Although this will be our 14th or 15th time in Paris, we haven’t stayed in this area; we’ve primarily stayed in the 17th, and 9th. We are aware that this is right now a “hot” arrondissement for chefs, young ones especially, and consequently a vibrant dining scene.
So, we’re looking for recommendations. A few parameters first. We do not like tasting menus. Tweezer food and precious plating, no thanks.
We rarely go anywhere farther than walking distance for dinner; we’ve developed an aversion to public transport at night. Our last several years in Batignolles, this was never a problem. One advantage: you become a “regular” at one or two spots pretty fast.
So, in particular . . . .
A casual café to start the day, ideally where laptops are interdit or at least discouraged; we realize this might be a tough one.
Casual for lunch: cafés, crèperie, Chinese (esp. Szechuan & dim sum), ramen, Thai, shakshouka, etc.
Dinner: bistros (more trad than not; not interested in Paul Bert), Moroccan, Lebanese, Alsatian, pizza (we know about Oobatz),
Anyone been to L’Homme Bleu? (A recommendation from a professional cook).
Right near you I highly recommend Enoué, which is very well-priced.
Many also recommend the nearby Brasserie Martin, but based on our meal there late on a Sunday night this past spring I wouldn’t return. My experience may be just a one off, though.
Much more expensive, very good but not as adventurous as it used to be is MAISON (Sota) by the ex-Clown Bar chef.
Also recommended further away in the 11th are Geosmine and Vaisseau. We went to both at lunch, not dinner. As of the middle of last year, Vaisseau was quite a difficult reservation; IIRC you have to book many weeks in advance on the day that they open reservations for the month, and it sold out in less than 20 minutes.
I highly recommend the bargain-priced Pierre Sang Oberkampf. It is a no-choice menu, but otherwise very unlike most tasting menus.
Chefs a Table is similar in style and price to Pierre Sang, but without the Asian/Korean influences of that restaurant.
Kubri for inexpensive, large portions of Lebanese.
While in the 3rd (Haut Marais), if the weather is nice I recommend Les Enfants du Marché, open seating in the covered market.
Right by the Square, I share Andy’s recommendation of Eunoé and his non-recommendation of Brasserie Martin. Very close by is Erso, which I highly recommend.
Others not too far away that I highly recommend include: Le Villaret, La Datcha, Géosmine, and Vantre since it changed chefs a couple of years ago.
Others in the area that I recommend, although a little less highly, include Picotte, Le Saint-Sébastien, Aux Bons Crus (useful because it’s open 7/7), Le Tagine, Kubri (but it can be very noisy).
Le Servan is just off the Square Gardette, but I’m less a fan of it than are many other people.
My last meal at Pierre Sang Boyer seemed formulaic, but otherwise it has been good value over the years (the original location on the corner of Oberkampf and Gambey).
Thank you all very much for your recommendations. It looks like we won’t have any problems filling out our dance card for restaurants.
We’ll definitely be trying Erso and Eunoé. Brasserie Martin is a two minute walk and we’ve had a few dinners that we liked at its sister restaurant Bellanger, so that’s an easy one.
Likewise for Aux Bons Crus; we’ve been to its sister restaurant Les Marches at least a half dozen times. Picotte, Le Saint-Sébastien, Le Tagine and/or L’Homme Bleu, Kubri, and Le Villaret — all will be on our list of possibles. Need to find out more about Vantre.
We love (and cook) Indian food, so we’ll be going to the nearby Delhi Bazaar. As well as Schmoutz for tarte flambée and Alsatian wines.
21G for XLBs, yes. We’re always interested in good Xiao Long Baos. We go to a Taiwanese cafe about once a month just for these.
Thanks for the reminder about Les Enfants du Marché and the upper Marais, an area we’re familiar with. We’ve been going to Angela’s every year (twice just a couple of months ago) since she opened (thanks, Parigi).
As I mentioned above, we’re not interested in tasting menus. So, Geosmine, Vaisseau, MAISON, and Pierre Sang are out.
When we stayed in that area in 2023, our favorite meal was Blanca, an intimate Argentinian with live music once a week I believe. Steak better quality than more renowned places we visited.
Surprised there are no mentions (at least that I’ve seen) of Argentinian in Paris
Thanks. I had only seen dinner reviews, and the lunch tasting menu prices were a turn off. I just found your review of a Geosmine lunch. Now that’s a possible.
I just read about the pork done three ways at Elsass, an Alsatian restaurant as the name suggests. Elsass now goes on the list of definites. Given the menu prices, the list of wines seems very reasonably priced (but we know little about Alsatian wines).
