3 Best Restaurants in Bastille, Bercy, Nation, and Around, Paris

Chef Giovanni Passerini, a favorite Parisian chef, has done it again with this wine-focused spot, the companion to his wildly popular Italian restaurant just a few steps away. It's a wine bar, gastro-bistro, and pasta factory all in one, and the oh-so-good plates of highbrow Italian comfort food are served with his typically masterful selection of well-priced French and Italian wines. The atmosphere is casual and fun while diners get down to the real business of eating and drinking and enjoying every minute of it.

Tile floors, mercury mirrors, bentwood chairs, and a menu of classic French comfort foods proffered by talented young chef Édouart Vermynck take you back to a charming Paris of old (the bistrot was first opened in 1922). Start with homey oeufs-mayo (eggs) or croque-monsieur with jambon de Paris (a type of cooked ham) followed by golden Landes hen with morel cream or tender scallops in a delicate beurre blanc. For dessert, don't miss the billowy mousse au chocolat or grandma's tarte tatin with raw crème fraiche. Set on a quiet street between Bastille and the Place des Vosges, this is a quintessential black book spot.

From its traditional bentwood bistro chairs to its well-priced menu of contemporary French classics, this is the kind of neighborhood bistro we dream about when we think of Paris. Friendly service, a convivial atmosphere, a top-notch wine list, and delicious market-fresh fare all add up to the kind of place you want to keep all to yourself. Fixed-price lunch menus are €17; dinner is à la carte only.