10 Of The Best Bistros In Paris Guaranteed To Help You Eat Like A Local (2024 Edition)

The Parisian bistro (or bistrot) is one of the city’s greatest culinary exports. But despite being replicated everywhere from Stockholm to Sydney, still no one does it quite like the French capital.

With tens of thousands accounted for in Paris alone, the bistro ranges from the humble and hearty traditional affair, to the fancier, new-wave, neo-bistro style.

Either way you can expect to gorge on the classics—boeuf bourguignon, steak tartare, frogs' legs, escargots, for example—while surrounding yourself in timeless Parisian interiors.

Here are 10 of the best bistros in Paris to check out this year.

Bistrot Paul Bert

18 Rue Paul Bert, 75011 Paris

Image credit: Bistro Paul Bert | Instagram

Le Bistrot Paul Bert is one of the most famous bistros in the city. Set up by Parisian local Bertrand Auboyneau in 1997, it has the look and feel of a much older operation, with tiled walls and vintage interior. Take your pick from the côte de boeuf (beef rib) for two, tête de veau (calf head) carpaccio or the steak au poivre (pepper steak), with classic sweets like their signature praline-buttercream Paris Brest pastry for afters. 

Joséphine Chez Dumonet

117 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 Paris

Old-school bistro Joséphine Chez Dumonet first opened in the late 19th century, and has been operated by the Dumonet family for decades. It’s known for traditional dishes, including a city-famous boeuf bourguignon, served at the table in a copper pot with a homemade tagliatelle. Locals love the little touches too, such as the complimentary amuse-bouche and a Grand Marnier soufflé served with a shot of Cognac.

Le Chardenoux

1 Rue Jules Vallès, 75011 Paris

Image credit: Le Chardenoux | Instagram

Helmed by celebrity chef Cyril Lignac, Le Chardenoux operates within the walls of a listed historic monument dating back to 1908. The interiors have since been reimagined in an Art Nouveau style by Swedish architect-designer Martin Budnizki, with a stunning painted ceiling working as the restaurant’s centrepiece. Here, according to Le Chardenoux, “fish comes first”, with signature dishes such as langoustine ravioli and salt-crusted sea bass among the headline dishes, while Lignac’s famed patisserie skills on show for the restaurant’s renowned baba au rhum. 

La Poule au Pot

9 Rue des Vauvilliers, 75001 Paris

La Poule au Pot has been a Parisian institution for more than 80 years, and changed hands for only the third time in 2018. Serving up self-described “bourgeois-inspired cuisine” of the 19th century through to the 1950s, the food is characterised in the most part as “in its own juice”, typical of 1930’s style. Originally a butcher’s shop, La Poule is now helmed by celebrity Michelin-starred chef Jean-François Piège and his wife Elodie, and is known for its signature gratinée à l’oignon (French onion soup), os à moelle (bone marrow), and Poule au pot (a whole chicken in a broth). 

À l’Épi d’Or

9 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 75001 Paris

Image credit: À l’Épi d'Or | Instagram

Located in Paris' historic market district, À l’Épi d'Or (At the Ear of Gold) has all the hallmarks of the quintessential Parisian bistro, complete with old tiles, mirrors and stained walls. The traditional affair from double-starred Michelin chef Jean-François Piège changes its menu on a weekly basis, with staples like oeufs-mayo (eggs with mayonnaise), croque monsieur and steak à cheval (beef burger with fried egg) always available.

Bistrot des Tournelles

6 Rue des Tournelles, 75004 Paris

Bistrot des Tournelles arrived on the Parisian bistro scene in 2022 and caused an immediate stir. The menu features a croque monsieur with the only Prince de Paris ham still salt-cured in the city, as well as classic desserts like crème brûlée, tarte Tatin and chocolate mousse. The tiny living-room-sized dining room features simple and vintage interiors with a small bar pouring a long list of small-production red wines and old-school French liqueurs. 

Robert et Louise

64 Rue Vieille-du-Temple, 75003 Paris

Image credit: Robert et Louise | Supplied

This iconic (and we mean *seriously* iconic) "restaurant de feu" (wood-fire cooking) first opened in 1958, and stays true to its simple, traditional principles. Patrons at Robert et Louise sit at communal tables by the open fireplace and feast on fire-grilled beef ribs, goose rillettes and andouillette (tripe sausage). Completely charming, unpresumptious and most of all delicious.

Lolo Bistrot

53 Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 75009 Paris

Lolo is a highly modern take on the Parisian bistro, with a neon-lit dining room and a regularly rotating, experimental menu. Featuring an open kitchen where you can watch chef Zac Gannat assemble your order, Lolo serves up eye-catching dishes such as an nduja scotch egg, veal tartare, sole in seaweed butter, and – wait for it – caramel and stilton tartelette. 

Mensae

23 Rue Melingue, 75019 Paris

Image credit: Mensae | Instagram

A modern, minimalist take on the traditional bistro, Mensae is a low-key neighbourhood joint, known for classic dishes like frogs’ legs with garlic and parsley, raviolis de gambas entiers (prawn dumplings) and its mousse au chocolat praliné. The perfect summer spot with a small sidewalk terrace, Mensae is helmed by MasterChef France finalists Thibault Sombardier and Kevin d’Andréa, and features a popular and affordable lunch menu that changes daily.

Le Cadoret

1 Rue Pradier, 75019 Paris

Local upper Belleville bistro Le Cadoret is a cosy corner restaurant, with an old zinc-topped counter, a mosaic tiled floor and a small street terrace. Having only opened in 2017 by chef Léa Fleuriot and her brother Louis-Marie, the venue is already loved for its modern twists on bistro classics. Their retro puddings, featuring île flottante and crème caramel, are a must.