To understand a bit why this is such a cult restaurant, especially with our English brethren, it is essential to note that the 15th c. alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, is said to have once lived in this very building. If you haven't read the Harry Potter books, that might not resonate with you. But if you are a Potter fan, then you'll understand how significant this legendary alchemist, the one who, according to myth and legend was able to turn iron into gold, is to the history of Western Europe. Pop culture aside, this tucked away little auberge is a short walk from the Centre Pompidou and when you find it, you feel like you're the only one who possibly has. But no, on any given evening you will be surrounded by fellow diners who have come to enjoy the solid French fare served here in this historical setting.
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: It's delightful to imagine that the legendary alchemist Nicolas Flamel, who figured so prominently in Harry Potter books, might have once really lived here.
Paige's expert tip: Chef Alan Geaam serves up traditional French dishes with a contemporary take.The dining room is of an intimate size though because the place draws nightly crowds, it's not what one would call intimate dining. The menu offers French fare with a slight accent on simple countryside meals.
If the smell of roasting meats and plump chickens cooking on a slow rotisserie whets your appetite, this is the place to come when you're hankering for a hearty meal. There is a reason that this restaurant is featured in all the guidebooks: It is a Les Halles classic. It's a no-frills restaurant more akin to what we might call a diner in the U.S. The cuts of meats here are superior and this is where you come for that good steak-frites (steak and French fries) dripping in gravy and au jus that only the French know how to really do well. Desserts are classics as well and you'll find here the French favorites on the menu cr?me brulée, molten chocolate cake and a variety of icecreams.
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: A good choice when in the Les Halles district and long a favorite of foreigners visiting France.
Paige's expert tip: Best to come here when you have an appetite for the basics. French "basics" are delicious and nothing hits the spot like a good lunch of steak-frites when that's what you're hankering after.
It's stunning that there could even be a restaurant on this storied site. Equidistant between Les Halles and Le Louvre Museum, you are perfectly positioned here to transition from shopping to museum visiting when lunching at this restaurant. The terrace is practically an embarrassment of riches, so large is it, with views directly onto the new Les Halles canopy as well as the Eglise St.- Eustache. Inside, the glass walls keep this experience of spaciousness. The young chef, Ewout Vranckx, is adept at picking one product, making it central, and having all the other flavors help to fully express that central one. For instance, chestnut infused scallops, eggplant fired with rack of lamb. The wine list here is expertly chosen, from Sancerre to Syrah, to offset these complex flavor pairings.
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: A haven for wine lovers, you have over 150 wines to choose from here, 60 of which are certified organic.
Local Expert tip: Another practical advantage to integrating this into your shopping-museum day, is that it is open non-stop. So, if you got lost wandering in the Louvre and missed lunch hour, you can dine here and still order the main items from their menu, even between hours.
The interior of Chez Vong combines Chinese pottery, lanterns and bamboo screens and Parisian exposed stone walls to make a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. Although your check can grow quickly if you choose too many of the great offerings, the food is delicious. Rock lobster with ginger is worth a try, as is Peking-style lacquered duck. Not far from Les Halles are a wide assortment of Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants, many of which are frequented by the wholesalers/importers from the nearby wholesale district. This restaurant, however, is one that is frequented by not just the Asian community but also many French and foreigners looking for a genuine Vietnamese and Cantonese meal. Night time dining offers a bit of a different crowd, more families and less office workers. The soups can tend a bit towards the spicy but you can always ask for them to make it less "piquante."
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: Paris offers a variety of ethnic dining, and it's always good to know which ones have the loyal following among the local Asian community, too.
Paige's expert tip: Don't forget to admire the Buddha sculpture, he weighs a hefty 100 kilos and was sculpted by the chef himself. Midday gets crowded here fast with their regulars, but stop in for an evening meal and you will most likely be seated fairly promptly.
Established first in 1832 in the Les Halles quarter, this restaurant has stood at the very same location since 1879 where it is still today. It has witnessed the Belle Epoque, the Roaring 20s, two wars and all the decades since while dishing up its famous Normandy-origin cuisine to its loyal customers. Ornate painted mirrors, aged wood and molten glass add to the historical ambiance of this traditional restaurant. Dining rooms are both upstairs and downstairs with 5 smaller rooms you can privatize for small parties and receptions. The menu includes favorite dishes served in the Normandy countryside such as housemade andouillette and boudin (blood sausage) but there's also lighter fare on offer such as scallops for seafood lovers and tender chicken breast prepared with apple cider.
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: Classified as an historical monument, it is one of the only Les Halles restaurants from a bygone era that is still operational today.
Paige's expert tip: Some of the authentic Normandy specialties you find here on the menu are tripe from Caen, the artisinal ice cream maker Pedone and the dairy products from the esteemed Normandy house of Borniambuc.
This is one of those places where your French friends take you when they want to share a warm, traditional meal with you. Everything served here is a specialty of the Auvergne and Aveyron regions, two areas that the French tend to romantice for the purity of its country way of life. Whether that's just a tale or not, the aligot that they serve here is not to be missed. That's the specialty dish from this region that is mashed potatoes slow blended with melted-gooey cheese and garlic. If you have never had this you will think you have died and gone to heaven. Especially when it's cold outside and you're feeling like a stick-to-your-ribs meal is the thing that will set the world right again. Everything else on the menu, steaks, sausages, pork belly, are perfect accompaniments to those cheesy, melty mashed potatoes.
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: For a feeling like you're dining out in the country, this is the place to come, while you're literally in the heart of Paris.
Paige's expert tip: The upstairs dining room is a bit more relaxed, a bit more welcoming. The signature dish here is the aligot, a creamy, cheesy mashed potato stick-to-your-ribs dish if there ever was one!
You can't say you've really been to Paris until you've dined here at Au Pied de Cochon. The name of the restaurant means "pig's foot" literally translated, or pig's trotters for the culinary translation. And that is what the restaurant became famous for. Opened in 1947 by a former butcher. It has kept its authenticity, even if it has added a touch of elegance and refinement, over the years. The restaurant is known, and loved, for still making all their dishes by hand on premise. This is the place to order that plate of pork paté since it was made right there in the kitchens, and not bought from outside. And though they do sell hundreds of thousands of plates of pig's trotters here annually, the dish not to miss is their onion soup. It is one of the best in the city.
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: This restaurant is as much a Parisian institution as is Les Halles itself.
Paige's expert tip: The restaurant has long been a favorite of the theatre crowd who flock here after a show for a good, hearty hot meal. The Pied de Cochon has not closed its doors since it opened in 1947 and it stays open 24/7. Also, the portions here are more than generous.
One of the freshest of Les Halles' newer restaurants, this open-kitchen restaurant infuses the atmosphere with welcoming hospitality. Fish dishes are the house specialty, namely flaky pastry crust enveloped white fish morsels. It's a French specialty that harkens back to 'grandma's cuisine' a food trend these days that has people yearning for shared meals around family tables they remember from childhood. On this note, you'll find dishes on the menu that are meant to be shared among the table, even mains. Starters can feature a wild mushroom delicate pastry, paired with an artisanal wine served alongside a bowl of fresh-made gnocchi bathed in a creamy fish sauce. The Executive Chef here is Michel Rostang, who is the patriarch of a French culinary dynasty. He has brought in Chef Remi Henaux to head up these kitchens having done stints at Ledoyen and La Grande Cascade.
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: Fresh, light and fish-centric, this lovely new incarnation of an auberge-like restaurant offers indoor/outdoor dining.
Paige's expert tip: Wines are by no means an afterthought here. The restaurant director doubles as the sommelier and has endearing choices of small, artisanal wine producers to recommend for your pairings. Another of the house specialties is the chef's own take on crepes suzette. Not to miss.
Considered one of Paris' most romantic restaurants by locals and visitors alike, Georges offers sweeping views of the city's skyline. In fact, from up so high, on the top of the Centre Pompidou,you get the sense that the whole city is at your feet. Décor is modern in keeping with the museum's thematic of modern art. In the warmer months, the outside terrace seating is one of the best in the city. For the cooler months, the glass walls that surround you when seated inside still afford that breathtaking 180° view of Paris. Dishes here are classics like Scottish salmon and filet mignon, tender and juicy. There are slight Asian-fusion elements throughout so your sea bass will be served in a miso lacquer sauce for example and you can opt for rice as a side in place of the creamy mashed potatoes that come with your choice of meal.
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: Unbeatable panoramic views of the city from this 6th floor dining terrace makes it one of Paris' most romantic dining spots.
Paige's expert tip: For private parties the Georges offers several options: A smaller dining pod within the dining room that accommodates up to 15 seated guests around a common table. The larger dining pod accommodates up to 30. The entirety can be rented for private parties on Tuesdays, when the museum is closed.
Besides serving hot, tempting, overflowing plates of food until 5 a.m., Chez Denise is most well known for its hot, tempting, overflowing plates of French traditional food. The proper name is what you see written here above but everyone just refers to this red-checked tablecloth mainstay as Chez Denise. The fare here appeals to those who like to chomp into true classics, such as grilled marrow bones. All the while rubbing shoulders — and elbows and knees — with your fellow diners invariably sitting altogether much too closely to you. But since this is a favorite of the late night after club and post-dancing crowds, by that time of day (er, night) people tend to be much friendlier anyway.
Recommended for 1st Arrondissement - Les Halles' Best Restaurants because: This is the other go-to late night spot at Les Halles, and it, too, hosts a loyal following nightly.
Paige's expert tip: Portions here are big so come with an appetite. It's also best to come late at night, that's when the place fills up, after the clubs have closed.