The Top 10 Hottest Restaurants in Paris

Each week we try to bring you a review of a Paris restaurant worth noting but sometimes it nice to do a round up. Below are the hot tables, restaurants in Paris where you need to book ahead – maybe even several months in some cases, and booking might take patience. In the case of Septime, they do it on-line and I have found their method personally infuriating but after the headache of booking each restaurant, bistro or wine bar listed below we believe the experience will prove worth the hassle. Plus we’ve included a back-up plan for many in case you don’t have the patience.

Septime in the 11th arr. $$
Chef: Bertrand Grébaut
Seasonally fresh ingredients and natural wine, only open weekdays and nights. Read our review here. If you can’t get in to Septime try their sister restaurant Clamato next door.
Chef: Bertrand Grébaut
Focus on fresh fish and seafood and tables are given on a first serve basis (IE you have a real shot). Read Ten days in Paris’ review here.

Pierre in his newest restaurant 

Pierre Sang Boyer in the 11th $$
Chef: Pierre Sang
Former Top Chef contestant (the French version) opened his resto on the ever-hip rue Oberkampf several years ago and now as all hot chefs do in Paris he’s opened a second spot. Enjoy his no-choice menu that’s somewhat reasonably priced (under 50 euros). Read our review of the first resto here. Read the Paris Kitchen’s review of the new place here.

a beautiful room at Ledoyen 

Ledoyen in the 8th $$
Chef: Yannick Alleno
Classic Michelin star haute cuisine dining in this beautiful and historic room in the 8th has gotten much more exciting now that star chef Yannick Alleno has taken over. Formerly the Chef at Le Meurice and his own Terroir Parisien (as well as many more restaurants all over the world) paying over 100 euros for your meal might just be worth it! Read our review of Terroir Parisien and Bonour Paris’ write up of Ledoyen.

Richer in the 9th $
Chef: Adrien Bouchaud and Romain Lamon
Voted best bistro by Le Fooding this year, this open-all-hours bistro puts a spin on the classics. No reservations taken. Read our review here.

photo via Paris Kitchen 

Encore in the 9th $$
Chef: Masahide Ikuta
Just down the street from Le Richer you’ll find Chef Ikuta’s Japanese French fusion cuisine. The pig terrine is served as a whole pig stuffed – a real show stopper and the wine is natural, of course! Read Paris Kitchen’s review here.

The boys in the kitchen at Frenchie wine bar 

Frenchie in the 2nd $$
Chef: Gregory Marchand
Frenchie has been near impossible to get into since it opened five years ago. If you plan ahead and get lucky you’ll enjoy his beautiful creative modern French cuisine in a small relaxed setting.

If you can’t get into Frenchie, head to Frenchie Wine Bar or Frenchie to Go which are also on the same small rue in the 2nd. To enjoy the wine bar line up before 7pm when it opens to grab some stools and enjoy Chef Marchand’s cuisine tapas style (small plates and charcuterie). Read our review of Frenchie here and Frenchie Bar a Vins here.

La Pointe du Grouin in the 10th $

Chef: Thierry Breton
Here’s a natural wine bar that takes no reservations and the chef is 100% Breton (from Brittany) just notice his name. Things get a little crazy in here with a roudy crowd of chefs and winemakers singing as the night goes on but the atmosphere is friendly and the small plates affordable and delectable. Translation for the name: A pig’s snout.

If you can’t get into La Pointe du Grouin try the chef’s other two places nearby; Chez Michel and Chez Casimir. Read reviews of Chez Casimir here, Chez Michel And La Pointe here.  

La Buvette photo via Oenos 

Buvette in the 9th $$
Chef: Jody Williams
Opened last year by a friend of a friend who opened her place first in NYC. No doubt a bold move to open a Parisian-style restaurant as an American but La Buvette Gastroteque received a Le Fooding award, putting the casual modern French wine bar on the foodie approved list of go-to places. Read Hip Paris blog’s review here.

Boucherie des Provinces in the 12th $
Chef: Christophe Dru
This butcher shop/restaurant takes no reservations but diners insist its worth the wait for one of their 22 seats near the Marche D’Aligre. It’s fairly obvious that meat will be on the menu and just under 10 euros more than you’d pay for it raw during the day. Natural wines accompany. Read le Fooding’s review here.

gnocchi with truffles at David Toutain 

Restaurant David Toutain in the 7th $$
Chef: David Toutain
Formerly of Agapé Substance, this 2013 opening in the 7th arr is a heaven for those of us who crave more vegetables on our plates. Clever and inventive modern French food is on the no-choice menu here. Read Patricia Well’s review here. 

Le Perchoir 

Le Perchoir in the 11th $$
Chef: Benoit Dumas
A room with a view and one of Paris’ first real rooftop bars, you can avoid the long queue by booking to dine on Chef’s Dumas’ provençal menu. This place is more atmosphere than dining but you won’t complain with a view and a vibe like this. As is the method around town, the boys behind Perchoir have opened two more rooms with a view, La Passerelle and Le Perchoir Marais. Read Hip Paris blog’s review here.

Links:
Septime
Pierre Sang Boyer
Ledoyen
Le Richer
Encore
Frenchie
La Pointe de Grouin
Buvette
Boucherie des Provinces
David Toutain
Le Perchoir

Insider tip: Planning a trip to Paris? Be sure to get the GO-Card, your access to our little black book of resources on how to eat, live, play and stay in Paris. You’ll also get great deals from all of our 250-plus partners.