The following are some of my favorite Paris Restaurants, divided between Bistro and casual restaurants and Top Tables.

(Note : when calling or faxing from outside of France, dial 33 and delete the first 0). Unless noted, all restaurants take most major credit cards. Prices include service but not wine.

Click here to view Paris Top Tables

Paris Bistros and Casual Restaurants:

LE SEVERO
8 rue des Plantes, Paris 14.
Telephone: 01 45 40 40 91.

Closed Saturday dinner and all day Sunday. 35 to 50 €.

Owner-chef William Bernet --- who began his career as a Parisian butcher – runs a bistro to build a dream on. Fantastic Limousin beef, astonishing fries, and the wine blackboard fills an entire wall, offering some fine sips indeed. Need I say more?

CASA OLYMPE
48 rue Saint-Georges, Paris 9.
Telephone : 01 42 85 26 01.

Closed Saturday and Sunday. 55 to 60 €.

Dominique Versini – better known as Olympe – runs this charming bistro, filled with fare from her native Corsica ; smoky eggplant; beef cheeks batched in a chive vinaigrette; generous platters of golden girolles, or chanterelles mushrooms.

CHIBERTA
3 rue Arsène Houssaye, Paris 8.
Telephone : 01 53 53 42 00.
Fax : 01 45 62 85 08.
chiberta@guysavoy.com

Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday. 60 to 90 €.

Guy Savoy took over this classic French restaurant recently, turning it into a smart, glamorous, lively spot, with such specialties as a stunning wild mushroom soup; rare-roasted pigeon; and warm figs with almond ice cream.

AU BON ACCEUIL
14 rue Monttessuy, Paris 7.
Telephone: 01 47 05 46 11.

Closed Saturday and Sunday. 27 € lunch menu. A la carte, 45 to 70 €.

Owner Jacques Lacipière knows his stuff : This popular bistro always hits the spot for me, from the freshest of fish and shellfish, to a sublime potato purée, to a very fine wine list.

LA CAGOUILLE
10/12 Place Brancusi, Paris 14<
Telephone : 01 43 22 09 01
Fax: 01 45 38 57 29.
Email : la-cagouille@wanadoo.fr.
Internet : www.la-cagouille.fr.

Open daily. Menus at 23 and 38 €  A la carte, 40 to 60 €.

If you want amazingly fresh fish and shellfish and an outstanding wine list full of bargains, than look no further. I could dine here once a week, ignoring the cold décor.

L’ANGLE DU FAUBOURG
195 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris 8.
Telephone 01 40 74 20 20. 
Fax: 01 40 74 20 21.
Email: angledufaubourg@cavestaillevent.com.

Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday. 35 € menu. A la carte, 40 to 55 €.

This modern bistro run by top restaurateur Jean-Claude Vrinat of Taillevent fame is a dream: succulent, moist, glistening cubes of lamb shoulder paired with meltingly tender potatoes; a surprising gratin of macaroni and artichokes, and the always famous wine list with accomplished sommeliers.

LE VILLARET
19 rue Ternaux, Paris 19.
Telephone: 01 43 57 75 56 and 01 43 57 89 76.

Closed Saturday lunch and all day Sunday. 20 € lunch menu, 46 € dinner menu. A la carte, 35 to 52 €.

This spotless bistro is a find : The menu and the wine list are just my style, with astonishingly priced Burgundies and such fare as a winter medley of root vegetables – turnips, salsify, artichokes and Jerusalem artichokes – as well as roasted country chicken on a bed of curly green cabbage, bathed in a creamy, sherry-like sauce.

LES ALLOBROGES
71 rue des Grands-Champs, Paris 20.
Telephone : 01 43 73 40 00.

Menus at 18, 26, and 31 €.

Chef-owner Olivier Pateyron is a culinary architect, offering ultimately delicious braised lamb shanks; perfect roasted duck with spices, sweet Banuyls wine and dried fruit chutney; and a brief wine list full of pleasant surprises.

DOMINIQUE BOUCHET
11 rue Treillard, Paris 8.
Telephone : 01 45 61 09 46.
Fax : 01 42 89 11 14.
Web: www.dominique-bouchet.com.

Closed Saturday and Sunday. 55 €

Simple modern fare at the hands of chef Dominique Bouchet is a treat indeed: Try the poached skate wing paired with a salad of potatoes, capers and lemon; or the elegant terrine of Beaufort cheese, artichokes and ham, served with a tiny green salad alongside. Wines are bargain- priced and the warm, cozy dining room makes you want to come back again and again.

MON VIEIL AMI
69 rue Saint Louis en l’Ile, Paris 4.
Telephone: 01 40 46 01 35.
Fax: 01 40 46 01 36.

Closed Monday, and Tuesday at lunch. 30 to 38 €,

This bright, starkly modern Alsatian bistro is just what Paris needs today: Alsatian chef Antoine Westermann has created an original space with original fare, including moist pâté; an amazingly veal breast braised in a giant Alsatian casserole; and a confit of apples with vanilla and pistachio ice cream.

REPAIRE DE CARTOUCHE
99 rue Amelot, Paris 11.
Telephone: 01 47 00 25 86.
Fax: 01 43 38 85 91.

Closed Sunday and Monday. 24 € lunch menu. A la carte, 34 to 45 €.

This warming neighborhood bistro always hits the spot: Chef Rodolphe Paquin has a fine modern style, offering perfectly seared wild boar steaks; a terrine of blood sausage on a bed of apples, and a warming prune clafoutis made up the joys of my last meal here.

ASTIER
44 rue J.P. Timbaud, Paris 11.
Telephone: 01 43 57 16 35.

Closed Saturday and Sunday. 22 € lunch menu. A la carte, 27 €.

If you’re in the mood for rabbit with mustard ; giant bowls of herring bathed in oil and herbs ; a fine wine list and a fun-loving crowd then reserve at this well-run neighborhood bistro.

LE SOLEIL
109 Avenue Michelet, 93400 Saint Ouen
Telephone: 01 40 10 08 08.
Fax: 01 40 10 16 85.
Email: lesoleil@wanadoo.fr

Open daily for lunch, and Thursday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. 35 to 65 €.

The only place to eat at the flea market: The ambience is great, the owner is a back-slapping sort of owner, and he is a fanatic about the quality of products. Last visit: great lamb, tartines of foie gras and Jerusalem artichokes, good beef, and he is famous for his baba au rhum.

TABLE DE FES
5 rue Sainte-Beuve, Paris 6.
Telephone : 01 45 48 29 94.

Open for dinner only. Closed Sunday. 41 to 56 €.

To my mind, this is the best Moroccan restaurant in Paris, and worth a detour for the best couscous in town. The tangy merguez sausages are meaty and well-spiced and the tajines are moist and filling.

ZE KITCHEN GALERIE
4, rue des Grands-Aug ustins, Paris 6.
Métro : Saint-Michel.
Telephone : 01 44 32 00 32.
Fax: 01 44 32 00 33.
Email: zekitchen.galerie@wanadoo.fr

Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday. 23 € lunch menu. A la carte, 45 to 65 €.

A favorite: Chef William Ledeuil has turned his mind to Asian matters and the food is truly lively and fun. He manages to really spice up foie gras, makes great soups and pastas, always good fish and shellfish. Great casual ambience.

LE PETIT MARGUERY
9 boulevard du Port Royal, Paris 13.
Telephone: 01 43 31 58 59.
Fax: 01 43 36 73 34.
Web: marguery@wanadoo.fr

Closed Sunday and Monday. 25.20 € lunch menu, 33.60 € dinner menu.

The famous Cousin brothers have retired but the place is in good hands. Lively, best know from game during the winter months but always good fish, poultry and mushrooms. Fabulous Grand Marnier soufflé.

ATELIER MAITRE ALBERT
1, rue Maître-Albert, Paris 5.
Telephone: 01 56 81 30 01.
Fax: 01 53 10 83 23
Email: ateliermaitrealbert@guysavoy.com

Open for dinner only, Monday through Saturday, until 11:30 weekdays, 1 am weekends. 40 to 45 €.

A newish Guy Savoy’s bistro: Very pretty, great service, everything cooked on a rotisserie (great chicken, veal, lamb) and one of the few Paris restaurants with a working fireplace. Good wine list.

FISH LA BOISSONNERIE
69, rue du Seine, Paris 6.
Telephone: 01 43 54 34 69.
Fax: 01 43 54 33 47.
Email: cosi@wanadoo.fr

Closed Monday and two weeks at Christmas. Menus at 16 and 20 € (weekday lunch). A la carte, 30 €.

Great wine bar run by Juan Sanchez, whom we’ll send time with during the Paris week.

CHEZ GEORGES
1, rue du Mail, Paris 2.
Telephone : 01 42 60 07 11.

Closed Sunday and holidays. From 45 to 55 €.

A great standby bistro. Bustle and good food.

Paris Top Tables:

PIERRE GAGNAIRE 
6 rue Balzac, Paris 8.
Telephone : 01 58 36 12 50.
Fax : 01 58 36 12 51.
Email: p.gagnaire@wanadoo.fr
Web: www.pierregagnaire.com

Closed Saturday, Sunday lunch, holidays and mid-July to mid-August. < 90 € lunch menu. A la carte, 200 to 300 €.

There is no chef more creative than Pierre Gagnaire is: I love dining in this cozy, grown-up, grey and white dining room, savoring Gagnaire’s thoughtful fare. It’s never the same, but I’ve been wowed by everything from tiny clams fried in polenta and set on a bed of mushroom purée; an unusual serving of grated coconut paired with bits of cauliflower and a celery root purée. Who else could make us collage with pleasure over a single fat raspberry rolled in sugar?

ASTRANCE
4 rue Beethoven, Paris 16
Telephone: 01 40 50 84 40.
Fax : 01 40 50 11 45.

Closed Sunday and Monday. 70 € lunch menu, 150 € dinner menu. A la carte, 90 to 130 €.

Pascal Barbot is the hottest chef in town, and one of the hardest tables to secure. Vegetables come from vegetable king Joël Thiebaut, and the chef is a pure magician in the kitchen.

LA TABLE DE JOËL ROBUCHON
16 avenue Bugeaud, Paris 16.
Telephone : 01 56 28 16 16.
Fax : 01 56 28 16 78.
Email: latabledejoelrobuchon@wanadoo.fr

Open daily. 65 to 95 €.

Cutting edge Parisian food, Robuchon at his contemporary finest. Do try the fresh crabmeat with avocado, anything with truffles or asparagus or langoustines, and trust sommelier Antoine Hernandez on the wine.

GUY SAVOY
18 rue Troyon, Paris 17.
Telephone 01 43 80 40 61.
Fax : 01 46 22 43 09.
Email: reserv@guysavoy.com

Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday. 210 to 285 €.

An all-time favorite grand chef: The specialties here are endless, and don’t leave without sampling the dreamy artichoke soup with truffles, and take the sommelier’s advice on the wine.

LE PRE CATELAN
Bois du Boulogne, Paris 16.
Telephone : 01 44 14 41 14.
Fax : 01 45 24 43 25.
Web: www.lenotre.fr

Closed Sunday and Monday (open in summer months). 135 € lunch menu. A la carte, 120 to 140 €.

Chef Frédéric Anton is in top form, a Michelin two-star chef surely on his way to a third: Try his langoustines; beets with warm Comté cheese; or the turbot in watercress pesto. In summer, reserve a table on the romantic garden in the Bois du Boulogne.

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