3 Best Restaurants in Les Grands Boulevards, Paris

Those unable to score a sought-after table at chef Katsuaki Okiyama's restaurant Abri should have better luck at this small soba bar tucked away on a back street off the Faubourg-Montmartre. The chef's savory homemade buckwheat noodles are the big draw—enjoy them hot or cold, paired with duck and leeks, fried tofu and mushrooms, or more imaginative concoctions like eel, cod intestine, and the freshest sashimi. Reservations aren't accepted, so try to arrive before noon for lunch or 7 for dinner to avoid waiting in line.

One of Paris's first bento-box cafés (it's also a Japanese grocer), this cozy spot on storied Rue Ste-Anne offers an array of delicious eats, from smoked eel and grilled salmon to crispy chicken, fried tofu, and yummy veggie sides like marinated seaweed—a house specialty—and sesame spinach. For a meal on the go, this is the place. It's small, cafeteria-style, and no-frills, and crowds can snake down the block, so get there by noon for lunch. Bento boxes are also great to go.

This restaurant is small but mighty when it comes to fresh and delicious Japanese comfort food in the form of inari age: sushi rice wrapped in fried tofu (that used here is imported from Kyoto) and topped with vegetables, fish, or meat. The menu also features delicious udon, donburi, gyoza, and mochi for dessert. The dining room is spare but warm, with Noguchi lighting and lots of wood. The chef holds a sake sommelier certificate, and you'd be wise to take his pairing advice. There's also a tantalizing selection of sake cocktails and natural wines.