Places to eat in Paris

I lived in Paris for one year (2003-2004).

Well, Paris is one big restaurant, and there are hardly any bad places to eat.

Tips:

1. Go for a set menu - A very good option is to go to restaurants that offer a set menu - 2 or 3-course-meal, where you can choose between a few options for a appetizer, a few options of a main dish and a few options for a desert. Many restaurants offer this, not only for lunch. For lunch, you can easily eat well at a bistrot for as little as €8.
It is usually very attractive, price-wise and quality-wise.

2. Drink wine, not beer - Beer is out in Paris. You can get it but it is quite expensive compared to other countries. Wine is in. A glass of wine will probably be cheaper than a beer.

3. People watching is expensive - If you sit in a café outside on a trendy or touristic place, like Saint Germain, you will pay a lot for a glass of Cola or café - it can cost you €6 or even more. The reason is that the French like to sit on one coffee for hours and watch people go by. If it's not your wish, better drink a coffee on the counter inside some local café. There it can cost you €1,50.

4. Closed 2:30pm-6:00pm - Most restaurants are usually closed between 2:30pm (after lunch) until 6:00pm (for dinner).

5. Ask for water - In a restaurant, any restaurant, you can ask for a jug of water. You'll get it cold and free of charge, without that the waiter will think that you're stingy. This is unheard of in places like the Netherlands (greedy Netherlands). Just ask for "caraffe d'eau". No problem.

6. Supermarkets - There are great supermarkets in Paris. Monoprix is probably the best and fanciest chain. Franprix is less good and less expensive, and there are also the discounters: Ed, Leader Price, Lidl.

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Places I liked very much:

1. Le petit prince de Paris - it's a real gourmet restaurant, on a small alley on the Latin Quarter, just off the Pathéon. It's not very cheap, but not expensive at all for what you get. They have a set menu, actually a few of them, ranging between €18-€26 - for 3-course-meal. I've been there many times, also with visitors, and it was always perfect: service, atmosphere and of course, the food. Good English spoken.
Address: 12 rue de Lanneau, 5th quarter, Métro Maubert-Mutualité.
Phone: 01.43.54.77.26

2. Bistrot du 7ème - a great restaurant at all, cheaper and a bit less amazing than (1). Menu should be around €20. You can get a fois gras de canard for appetizer, a steak with bernaise sauce for main dish and pears in wine for desert, all for €20 (it was the price last year, I guess it didn't change much). Good English spoken.
Address: 56 Boulevard de La Tour Maubourg, 7th Quarter, Metro La Tour Maubourg.
Phone: 01.45.51.93.08

I'll update more places and tips. Enjoy Paris.