Where locals eat in Paris

The neighborhood places residents go back to, with what to order at each.

12 places in Paris · by Chef Amazing · updated October 20, 2026
Photo: Jorge Royan, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

1. 1

   Le Baratin

   French bistro · 20th arrondissement (Belleville)

   Get: the daily slate of slow-cooked dishes

   The bistrot Paris chefs go to on their night off.

   Critics: 72% liked it, from 4 reviews (2012 to 2024). Read Michelin Guide, The Infatuation 2024, Time Out 2012, Paris by Mouth 2023.

   The crowd: 4 of 5 on Yelp (93 ratings).

   3 rue Jouye-Rouve, 75020 Paris · Map · Add to Chef Amazing
2. 2

   Chez Georges

   French bistro · Sentier

   Get: the steak frites with bearnaise

   A mirrored bistro, little changed since 1964.

   Critics: 76% liked it, from 7 reviews (2015 to 2026). Read Gault&Millau 2026, The Infatuation 2026, Time Out Paris 2024, Gilles Pudlowski (Les Pieds dans le Plat) 2026.

   The crowd: 4.1 of 5 on Tripadvisor (742 ratings).

   Map · Add to Chef Amazing
3. 3

   Le Tagine

   Moroccan · Oberkampf

   Get: the couscous royal

   Neighborhood families at lunch, a family-run room for 40 years.

   Map · Add to Chef Amazing
4. 4

   Astier

   French bistro · Oberkampf

   Get: the cheese board, left on the table

   A warm, fairly priced 11th bistro.

   44 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011 Paris · Map · Add to Chef Amazing
5. 5

   Café des Ministères

   7th arr.

   Get: the vol-au-vent

   A bistro filled mostly with regulars.

   Map · Add to Chef Amazing
6. 6

   Chez Gladines

   Basque bistro · Butte-aux-Cailles

   Get: the salade landaise with potatoes

   A Basque bistro packed with locals and students.

   Map · Add to Chef Amazing
7. 7

   Le Severo

   14th arr.

   Get: the cote de boeuf with frites

   A small butcher's bistro for steak.

   Also on the list: Paris: what to eat and where.

   8 Rue des Plantes, 75014 Paris · Map · Add to Chef Amazing
8. 8

   Chez Janou

   French Provençal · Marais

   Get: the duck and the bowl of chocolate mousse

   A Provencal bistro with a terrace.

   Map · Add to Chef Amazing
9. 9

   Le Petit Vendôme

   French bistro · 2nd arr.

   Get: the jambon-beurre at the counter

   An old cafe for office workers' lunch.

   Critics: 82% liked it, from 6 reviews (2011 to 2025). Rising: the recent write-ups are better than the old ones. Read Time Out 2025, Paris Eater 2025, The Infatuation 2024, Time Out 2024.

   The crowd: 4.2 of 5 on Yelp (240 ratings).

   Also on these lists: Breakfast and sandwiches in Paris, Paris: what to eat and where.

   8 Rue des Capucines, 75002 Paris · Map · Add to Chef Amazing
10. 10

    Le Bistrot des Tournelles

    Marais

    Get: the eggs mayonnaise and a classic plat

    A bistro in a near century-old room.

    6 Rue des Tournelles, 75004 Paris, France · Map · Add to Chef Amazing
11. 11

    Chez Ibo

    Canal Saint-Martin

    Get: the chicken shawarma sandwich

    A shawarma counter Infatuation editors return to.

    218 Rue Saint-Maur, 75010 Paris · Map · Add to Chef Amazing
12. 12

    Boulangerie Utopie

    Oberkampf

    Get: the baguette and a black sesame eclair

    A neighborhood bakery with a queue.

    Also on these lists: Long lines in Paris, The best croissant au beurre in Paris.

    20 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud · Map · Add to Chef Amazing