6th Arrondissement

(C, S) Allard
41, rue St.-André-des-Arts. 01 43 26 48 23.
Daily, lunch and dinner.
This classic bistro features the cooking of the Aveyron region. Anyone who has had the duck with olives here probably hasn’t forgotten about it.

(T, S) L’Altro
16, rue Dragon. 01 45 48 49 49.
Tues–Sat, lunch and dinner.
Go here for decent Italian and a cool space that feels more SoHo loft than St.-Germain.

(C) Aux Charpentiers
10, rue Mabillon. 01 43 26 30 05.
A basic bistro that has been here forever and boasts homemade foie gras. Open seven days a week.

(S) La Bastide Odéon
7, rue Corneille. 01 43 26 03 65.
Tues–Sat, lunch and dinner.
The menu at this popular address will take you to Provence. Visitors on a quest for fantastic roast chicken would do well to consider a table here.

(S) Le Bistrot de l’Alycastre
2, rue Clément, in the 6th. 01 43 25 77 66.
43, rue Claude-Bernard, in the 5th. 08 92 68 06 89.
Le Bistrot de l’Alycastre prides itself on its bistronomie, the bistro’s artistic and elegant take on the widely used term gastronomy. Seafood is a must at one of its locations. Dinner for two will run you around 100 euros (including wine), so it’s a good place to save for a special occasion.

(S) Bread and Roses
7, rue de Fleurus. 01 42 22 06 06.
Mon–Sat, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.
Pick up picnic fixings at this excellent all-organic bakery on your way to the Luxembourg gardens, or enjoy a light lunch on the spot. Either way, you’ll want the cheesecake.

(C) Café de Flore
172, blvd St.-Germain. 01 45 48 55 26.
Café de Flore is a Parisian institution, and no stay in the City of Light is complete without a visit to this old stomping ground of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. It opened in 1887 and has been going strong ever since, playing the role of go-to café for writers, actors, directors, philosophers and artists. Stop in for a coffee or an aperitif, or sit down to a pleasant (though not inexpensive) dinner and take in the scenery.

(V) Le Canton
5, rue Gozlin. 01 43 26 51 86.
Good Chinese food (when you just can’t look at foie gras again). The rue Gozlin is quite small, running parallel to and south of the boulevard St.-Germain, beginning at the Emporio Armani shop and ending at the Aigle shop.

(G) Cherche Midi
22, rue du Cherche Midi. 01 45 48 27 44.
You’d never know it from the outside, but this is an Italian restaurant, with some of the best Italian food you’ll ever have. It’s quite small, so make a reservation to ensure a table. Great for lunch or dinner, and near the shops in the 6th.

(S) Le Comptoir du Relais
9, Carrefour de l’Odéon. 01 44 27 07 97.
A terrific little bistro that has become quite well thought of for lunch and dinner, featuring a single prix fixe menu at night. Reserve ahead for dinner!

(S) L’Epigramme
9, rue de l’Éperon. 01 44 41 00 09.
Tues–Sat, lunch and dinner.
In a neighborhood with no shortage of mediocre food, L’Epigramme stands out for its quality and value. It’s particularly good in the fall, when wild game is in season.

(V) La Ferrandaise
8, rue de Vaugirard. 01 43 26 36 36.
An affordable gastronomic experience with terrines, excellent fish and escargots—a modern take on the typical French fare.  

(D, S) Fish, la Boissonnerie
69, rue de Seine. 01 43 54 34 69.
Daily, lunch and dinner.
A warm, Anglo-friendly address with a fantastic wine list and Mediterranean-accented food. The owners, Drew Harré and Juan Sanchez, are also responsible for La Dernière Goutte (which explains the wine) and the Così sandwich shop (which explains the warm bread on the tables). Reserve a table or stop by for a glass at the bar.

(*, T) Fogón
45, quai des Grands Augustins. 01 43 54 31 33.
Tues–Fri, 7 p.m.–midnight; Sat–Sun, noon–2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.–midnight.
This is the address for creative Spanish cooking in Paris, from exquisite tapas to revelatory paella. Booking is imperative.

(*) Hélène Darroze
4, rue d’Assas. 01 42 22 00 11.
Named chef of the year by Pudlo and one of the city’s only female star chefs, Hélène Darroze makes this place nearly a must for any Girls’ Guide traveler. But be sure to reserve ahead. Frog legs, sweetbreads, Basque lamb or chorizo, plus a stellar wine cellar—try something daring. Le Salon d’Hélène is the bistro on the ground floor, and it is infinitely more affordable than the restaurant above.

(S) Huîtrerie Régis
3, rue de Montfaucon. 01 44 41 10 07.
If you’re craving oysters, Huîtrerie Régis is a good bet. The oysters come directly from Marennes-Oléron and are guaranteed to be fresh and delicious. Huîtrerie also sells oyster platters to go and delivers.

(S) Il Vicolo
34, rue Mazarine. 01 43 25 01 11.
This chic yet friendly Italian restaurant serves homemade pasta with attentive service in a pleasant atmosphere. Nice Italian wine list.

(*, T) Kitchen Galerie Bis (KGB)
25, rue des Grands-Augustins. 01 46 33 00 85.
Tues–Sat, lunch and dinner.
The younger and noisier offshoot of Ze Kitchen Galerie.

(G) La Maison de la Lozère
4, rue Hautefeuille. 01 43 54 26 64.
We discovered this wonderful place on one of our treks, and we come back regularly. It is next to the tripist office for the Lozère department, which is a region in the middle of France where most of the cattle are raised. Here they have delicious charcuterie, brown country bread and Aubrac beef, as well as wine from the region. This is a real find.

(*) La Marlotte
55, rue du Cherche-Midi. 01 45 48 86 79.
With a bright red exterior and a dark interior, La Marlotte is the second restaurant of Gilles Ajuelos. The menu won’t disappoint, and the wine list is ample. For lunch the restaurant offers a reasonable prix fixe menu, which includes wine (naturally).

(L) La Méditerranée
2, place de l’Odéon. 01 43 26 02 30.
A great place for seafood overlooking the beautiful Odéon theatre. (Of course, they also have duck, etc.) It’s nicer than a bistro, but not too fancy.

(C, L, D) La Palette
43, rue de Seine. 43 26 68 15.
If you’ve been gallery hopping and boutique shopping in the 6th, chances are you will have worked up an appetite. Stop in at La Palette, open since 1903, for a quick bite (sandwiches, salads, omelets) or a leisurely apéro (try the diabolo-menthe).  

(S) Paul
17–21, rue de Buci. 01 55 42 02 23.
These bread-focused breakfast/lunch shops are all over Paris, and this one is wonderful for breakfast or a takeout sandwich. My kids always loved to watch the bakers as they made the baguettes—something you can watch from the street through the picture window.

(T) Ralph’s
173, blvd St.-Germain. 01 44 77 76 00.
Daily, lunch and dinner.
Eat fried chicken, Caesar salad and clam chowder, surrounded by beautiful left-bank types, at this American restaurant in the new flagship Ralph Lauren store. The space is fabulous, especially the terrace, which will transport you to the Hamptons.

(G) La Sieste
16, rue de la Grande-Chaumière. 01 43 26 28 05.
A charming little Italian place just down the street from Wadja, if you’ve had enough of buttery cuisine.

(S) Le Timbre
3, rue Ste.-Beuve. 01 45 49 10 40.
Tues–Sat, lunch and dinner.
A tiny and charming bistro serving fantastic food by—surprise!—an English chef. Read a full review here.

(S) Wadja
10, rue de la Grande-Chaumière. 01 46 33 02 02.
A chef who trained with the star chef Alain Senderens has a perfect little bistro on this street near Montparnasse, serving affordable and deliciously inventive French cuisine.

(*, T) Ze Kitchen Galerie
4, rue des Grands Augustins. 01 44 32 00 32.
Mon–Fri, lunch; Mon–Sat, dinner.
This slick address is the showcase for William Ledeuil’s globally influenced cooking, so head here if you’re in the mood for fusion. Read a full review here.