Just what we’re all looking for: an upbeat, lively, chic neighborhood restaurant serving reasonably priced, large portions of delicious bistro food. Some of the sauces can be a bit much but you can ask for them on the side. The long narrow space, close seating and red banquettes give Chez George a cozy, old-fashioned ambiance. Located near the Galleries Vivienne and Place des Victoires, it’s a charming neighborhood to walk through. What’s the catch? It’s closed on the weekend. Favorites: frisee salad with lardons and poached egg; mixed salad; lentil salad; grilled sole; steak au poivre; chocolate fondant.

A tiny, informal spot for an inexpensive lunch next door to the Poilane bakery serving wonderful salads and tartines, open-faced sandwiches served on Poilane bread. No reservations taken, and it’s always busy, especially on weekends. Cash only. Favorites: Salad with chicken, smoked salmon, or cheese; all tartines; the tarte tatin with crème fraiche is the best we’ve ever had.

The second restaurant of the popular Ze Kitchen Galerie, KGB is a lively, very informal, minimalist, brightly lit space with windows open to the street and decorated with contemporary art and furniture. There is a sense of fun in the air and the feeling that the chic crowd of all ages is there to enjoy the food.  The menu is not extensive, but the food is a marvel.  You begin with a choice of two, four or six small appetizers per person.  The selections are intended to be surprises and so are are not identified on the menu and change regularly, but the staff will graciously guide you to accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions.  Sample appetizers have included  beef ravioli in a delectable broth, butternut squash soup with black sesame and a small fried fish cake. Also on the menu are two pastas and five main courses – scallops, salmon, duckling, lamb and a daily market special – each a subtle and enticing mixture of spices and flavors.  The food is light in preparation but rich in flavor.  Favorites: salmon with sorrel and lemon grass; cod with japanese citrus; grilled scallops, watercress and wasabi;  mango cappuccino with guava sorbet.

Almost immediately after opening, L’Agape Substance became one of the hottest restaurants in Paris and with good reason.  The food is exquisite, subtly and complexly flavored without
old- fashioned heavy sauces, and it’s beautifully presented in an ambiance that is lively, modern and very welcoming. There is a set menu and you can select the number of courses.  Don’t be afraid to go for the whole thing – despite the many dishes served, it’s all so light and tasty that you never leave feeling uncomfortably stuffed (unless you succumb to the incredibly delicious bread and butter.)  You won’t regret treating yourself to a lovely evening or afternoon of sublime dining.  The biggest problem here is that L’Agape Substance is a tiny restaurant so it’s difficult to get a reservation, and it’s not the place for an intimate get-a-tet – most of the seating is at the central long counter down the center of the restaurant.

Jean-Claude Vrinat, the late owner of the three-star Taillevent, opened this less expensive and more informal restaurant in a restrained and minimal setting. The food is a lighter but still richly flavored version of traditional French cuisine enhanced by an extraordinary wine list.
We were delighted to see so many special wines at reasonable prices and a number of offerings by the glass. The sommelier is quite knowledgeable and happy to direct patrons to less expensive wines of high merit. On one visit, when we remarked that we had loved our red wine at a previous dinner, he found the wine for us on his database.
The gracious staff adds to the pleasure of the dining experience even remaining nonplussed and obliging when a couple was dining with a toddler who wandered throughout the restaurant. Favorites: seared herbed tuna; lamb roasted with lemon confit; turbot in saffron sauce with mussels; veal cheeks braised with shallot confit; risotto with winter squash and chestnuts; anything chocolate.

Within the old Jewish quarter in the Marais, this is the best outdoor stand. You can easily identify it by the long lines of people waiting for the yummy falafel and schwarma (thinly sliced lamb in pita with vegetables and an optional hot sauce that’s delicious). There is also an indoor space with fast and efficient waiter service.  Favorites: schwarma,
lentil soup; grilled eggplant

Refined, elegant, delicious, rich in flavor but also light and delicate,  are only of the few of the adjectives to be lavished on Pascal Barbot’s extraordinary inventive French cuisine.  At dinner only a tasting menu is offered; the menu in English and French simply says “surprise.”  But they are very gracious about accommodating allergies and food preferences, i.e. if you don’t eat meat or don’t eat pork specifically, they will alter the menu for you.  They will also advise you on interesting pairings of wine and food. This is a rare and divine treat but is very expensive and reservations are nearly impossible to come by.

Joel Robuchon, formerly chef at three-star Jamin, was one of the first French chefs to reject the constraints of three-star cuisine. Here, customers sit on high stools at a chic bar surrounding a central open kitchen savoring delicious, innovative, and refined food. It’s fascinating to watch the cooks working with such quiet elegance that their movements seem choreographed. The menu allows diners the option of ordering a series of small portions rather than the standard appetizer and main course, a real plus when there are so many tempting choices. The food is divine and the service friendly and professional.
It’s easy to dine here when you’re alone and looking for a special meal; you may even wind up best friends with the person sitting next to you. Alas, the restaurant only takes reservations for the first seatings at lunch and dinner so there is usually a wait. To pass the time, it’s possible to have a drink in the lounge of the hotel. Expensive but the small plate option allows some flexibility.
Favorites: the bread and butter; layered eggplant, zucchini, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil; poached egg with essence of mushroom and girolles; seared scallops topped with black truffles and black pepper; roast bar with lemon and leeks; salad with fresh tuna.

In this new space, the dazzling red and black interior is larger than the original Robuchon in the 6e, and there is a dining room in addition to the counter service. There is still a no reservation policy except for the first seating for dinner or at lunchtime so there is generally a wait.  The food, your choice of small or large plates, remains sublime.

A true gem found through a passage on the Rue Dauphine.  This charming little restaurant serves fresh delicious salads and tarts and luscious desserts that include Berthillon ice cream.  In nice weather, they also set up tables outside.  Favorites: Salad with chicken and parmesan;  Salad with grilled goat cheese

A charming, informal, small spot to dine on the Provencal cuisine of Olympe Versini. Favorites: grilled eggplant; vegetable ragout; rare tuna with foie gras; large platters of lamb roasted with garlic and potatoes.

This tiny, cozy, charming tea salon is beloved for its dense, rich, irresistible hot dark chocolate.  What could be a better pick-me-up on a cold winter’s day.

This charming, intimate restaurant is a true gem with its soothing ambiance, friendly and helpful staff and delicious cuisine.  The dining room with windows to the street, soothing peach colored walls, and comfortably spaced tables is quiet enough for a conversation and yet not pretentious or stuffy.  For the French-challenged, there’s also a menu in English.  The food is modern French, refined, flavorful and yet not dependent on rich sauces.  The good news is that while the a la carte menu is expensive, there are two set menus of 3 courses with numerous choices each; one is 33 euros and the other 40 euros.  In addition to the usual wine list, they have many excellent choices of half bottles. Favorites: mussel soup in saffron sauce; sauteed wild mushrooms on a fig tart; scallop appetizer: tartare and sauteed; bar (sea bass) poached with seasonal vegetables in a light broth; roast chicken served in a morel mushroom red wine sauce; cannelloni filled with white chocolate mousse and covered with hot chocolate and served with raspberry sorbet; macaron chocolate sandwich cookie served with the coffee.

This restaurant is reason alone to make a trip to Paris. Acclaimed chef, Michel Troisgros, third generation of the legendary Troisgros chefs of Roanne, creates a light and flavorful cuisine distinguished by an inventive use of spices and Asian touches. The hand of an artist is evident in every bite. The menu is divided according to flavors—witty, zesty, piquant, sharp, green, and sour—rather than by appetizers and main courses. This elegant restaurant, with the most gracious service, is located in the chic Hotel Lancaster, and the garden is ideal for a romantic summer dinner. Favorites: winter vegetables in herb sauce; scallops carpaccio; warm oysters on sorrel sauce with cumin; filet of beef with burgundy sauce; yellow tail with edamame and leeks in ponzu sauce; scallops and mussels in a tomato broth; chocolate with mint ice cream; wild strawberries and balsamic vinegar.

Chic and elegant describes both the ambiance and the food.  An elevator at the entrance takes you an intriguing contemporary space with a central courtyard that’s a delightful place to sit in nice weather. The food preparation appears simple but the flavors are delicate and sophisticated rather than rich and overbearing.  There’s also bar seating which is very convenient if you’re dining alone.  Though it appears somewhat formal, the staff is warm and welcoming and the crowd includes guests in both fancy and informal dress.

Lively, crowded, happening scene that surprises with the sophistication of the cuisine. Basque chef Inaki Aizpitarte uses a subtle mixture of exotic spices and ingredients to create refined haute cuisine at bistro prices. The menu each night consists of a fixed 5-course, 45-Euro menu that is refined, elegant and bursting with flavor. Despite the bustling ambiance, the waiters are quite attentive and agreeable about offering substitutes. A typical five course menu consisted of scallops with ginger, beets and mango; delicate vegetables and foie gras in a flavorful broth; roast cod with potatoes and grapefruit; roast veal with grapefruit, endive and kiwi; and a choice of cheese plate or mint ice cream with chocolate, pesto and meringue sticks. The restaurant is small and informal with a tile floor and dark wood tables and chairs. The crowd is typically young and chic, and the restaurant really begins to come alive at around 9:00 pm.  The only downside is that the restaurant is very very popular, and it is incredibly difficult to make a reservation.

In an offbeat neighborhood in the 10th arrondissement is this small, informal restaurant serving elegant, subtle and complexly flavored cuisine.  The restaurant sits on the corner of a quiet street and on the main level, one can watch the chef and his assistants working in the small open kitchen.  The dishes they produce are a marvel.  At dinner, there is a 42 Euro set menu (which they will adjust for allergies and specific food preferences) and each of the dishes is a work of art – beautiful to the eye and very flavorful, light and sublime.  The menu typically includes vegetable dishes, a fish and meat or fowl course; it changes daily according to the freshest ingredients available.   The street often looks a bit narrow for a car to pass through but you can arrive by cab, and they will call a cab for you when dinner is over.  It’s also an easy walk from the metro.

Delicious, authentic comfort food served in a cozy informal neighborhood spot by a friendly and attentive staff. There’s also a small space for dining outdoors in nice weather. Always busy so be sure to make a reservation. A basic but nice selection of village wines from Burgundy and Rhone and some select wines from Bordeaux. Favorites: Daurade royale baked in fleur de sel; salad of string beans and crayfish; tatin of artichoke with parmesan (layered roasted artichokes and eggplant with salad and parmesan); roast chicken and mashed potatoes; artichoke salad with parmesan cheese; tarte tartin.

This is the place to go for an unpretentious old-fashioned bistro experience. It’s a trek to this out-of-the-way spot, but the draw is the friendly service and fine classic French dishes with a contemporary take. Though it’s not on the menu, they’ll gladly serve a green salad. And when you order the cheese course, you’re presented with an entire cabinet of cheese so you can help yourself. Favorites: fried egg over leeks topped with black truffles; scallops with black truffles and mashed potatoes; salmon, lightly smoked and thickly sliced; steak au poivre; chocolate mousse with fresh tangerines layered with lacy caramel cookies.

In this informal corner spot with large windows facing the street, the ambiance is welcoming and tranquil.  The delicious simply prepared food comes from a wide range of locally sourced ingredients from the finest producers, and the wine list offers several organic choices.  To end the meal, there is the appealing Le Cafe Gourmand – coffee is served on a tray with small portions of creme brûlée, pound cake and a pot of rich chocolate ganache.  Les Fines Gueules is a good choice when you want a quiet tasty meal and aren’t seeking gastronomic adventure, and it’s open seven days a week.

Locally sourced ingredients presented in a fresh and imaginative manner are the hallmarks of this serene contemporary restaurant.  There is a set 7-course menu (60 Euros) to which you can add such optional courses as cheese or ham.  The integrity of the ingredients, whether vegetables, fish or meat is respected and each dish is artfully presented.  Though we’ve read complaints about service, our experience has always been quite pleasant.

A brilliant young chef, Bertrand Grebaut, who formerly worked at L’Arpege, has realized his personal dream in this new restaurant in the 11th arrondisement. The restaurant is modern, sleek and hip, and the staff incredibly warm and welcoming.  The feature of the restaurant is the 5 course 55 Euro dinner which features small portions of his visually exquisite and incredibly delicious cuisine.  Grebaut selects the freshest food in the local markets and creates imaginative dishes which are both subtle and complex and yet not heavy or overly rich.  A real treat!  Favorites: assorted fresh tomatoes, beets, ricotta; raw marinated line-caught tuna with cucumber foam and raspberries; grilled brill with cabbage and raddichio; lamb with eggplant; a slice of dense rich chocolate with raspberry and basil sorbet

An informal, chic bistro serving Chef William Ledeuil’s delicious light, imaginative cuisine sparked with an Asian accent. The subtle mix of flavors in each dish and the beauty of the presentations are dazzling. The restaurant is a spare gallery-like space complete with art on the walls and a glass fronted kitchen with a full view of the cooks at work. There is a lively buzz and a solicitous staff, and, all in all, it’s a perfect choice when we don’t want to change out of our jeans. The wine list is limited but well selected and well priced. Favorites: crab with puree of avocado and mango; pasta with octopus and artichoke; red mullet with tomato confit; grilled lamb with miso (baby lamb cooked for ten hours and then grilled); grilled monk fish with lemon; lemon sole with peppers, lemon and mango; “gianduja,” chocolate with caramel sauce and pepper ice cream; white chocolate and wasabi ice cream with pistachio sauce.