Parisian food—where to begin? Food is as much a part of culture as language and fashion are, and Paris embraces its culinary identity: pistachioed-awning bakeries selling fresh pastries and sweets, like fluffy meringues and cheeseburger-shaped macarons; street vendors advertising Nutella crêpes and take-away “Parisien” sandwiches of ham and butter; touristy Angelina serving its world-class African hot chocolate and the best smoked salmon my husband says he’s ever had. Even food specifically marketed to tourists is a must-have. (I couldn’t resist the Eiffel Tower-shaped cherry lollipops available at the concessions stands on the tower’s ground floor. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good souvenir.)
Here are a few of our favorite stops to lounge and eat:
Address: 4B Rue des Ecoles 75005 (and several other locations throughout Paris metro)
Across the street from our hotel was Campaillette, a small artisanal boulangerie and patisserie (bakery and pastry shop). It's not one of the most luxurious or famous pastry shops in the city, but the desserts were exquisitely crafted (and photogenic!) and, at only 3-4 euros each, much cheaper than at more renowned shops like Ladurée. Plus, it was a 15-second walk over, which meant that I could sleep in later and still grab breakfast in time. Score!
My recommendation: the apple tarts and the cheeseburger-shaped macarons.
Across the street from our hotel was Campaillette, a small artisanal boulangerie and patisserie (bakery and pastry shop). It's not one of the most luxurious or famous pastry shops in the city, but the desserts were exquisitely crafted (and photogenic!) and, at only 3-4 euros each, much cheaper than at more renowned shops like Ladurée. Plus, it was a 15-second walk over, which meant that I could sleep in later and still grab breakfast in time. Score!
My recommendation: the apple tarts and the cheeseburger-shaped macarons.
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My husband and I love trying new foods from regions around the world, and Paris didn't disappoint. In just a three-block radius from our hotel, we had the world's cuisine to savor: Japanese, Italian, Turkish, Afghani, and of course traditional French.
Other favorites in the Latin Quarter:
Le Petit Pontoise (traditional French): After traveling from London on a cold, dreary afternoon, our first "real" French meal was at this cozy little bistro on rue de Pontoise near the Seine. Not only was the food absolutely fantastic—the bistro runs under direction from two chefs with two Michelin stars each—but our server noticed how nervous we were ordering in French and took the time to explain what each item on the menu was. We highly recommend the "au gratin parmesan dauphiné ravioles" (spinach/parmesan baked ravioli that arrives at the table in a cast-iron pan—technically not "authentic French" cuisine but delicious anyway) and the "magret de canard" (duck filet with apples). Dinner for two cost about 30 euros.
La Voie lactee KEBAB (Turkish): After a cold, late night of touring the Musée d'Orsay, we didn't get back to the hotel until about 10 p.m.--yet most restaurants on our street were still beckoning customers, including this super casual café. Two deliciously warm and savory doner kebab combo meals only cost us about 15 euros.
Inagiku (Japanese): Across the street from Le Petit Pontoise and next to a Diptyque candle boutique is Inagiku, an upscale Japanese sushi and hibachi restaurant with high reviews on restaurant rating apps like Yelp. We were seated with native Parisians around a deep mahogany hibachi grill and pretended to understand what the couple next to us, who were celebrating their anniversary, were saying to us. (I still have no idea, but they were happy and laughing and in love and seemed to not notice.) The chef at Inagiku, as with any sushi restaurant, was impeccable with presentation, including a special palette cleanser with tofu that was almost too beautiful to eat. Costlier than the other two restaurants listed above, we spent about 60 euros on a sushi dinner for two.
If you're a pastry snob like me, you definitely know of Ladurée. As one of the elite French bakeries, its name and signature pistachio-hued bags are synonymous with flaky, soft, delectable macarons, and its following is so intense that Ladurée has opened dozens of bakeries worldwide, including two in New York City. I could tell you why these macarons are worth more than 20 euros for a box of six, but showing you is much more fun.
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If you've read about our trip to Versailles, you already know that Angelina, somewhat of a tourist trap but world-renowned for its African hot chocolate, served a smoked salmon dish that my husband says is one of the best meals he's ever had. Angelina has several locations throughout central France, including the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre, the Galeries Lafayette and its standalone restaurants. Low on time? Pick up a bottle of African hot chocolate or a heart-shaped tin of truffles at the Charles de Gaulle Airport.
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I have never eaten so many French fries ("pommes frites") in my life. Many restaurant meals automatically add the crowd-pleasing pommes frites as a side, and while they taste more like actual potatoes than French fries at most American establishments, five days straight of anything other than chocolate is guaranteed to drive me crazy.
Good news for anyone with a sweet tooth: It's perfectly acceptable to order sugar-topped crepes and hot chocolate for breakfast. In fact, I woke up with hot chocolate almost every day we were in Europe. (I wasn't kidding about not ever getting tired of chocolate. It's in my wiring.)
Many cafes will offer a breakfast combo (usually a pastry, a hot drink and a cold one) for about 6-8 euros.
The glorious sugar crepe meal pictured here is from La Crêperie, just south of the Pantheon and east of the Sorbonne.