Best Places to Dine in Paris Right Now

Not long ago, the Paris dining scene was dominated by French male chefs who adhered to tradition: crisp tablecloths, polished silverware, sparkling glasses, and the finest French cuisine.

However, the rise of the Internet, social media, and the influx of international chefs has transformed Paris’ culinary world, which once remained resistant to change.

Today, some of the city’s most popular dining spots are run by immigrant chefs from Colombia, Japan, and Argentina; a Lebanese chef who lived on the streets of Paris; and the youngest female chef in France to earn a Michelin star.

That said, there will always be a place for classic bistros, brasseries, and Michelin-starred fine dining. In fact, some of the most exciting new openings are from restaurants with centuries of history, now revived for a new era.

From luxurious to laid-back, traditional to modern, French to global, here’s a roundup of some of the most thrilling and diverse dining experiences in Paris right now.

Baieta

Dining at Baieta offers a glimpse into the future of French cuisine. At the helm is Chef Julia Sedefdjian, who made waves in the culinary world after becoming the youngest female chef in France to receive a Michelin star.

Originally from Nice, Sedefdjian earned her first Michelin star at the age of 21 in 2016 while working at Les Fables de la Fontaine in Paris. By 2018, she was running her own restaurant, Baieta, a name derived from the Niçois dialect meaning ‘kiss.’

In early 2019, less than a year after opening, Sedefdjian earned her second Michelin star for Baieta at just 24 years old. A standout dish on the menu is Bouillabaieta, a bouillabaisse made with fish and shellfish in a rich, creamy fish stock, served with crispy toast and rouille on the side.

Baieta, 5 rue de Pontoise, Paris, France, 75005; +33 01 42 02 59 19

Restaurant Lapérouse

Since the 18th century, Lapérouse has been a gathering place for the elite and influential figures of society.

For centuries, Lapérouse has been a place where history’s great minds have dined. Recently restored, this iconic Parisian restaurant, which dates back to 1766, is a place where one can almost feel the presence of illustrious figures like Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, Gustave Flaubert, Sarah Bernhardt, Ernest Hemingway, Winston Churchill, and Orson Welles.

Dining at Lapérouse is like stepping into history, where the walls have witnessed centuries of artists, writers, thinkers, and politicians. This legendary spot has hosted some of the most renowned figures of the past, including Proust, Hugo, Flaubert, Hemingway, Churchill, and Welles.

Recently, just weeks after reopening in June, the restaurant made headlines when it hosted actress Zoë Kravitz and Karl Glusman’s wedding rehearsal dinner, attended by Kravitz’s 'Big Little Lies' co-stars Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, and Shailene Woodley.

As part of its 21st-century revival, Lapérouse aims to regain its status as a gastronomic destination. The restaurant was one of the first in the world to receive three Michelin stars in 1933, a distinction it held until 1969.

In the kitchen, Chef Jean-Pierre Vigato (formerly of Michelin-starred Apicius) leads a menu of reinvented French classics, including frogs legs in garlic and parsley, pigeon with foie gras and truffles, and a whole roasted chicken.

Local pastry icon Christophe Michalak oversees the dessert offerings, reviving timeless classics like the vacherin with strawberries, meringue, and mousse, and giving a creative twist to traditional French millefeuilles with passion fruit and caramel.

Lapérouse, 51 Quai des Grands Augustins, Paris, France, 75006; +33 01 43 26 68 04

Froufrou

In keeping with its theatrical atmosphere, Froufrou’s design includes rich velvet blue curtains, brass details, and mirrored surfaces, creating a nod to the Belle Époque period, when the theater emerged as a cultural force.

Theater enthusiasts in Paris now have a new dining destination with the debut of Froufrou, located next to the historic Edouard VII Theater — an English-friendly venue where performances are subtitled in English. The restaurant is led by one of Paris’ most promising young chefs, Colombian-born Juan Arbelaez.

Famous for his appearances on the French version of 'Top Chef,' Chef Arbelaez has crafted a menu designed for sharing, featuring family-style dishes such as braised lamb shank for two or a hearty pan of calamari with chorizo and chives, also perfect for two.

True to its surroundings, the restaurant’s design is as dramatic as its name, with luxurious velvet midnight blue curtains, brass accents, and mirrored walls, a tribute to the Belle Époque era, when theater took its modern form.

Froufrou, 10 place Édouard VII, Paris, France, 75009; +33 01 47 42 92 55

Virtus

Virtus’ menu varies each day, with options that might include everything from local duck in a rich cherry sauce to monkfish in a watercress, curry, and coconut sauce.

Virtus is located just a stone’s throw from one of Paris’ best outdoor markets, Marché d’Aligre, and is run by a Japanese-Argentinian duo, chefs Chiho Kanzaki and Marcelo Martin Di Giacomo.

Having trained under chef Mauro Colagreco at the renowned Mirazur on the French Riviera — currently crowned the World’s Best Restaurant — the couple brings a philosophy rooted in fresh, seasonal, local ingredients and balanced flavors, preferring harmony over bold, brash contrasts.

The menu at Virtus changes daily, offering dishes such as local duck in cherry sauce, monkfish in a watercress, curry, and coconut sauce, or crab and spinach ravioli. In early 2019, the restaurant earned its first Michelin star.

Virtus, 29 rue de Cotte, Paris, 750012; +33 (0)9 80 68 08 08

Restaurant Alan Geaam

In 2018, less than a year after opening, Alan Geaam’s Franco-Lebanese restaurant received its first Michelin star for elevating Middle Eastern dishes with a touch of haute cuisine.

In 2018, just months after opening, Geaam’s namesake Franco-Lebanese restaurant earned its first Michelin star by bringing a refined twist to Middle Eastern dishes.

Lebanese chef Alan Geaam’s journey is one of France’s most inspiring rags-to-riches stories. When he arrived in Paris from Lebanon 20 years ago, he had little more than a seven-day visa and 200 Francs (about 40 euros).

With no money, Geaam slept in a park near the Eiffel Tower, worked as a house painter, and washed dishes to make ends meet. When the chef at a Lebanese restaurant he worked at fell ill, Geaam, a former cook in the Lebanese military, took over the kitchen.

The rest, as they say, is history. In 2018, Geaam’s Franco-Lebanese restaurant received its first Michelin star for transforming traditional Middle Eastern ingredients like Kefta, halloumi, labneh, and falafel into sophisticated, haute cuisine fare.

Alan Geaam, 19 Rue Lauriston, Paris, France, 75016; +33 01 45 01 72 97

Beefbar Paris

Located in a beautifully restored 19th-century atrium just off the Champs-Élysées, the Paris location of the Beefbar empire maintains its original Art Nouveau charm, featuring mirrored walls and murals of fairy goddesses.

In a beautifully restored 19th-century atrium near the Champs-Élysées, Beefbar Paris blends its Art Nouveau heritage with mirrored walls and murals of mystical fairy goddesses.

Vegetarians might want to skip this one. As the name suggests, Beefbar is a haven for meat lovers, designed as a temple to all things carnivorous.

Housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century atrium just off the Champs-Élysées, Beefbar Paris is part of a global empire with locations in Monaco, Hong Kong, Dubai, Cannes, and Mykonos. The Paris outpost maintains its original Art Nouveau charm, complete with mirrored walls and murals of fairy goddesses.

With marble and brass accents, and a rich color scheme of green and bronze, the décor blends timeless elegance with contemporary style. Beneath a grand glass ceiling, expect to find Wagyu, Kobe, and Black Angus beef from Japan, Australia, the US, and France, featured in everything from burgers and tacos to bao buns and kebabs.

For purists, the menu also offers traditional cuts like filet mignon and Chateaubriand steak, cooked to perfection on the grill, whether it’s barbecue or Teppanyaki style. The space itself, bright and airy, serves as one of the trendiest spots to see and be seen in Paris right now.

Beefbar Paris, 5 Rue Marbeuf, Paris, France, 75008; +33 01 44 31 40 00

La Brasserie du Louvre-Bocuse

This summer marked the reopening of Paris' first Paul Bocuse-branded restaurant.

Paris’ first Paul Bocuse-branded restaurant reopened this summer after a two-year renovation.

Following a two-year renovation, the Hôtel du Louvre reopened this summer with a gastronomic gem for the city: Paris' first Paul Bocuse-branded restaurant. Despite being a titan in the culinary world, the legendary Bocuse — often hailed as the 'pope of French gastronomy' and 'chef of the century' — had never opened a restaurant in Paris before.

Opening just over a year after the chef’s passing, Paris’ inaugural 'Brasserie Bocuse' sits equidistant from the Jardin du Palais Royal and the Louvre Museum. The menu offers a tribute to Bocuse’s Lyonnaise heritage, featuring classics like Bresse chicken in cream sauce with mushrooms, pike quenelle, and onion soup.

La Brasserie du Louvre-Bocuse, Hôtel du Louvre, Place André Malraux, Paris, France, 75001; +33 01 73 11 12 34

Cheval d'Or

Chef Taku Sekine draws inspiration from the culinary traditions and flavors of China, Thailand, and Japan.

Chef Taku Sekine is influenced by the rich flavors and cultural elements of China, Thailand, and Japan in his cooking.

Chef Taku Sekine earned a reputation in the Paris dining scene with his Franco-Japanese restaurant, Dersou, where each course of the tasting menu is paired with a carefully crafted cocktail.

When Sekine revealed plans to open a casual, family-oriented restaurant in the 19th arrondissement, far from Paris’ central districts, the announcement caused quite a stir among the city’s food scene.

Dubbed the ‘antithesis’ of Dersou, Cheval d’Or (which means 'Golden Horse' in French) opened in the spring of 2019 as a laid-back, French-Asian eatery. The menu is organized into sections like raw, fried, steamed, sides, noodles, and rice. Dishes such as scallops with yuzu, black vinegar chicken, and steamed bream with ginger are inspired by the vibrant flavors of Chinese, Thai, and Japanese cuisines.

Cheval d’Or, 21 rue de la Villette, 75019 Paris, Tel: +33 09 54 12 21 77

Fulgurances

Fulgurances, which translates to 'brilliance' in French, is where passionate energy and rising stars collide, all within a setting that offers complete creative freedom.

If you're interested in experimental dining and innovative ideas, Fulgurances — a springboard for some of Paris's most exciting up-and-coming chefs — should be on your list. Opened by a French food magazine of the same name, it serves as an incubator for young chefs ready to take their talents to the next level, providing them with their own kitchen, staff, and dining space.

Fulgurances, which means ‘brilliance’ in French, is a place where untamed passion and emerging talent merge effortlessly. The rotating lineup of chefs features sous chefs, beginners, and alumni from some of the world's top kitchens, including Septime, L’Agapé, and L’Astrance in Paris, as well as Pujol in Mexico City, Mugaritz, and the now-defunct elBulli in Spain.

The resident and guest chefs at Fulgurances often go on to gain recognition or open their own restaurants. Currently, the kitchen is led by Franco-Japanese chef Akané Monavon, who has previously worked with renowned Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez and the three-Michelin-starred Dominique Crenn in San Francisco.

Fulgurances, 10 rue Alexandre Dumas, Paris, France, 75011; +33 01 43 48 14 59

Café Pouchkine

Discover some of the finest pastries in Paris at Café Pouchkine. Courtesy Café Pouchkine

Café Pouchkine offers a taste of Russian luxury and flavors right in the heart of Paris.

The café’s décor blends the opulence of French and Russian styles, with gold-gilded accents and a mix of Moscovite crafts and French antiques. The menu features Russian classics like borscht, beef stroganoff, blini, and the ‘Matriochka’ nesting doll cakes, all made with locally sourced French ingredients, including farm-fresh eggs and beef from the Aubrac region. At the same time, the café maintains strong French ties.

In 1964, French singer Gilbert Bécaud released a hit song about a tour guide named “Nathalie” after a trip to Moscow, featuring a fictional Café Pouchkine. This sparked curiosity among French visitors to Moscow, who searched in vain for the café. In 1999, Franco-Russian restaurateur Andrei Dellos opened the original Café Pushkin in Moscow as a nod to both the song and Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. The Paris location followed in 2017.

Café Pouchkine, 16 Place de la Madeleine, Paris, France, 75008; +33 (0)1 53 43 81 60

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