Bloomsbury (Firm) - Eat Like a Local Paris

Contents

Welcome to Paris

Paris isnt for lovers. Paris is for eaters. This city is a gastronomic temple worthy of your time and attention. Yes, you should visit the Eiffel Tower, the museums and Notre Dame, but keep in mind that there is a whole other realm of culture and life beyond the monuments that is begging to be explored. Good food and wine is a hallmark of French living, revered like an ancient relic while simultaneously a simple expectation of day-to-day life.

Youll see it wherever you go, from the rows of pristine, art-like pastries in the shop windows, to the smell of fresh warm baguettes or roasting chickens wafting down the street. By law, every neighbourhood must have an open-air market twice a week, because thats the best way to get the best produce, and good food is a basic right. You can hardly know what to get more excited about a fresh, buttery croissant with a caf crme in the morning or the interplay of wine with your cheese plate at dinner.

As you wander around the various charming neighbourhoods of Paris, keep your eyes open for what the city wants to give you. Maybe its a glass of wine in a quaint little bar, or a gleaming pastry waving to you through the window. Perhaps youll make an eating itinerary a morning market stroll, a visit to a cheese shop in the afternoon and then reservations at a classic French bistro where you can go back in time while eating your duck confit. The city is filled with little charms and surprises if you are open and ready to explore.

Explore the City

1st The arrondissement of Paris fashion magazines, filled with ogle-worthy architecture, monuments, parks and squares. Rue Montorgueil is a joy to wander down, with bustling cafs, cheese shops, restaurants and bakeries galore.

2nd Once home to iconic fresh food market Les Halles. Though the market itself was dismantled in 1971 and the area has since gained a modern shopping mall, some of the historic institutions that fed the local vendors still survive (see ). Rue Sainte-Anne is known as Little Tokyo and has numerous Japanese restaurants and ramen shops.

3rd/4th (Marais) A must-visit. Once the stomping ground of aristocrats, there are impressive mansions sprinkled throughout the quartier. The ancient cobblestone streets lend a specific charm and beauty to an area otherwise occupied by luxury boutiques and hip cafs. Rue des Rosiers marks the heart of Pariss Jewish quarter where exceptional falafel shops abound.

5th/6th (Latin Quarter/ St Germain) Left Bank Paris at its finest. The 5th is home to Paris-Sorbonne University (and plenty of students) and the market street rue Mouffetard. The 6th is chic, energetic and filled with famous history-steeped cafs and restaurants. There are plenty of noteworthy bakeries, pastry shops and chocolate boutiques to be found on the narrow, winding medieval streets.

7th A chic area filled with embassies, expats and wealthy French families. Though on the residential side, strolling around is still enjoyable as you clock views of the Eiffel Tower peeking through side streets. Rue Cler, a small, pedestrianised street filled with shops and cafs, is the perfect place to buy a picnic to enjoy in the green Champ de Mars.

th Pariss high-end district that houses the Champs-lyses, Arc du Triomphe and plenty of haute couture boutiques. High prices and limited choice make this somewhat of a no mans land for eating, so its advisable to explore this arrondissement in-between mealtimes.

9th (Pigalle) What was once the red light district is now a bustling gentrified area popular with Pariss hipster crowd. Some illicitness remains but youll mostly find stylish boutiques, trendy cocktail bars and modern restaurants.

10th/11th (Rpublique/Bastille/Oberkampf) A popular area for those who flock to hip restaurants run by talented young chefs making stellar food. The area between Rpublique, Bastille and Pre Lachaise cemetery is filled with restaurants, wine bars, gourmet shops and cocktail bars worth crossing town for.

13th (Chinatown) As well as being a hotspot for great Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine, the Quartier Asiatique is equally known for its Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian and Thai restaurants.

18th (Montmartre) This postcard-perfect arrondissement is popular for day visits but good food can be scarce, as lots of hungry tourists can lead to lots of rip-offs and subpar food. People come in droves to see its beautiful cobblestone streets and the Sacr-Coeur Basilica.

19th/20th (Belleville) It can be a bit out of the way for the average visitor, and slightly rough around the edges, but Belleville is emerging as the next hotspot for restaurants and coffee shops run by young passionate chefs and artisans. Here youll find high quality coffee, natural wine bars, restaurants surrounded by street art, authentic Chinese food and some in-the-know brunch spots.

Meet the Locals

Julie Neis

parisfoodaffair.com

A besotted Texan who has lived in Paris for over six years. She writes about where to eat and drink in the city on her blog, Paris Food Affair, described as a place for the France obsessed and the food obsessed.

Joann Pai

@sliceofpai

A food and travel photographer originally from Vancouver and now based in Paris. She has travelled the world working on brand shoots and editorial assignments for the likes of Vogue, Saveur, Cond Nast Traveller and The New York Times.

Adrien

foodinparis.fr

A Parisian who uses his popular website to share his curiosity about the inexhaustible playground of Parisian gastronomy. Food in Paris covers new openings, restaurant reviews, budding trends and industry news.

Maeve Schauerman Decouvelaere

parisuncorked.com

LA native who moved to Paris to study wine at Le Cordon Bleu. She founded the website Paris Uncorked as a convenient way of sharing her Parisian food and wine recommendations and is now Wine Associate at Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant.

Lindsey Tramuta

@lostncheeseland

A Paris-based journalist who has written for international publications such as The New York Times, Cond Nast Traveller and Afar magazine. Her first book, The New Paris, was published in 2017.

Natalia Esteves

secretfoodtours.com

A food enthusiast who was raised in Paris and Portugal and has been working in tourism for the last fifteen years. She has lived in cities across Europe and is now the manager of Secret Food Tours in Paris.

Raphale Marchal

@enrangdoignons

A food author and journalist who has contributed to publications such as Fou de Ptisserie and Le Fooding. She has written several books including her latest, Simple comme bonjour, and works on events and videos with chefs throughout Paris.