh half japanese half bretagne creperie that is AWESOME. the best crepes in paris, bar none. but make sure to reserve in advance and then stroll through the Picasso Museum.
Dilia way out of the way but ideal if you are trying to see a concert at the nearby Maroquinerie, this tasting-menu-only italian spot is on a picturesque square facing an impressive Church. Make sure to book a table outside in the warm months...
with half the restaurants closed on sunday and the other half closed on mondays, it can be tricky finding a place to eat sometimes. that’s where Loulou comes in, a beautiful italian spot inside the Musee des Arts Decoratifs which itself is essentially an extension of the Louvre. It’s open all week long and super tasty. reserve in advance and make sure to get a table on the 2nd floor (which in France is actually the first floor!). They have also opened up a new pizza-only spot by the Palais de Tokyo called Bambini.
other great Sunday/Monday options which can be a bit pricey include the bistro inside the Crillon Hotel (Daumont) which is AWESOME, and the dim sum inside the Shangri-La Hotel.
If you are just looking for classic, traditional French bistro fare, look no further than La Fountaine de Mars, Le Bon Georges, the completely unrelated Chez Georges, L’Ami Louis (which requires a bank loan and arterial cleanse) or one of my favorites Le Voltaire (though beware all four of these will be full of americans as well as a few french regulars)! You would think there are a million addresses like this in Paris but the reality are few are consistently great like the ones above.
STORES
Deyrolles. purely awesome 19th century taxidermy and gardening store. unique beyond belief. from butterflies in beautiful cases to heirloom bean seeds, this place has it all!
Buly rue bonaparte, a half block away from the seine. friends of ours own this incredible, luxury beauty shop that dates back to the 18th century. soaps, perfumes, toothpastes. like a trip back in time three hundred years. A French version of Santa Maria Novella. A second one can be found in the Marais.
L’Uniform. A block down the river from Buly is the microscopic new bag store L’Uniform. Created by the family who owns Goyard and made in the same town in the south of france as their other iconic brand, this line of flawless canvas bags can be customizable down to the last detail, from monograming to choosing the color of the stitching thread. The best new store in town and the best gift to bring home, bar-none. Think of it as the super-fancy version of the iconic LL Bean tote bag…they make several different styles though, from pencil cases to overnight bags...
La Galcante on Rue de L'Arbre Sec, is an AMAZING store in the back of a courtyard on the east side of the street (the courtyard is visible from the sidewalk and the street is only one block long so it's hard to miss despite being tucked away) that just sells old magazines, publicity shots, head shots, etc...it is GREAT for film research as everything is broken down into super-specific categories: perfume ads from the 1930s, Jean-Paul Belmondo, furniture 1960s, etc...a great secret resource.
merci. a very French, chic overview of kitchenware, home decor, and clothing, along with a nice cafe for lunch. A true Paris classic at this point, you won’t find anything ground-breaking but everything is in perfectly perfect, effortless french taste. a block away is their kids shop called Bonton where you can dress your daughter like a real parisian.
La Manufacture de Chocolate. This chocolate spot next to Bastille is run by France's most famous chef, Alain Ducasse. It's also the only french chocolate shop to make the chocolate from scratch along with all the ingredients that go in it. The space is amazing, the chocolates even better.
Editions 7L. A great bookshop/imprint of Steidl, started by Karl Lagerfeld, specializing in incredibly high-quality photography books. The streets surrounding the bookshop house some of the world’s best antique/mid-century furniture stores, so make sure you go up and down rue Verneuil, Lille, and Universite.
astier de villate beautiful, unique and very Parisian china store on St. Honore between Colette and the Palais Royale
A lighter, fresher version of Astier can be found near the Luxembourg Gardens at the picturesque Marin Montagut. Glassware, platters, and curia are perfectly assembled together.
Fargo Records While it may only be the size of the bathroom at Amoeba, the selection is impeccable. If you love vinyl, you’ll love Fargo.
Palais Royal. A beautiful garden and even more beautiful stores surround it! make sure to check out Kitsune, which is right behind the gardens on Rue Richelieu and their cafe right under the arcades, along with Didier Ludot also in the gardens themselves, where you will find a pristine 1950s Dior ballgown next to a 1980 Paco Rabanne metallic dress. The best in vintage, more like a museum!
Another store worth visiting while in the Palais Royal is Maison Bonnet which makes one-of-a-kind eyewear out of real tortoise shell and buffalo horn. Beware, they cost the price of a car and take six months to make but it’s worth visiting despite this! It’s across the street from the backside of the Palais Royale, off of Rue Des Petits Champs and Vivienne. And across the street in the picturesque Passage Vivienne is one of the city’s best wine stores, LeGrand. Head to the back room there and discover old world candies, jams, and spices.
Inside the Palais, go to Serge Luten for one of the city’s most famous, classic perfumeries and Didier Ludot, the best vintage clothing store/museum in the world and Cafe Kitsune for a trendy pick-me-up iced latte.
Le Bon Marche-a bit like the Barney's of Paris, but with one lone location, it's an icon and of all the big department stores by far the chicest and most understated. there's a great big food hall across the street (La Grande Epicerie)
La Samaritaine After a seven year renovation, this is LVMH’s last stand in the retail fight against e-commerce. They’ve thrown everything in here, from ultra-lux hotels and spas to outposts of Emmanuel Perrotin’s gallery store and countless other stands. It will be mobbed with tourists, but if you want to see the ne plus ultra of shopping malls, THIS IS IT.
Canal St. Martin A bit like Venice CA meets Willamsburg, in that there is a canal and tons of super hipster stuff all around, this is a great neighborhood to stroll through, discover tiny boutiques and grab a coffee. You'll be right near Du Pain et Des Idees and a nice small APC outlet, so that's a good place to start your walk!
FOOD SHOPPING
the new darling of french pastries is Cedric Grolet, a thirty year old anointed greatest pastry chef in the world. He just opened up his first storefront, a stunning little jewel box on Rue de Castiglione, around the corner from Rue de Rivoli. But the line can take hours so a little fancy secret is to go the Meurice Hotel where he is the head pastry chef and sit down for tea and pastries. The setting is great and you get all the treats and none of the line!
My favorite traditional outdoor market is held Wednesday and Saturdays across the river on Avenue President Wilson, just across the street from the Palais de Tokyo. While--like most outdoor markets--it is saddly populated by many crappy stands who get their goods from Rungis ( abig wholesale resource outside the city), four folks stand out in particular:
One of the only all-organic farmers markets takes place near the Bon Marche every sunday morning on Blvd. Raspail. Because such a market is so rare it gets PACKED so try to make it there before 9:30or suffer the hordes!
Les Terroirs de L’Avenir on Rue du Nil. Started by the owner of Frenchie, Guy Marchand who started buying up the pedestrian street he's on and put in a great organic, local fruit and vegetable stand, fishmonger and butcher which he uses for all his dishes. Really top notch, I’ve cooked entire dinner parties simply from the three stores on this street. A quick warning: it is completely unreliable in terms of what products they will have!!!!! it’s best to go there without a menu in mind and just use whatever they have at that moment because they are never sure of having or ordering exactly what you want. Also, the vegetable/fruit place is the only of the three that isn’t a complete rip-off. the other two are exorbitantly expensive. But if you don’t mind spending $75 for a filet of sole, you’ll be happy to eat this one knowing it was fished by a local fisherman from Normandy who has two sisters, one of which is ailing from a weird leg fungus, and the other who requires daily massages. Yeah…it’s that kind of place.
If you like cheese, Fromagerie Quatrehomme on Rue de Sevre (two long blocks from Bon Marche on the opposite side as the pastry shop), is considered one of the best in Paris and they can wrap things up for you to take back to the states! But you should also visit Barthelemy on Rue de Grenelle which is the most picturesque cheese shop i’ve ever seen.
For ham, you MUST GO to the tiny Charactere de Cochon, off Rue de Bretagne in the marais. they have close to 30 type of hams, smoked and fresh, that are each more exceptional than the next. my favorites are the ones with rosemary and the one that’s gently smoked with plums. they also have tiny tomatoes the size of pearls of caviar resting in olive oil that make a great accompaniment. either get the ham by the pound or have them prepare you a sandwich on their super-tasty ficelles (narrow baguettes).
La Grande Epicerie du Bon Marche is their food hall is HUGE, with about thirty types of butters (you must get the Beurre Bordier, the best butter in France), ninety types of yoghurt, great prepared dishes, etc. it's a bit lacking in the produce department.
HOWEVER, on Rue De Sevres next to Quatrehomme there is one of THE BEST fruit/vegetable markets in paris called L”Orangerie du Vieux Sevres. each vegetable is just flawless, like if it had been picked just an hour earlier it wouldn't have been ripe enough and an hour later it would have wilted...THE BEST (though a bit pricey).
Des Gateaux et Du Pain one of the city’s best bakeries/pastry shops with very little recognition for just how exceptional it is. no world-famous chef with stores in japan, no cookbooks or t-shirts, just the best pastries, chocolate croissants, and bread. That said, the best pain au raisin is undoubtably at Cyril Lignac. Just don’t ask them to cut it in half for you. Long story…
For spices, the greatest place i've ever seen is Roellinger on Rue St. Anne by the Palais Royale. They have eight types of vanilla beans, countless peppers, along with my wife's favorite teas and jams.
For butchers, the two best are Desnoyer and Bourdonnec. The former is super far away in the 14th but they deliver and cater to the President amongst others while the latter has outposts right near the Bon Marche and in the 16th on Ave. Victor Hugo.
For wine, I like LeGrand in the nearby Passage Vivienne, one of those beautiful covered passage-ways. It's been around for close to a hundred years and was recently renovated to include a wine bar which i personally think ruins the vibe of the place, but the back room is still fairly special…
For chocolate and other baking supplies in large, inexpensive quantities, make sure to go to G. Detou, right off Etienne Marcel, across the street from all the incredible kitchen utensil stores. They also have an annex with cans of fois gra and cassoulet which can easily be brought back to the States.
Du Pain et Des Idees a bit out of the way (two blocks from the Republique station), this is the most photogenic (and yummy) parisian bakery. note: this is not for pastries, but for chocolate croissants, raisin danishes (pains au raisins, a personal favorite of mine here) and their legendary "pain des amis" (bread of friends).
GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS
Foundation Louis Vuitton. Frank Gehry’s big splash of a monument just outside the city houses the head of LVMH’s private collection along with temporary shows. It’s a bit out of the way but we’ll worth the trek.
Not to be outdone, France’s other fashion oligarch, Francois Pinault, just opened his own stunning museum, La Bourse du Commerce, redesigned by Tadao Ando. This one is just a few blocks from the Louvre and is absolutely spectacular. It also houses one a cafe by one of the most famous chefs in France, Michael Bras.
emmanuel perrotin (there are two of them, linked by a secret passageway in the back of the main one that drops you into a little alley facing the other). paris' biggest contemporary art gallery, stoking the likes of koons, murakami, prince, kaws, and more.
thaddaeus ropac second biggest deal here, he's got new guys like banks violette along with older cornerstones like alex katz
VNH Gallery is a new contender, having taken over Yvon Lambert’s classic space, and Gagosian is the chain store of them all, having set up his Paris branch a couple blocks from the Champs Elysee.
The Picasso Museum just reopened and while i haven't been, I hear they've done an exceptional job. Definitely purchase tickets online in advance.
Musee de la Chasse A quiet gem a couple blocks away from the Picasso museum. Definitely worth a stroll through followed by a crepe at the nearby Briezh creperie.
fondation cartier-a stunning all glass-building that doubles as the jewelers' HQ, this one-show-at-a-time space is beyond awesome depending on which artist is there. They've had everyone from matthew barney to william eggelston. great great stuff though sometimes the show can be a bit intellectually high-brow and boring. best to check ahead.
Centre Pompidou. Make sure to grab an overpriced meal from the restaurant on the top floor which boasts one of the city's best views.
The Louvre, if you decide to go, check out a map and head straight to the room containing the "grands tableaux of the 18th Century". it's three rooms in a row that will BLOW YOUR MIND. you can be in and out of the Louvre in 45 minutes if you just check these out along with the Mona Lisa (which honestly isn't that worth it). i also dig the dutch masters room so check that out. lastly, avoid the line next to the pyramid to enter. instead, go through the shopping arcade accessible via the Rue de Rivoli.
DRINKS One of the best things to have come about from the pandemic is the complete rethinking of Paris’ oldest restaurants, Le Grand Vefour, (est.1756) in the Palais Royal. It used to be a stuffy indoor affair, a dusty 3 star menu that hadn’t changed in 6 years and started at $300 per person in what is arguably the city’s most beautiful dining room. But now they’ve expanded outside under the garden’s archways and turned the place into an 18-hour-a-day high bistro. Go for tea and croissants for breakfast, a light lunch, or best an aperitif with an accompanying charcuterie and cheese plate. The view and the location cannot be beat. Even if it rains you are protected by the architecture but still have a view!
Cafe Verlet An iconic, century-old coffee shop that also happens to serve a decent croque-monsieur and French toast. The place has a really nice cozy feel, great to catch up with a friend or have a meeting.
Toraya A block or two away from the flagship Hermes store on Faubourg St. Honore, this impeccable Japanese tea salon is the best place for a mid-afternoon pick-me up (their iced green tea is unbeatable. i would just stay away from the super-weird japanese confectioneries). But their bento lunch sets are sooooo good too, especially the crab and avocado one.
Verjus, on Rue Richelieu, right next to the Palais Royale, is a great great, incredibly friendly winebar. The upstairs restaurant is one of our favorite in paris.
Cafe Flore a classic, go just for a drink or coffee or a croque-monsieur. it's funny, it's the only place in paris that is equally flocked to by tourists and locals. a very rare occurence in any city i feel. go late night and then turn around the corner to hit up the Montana nightclub.
Benoit Paris - close to Notre Dame and Ile St-Louis, seriously old school French (lots of butter, Bérnaise sauce, cassoulet, etc), one star Michelin
Le Rigamarole - near Place des Voges, small place, not so easy to get reservation, but amazing food - small plates to share, pastas, grilled meats on sticks (skewers), everything very fresh. (reopening in April, the chef had a baby)
Substance - in the 16th, changing menu depending on season and sourcing, lots of amazing champagne
Le Palais Royal Restaurant - beautiful setting in the gardens of the Palais Royal, a celebrated Greek(!) chef Philip Chronopoulos, just received his second Michelin star, is a disciple of Joël Robuchon
Allard in the 6th - classic French bistro (gorgeous duck, snails, the whole nine yards!) and AMAZING desserts
Clover Grille - near the Louvre, in Les Halles, an upscale Grill, by chef Jean-FrançoisPiège (he owns other spots like Le Grand), good place to stop for lunch if going to Louvre
Okuda - sushi, like art, in the 8th
Ochre - about 10/15. minutes outside Paris but worth it! Modern, cool, young chef, Michelin star
Mokonuts - on Rue St. Bernard in the 11th, lunch only, Japanese/Lebanese (husband and wife) NYT article below
At Mokonuts in Paris, a Dinner Reservation Is Impossible to Get (Published 2019)
And: Hotel restaurants, all with amazing chefs; L'Ecrin and Nonos (Hotel de Crillon), Epicure (The Bristol), Le Cinq (George V/Four Seasons), Jean Imbert, Le Relais Plaza, Le Court Jardin (Plaza Athénée)
Finally, from me:
the best hot chocolate I have ever had is at Angelina Paris, on Rue de Rivoli next to the Louvre (they put another in the museum but don't go there, I hear it's not good). It's over 100 years old, my grandmother took me there when I was 16. Definitely old school but lovely and yum...
Places to go/museums:
Montmarte A cute, artsy neighborhood in the northern part of the city, where Sacre Coeur is. Really nice to walk around, enjoy the cafe's, and a fantastic view of the rest of Paris from the steps of Sacre Coeur. if you go, please don't miss Le mur de je t’aime {The Wall of I Love You's). It's an art installation, a big wall of black lava on which is written, "I Love You" in over 200 languages in different penmanships.
Mussee d’art modern
11, Av du President Wilson, near the Eiffel tower and the Seine 20th and 21st Centuries modern and contemporary art; One of the City of Paris museums, big murals by Matisse, Duffy *Closed Mondays
Musee Picasso - they are having a big exhibit now 5, rue de Thorigny 75003
Musee Rodin 77, rue de Varenne, 75007
“Thinker” “The Kiss” “Walking Man”
Catacombs 1, avenue du Colonel Henri Roi-Tanguy, 75014 If you like bones! It's an underground network of passageways and tunnels under the city but part of it includes an ossuary...
Versailles Palace and Hall of Mirrors, Marie Antoinette's apartment - about 35 min drive from Paris Incredibly beautiful and ornate. *Closed Mondays
Cheers.
On Friday, March 3, 2023, 10:48:47 AM PST, Jason Hirschhorn [email protected] wrote:
Jason Hirschhorn CEO + Chief Curator REDEF – the interest remix co. @jasonhirschhorn redef.com
Begin forwarded message:
From: Jason Hirschhorn [email protected] Date: May 19, 2022 at 5:35:13 AM PDT To: Jeffrey Katzenberg [email protected] Cc: Jason Hirschhorn [email protected], Liz Marks [email protected] Subject: Paris Recs
JK, some suggestions. Ccing Hirsch who knows Paris better…
Old School Bistros. Classics
Chez L’ami Louis – Foie Gras, Escargot, Salad, Potato “pie”, Chicken, Lamb Le Voltaire – If they have the Shrimp Tempura app and the chicken with sides L'ami Jean
Smallish New Israeli Hip restaurant
Balagan http://www.balagan-paris.com/en - everything was amazing. Especially the breads.
Right outside the Louvre, sit outside. Very goof Italian. It’s upper class tourist, but great right after tour
LouLou’s – Trendy. Buffalo mozz and veal Milanese was great. https://www.loulou-paris.com/
Best Ice Cream place in Paris, we missed it, but people rave
Berthillon Glacier - https://berthillon.fr/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/nosglaces-final.pdf
Upper Class Trendy, Hipsters, Good Food. Owned by Hotel Costes owners. Near all the fancy stores and hotels. Brunch or Lunch