If you think you’ve read the answer to my question here before, you’re right; and a variant of this question is asked all the time on the busy food websites. I was prompted to address it again last month by a relative who wanted to know my current thinking - so here goes. As usual I’ll suggest places in several different categories.
Best meal period.
Spring
6, rue Bailleul in the 1st (Metro: Louvre-Rivoli)
T: 01.45.96.05.72
Open for dinner Tuesday-Saturday, lunch Wednesday-Friday
Lunches now 44, 6-course dinner menu 76 €.
Typical bistro
Le Casse Noix
56, rue de la Fédération in the 15th, (Metro: Bir-Hakeim or Dupleix)
T:, 01.45.66.09.01
Closed weekends
Has a variety of formulas, menu-cartes and specials that run one anywhere from 16 to 35 € for a meal.
Best of a bad lot of brasseries
Le Brasserie de l'Isle/ile St. Louis
55, quai de Bourbon in the 4th (Metro: Cite or Pont-Marie)
T: 01.43.54.02.59
Closed Wednesdays
A la carte 35-40 E.
Seafood
Rech
62, ave des Ternes,17th (Metro : Ternes)
T: 01.45.72.29.47
Closed Saturday lunch and Sundays
A la carte about 50-60 €.
New and dazzling
Neva Cuisine
2 Rue de Berne in the 8th (Metro: Europe)
T: 01.45.22.18.91
Closed Saturday lunch and Sundays
Lunch menu, 29.50 for 2, 36 E for three courses, a la carte considerably more.
Classic and classy
Le Tour d’Argent
15-17, quai de la Tournelle in the 5th (Metro: Cardinal LeMoine, Maubert-Mutualite)
T: 01.43.54.23.31
Closed Sundays and Mondays
Lunch menu 65 €, a la carte 200 €.
French with a twist
Ze Kitchen Galerie
4, rue des Grands Augustins, 6th (Metro: Saint Michel)
T: 01 44 32 00 32
Closed Saturday lunch and Sundays.
Menus: 26.50-39 (lunch), 80 (dinner) and a la carte 90 €.
Old and new
Le 122: Bistrot d'Hier et Aujourd'hui
122, rue de Grenelle in the 7th (Metro: Solferino)
T: 01.45.56.07.42
Closed weekends, open for lunch Mondays-Fridays, dinner weekdays except Thursday and has an "afterwork apero-dinatore" from 6:30-10 PM except Thursdays.
Lunch formula at 16,50, menu-carte at 35 and 20 €.
On top of Montmartre
Au Clocher de Montmartre
10 rue Lamarck in the 18th, (Metro : none, Bus : Montmartrebus)
T : 01.42.64.90.23
Open 7/7
A la carte about 35 E
Elegant but lively
Les Jalles
14, rue des Capucines in the 2nd, (Metro:Madeleine)
T: 01.42.61.66.71
Open 7/7
Has a 42 E forced choice lunch "menu," and a la carte runs one from 50-75 E.
Wine bar/bistro a vins
Les Papilles
30 rue Gay Lussac, 5th (RER: Luxembourg)
T: 01.43.25.20.79
Closed Sunday and Tuesday and Thursday nights
Menu 28.50 €.
