2 Best Restaurants in Champs-Élysees, Paris

Some Japanese expats say you won't find anything closer to authentic Japanese cooking in Paris than the kitchen in Kifuné. Sit at the bar to admire the sushi chef's lightning-quick skills, or opt for a more intimate table for tasting the sublime crab-and-shrimp salad starter or a deeply comforting miso soup with clams. To follow, you can't go wrong with the sashimi. Eating here will leave a dent in your wallet (though there is a €35 set menu at lunch), but for fans of Japanese cuisine, the meals are worth it. With only 20 seats, it often turns away would-be customers, so book in advance.

Run by Yoichi Kino, a 30-year master sushi chef whose family has specialized in smoked eel for generations, and Ryuma Takubo, who earned a Michelin star in Japan, Komatsubaki specializes in the exquisite vegetarian cuisine favored by Japanese monks. Diners choose from three sophisticated prix-fixe menus, including a stunning vegetarian version, all served on delicate dishes and accompanied by a distinctive selection of white Burgundies, sakes, and teas. Watch the chefs at work in a tiny jewel-box setting, complete with an elegant authentic dining room that seats six on tatami mats.