As the fashion crowd descends on the city for the spring/summer 2027 shows, Paris-based writer and food stylist Rebekah Peppler shares a shortlist of restaurants and bars to try on a flying visit to the city.
Bistrot des Tournelles
Exactly what you want in a French bistrot: lace curtains, tile floors, tables tucked close enough to eavesdrop on your neighbour’s order/drama. Chef Geoffroy Langella’s menu is tight and packed with classics done correctly, and the natural wine list draws from small producers in Beaujolais, Burgundy and Jura. The crowd is a mix of couples, families and friend groups, and while reservations are essential, there is a five-seat zinc bar just inside the door that takes walk-ins should you arrive early enough and be willing to take the risk.
Poêlée de pleurotes en persillade (oyster mushrooms with persillade), cordon bleu, filet de boeuf, crème brûlée, and a glass of champagne for dessert.
6 rue des Tournelles, 75004
Opened in early 2026 by the same team behind coffee shop favourite Dreamin’ Man, Our House offers a lunch-only menu of teishoku (Japanese set meals) prepared by chef Maki Fujii. The space is notably tiny and there will likely be a wait for one of the 10 seats centred around the pale wood konoji (U-shaped) counter, so either arrive early, or plan to put your name down with the perpetually lovely team then walk a few doors down for a pour-over or hojicha latte at Dreamin’ Man Roastery while you wait.
Karaage chicken or miso salmon.
35 rue Coquillière, 75001
Past a red façade in Belleville that hasn’t changed since 1987, everything at Le Cheval d’Or – from the industrial-chic dining room to the food on the table to the impeccable wine list – is done with exacting precision and creativity. From the pleasant hum of an open kitchen, chef Hanz Gueco and his team offer two multicourse French-Chinese menu options to share: a six-course à la carte (Menu Cuivre) and a nine-course blind tasting (Menu Or). Dishes change regularly, but ask if the whole roast duck is available, and if you’re lucky enough to get them, take a moment to admire the mapo tofu tortellini before tucking in – you’ll be talking about them long after the meal is over.
Menu Or (the gold tasting menu). Put yourself in the expert hands of Crislaine Medina and Taiki Sakurai for wine.
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21 rue de la Villette, 75019
A candlelit bistro and wine bar with checkerboard tile floors and a menu that showcases flavours from Northern Mexico. There’s actual spice happening here (a rarity in France), first-rate sourcing, a stellar natural wine list and a crowd that leans stylish and animated. Go for dinner, order extras of the warm, freshly-made flour tortillas, stay late and mingle with the mix of locals, industry and visitors that inevitably spills out into the street.
A round of clamatos, tacos cantineros, demi coquelet rôti and flan.
13bis rue Keller, 75011
Wood-fire cooking in Saint-Germain-des-Prés with Korean and French flavours, two warm yet minimal dining rooms set across two floors, and chef Esu Lee’s spectacular dry-aged fish. Ask to sit at the sleek four-seat counter to watch the team at work, order a bottle from the exceptional wine list (if they have Domaine Lajibe listed, get it) and don’t skip whatever is on the menu for dessert (it changes by the season).
The banchan and add the “madame butterfly”, sashimi of the day, spider crab tteokbokki.
5 rue du Dragon, 75006
The dark-wood-meets-leather-banquettes-meets-handwritten-menu vibe is timeless and endlessly charming, with servers in white jackets, guests in smart casual and classics on every table. Call – or ask your concierge to call – to book and make sure it’s the Chez Georges on rue du Mail in the 2nd arrondissement (there are other Parisian spots by the same name), or stop by in person to make a reservation, keeping in mind that the restaurant is closed on weekends.
Radishes with butter, frisée aux lardons, sole meunière, le pavé du mail and profiteroles.
1 rue du Mail, 75002
Definitively the best pizza in Paris and arguably some of the best pizza outside of the city, too. Thin, crisp and shockingly easy to digest, there are six sourdough options listed on the menu and plenty of natural wine on tap or by the bottle. Sit at the tall wooden bar for prime people watching (the crowd is chic and the two rooms get packed and buzzy), and also to watch as each pizza gets shaped and topped. If you’re staying in the neighborhood, pop into nearby Cave Canaille for a glass before or after.
The marinara (not on the menu but IYKYK), the Chef’s Choice pizza, salade verte and a negroni.
4bis avenue Jean Aicard, 75011
The chaotic charm of this wine bar meets ice cream parlour holds from after school/early apéro (it opens at 4pm) through post-dinner drinks and dessert (the gate rolls down at 11pm). No matter when you arrive, there will likely be a line to get in that ebbs and flows amiably around those enjoying their cones and cups on the sidewalk out front. Ice cream flavours rotate daily – though a scoop of the salt-tinged olive oil option is a perpetual favourite – and different wine bottles are opened all night long. Simply tell the team what you like and they’ll find the pour for you. The same team also has Le Rigmarole next door on rue du Grand Prieuré.
A glass of pét nat and olive oil ice cream.
10 rue du Grand Prieuré, 75011 and a new addition at 40 rue Faidherbe, 75011
A family-run institution on rue de Belleville serving Laotian and Thai cuisine to neighbourhood regulars, chefs and tourists alike since 1985. The space and crowd are lively and the restaurant is open daily for both lunch and dinner (making it an especially good option for a Sunday or Monday, when many restaurants across the city are closed). Go with a group so you order everything that calls you, and if you can’t get in, pop next door to Ama Siam.
Nem thadeua, crevettes mi-crues, sai oua (Laotian sausage) and mango sticky rice.
49 rue de Belleville, 75019
Panifacture, Niwa, Plaq, JJ Hings