My Favorite Paris Eateries & Drinkeries

In honor of my return to Paris in a few days, I want to finally devote a blog to commending what I consider to be some of the very best places to convert Euros into food in France's capital.

In the land of a billion restaurants, patisseries, boulangeries, and brasseries, it can be difficult to locate the really good ones among the average or below average ones that will gladly take your money and provide mediocre food. I had plenty of meals during which I immediately regretted my choice to go there. I hate wasting a single meal on bad food in Paris when I know that some of the best foods in the world are out there.

Fortunately I also stumbled upon many places that were incredible. I found some thanks to internet reviews, and so I intend to perpetuate this cycle by providing my own recommendations.

So here they are, my favorite Paris restaurants and bars:

L'Avant Comptoir - Spanish & French hors d'oeuvres bar with excellent mini plates of food & ridiculously cheap but delicious wine. Found this place on my last night in Paris & desperately wish I had found it sooner. It's a tiny restaurant, so there's squishy standing room only, but of course this prompts one to say bonjour to the other patrons and engage in great conversation (neighborhood: Saint Germain; metro: Odeon)

Le Temps Perdu - Amazing traditional French food in an elegant but rustic atmosphere, generous portions and much value for the reasonable prices. The staff was among the most friendly and helpful I ever encountered in Paris. I had the duck confit which was juicy and fantastic and was served over crispy, olive-oil fried hash browns. In an area where small, overloaded restaurants prevail, this one was spacious and classically decorated (neighborhood: Saint Germain; metro: Mabillon)

Comme A La Maison - Dainty & sweet little restaurant with pretty decor and a view of an open square. The menu is small (2 choices or so from each category) but with irresistable food. The old fashioned REAL hot chocolate is served similarly to Angelina (in a small pot with a glass of water to wash it down) and may not be quite as thick but is as rich and the atosphere, though drastically different, is better. Especially if a group of local kids start a pickup soccer game in the square despite the pouring rain, which occurred when I was there. (Neighborhood: Village Saint Paul; Metro: St. Paul)

Le Hangar - Small but impeccable portions of upscale French dishes, lovely & accommodating staff, and whether or not you order dessert, you get a nice little treat at the end of the meal. I ordered duck and potatoes at this restaurant too, and it was seriously perfection. Slices of duck on top of mashed potatoes that made me forget anything I ever liked about a Thanksgiving turkey. Everyone dining together tried each other's meals and none of us could decide whose was better. This is the kind of restaurants that will always be successful from word of mouth alone. One can't help but tell others to go there. (Neighborhood: Les Halles/Centre Pompidou; Metro: Rambuteau)

Dix - Sangria Bar where Toulouse-Lautrec style art cozily surrounds you. Feels the way Paris might have felt in the 60s, maybe, but what do I know? I do know that the sangria is as good as it gets and is priced for the local college crowd at 4 euros per glass. (neighborhood: Saint Germain; metro: Odeon)

Chez Prune - Perfect spot to rest from a long walk on Canal Saint-Martin to have a pitcher of sangria. This is the closest establishment I've found in Paris to what one might stumble upon on any given street in Barcelona. The bartenders were all hippies and the decor was eclectic but still rustically French. The view of the canal from the patio evokes scenes from Amelie throwing stones. Witnessing the canal's lock system carrying little ferries up and down the canal is certainly entertaining. I think when Americans picture themselves spending an afternoon whisked off to a Parisian cafe, this is what they really want. (Neighborhood: Canal St. Martin; Metro: Republique)

To me, one of the best parts of traveling is the process of searching for wherever I will fulfill my ideal visions of that city, often through food, always through atmosphere. I'm sure I barely scratched the surface of Paris, but these are the places I will visit the next time I'm there and they are the places I'll see, hear, taste, and smell in my dreams of my short life in Paris.