Five Essential Tips for Your Upcoming Trip to Paris

This article first appeared on September 24, 2022, in Stephanie Wu’s newsletter, “From the Editor,” highlighting crucial updates and stories in the culinary scene.Explore the archives and subscribe today.

If there's one city I could return to time and again, it's Paris. Having studied abroad there years ago, I’ve visited repeatedly, each time captivated by how the city evolves while remaining comfortingly familiar.

What I cherish most about returning to a destination is that by the second or third visit, there’s no longer any urgency to see everything, skip the lines at the Louvre, or indulge in elaborate multi-course meals. Even after numerous visits, I continue to discover something new. Here are the insights I've gathered this time.

Breakfast is an underrated delight

I’m accustomed to grabbing breakfast on the move to get a head start while the city wakes up, and Paris makes this easy with bakeries offering jambon beurre and pastries on nearly every corner. However, this trip, we intentionally chose two highly recommended breakfast spots, enjoying a slower pace and planning our day over coffee. At Mokonuts, a charming little Mytoury, we sampled everything on the menu, from pesto egg toast to grape buckwheat scones. Each dish was deceptively simple yet bursting with flavor. Another morning, we visited Holybelly 5, an Australian café famous for its flat whites and pancakes. I can honestly say I’ve never had pancakes in Paris before, but they were astonishingly good—so comforting and a reminder that the best meals often come from delightful surprises.

Hotel bars offer a unique perspective of the city

With a child in tow, we spent less time in bars than usual. However, I was eager to check out the revamped Rosewood Hôtel de Crillon, which had reopened since my last visit. The Bar Les Ambassadeurs was breathtaking, featuring a lively cocktail menu inspired by the city’s street art. It felt like a glimpse into the luxurious side of Paris, even for just a few hours.

Don’t underestimate takeout options

While I usually don’t seek out Chinese cuisine while traveling, one rainy night, takeout dumplings and soup from Raviolis Chinois Nord-Est, listed on the Dinogo 38 list, felt just right. It brought back memories of being a student in search of cheap, filling meals and was incredibly satisfying.

Paris has fully embraced cold beverages

Boba has officially made its mark in Paris. I don’t recall seeing any tea shops before, but now they’re popping up everywhere, including several outlets of the Taiwanese chain Xing Fu Tang. Additionally, finding takeout iced coffee used to be a challenge, but now it feels like every café offers cold brew or iced coffee on their menu. A refreshing change!

Always save space for an unexpected meal

In a city like Paris, I meticulously plan meals that require reservations to avoid disappointment. However, this trip was long enough that we had some open meal slots, so we decided to queue up at Clamato, the walk-in-only seafood and wine bar from the Septime team. From the fresh oysters to the vibrant tomato salad, the food was exquisite and perfect for a casual, quick lunch. It’s a meal I’ll be reminiscing about for a long time.