Page 290 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Paris

288  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

The French national passion for good areas as well as Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern
cuisine makes eating out one of the and Indian ones. Most places serve lunch
greatest pleasures of a visit to Paris. from noon to about 2pm, and the menu often
Everywhere in the city, you see people includes fixed-price meals. Parisians usually
eating – in restaurants, bistros, tearooms, start to fill restaurants for dinner around 8pm
cafés and wine bars. and most places serve from around 7pm until
Restaurants serving French food have 11pm. Many restaurants are closed on Mon-
been joined by Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, days and in August. (See also Bars, Tearooms,
Korean and North African eateries in many Coffee Shops and Street Food pp309–11.)

What to Eat
(6th arrondissement), as well as
A tremendous range of food Rue Ste­Anne (2nd) and Avenue
is available in Paris, from the de Choisy (13th).
rich meat dishes and perfect
pâtisserie for which France is Where to Find Good
most famous to simpler French
regional cuisines (see pp292–3). Restaurants and Cafés
The latter are available in You can eat well in almost any
brasseries and bistros – the part of Paris. Wherever you are,
type usually depends on the as a rule of thumb you will find
birthplace of the chef. Simple, that the most out standing
small meals can be enjoyed in restaurants and cafés are those
cafés, wine bars and pâtisseries, that cater predomin antly to a
while more substantial meals French clientele.
can be had in the numerous The Left Bank probably has the
brasseries and bistros. greatest concentration of restau ­
The best ethnic food comes rants, especially in tourist areas
from France’s former colonies: like St­Germain­des­Prés and
Vietnam and North Africa. North the Latin Quarter. The quality of Le Pré Verre restaurant (see p304)
African eateries are known as food varies, but there are some
couscous restaurants and serve commendable bistros, outdoor In the Marais and Bastille
filling, somewhat spicy, cafés and wine bars – see pages areas, small bistros, tearooms
inexpensive food that varies in 309–11 for a selection of the and cafés are plentiful, some
quality. Vietnamese restaurants best places to go in Paris for modern and fashionable.
are also good value and provide light meals and snacks. The Latin These areas also have many
a light alternative to rich French Quarter also has a high concen­ traditional long­established
food. Paris also has some good tration of Greek and Turkish bistros and brasseries that
Japanese restaurants, notably restaurants centred chiefly are good.
around Rue Monsieur le Prince around Rue de la Huchette. The Champs­Elysées and
Madeleine area offer everything
from smart, traditional cafés to
fast­food outlets and a scattering
of delectable tearooms. There
are some very good expensive
restaurants here too.
Montparnasse still has some
great cafés and restaurants from
the 1920s, such as La Coupole
and Le Sélect, on the Boulevard
du Montparnasse (see pp305 &
306). Sensitive renovation has
recaptured much of their old
splendour. This area is also well
known for its many pancake
restaurants (crêperies). Rue de
Montparnasse, for example, is
lined with crêperies serving
galettes, sweet crêpes and
Le Verre Volé bistrot and wine shop (see p308) Normandy cider.

288-289_EW_Paris.indd 288 03/04/17 10:57 am
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Date 13th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm