By 
Bonjour! This past August, I spent four days in Paris. This was my second time in the City of Light. My first visit was in August 2015, just one month before I moved to LA!
There’s no doubt that Paris has amazing Italian restaurants, but having just spent the previous weeks in Italy and living in Los Angeles, if I go to Paris I’m going to immerse myself in classic Parisian bistros instead.
From croissants to crepes to a classic steak and frites, these are my musts in the city. I hope you enjoy them!
Le Petit Vendome
Wow! Without a doubt, this was by far my favorite bistro. I first came here after someone on Reddit recommended their jambon-beurre. Little did I know that Le Petit Vendome is actually highly regarded for theirs. It was even named the best sandwich in the world by Time Out in 2025!
When I went at around noon after seeing the Eiffel tower, it was full to the brim with people on the counter eating their sandwiches. There was even a line through the door, but thankfully, they managed to get me a stool on the very far end. While I was eating, I couldn’t help but ogle at the delicious dishes coming from the kitchen downstairs: impossibly golden fries and succulent meats.
The relaxed atmosphere and the warmth of the staff — something you don’t see very often in Paris — instantly put me at ease. They thankfully charged my phone, so I was able to take pictures, but the two things that stood out about the jambon-beurre were the rich butter and deeply flavorful, soft ham. The sandwich is made on the award-winning Julienne baguettes. It was good, but one of my biggest pet peeves with sandwiches is hard bread. This one was somewhere in the middle—not hard as a rock, but not the softest either. So, was it the best sandwich in the world? Not for me, but it was still a very good jambon-beurre.
The second time, I went for dinner and sat at a table. It was much quieter that evening. The old-school French music playing in the background, the knickknacks, and the string of caricatures hanging from the ceiling transported me to another era.
To start off my meal, I had a can of sardines with toasted baguette and butter. What can I say? I finished every last bite. The butter, just like the butter on the jambon-beurre baguette, was exceptional: creamy and salty, but not fatty in the slightest. For my second course, I had a perfectly roasted duck served over golden potatoes and tender mushrooms. Their dessert offerings usually rotate. Do not miss it! That day, it was an otherworldly strawberry cheesecake.
The staff was so friendly and laid-back. Our waiter even struck up a conversation with a father and son visiting from Tokyo. There’s nothing but good vibes at Le Petit Vendome. Highly recommend!
Chez Paul
I went to the highly acclaimed Bistrot Paul Bert to see if they could squeeze me in as a lunch walk-in, but it was closed for summer break, and Google didn’t show it as temporarily closed. After taking the metro across town, I wasn’t willing to give up on a steak au poivre, so after a lot of digging on my Google search and browsing the photos, I wound up at Chez Paul – and what a pleasant surprise!
Established in the 1900s, Chez Paul continues to embody the essence of a traditional Parisian bistro with classic dishes such as duck confit, steak tartare, roasted duck, and the quintessential steak au poivre, which is what I ordered.
The juiciness of the steak, combined with the seared peppercorns that provided just the right amount of heat and the creamy Cognac sauce, completely satisfied my craving. There was nothing better than sitting outside, people-watching while indulging in this fabulous steak. The fries are also worthy of a mention: golden, crispy, and perfectly salted, I could have easily eaten another bowl.
Overall, if you’re looking for a steak au poivre that won’t break the bank, Chez Paul is a stellar option.
Fauna
This is where all the cool girls go in Paris. I found out about Fauna on an Instagram reel where the interviewer asks very stylish Parisian girls their go-tos in the city, and two of them mentioned Fauna.
Conveniently located within walking distance of Le Marais, Fauna’s interior is influenced by Scandinavian design. Fittingly, Fauna was created by Swedish childhood friends Filip Josefsson and Jacob Köhler, bringing a taste of Scandinavia to Paris.
Since I had already eaten before but wanted something sweet, I ordered their cinnamon cardamom bun and an iced matcha latte. Part of me regretted not ordering the Scandinavian breakfast, which looked temptingly delicious.
The girls who worked there, blonde with doll-like features, were very accommodating. One of them was kneading dough in the open kitchen. The only downside was that, because the cafe was very busy, I waited about 30 minutes for my matcha. After telling them not once, but twice, that I was still waiting for my drink, they profusely apologized on behalf of the barista and comped it. In the picture above, the cardamom bun was supposed to be whole, but the wait for the matcha was so long that I couldn’t resist taking a small bite. It was my first time ever trying a cardamom bun, and I loved it, especially the combination of the warm spice and the soft bread.
Just like I expected, Fauna was bustling with effortlessly cool French girls and a few tourists. I loved the vibes and I will definitely be back next time I’m in Paris.
Le Relais de Venise
I’ve been to Café de Paris in Madrid multiple times. Originally from Geneva, Switzerland, Café de Paris was founded in the 1930s and is still in Geneva, but licensed restaurants have since opened internationally.
Café de Paris is not related to Le Relais de Venise, but it follows the same prix-fixe menu concept: a lightly dressed green salad followed by steak and frites served with a butter-based sauce. One of my dreams was to finally experience this at one of Paris’ most legendary institutions. I was staying at Porte Mailot, which was about an 8-minute walk from Le Relais de Venise. As soon as I checked into my Airbnb, I eagerly made my way there.
It was just like I pictured: women in short black dresses with crisp white aprons welcoming me into this bistro haven. The steak was delicious, but the green buttery sauce was the star of the show. It was rich and herbaceous, with the butter playing second fiddle. The fries that day were some of the best I’ve had anywhere: golden, perfectly crispy and just with the right amount of salt. I relished when my waitress poured a second serving.
Although the exact ingredients aren’t public, the sauce is rumored to contain butter, anchovies, Dijon mustard, herbs, and capers. Some people even say chicken liver is part of the recipe. What an odd combination, isn’t it?
On my last day, before catching my flight back to Madrid, I wanted to come back for one final meal in Paris. This time, the fries weren’t nearly as good or as crispy as they had been on my first visit, when I went about half an hour before closing, but they were still decent. I even spotted a family at the restaurant who ended up being on the same flight as me later that day back to Madrid. What were the odds?
Note: Avoid l’Entrecote de Paris unless you want to fall into one of Paris’ biggest tourist traps! I can’t believe I waited for an hour before the opening time. It was so disappointing: the mildly flavored herbaceous sauce, my “medium” entrecote that leaned much closer to rare, and the measly portion that left me hungry. A huge disappointment. No wonder even the French seemed to avoid this place.
Le Relais de Venise harkens back to 1959, when Paul Gineste de Saurs created the concept at Porte Maillot. This is the original location I visited, but there are several around Paris.
On the other hand, l’Entrecote de Paris has been serving its own version since 1974. Both are famous for their , but the two restaurants are not related.
Croissants
(Left) Chocolate croissant from Boulangerie Utopie. (Right) Croissant from The French Bastards
Unfortunately, a few of the award-winning croissant places I wanted to go were closed for the summer: La Maison D’Isabelle, Cyril Lignac and Cedric Grolet. These were all closed mid-August. However, I went to other internationally recognized places, like Les French Bastard and award-winning bakery Boulangerie Utopie.
In all honesty, they were good, but nothing that made me stop dead in my tracks and want to go back. In fact, dare I say, the croissants I had at random brasseries and independent coffee shops were better—like Monsieur Madame in the 17th arrondissement.
I would still go to Cedric Grolet for the insane croissant lamination, but after visiting the two famous places aforementioned, just like the Reddit comments said, there’s no need to travel your way across town for a croissant in Paris.
Fauna is in Oberkampf, while Chez Paul is closer to Bastille. Around here, I came across places like Moon Croissant and Café Obrkof. I really liked this part of the 11th arrondissement because the businesses felt distinctly local and there weren’t as many tourists.
Sadly, I didn’t go to Moon Croissant because by the time I came across it, it was already afternoon, but it was impossible not to admire the beautiful lamination of the croissants displayed by the window.
Cafe Obrkof
Cafe Obrkof sources the coffee from different countries, and it was probably the best coffee I’d had in Paris. By the time I walked in, one of the cooks was pulling out a rack with fresh croissants — but now that I’m looking at the menu, I wish I had ordered one of their scones with butter and homemade jam, or their famous banana bread toast! 😭
Hotel Ritz
No, I did not spend a night at the Ritz Paris, where a night averages between $3,000 and $4,000, but if you want to be treated like literal royalty, sashay down its luxurious entrance hall and take a seat in its mahogany tea room, also known as Salon Proust.
Their menu features tea and canape pairings that range from 90 euros, but even getting the cheapest things on the menu is absolutely worth it. For me, that was a 9 euro coffee and a scoop of vanilla ice cream that I’m still thinking about because it was that good. Looking back, I should have gotten another one. They even gave me complimentary chocolate afterward!
My phone was charging so I did not take a picture. There was nothing like slowly sipping my coffee, eating my decadent scoop of vanilla ice cream on a metal cup, taking in the ambiance of the space — including the wealthy guests that strutted down the hall to their rooms, or being called madam and asked if everything was up to my liking.
Afterward, you have to explore the rest of the premises, like the manicured garden, where I sat for an hour, or the shopping gallery, Galerie du Ritz Paris. And yes, you need to make a trip to the restroom just to wash your hands at the sink, with its elaborate golden duck faucet.
Right across from the tea room, you’ll see the Le Grand Brunch hall, where the brunch menu is set at 220 euros. There’s also a Michelin-starred restaurant in the hotel, Espadon.
About two days after my visit, Bradley Cooper and Margot Robbie were spotted leaving the hotel while filming the upcoming Ocean’s Eleven prequel. The hotel has also appeared in three Audrey Hepburn films. The Ritz is synonymous with luxury and opulence, but there’s something about the Paris location that makes it feel like you’ve stepped into a different world.
Crepes
The biggest cluster of crepes in Paris is in Montarpasse, just two metro stops away from the Eiffel Tower.
I ended up going to Creperie Bretonne, but one of the most famous creperies around the area is Creperie Josselin, which was located just right across from Creperie Bretonne.
The best way to get the full creperie experience in Paris is by having two: a savory crepe, better known as galette, and a sweet one for dessert. It doesn’t look as pretty but it was so good! For dessert, I wanted to keep it simple so I ordered mine with butter and lemon. Something to note is that despite all the fillings, crepes are very light.
My favorite crepe however, was near Notre Dame. Like I usually do, I deviated from the crowded and touristy places. On Rue Saint-Louis, I came across Creperie Le Sarrasin et le Froment. The walk-up window caught my attention, and then I took a peak inside and saw that it was empty, even better! The lovely man gave me the menu – overwhelmed with so many options, I had to take my time. I’m not the biggest fan of chocolate crepes, so I ordered mine with a confit of orange and honey, alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was delicious!
When looking up for the best crepes in Paris, Breizh Cafe is another popular option, with multiple locations across Paris, but many people report it as overhyped.
Chez André
Summers in Paris mean broad daylight at 10pm, so a late dinner reservation is totally acceptable. After taking a few pictures by the Eiffel Tower, I wanted to try L’Entrecote de Paris—which I ended up visiting another day and was a complete disappointment. Discouraged by the hordes of people waiting in line at such a crazy hour, I wasn’t willing to have dinner at 11 pm, so I went to Chez André, right across the street.
I was seated right away. There were tourists but many French were walking through the door. Next to me, an older blonde woman with a raspy voice holding a cigarette was entangled in a deep conversation with a middle-aged man. Another group of friends who also spoke French walked in.
Opened in 1936, Chez André continues to take pride in its traditional French fare and classic Parisian bistro atmosphere.
I had the duck and a salad. Admittedly, the duck was not my favorite, as it was a little too fatty for my taste. The potatoes, however, were downright delicious. The salad afterwards filled me right up, and dessert was chef’s kiss. Overall, I highly recommend Chez André, though I’d probably order something different next time.
Chez Eugene
After getting a workout climbing the stairs of Montmartre early in the morning, I was sweaty and ravenous for a sit-down breakfast. In Place du Tertre, Chez Eugene caught my attention. Touristy? Like most places in Montmartre, yes. But eating this breakfast while looking out at the painters was a sight to behold. The toast, like so much of the bread I had in Paris, was excellent.
Other places
- If you’re looking for that Emily in Paris experience, two of the most iconic — and overpriced — spots are Café de Flore and L’Avenue. Café de Flore even appears in the show, while L’Avenue is a longtime celebrity hotspot. On my way to L’Entrecote de Paris, I passed by Café de Flore and spotted a beautiful-looking omelette.
- Who doesn’t love watching Dua Lipa’s dreamy Instagram posts? She’s the epitome of the effortless cool girl. From spontaneous trips around the world in Italy, Spain and Jamaica to her impeccable taste in books and restaurants, she somehow makes everything feel like a vacation. Her newsletter, Service95, does not disappoint either. I highly recommend checking out her Paris guide. Most of the places she recommends for steak and frites are on the higher end, but there are plenty of other spots that might pique your interest, like Early June or Le Servan. I couldn’t go to Early June due to time, but it’s on my list for the next trip!
- Pavillon: I did not come here, but when I treated myself to a luxurious facial at Biologique Recherche in Champs-Élysées, I asked my esthetician, Leila, what her favorite restaurant in Paris was, to which she replied Pavillon. In fact, she liked it so much that she celebrated her birthday there!
Bon Appétit!!
