Because the City of Light never gets old
Paris is a beast to tackle when it comes to any city guide, thanks to its centuries-long hold on the imagination and a uniquely formidable agglomeration of the world's best minds in gastronomy, both haute and not. With the countless lists and recommendations on where to dine out in Paris, including the Michelin Guide, World’s 50 Best Restaurants and La Liste, where does one start navigating the gastronomic scene in Paris?
We’ve distilled some delightful dining options here that don’t break the bank. These brasseries and fine dining restaurants are quintessentially French and also regular haunts of French chefs, with a mix of new discoveries and classic institutions.
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1. For the last word in gastronomic luxury, Hotel de Crillon
When it comes to experiencing the culinary delights of Paris, the legendary Hôtel de Crillon is as good as it gets for gastronomes looking for the best in Parisian luxury. Inhabiting a palatial building that dates back to 1758, this Rosewood Hotels property has hosted the likes of Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Madonna, Taylor Swift, and Roger Federer, but its foodie credentials have really been given a lift with this year's opening of Nonos and Comestibles par Paul Pairet, a French grill restaurant and deli launched by the Shanghai-based chef behind the three-Michelin-starred Ultraviolet.
Focusing on French gourmet classics—think escargots, onion soups, saucy steaks, egg mimosas, seafood platters, pâtés from around France and racks of beef cut tableside on a carving trolley—Nonos evokes the homey comforts of nostalgic Gallic cooking in a counterpoint to the fine dining that the clientele at Hôtel de Crillon are no doubt used to. Meanwhile, the deli offerings at Comestibles offer an even more casual way to indulge, whether it be oysters, charcuterie, salads or sandwiches, washed down with an impressive selection of classic and modern cocktails.
Nonos and Comestibles par Paul Pairet join the one-Michelin-starred L’Écrin, which offers a wine-forward tasting menu based on the diners' choice of wines and number of courses; and the Jardin d’Hiver, an all-day restaurant that evokes the high teas of yore with its palatial proportions and Le Goûter des Lords tea set. Rosewood's signature Butterfly Patisserie can also be found inside the hotel, offering exquisite pastries, cakes and chocolates by head pastry chef Matthieu Carlin, while the Bar Les Ambassadeurs, which boasts views of Place de la Concorde from its Versailles-like interiors, is as sultry as it gets when it comes to landmark Parisian watering holes.
Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel, 10 Place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris, France; +33 1 44 71 15 00, rosewoodhotels.com