In Paris, people often ask me what the best bistros in Paris are, and I always say the same thing: the perfect list doesn't exist, there are far too many. But there are places I especially love and send my friends to without a second thought. Before I give them to you, a quick word on what actually makes a good bistro.
Bistro or Brasserie, What's the Difference?
People often mix the two up, but they aren't the same thing. A brasserie is more of a big chic canteen, open all day, often lively, where you can turn up at any hour. A bistro is smaller and more intimate, with slightly more worked cooking and a real identity. It's where you find the slow cooked French classics, the kind of dishes you'd eat at a grandmother's who happens to cook divinely well.
La Ferme du Pré, Chic in a Green Setting
If you want to treat yourself, this is my current favorite. La Ferme du Pré is the bistro of Frédéric Anton, the three star chef of Le Pré Catelan, set right across from his flagship, deep in the Bois de Boulogne. The setting is magical, an old Normandy farmhouse with its copper pots and white tablecloths, and a terrace shaded by trees. On the plate, you get the great bistro classics, generous and perfectly executed. It's chic and definitely not cheap, but for a special occasion it's worth the trip.
Recoin, the Best Value for Money
In a much more modern and much more affordable register, I love Recoin, in the 11th, on Rue Saint Sabin. It's a little neighborhood bistro of the kind you love, with seasonal cooking and natural wines, and a real personality. Their lunch menu is a great deal, the kind of lunch where you eat well without blowing your budget. If you want to try the new generation of Paris bistros, this is where to go.
Chez l'Ami Louis, the Legendary Institution
You can't talk about Paris bistros without mentioning Chez l'Ami Louis, on Rue du Vertbois in the 3rd. Open since 1924, it's probably the most famous bistro in the world, with its 1930s decor still intact and its famous roast chicken served in enormous portions. Chirac even brought Bill Clinton here, that tells you something. Fair warning, it's really expensive, we're talking fine dining prices. If you want that generous bistro spirit without the steep bill, go instead to Brasserie Rosie Lou, on the Grands Boulevards, where you eat very well for a lot less.
All My Bistros Are on My Paris Map
I've given you three addresses, but I have dozens more, for every budget and every craving. The problem, once you're here, is not spending your trip hunting for where to eat and comparing reviews for hours. That's why I built my Paris guide as a map.
It isn't just a list of addresses. Everything is pulled together in one place, my bistros, my brasseries, my cafés, my good tables, more than 600 places pinned on a single map you open in two seconds. You download it once and it works offline, so you don't need a signal or data to find somewhere to eat, even at the last minute. You look at what's good around you, and off you go.
And you'll discover far more than what you came looking for. People often buy it for a few good tables, and they leave with hundreds of discoveries they never would have thought of. That's my whole goal: to help you eat in Paris like a local, not like a tourist who falls into the first trap they walk past.
The full map and its 600+ addresses, is right here:
And for all my Paris discoveries, come find me on Instagram: @ellevousguide