It is in Paris where you can find the oldest restaurant in Europe (opened in 1582), La Tour D'Argent, famous for its specialty Ruan-style duck. The facility has a strict dress code (for example, jeans are not allowed here), and the average price of lunch will be at least 100 EUR.
The second Parisian "old-timer" is Le Grand Vefour restaurant. It is said to be the place where you can taste the best grape snails, foie gras and frog legs in the city. By the way, the legendary limbs are almost unavailable in restaurants today due to the ban on frog hunting in France, as well as the complicated procedure of their preparation. The average price for lunch in this restaurant in Paris is 250 EUR.
Another gastronomic legend and, judging by the number of reviews, the main restaurant of Paris is Maxim’s. It has been welcoming guests since 1893. To dine here, you must book a table in advance (sometimes a month or more ahead). Prices at Maxim’s are high — 200–300 EUR for lunch.
If you want to visit a place once frequented by Rodin, Renoir, and Goncourt, head to Cafe Drouant. It is famous for its bouillabaisse (a soup made from scorpionfish and sautéed vegetables) and oysters (the “oyster season” in France runs from September to April).
At Gallopin, since 1876, they have been serving the best onion soup in Paris! This world-famous dish is made with meat broth, caramelized onions, sherry, cheese, and croutons. For the main course, we recommend Coq au vin — a young rooster stewed in red wine.
By the way, if you're on a budget, you can order the same dishes at inexpensive restaurants in Paris (the quality of the food won't be affected). For example, go to Maison de la Truffe Marbeuf, Sarah Bernhardt's favorite restaurant. Its main "feature" is truffles (dinner of risotto with truffle, salad with truffle and dessert with truffle will cost about 55 EUR). Or to La Coupole restaurant, where Edith Piaf and Pablo Picasso liked to order seafood (the average bill is 30-45 EUR).
Prices in Parisian cafés are even more affordable. For example, Chez Clement offers traditional French cuisine, while Leon de Bruxelles specializes in mussels (a meal costs 25–30 EUR).
And to finish your meal, you simply must have a cup of coffee at one of the best cafés in Paris, such as Le Procope. The best profiteroles, mille-feuille, crème brûlée, and “Parisian breakfast” (a croissant with butter and jam) remain just as they were in Napoleon’s time — according to legend, he once forgot his tricorne hat here.
On rue Montorgueil, at the pastry shop Stohrer, you can taste the most authentic rum baba in the world — it was here that Nicolas Stohrer invented the recipe.
Andrey Burenok tells us how to eat Michelin chefs on a budget, and when to catch happy hours in Parisian restaurants and bars.
