Restaurants in Paris Region

Paris Region may not hold the title of gastronomy capital, but its restaurant menus offer just about everything under the sun. It also happens to be home to the French TV show Top Chef and has more restaurants in the Michelin Guide than any other region. So to try something new, this is the place to be.

And if Paris and the region boast 137 Michelin-starred restaurants, just imagine how many other restaurants there are! Again, the figures speak for themselves, with an astronomical 14,602 restaurants. That’s a lot of eateries to try! By comparison, the city that comes second is none other than Lyon, with a mere 2,457 restaurants.

Okay, so Paris Region is much bigger. All the same, its offering in great dining is absolutely huge. So, ready to explore the streets of the capital and its region to try all those delicious dishes?

In 1765, Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau opened the very first restaurant, in the sense understand today, in the Louvre district of Paris. Back then, there were only inns and taverns with huge tables that customers shared to enjoy the only dish on the menu. The experienced Mathurin arrived with a totally original culinary concept of serving a choice of dishes at individual tables. Intended to make fine dining accessible to more people, it was an innovation that drastically changed our eating habits. It meant people who normally cooked at home now had the option of eating out, just for pleasure. And so evolved the concept behind the term restaurant. After the French Revolution, restaurants began popping up all over the city.

On the streets of Paris Region, the battle goes on. Who holds the title of the oldest restaurant in Île-de-France? Will we ever know for sure? Probably not. But the historic restaurants of France are hidden here, among the region’s streets. Some are as old as the hills and definitely deserve your attention.

Le Procope has been serving coffee for more than 335 years in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It has been the haunt of Enlightenment philosophers, revolutionaries and great writers. Nowadays, it attracts clients from across the world. Rumour has it that this is where it all began for the Encyclopaedia as well as the Stade Français rugby club.

Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest hotel in France, La Croix d’Or has been serving up meals since 1270. In the medieval town of Provins in the heart of Seine-et-Marne is a place with the feel of an inn and a menu of typical French dishes. The walls are adorned with swords on a shield and ancient weapons, plunging you into the Middle Ages, complete with candlesticks on the tables.

Another restaurant claiming to be the oldest in Paris is the Tour d’Argent. Established in 1582 in the 5th arrondissement, it is said to be the place where King Henry III first used a dinner fork. This is the ideal place to enjoy the sun and a panoramic view of the city’s most beautiful monuments from the rooftop terrace.

It’s no secret that you only have to cross the street to find a place to eat or drink, have a quick snack or stuff yourself silly to your heart’s content. The hard part is choosing from the huge variety. From your neighbourhood Italian restaurant to Vietnamese fine dining, from Michelin-starred establishments to typical Parisian cafés, each has its own different style. There’s something for everyone, whatever tickles your fancy.

Are you a fan of the dolce vita? Paris Region has just what you need. Along the streets of the capital you’ll find everything from pizza baked in a wood-fired oven and pasta carbonara (the real McCoy - no cream!), to burrata and stracciatella with pistachio or olive oil. But there’s more. Italy has come to Versailles as well. In the palace grounds, you can pretend to be Lady and the Tramp and enjoy your plate of spaghetti in the heavenly setting of La Petite Venise. Or to sip at a Spritz with a view of the Eiffel Tower, head for Gigi Paris.

But if you’ve had enough of Italian food, why not try a Vietnamese restaurant? Don’t fancy that either? This is where the food courts come in. They offer world cuisine from every country you can think of. Between the mouthwatering stands you’ll find plenty of eateries where you can discover new dishes. If you have the appetite of a warrior, why not try something from each one? A Brittany-style buckwheat pancake, a few keftas and/or oysters followed by couscous and/or ramen, all rounded off with a dessert of crepes and/or the Paris Region’s best cakes and pastries.

In 2024, Paris Region boasts 137 restaurants that have been awarded stars by the Michelin Guide: 111 with one star, 16 with two stars, and 10 with 3 stars. More than one chance to enjoy a gourmet meal. Among these restaurants is one that hasn’t had a star taken away in 35 years. In the 4th arrondissement of Paris, L’Ambroisie is a fabulous showcase for French gastronomy. The chef doesn’t say much, but his cuisine says it all. With three Michelin stars under his belt, it isn’t surprising if you get carried away, with dishes like truffle île flottante for starters, followed by lobster fricassee or sweetbread.

Paris Region is one place where you really can find a bistro on every street corner. Be it modern, traditional, retro, chic or gourmet, bistro cuisine never fails to please. Try Caillebotte where you can enjoy quail from Vendée or jugged hare.

A stone’s throw from the Pompidou Centre, you’ll find Benoit, with a food and drink menu fit for a king. Established in 1912, this restaurant serves good old-fashioned dishes like pork pie, snails, black pudding, sweetbread and even royal hare, all prepared in the purest of bistro traditions.

If you happen to be in the Puces de Saint-Ouen district, take a seat at Paul Bert to try the chef’s traditional French cuisine. Right at the entrance to the flea market, this is the ultimate bistro-type eatery and all the dishes are prepared from fresh, seasonal ingredients.