Source: Derriere Resto
If you will be in Paris next week for LeWeb, there are plenty of delicious foods to enjoy with the new contacts you make during the day. From experience, I know it can be tricky to decide on a dinner destination when you have a choice of 8,502 restaurant recommendations on Tripadvisor, 369,362 results on Yelp and over 36 pages on Viamichelin! It gets even more complicated when you’re looking for a restaurant for more than 10 people that same evening.
So, I turned to Twitter. Within an hour, I had more than 15 great restaurant tips from my friends, followers, and colleagues.
Consider this our Paris LeWeb12 Restaurant Guide, crowdsourced via Twitter:
1. Kong – It’s the eaterie where Carrie met her beau’s ex in the final episode of SATC! If that isn’t reason enough to drop by, perhaps the unique Paris-meets-Tokyo décor is. The views alone attract diners: be sure to book a table on the second floor where you can gaze through the glass rooftop at the Parisian scene below.
Neighborhood: Pont Neuf, 1st Arrondissement
2. Le Café Marly – Situated in the 1st district, always in fashion, certainly very Parisian, Le Café Marly, this half-modern, half-Napoleon III era “brasserie” enjoys an exceptional view of the Louvre and its pyramids.
Neighborhood: Louvre/Place Vendôme
3. La Fidelite – The customers are mainly creative industry regulars who come here for the joue de bœuf (beef cheek) and pastis mojitos. To enjoy the vibe, we suggest showing up at 10pm then have a glass of wine at the basement.
Neighborhood: Entrepôt
4. Brasserie Julien – A stone’s throw from the Grands Boulevards and theatres, Brasserie Julien is a listed historical monument. With its Art Nouveau style, grand mouldings, immense mirrors and “Flower Ladies” painted on pâte de verre, you’ll enjoy an exceptional setting and cuisine.
Neighborhood: Entrepôt
5. Café Ruc – A real Parisian institution, right next to the Louvre. One of the Costes brothers’ restaurants. Modern interior design with bordeaux tones.
Neighborhood: Louvre / Place Vendôme
6. Derrier Resto – Derrière, on the edge of Paris’ Marais district is a clandestine restaurant that is one of the hottest meals in town. First, locate the unmarked door between the 404 restaurant and Andy Wahloo that leads into a courtyard and, from there, Derrière. It’s like eating at a friend’s boho-chic home. Read what the New York Times has to say.
Neighborhood: Notre Dame / Marais
7. Bouillon Chartier – The masses wait in line to “jump back to 1900” at this timeless canteen off the Grands Boulevards delivering passable Gallic classics. Food aside, fans enjoy sharing the communal tables and the “chaos” in the enormous, gorgeous belle epoque space, and like watching the good-humored waiters tote up the bill on the paper tablecloths.
Neighborhood: Montmartre
8. Le Petite Sommelier – A pleasingly old-fashioned Parisian bistro has somehow landed in Lodève. The atmosphere is convivial, both in the cozy interior and on the lively terrace, as French classics such as confit de canard, grilled steak, or thyme-encrusted lamb are served.
Neighborhood: Montparnasse
9. Chez Grenouille – Chef Alexis Blanchard has won prizes for his terrines and boudins, so you’ll find all manner of charcuterie on the menu here, plus dishes such as suckling pig with foie gras, duck parmentier, sweetbreads, oxtail, and pigs’ feet, plus a fish dish or two for lighter eaters.
Neighborhood: 9th Arrondissement (Opéra Garnier/Pigalle)
10. Petit Pontoise – At the Petit Pontoise bistro, the dishes are decorated simply, but with elegance. Situated in the 5th district, you will sit neck and neck with newcomers and regulars, who have come to enjoy, in addition to the top-flight cuisine, a friendly atmosphere. Reservations are strongly advised.
Neighborhood: 5th Arrondissement
11. Chez Omar – “Couscous is king” at this “busy, noisy and fun” Moroccan – always in season with the fashion-industry crowd – in the “super-trendy” 3rd, where the “welcoming” Omar is supported by a solid staff; the vast, Old Paris room is “good” for “group dining” and also for celeb-spotting, so long as you don’t mind waiting in line and bringing a little cash (neither reservations nor credit cards are accepted).
Neighborhood: Notre Dame/Marais
12. ICHO – This small sushi restaurant serves some of the best fish around in a modern yet warm setting. Make a reservation as it only has seating for 20 people max.
Neighborhood: Louvre/Place Vendôme
13. Le Petit Curieux – It’s a tiny neighborhood restaurant that is know for its full three-course lunch “formule” for only €19.
Neighborhood: République
14. Drouant – The mix of luxury and Paris chic has been encapsulated in this fine property since 1880. Antoine Westermann serves high-quality food to a demanding public, with a highlight being his delightful hors-d’oeuvre.
Neighborhood: Opera, 2nd Arrondissement
15. Maison de l’Aubrac – Steakhouse with antic rustic baroque décor and is known for its superb filets. A great address if you’re jet-lagged, because it’s open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Neighborhood: Champs-Élysées
16. Septime – Septime presents modern French cooking with the best ingredients. Located in the 11th Arrondissement, a part of Paris once thick with artisans’ ateliers and now home to food-loving bourgeois-bohemians Septime is both visually refined and relaxed, with a polite, house-party-in-the-country style hospitality that surprises Parisians accustomed to more formality. Read what the NY Times had to say about it.
Neighborhood: Bastille
I hope you benefit from this list and share your feedback on which restaurant you tried and enjoyed most. Feel free to reach out either in the comments section or on Twitter.
