5 Best Restaurants in The Marais, Paris

This handsome, contemporary Marais bistro and wine bar is the perfect place to enjoy traditional fare and excellent Burgundies served by the glass and bottle. Unusual for Paris, food is served nonstop from noon to 11 pm, and you can drop by just for a glass of wine in the afternoon. Always on the menu are Burgundian classics such as jambon persillé (ham in parsley aspic jelly), escargots, and boeuf bourguignon (beef stewed in red wine). More up-to-date picks include a cèpe-mushroom velouté with poached oysters, although fancier dishes are generally less successful.

This cozy bar is always packed, and tables often spill out onto the sidewalk. Come for a hearty meal, a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine.

Without changing the vintage 1912 setting, superchef Alain Ducasse and Thierry de la Brosse of L'Ami Louis have subtly improved the menu, with dishes such as marinated salmon, frogs' legs in a morel-mushroom cream sauce, and an outstanding cassoulet served in a cast-iron pot. It's a splurge to dine here, so go all the way, and top off your meal with the caramelized tarte tatin or a rum-doused baba.

A true neighborhood haunt, this bustling little bistro near the Musée Picasso offers a convivial slice of Parisian life at a good value. Traditional French bistro fare is adapted to a modern audience. The best choices are the old tried-and-trues: hand-cut tartare de boeuf; rare entrecôte served with a side of golden-crisp frites and homemade béarnaise; and the classic Parmentier, with pheasant instead of the usual ground beef.

At this rare authentic Parisian bistro that refuses to change, settle into the dining room in an ancient Marais house to try rich, rib-sticking dishes from the Auvergne, a sparsely populated region in central France. Indulge in a heaping serving of the superb lentils in goose fat with bacon or Salers beef in red wine sauce with aligot (mashed potatoes with cheese). You might want to loosen your belt for the astonishingly dense chocolate mousse, served in a giant bowl that allows you to decide the quantity.