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We've compiled the best of the best in Around the Louvre - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Since 1832, this restaurant has been a mainstay of the pedestrian rue Montorgueil, serving up all manner of French classics in a dining room replete with sumptuous imperial decor. Take a seat on a cozy red velvet banquette and feast on rich French onion soup or house-made duck confit. The eponymous snails are served not just with classic garlic butter but with four other flavors that change with the seasons; think Brie and walnut, curry, or even foie gras.
One of the most creative yet affordable tasting menus awaits at this restaurant founded by American husband-and-wife team Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian. The €98 prix-fixe menu sees plant-forward, seasonally driven food paired with a modern selection of wines. Order your own or opt for the €62 wine pairing.
As its impressive facade attests, this café has a special history. It opened in 1846, when Balzac was a regular, and Rue Montorgueil was the place to buy oysters, though these days the menu is more modern, with salads, burgers, and brunch options, as well as a handful of classics like escargots and French onion soup.
Set in the Galerie Vivienne, Paris's loveliest covered passage, this charmingly authentic 19th-century bistro feels both cozy and welcoming, and the food and drink are well above average. With all-day hours as well as a double terrace either inside Galerie Vivienne or on a picturesque street a few steps from the Palais Royal gardens, this is a satisfying spot for a quick coffee or glass of wine, a snack, or a full meal.
Jean-François Piège has breathed new life into A l'Epi d'Or, harking back to the 1920s, when Paris was filled with delightful classic bistros. The allure of the old-fashioned zinc bar, tiled floor, and dark wood tables invites you in; the mastery of authentic French cuisine begs you to stay. There are only a few à la carte options like croque monsieurs, steak frites, slow-cooked beef, and steak tartare. It's in the daily specials that the chef truly shines.
This Michelin-starred establishment from Anne-Sophie Pic features a Provençal-accented tasting menu of specialties from the chef's native Valence, with produce-driven dishes and Southern cheeses. The dining room leans into the chef's feminine side, with pale pink accenting the cozy space otherwise decked out in leather and wood.
When Jean-François Piège took over this restaurant overlooking the former Les Halles market, he gave it a much-needed makeover while also retaining its vintage appeal. Slide into one of the red leather banquettes and peruse the menu of exquisite upscale bistro classics hailing from the height of bourgeois bistro fare (the 19th century through the 1950s) with prices to match.
Equal parts café, bar, and restaurant, Le Fumoir is a timelessly popular place to sip coffee and read the paper or enjoy an after-dinner drink. Reservations are recommended for the prix-fixe dinner as well as for the copious Sunday brunch from chef Henrik Andersson.
In Belle Époque Paris, Maxim's de Paris was known for being the spot where well-heeled gentlemen brought their favorite mistresses, and it long attracted a veritable who's who of Parisians and foreign Francophiles. After falling into relative obsolescence during Pierre Cardin's three decades of ownership, hospitality group the Paris Society gave it a much-needed facelift in 2023; now the Art Nouveau institution retains its velvet banquettes, stained glass statement walls, and gorgeous light fixtures and boasts a menu of revitalized French classics. Service is curt, bordering on aloof, but with a coupe of Champagne in your hand, it's easy to ignore.
An exquisite jewelbox setting and a Michelin star have placed L'Ecrin at Paris's dining forefront. An ethereal, highly refined cuisine highlights origins, seasons, and delicate flavor pairings, like succulent Breton langoustine with lightly caramelized fennel and a sauce laced with tart Japanese yuzu. Desserts are both luxe and homey, like Riz à l'Imperatrice, an exalted rice pudding with raspberry confit and star-anise ice cream, as well as a luscious take on the humble tarte tatin.
