Are you planning a trip to Paris and want to enjoy its delicious gastronomy?
Here are 5 great restaurants to try authentic French flavours.
Benoit, Paris 1er
Classic French Bistrot, here you will find several of the classics from all over the hexagon. For starters, they bring you warm and delicious Gougères. At lunchtime, there is a set menu that will allow you to discover the dishes of this place at an affordable price.
When I visited Benoit, I was accompanied by friends. The day we were there, we tasted the Lucullus veal tongue and a Dubarry velouté. As a main course I ordered the black pudding with mashed potatoes and apples and my friend got the tiger calf’s head in ravigote; for dessert, we always order the savarin, which you can choose to wash down with 2 types of Armagnac accompanied by a generous spoonful of whipped cream, it’s my favourite dessert. To finish, they offer you a madeleine, Ducasse chocolates and marshmallows! You can accompany them with a coffee if you wish.
Another of their charms is that they have a classic and exclusive wine cellar
This is just an example of what you can try there, but we encourage you to go for yourself to discover these dishes or whatever you fancy. The décor is classic, transporting you to another time. It is a place you absolutely must visit if you come to Paris and if you want to discover classic French cuisine.
For more information visit their website https://www.benoit-paris.com or visit in person using Google maps to get there.
Paloma , Paris 20ème
The perfect bistro for a modern and delicious French meal, with a unique menu at midday, which changes every day and is inexpensive. When I visited, I tried leeks with vinaigrette, scrambled egg mousse and buckwheat for starters, perfectly cooked white fish with vegetables and a squid ink sauce for main dish, and for dessert a citrus pavlova with candied kumquat.
In the evening there is a longer menu in a constantly changing tapas format. They have a selection of natural wines. The room is bright and the decor is sober, the service is excellent, so we bet you will feel very well and it will be a great time. Find out more about their proposal on their instagram account and if you want to visit them you can find them here.
Bofinger, Paris 4
This is an Alsatian brasserie with a large and spacious dining room with a dome in the center, the place is sumptuous and offers a classic cuisine, simply exquisite! There are two types of lunch menus to choose from depending on your appetite. The day we were there we tried, for starters, hard-boiled eggs with vegetable salad and mayonnaise and Burrata with roasted tomatoes and pesto; for mains, sauerkraut, steamed potatoes and slightly salted pork ham with old-fashioned mustard, the other option was chicken breast in Riesling sauce and mashed potatoes. For dessert there is a selection of classics: floating islands, crème brulée, which could not be missed and many others that looked delicious, but at the time I didn’t have enough space to fully enjoy the dessert, so that’s my excuse to come back another day. In the meantime visit their website and when you come to Paris visit them at the following address.
One thing I can’t leave without telling you about this place is that you will find a selection of seafood that makes my mouth water when I remember it
Aux petits oignons, Paris 20
Excellent neighbourhood bistro, open all day. The service is friendly and efficient and the dishes are prepared with fresh products. The wine list is carefully chosen by the restaurant’s owners. The décor is pleasant and the room is bright. Here, you will find well-made dishes that will satisfy your appetite. I tried the homemade terrine and the classic razor clams à la Sétoise. As main course, grilled steak with french fries and pepper sauce and vegetable lasagne with salad, to finish with a cheesecake with a red fruit coulis. Check out their website to get an idea of what we’re talking about or better yet visit them in person, here’s the address.
Martin, Paris 11
Modern brasserie – opened in July 2022 – that offers French classics in a retro atmosphere with certain details in the decoration, such as lamps with a veil that caught my attention for being original. Another example is the brightly coloured jugs in the shape of fish or cats, how original, isn’t it? There is an open kitchen, which I, as a chef, love because you can see the action live and direct. However, if you come here, you have to be patient, as the service is a bit disorganized and everything takes time. The person who took my order offered me a glass of red wine to apologize for the wait between the time I was seated and the time my order was taken, but the errors continued.
The main course arrived before the appetizer. But let’s focus on the food, the main course, the classic sausage/purée, which by the way was delicious, is served with a reduced gravy as it should be and as a starter, an egg/mayonnaise without more but well done. I finished my meal with the starter, as I wasn’t hungry for dessert, which I’ll tell you about another time. In short, the dish was delicious, the starter was ok, the service was friendly, but you have to be very patient with this organization. Visit restaurantmartinparis.com and don’t imagine the place, when you enter you will see a video where you can see the whole place. If you want to go we leave you the address.
Don’t miss the opportunity to savour authentic French gastronomy in one of these five restaurants that we recommend!
Maybe you would like me to cook a version of the dishes I mention or some other French dish on your visit to Paris, for example if you are staying in an AIRBnB where I can cook. Check out Bonum’s in-home chef service and write to us when you come.
