Page 291 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Paris

WHERE T O EA T AND DRINK  289

There are many noteworthy
restaurants, bistros and cafés
in the Louvre­Rivoli area,
competing with tourist­
oriented, overpriced cafés. Just
to the east, Les Halles is choc­a­
bloc with fast­food joints and
mediocre restaurants but there
are a few places of note.
Good Japanese food can be
found near the Opéra together
with some fine brasseries, but
otherwise, the area around the
Opéra and Grands Boulevards
is not the best for restaurants.
Near the Bourse are some
reputable restaurants and
bistros, often frequented by
stockbrokers.
Montmartre has a predictable Le Grand Véfour, next to the Palais-Royal gardens (see p300)
number of tourist restaurants,
but it also has a few very
pleasant small bistros. One Types of Restaurants Café prices vary from area to
traditional bistro, complete and Cafés area, in direct proportion to the
with a zinc bar, is Un Zèbre à One of the most enjoyable number of tourists. Smarter cafés,
Montmartre (see p298), aspects of eating in Paris is the like Café de Flore and Les Deux
which serves delicious, diversity of places to eat. Bistros Magots, serve food until late at
inexpensive food. are small, often moder ately night. Those cafés specializing
Quiet neighbourhoods in the priced restaurants with a limited in beer almost always include
evening, the Invalides, Eiffel selection of dishes. Those from onion tarts, French fries and
Tower and Palais de Chaillot tend the Belle Epoque era are partic­ hearty bowls of steamed
to have less noisy, more serious ularly beautiful, with zinc bars, mussels on the menu. Brunch
restaurants than areas with lively mirrors and attractive tiles. The is served in many places at
nightlife. Prices can be high. food is generally, but not weekends, from around €17.
Two Chinatowns, one in always, regional and traditional. Wine bars are informal. They
the area south of the Place Many chefs from the usually have a moder­
d’Italie, the other in the smartest restaurants ately priced, simple
traditionally working­class, have also opened lunch menu and serve
hill­top area of Belleville, have bistros and these can wine by the glass.
concentrations of ethnic food be very good value. Some serve snacks at
but few French restaurants of Brasseries are any time of day – such
note. Ménilmontant and mostly large bustling as marvellous open
Belleville are going through a eateries, many with sandwiches (tartines)
regeneration, and becoming an Alsatian character made with sour dough
celebrated for their culinary serving carafes of Poilâne bread topped
scene, with gourmet restaurants, Alsatian wine and A typical bistro menu with cheese, sausage
hip bars and brunch venues. platters of sauerkraut or pâté. A few stay
and sausage. They have open for dinner.
immense menus, and most Tearooms open for breakfast
serve food throughout the or mid­morning until the early
day and are open late. Outside, evening. Many offer lunch, as
you may well see impressive well as a selection of sweet
pavement displays of shellfish, pastries for afternoon tea. They
with apron­clad oyster shuckers are best visited in the middle of
working late into the night. the afternoon and offer coffee
Cafés open early in the and hot chocolate as well as
morning, and apart from the fine teas. Some, like Le Loir
large tourist cafés, most close dans la Théière, are casual with
by around 10pm. They serve sofas, while Mariage Frères is
drinks and food all day long more formal. Angélina on the
from a short menu of salads, Rue de Rivoli is famous for
sandwiches, omelettes and its hot chocolate, and Ladurée
grills. At lunch, most also offer a has excellent macaroons (for
La Tour d’Argent decoration (see p305) small choice of hot daily specials. addresses see p311).

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