Get your fill of steak-frites, soupe à l’oignon and other French classics at one of the very best bistros in Paris
The bistro: what a delightful mystery. First, its origins. Does it come from the Russian bistro? Or the Parisian slang bistingo? Who knows. What we do know is that since the 19th century, a bistro has been a cosy, down-to-earth eatery – more intimate than a brasserie and more affordable than a restaurant. The telltale signs? A timeworn interior, a laid-back and lively vibe, a charismatic, sometimes eccentric owner with plenty to say, and a menu packed with comforting classics; terrine, pot-au-feu, blanquette – we could go on.
But bistros have been evolving since the late 20th century. They’ve become the testing ground for a ‘new cuisine’ focused on quality ingredients, seasonality, and creativity – more accessible for diners and easier for chefs to launch. The neo-bistros we know and love now emerged from this desire to eat good, without the stiff formality of old-school fine dining. And so, bistronomy was born – a brilliant term coined by the late Sébastien Demorand. For the past decade, the team over at Time Out Paris have been scouring Paris – the world capital of the bistro – to bring you the very best. This guide rounds up old-school classics, inventive bistronomic gems, and fresh newcomers with globe-trotting plates – all offering unbeatable bang for your buck. Here are the best bistrots in Paris, all reviewed by our local editors.
RECOMMENDED:
🦪 The best restaurants in Paris
🥐 The best breakfast in Paris
📍 The best things to do in Paris
🏨 The best hotels in Paris
Antoine Besse is the Food and Drink Editor at Time Out Paris. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
Who’s running this neighbourhood café, that welcomes us with open arms from the first morning coffee to the last evening calvados? The incredible Florent Ciccoli, a seasoned serial restaurateur. In Recoin’s cosy little space with azure mosaics and blonde wood, pour over a delightful bistro menu with friendly prices, crafted by chef Julie Della Faille: think aged beef rib and Catalan chicory, and pasta with clams. A little corner of paradise.
📍 Where? 60 Rue Saint-Sabin, 75011 Paris
Act like you knew it all along: ‘Erso’ means ‘the wave’ in Provençal. And this bright little bistro, just a stone’s throw from Rue Saint-Maur, is riding the wave of refined yet unpretentious bistronomy, drawing inspiration from the flavours of southern France. It’s the brainchild of Marine Bert and Yann Placet, who first met at Pantruche and have now teamed up to open their own place—she’s in charge of the warmly designed dining room (think wood, cream, and blue tones), while he works his magic in the kitchen.
📍 Where? 18 Rue Saint-Ambroise, 75011 Paris
An industrial and bustling space launched by the duo Michelle Primc and Jérémy Grosdidier, where the staff in blue work overalls hustle between the open kitchen and terrazzo tables to serve seasonal, mostly vegetarian and regional dishes to local professionals. In the evening, Pristine transforms into a tapas bar with enticing offerings like leek baba ganoush and charred carrots.
📍 Where? 8 Rue de Maubeuge, 75009 Paris
For their ‘dent-de-lion’ (that’s dandelion to you and me), chef Antoine Villard and sommelier Morgane Souris have transformed this former colourful bar into a sleek, minimalist bistro with white walls, a concrete floor, and opaline pendant lights. The short (no lunch) set menu focuses on seasonal ingredients and classic French dishes (think foie gras and bouillabaisse), subtly infused with Asian influences from the chef’s time at Double Dragon. Bistronomy still has plenty of bite – Dandelion is proof.
📍 Where? 48 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, 75010 Paris
Remarkably given its location in a no man’s land between Gare du Nord and Barbès, Les Arlots has had us in raptures about saucisse-purée (aka sausage and mash) since it opened nearly 10 years ago. Thomas Brachet and Tristan Renoux have since expanded into bistro-bar Billili next door, but the original address remains the must-visit. Here, it’s all about the sausage; try the chou farci or caramelised beef cheek on your second visit.
📍 Where? 136 Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 75010 Paris
Think of this tall, white-tiled room as a chic laboratory, where Alice Tuyet and chef Erwan Crier have reinvented the vegan bistro. Faubourg Daimant’s kitchen is inspired by traditional neighbourhood cuisine, with comforting richness, legendary recipes and powerful sauces, but without any meat. Successes keep coming: the already famous crispy croquettes, carrots glazed with BBQ sauce, Provençal stuffed veggies. A plant-based delight.
Édouard Vermynck (formerly of L'Entrée des Artistes) has transformed the old Gaspard de la Nuit into a nearly century-old-style bistro with framed vintage photos, an antique mirrored sideboard and stunning hand-painted signage on the front. Embracing nostalgic charm, the menu at Bistrot des Tournelles features timeless French classics, well-executed and familiar, like sautéed porcini mushrooms, andouillette with matchstick potatoes and chicken with fluffy mashed potatoes. This is retro cuisine at it’s finest.
Behind the red Basque storefront, there’s a small room that Simenon would have loved, packed tightly with Baumann chairs, Formica tables, and vermilion moleskine banquettes. From this modest HQ, Paul Boudier and Albert Touton, former members of Chateaubriand, launched a bistronomic offensive that has taken the neighbourhood by storm. Le Maquis’s very reasonably priced lunchtime set menu offers knockout dishes with disarming simplicity, clockwork precision, and clever pairings. The evening gourmet menu is spectacular too.
📍 Where? 53 Rue des Cloys, 75018 Paris
Another local spot taken over by Florent Ciccoli, and yet another clear success. The decor? Layers of old frescoes, mosaic floors, and an old phone booth relic. The dishes? Pure and simple delight crafted by chef Hugo Giudicelli, with the waitress also serving up garlic ham-butter sandwiches. We love you, L’Orillon Bar.
Reading the menu while seated elbow-to-elbow with your neighbours in the small room (large mirrors, exotic wood, and whitewashed bricks), you can sense L’Arpaon’s two young chefs in their twenties, Yann Botbol and Nathan Sebagh, bustling in the narrow open kitchen, eager to have fun blending influences from Tunis, Tel Aviv, and Paris, from veal tagine vol-au-vent to lightly seared langoustines with amba mayo. It’s cheeky and charming neo-bistro fare.
Discover Time Out original video
