The Paris Hit List, Summer 2023 Edition: Tekés, Les Enfants du Marché, and More

The more formal outpost of Kunitoraya, the Japanese udon bistro of the same name a few doors down, has a new focus since its owner Masafumi Nomoto, who first opened the business in 1991, dropped modern French-Japanese cooking for a yakitori fixed price tasting menu. Served omakase style, and only available in the evening, the menu runs from sea urchin and tuna starters to skewered chicken, langoustine, and wagyu beef for the pricier of the two options (180 euros), ending with an udon soup and a more French-inspired dessert. While the menu has changed — after all, Nomoto was the first to bring udon to Paris but now it is ubiquitous; it was time for his next move — the beloved interior with zinc countertops, mirrors, white ceramic wall tiles, and a turn-of-the-century vibe remains happily unchanged.

Reservations available online here.

If Philly’s Zahav were vegetarian, it might look something like Tekés, one of the most exciting restaurants from the Israeli chef Assaf Granit and his team in Paris. Accessible either from the street or through the calm, cobblestone-covered courtyard that belongs to Klay, guests instantly get a sense that things are done a little differently here. Aesthetically, the designer Rodolphe Albert of Studio Cent15 architecture did up the dining room in natural, earthy tones, and materials with soft pops of color that signal an ode to nature without resorting to the usual plant-heavy decorative touches one might expect from a vegan or vegetarian restaurant. The menu, developed and overseen by chefs Cécile Levy and Dan Yosha, is equally as sharp, incorporating generously-portioned dishes cooked over charcoal and embers. Highlights include the couronne, a challah-esque bread made with olive oil and sea salt, and the druze galette topped with garlic and za’atar that’s great for dipping in labneh, the vegetarian “chicken liver” dish, which is prepared with caramelized onions and mushrooms, sans butter; gnocchi with eggplant and mulukhiyah in a sumac beurre blanc sauce; and a crème brulée made with Jerusalem artichoke cream and celeriac tartare. Another rarity for Paris: most dishes can be made vegan upon request. Don’t miss the plant-based cocktails and a wine list heavy on Mediterranean bottles.

Reservations available online here.

The French like to joke that Paris would be a utopia if only it were located by the sea. But here, the best of la mer comes to the big city with a seafood menu that highlights the country’s top-quality wild fish sourced from small-scale fishermen. With a simple but elegant dining room inspired by 1930s glamour, the space feels fit for a transatlantic luxury liner. There are buttery leather banquettes, spacious tables, white tablecloths, mirrors lining the length of the room, and shell-shaped sconces and moldings as subtle maritime touches. On the plate (Gien dishware, to be precise), the chef and co-owner Mathieu Poirier (who also oversees the menu at this spot’s upscale sister brasserie two doors down, La Belle Époque) does up fish and crustaceans in various forms – raw in tartare or carpaccio; marinated; grilled or cooked en croûte; plattered or plated – with seasonal accompaniments. And like any good bistro, there are suggestions du jour that you should absolutely consider seriously.

Reservations available online here.

Among the food stalls in the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in Paris, this natural wine and seafood-heavy comptoir tucked into a corner is not only the hottest place to eat with the best playlist, but the spot with the longest hours. Long after the lunch crowd has emptied out of the market, you’ll find natural wine aficionados, culinary travelers, and industry folks lingering at the counter or high tables over oysters; razor shell clams; fish croquettes; squid in a ginger mayo sauce; sea urchin with white asparagus and a duck-kumquat consommé; spider crab salad with fava beans, green peas, and wild garlic; and red tuna belly, all prepared by chef Shunta Suzuki. If seafood isn’t your thing, they also have a selection of meat dishes, fine charcuterie, and a cheese board prepared upon request. As casual as it is, the prices are anything but: expect to drop anywhere from 20-45 euros per dish. It’ll be well worth the splurge for the quality, the energizing vibe in the market, and the access to exceptional wines by the glass or by the bottle.

Walk-ins only; fills up fast during lunch, so arrive early.
Now open until 10:30 p.m. Tues through Saturday; closes at 5:30 p.m. on Sundays.

One of the most successful openings amid the pandemic was this old-world bistro, previously known to locals as Le Taxi Jaune, a Marais institution since 1936. The couple Bastien Fidelin and Sarah Michielsen, alongside their friend and chef Julien Chevallier, took over in 2021 and turned it into a 32-seat bistro, preserving many of the original decorative features that guests love most, from stunning stone walls, a copper-topped bar, and the kinds of classic bistro floor tiles that elicit heart-eyes emojis on Instagram. There may be freshly-ironed white tablecloths on each table but the experience is relaxed and the food is loyal to Parisian bistro classics with a modern flair. You might find the chou farçi in a veal broth; sweetbreads with hazelnut butter set on a mound of luscious mashed potatoes; spelt risotto with spring vegetables, spinach, and parmesan; pillowy gnocchi in a butter-sage sauce and topped with fried sage (now a signature dish); and for dessert, a chou stuffed with coffee ice cream and drizzled with warm chocolate sauce when it’s served. The wines are perhaps the most modern element of all, highlighting largely natural or biodynamic bottles and many affordable options by the glass. To take some of Fidelin’s favorite bottles home with you, head across the street to the Parcelles Épicerie-Cave.

Reservations available online here.

After creative, unrestrained bistronomy cooking took the capital by storm in the last decade, the fervent revival of Parisian dining staples was inevitable. Young upstarts have gotten into the bistro and brasserie game but some of the best takes on classics come from more experienced chefs and restaurateurs, like this meat-focused bistro between the Place de la Bastille and the Place des Vosges. Started by Édouard Vermynck, who ran the excellent (but now-shuttered) L’Entrée des Artistes wine bar, and the chef Geoffroy Langella, this nostalgic bistro has guests drinking mostly Beaujolais wines while tucking into perfectly executed and familiar favorites, largely by candlelight: deviled eggs; pan-fried oyster mushrooms sprinkled with parsley; grilled andouillette or filet de boeuf served with perfect, all-you-can-eat fries; and a comforting daube de boeuf Provençal before finishing with a crème brûlée or tarte tatin with a dollop of raw cream. It’s no wonder Le Fooding named this the best bistro in its 2023 guide.

Reservations available online here.

His cooking may be experimental at Ultraviolet in Shanghai but the triple Michelin-starred chef Paul Pairet leaned on the classics of his homeland for his big return to France. Earlier this year, he opened his Nonos & Comestibles, his first project in Europe since the early aughts, inside the Hôtel de Crillon. Billed as a revival of the French steakhouse format of the 60s and 70s, complete with servers who present meats, cheese, and other dishes on trolleys and complete their preparation directly at the table, the 60-seat Nonos gussies up the classics. Diners will find everything from onion soup and cheese soufflés to premium grilled meats and fish, as well as traditional dishes like seafood vol-au-vent. Comestibles, a deli with its own intimate outdoor dining area, runs all-day service focused on ingredient-driven snacks such as oysters, pâté en croûte, and Gascon cured ham.

Reservations for Nonos available by email: crillon.restauration@rosewoodhotels.com
Walk-ins only for Comestibles.

It caused quite a stir in the haute cuisine scene in 2021 when it was announced that Alain Ducasse and his triple Michelin-starred restaurant at the five-star Plaza Athénée, where he first introduced the concept of naturalité, would be shutting its doors and taken over by Jean Imbert, an Instagram-famous chef who won Top Chef France in 2012. Part of the side-eyeing was related to Imbert’s relative lack of fine dining credentials. He didn’t have any stars to his name but instead plenty of celeb friends (Pharrell, chief among others), brand collaborations, and a robust following of young diners. But that was the formula that allowed the Plaza Athénée to reinvent itself post-Covid. Food critics were skeptical (as was I!) but his throwback to the grandfathers of French haute cuisine, Escoffier and Carême, has clearly resonated. The old-school menu revives and riffs on historic dishes that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else — such as green asparagus prepared as a Vichyssoise (a cold vegetable soup invented by chef Louis Diat in 1917 when he helmed the kitchens of the Ritz-Carlton in New York); the langoustines à la Parisienne (“as elegant and beautiful as Parisiennes,” the menu explains), first cooked in a court-bouillon and then chilled; and even a Fontainebleau, the crème fraiche or curd-like soft cheese mixed with whipped cream that first emerged in the 18th century, as part of the collection of desserts.

The wines lean a bit too conventional for my taste, dominated especially by a list of well established domaines from Burgundy (little to no natural or biodynamic options from small producers), but the selection matches the ambiance. Meanwhile, the experience takes place in a dramatic dining room that wouldn’t be out of place on the grounds of Versailles — crystal chandeliers, Christofle cutlery, and a striking red marble-topped banquet table that extends through the center of the dining room, embellished with oversized vases filled with dusty pink hydrangeas. For all its opulence, the service is refreshingly laid-back and warm. Your glass will be filled to the brim before it’s even close to being empty but the servers lack the stiffness guests might recall from the experience when Ducasse held the reins. If an over-the-top experience is on your dining wishlist, book here.

Reservations available online here.

With its significant Lebanese diaspora, Paris has a number of well-loved, casual Lebanese restaurants, but most hew to traditional recipes. Kubri, opened by sisters Mayfrid and Ingrid Chehlaoui with executive chef Rita Higgins, is an ode to contemporary Lebanese cooking with flavors that span the Levant. In a graphic space redesigned by Mur Mur in terra cotta enameled ceramic tiles, white plaster walls, and several alcoves with seats, in addition to the open-kitchen counter seats, Higgins draws from her home country, but also her years living and working in Japan. Mezze and family-style mains change seasonally but a few standouts will be hard for her to take off the menu: the hummus with a poached egg and shimeji (small Japanese mushrooms), a labneh-feta mélange topped with broccolini, thinly sliced radishes, olive, and mint leaf, the sweet-sour Kataifi-wrapped halloumi stick coated in spicy honey and dukkah, and a slow-cooked, Shawarma côte de boeuf that melts in your mouth – to be shared among five to six people. The wine list is strong but here, you’ll want to pair or finish your meal with one of five excellent craft cocktails like the Lebanese Date, a mix of Bulleit rye, cinnamon, date water, and orange blossom.

Reservations available online (lunch and dinner) here.

As one of the precursors of the bistronomy movement in Paris, which saw a rejection of codified cooking rules and stiff dining experiences, Iñaki Aizpitarte and his 16-year-old neo-bistro Le Châteaubriand hardly fly under the radar. His new lunch tasting menu available only on Fridays, however, is anything but common knowledge. Launched quietly earlier this year, the influential chef’s 65 euro tasting menu for lunch (sans wine) is as equally anchored to hyper seasonality and ingredient-driven cooking as the experience in the evening. On a recent Friday, it featured fried bouquet shrimp, scallops dressed simply on the plate with agretti and served with a green pea and smoked ricotta velouté, wild white and green asparagus prepared three different ways, pigeon with perfectly puffed pommes dauphines, and a Brazilian walnut Paris Brest for dessert. Expect 110 euros per person when you tack on the wine pairing — still an incredible value given the restaurant’s caliber.

Reservations available online here.

The second and more ambitious project from Marine Gora and Romain Tellier, founders of the coffee shop-canteen of the same name in the Marais, puts the duo in the 11th arrondissement — still the go-to neighborhood for truly inventive dining and unbeatable value. Set across from Bouche (which made my list last spring), this café-meets-wine bar is open continuously from 9 a.m. breakfast to midnight. If one of the signatures at the original Gramme was the banh mi hot dogs, here it’s the Vietnamese chou farçi (stuffed cabbage with pork and shrimp) served in a shrimp bouillon, on the menu at lunch and dinner, with house beer and wines that lean natural and biodynamic.

Reservations recommended and available online here.

Few Parisians in wine have created as universally beloved spaces as Camille Fourmont, owner of the natural wine bar institution La Buvette. Now, she’s devoting her attention to a second bar, this time with an emphasis on cheese. Occupying a former chocolate shop across from the Gare de Lyon, Olga has many of the same old-world aesthetics La Buvette regulars love most, from mirrors and well-loved wooden cabinetry to vintage dishware and tiled floors, plus a well-stocked case of French cheeses. Because if natural wine is the hero of her first bar, it’s cheeses like tomme from the Jura or Savoie region, a dried sage-coated Saint Jacques from Rambouillet, or Brillat-Savarin, that drive the rest. Cheeses (like the bottles of wine) are available to take home, can be incorporated into hearty baguette sandwiches for lunch or sliced for apéro, alongside a smattering of other small plates.

Walk-ins only. More info here.

After opening two of the most well-hidden, hip, and genuinely fun restaurants in Paris, Caché and Amagat, the Italian restaurateur Gianpaolo Polverino continues his mini empire with Italian cooking at Santa Silvia. The first of his three restaurants that guests stumble upon at the end of a long cobblestone alley, the spot occupies an old barn that’s been overhauled to feel like a chic Italian home — with an intimate dining room and open kitchen on the ground floor, and a surprising living room style space with a fully stocked bar upstairs that can also be privatized for groups. The menu includes fine charcuterie; focaccia; radicchio salads; fresh pastas such as pappardelle with lamb ragoût, mint, and pecorino; and a twist on the tiramisu (with coffee ice cream and mascarpone mousse) that unsurprisingly became an instant hit.

Reservations available online here.

After working as a sous-chef at Gjusta and Gjelina in Los Angeles, and opening Echo, the Cali-inspired canteen in Paris, the L.A.-born chef Mailea Weger returned to the states in 2019 to start over. Before the pandemic, she opened Lou Nashville in a 1930 craftsman house in Riverside Village with a Parisian-inspired interior aesthetic and a menu that merges West Coast and European cuisines (plenty of natural wines, ultra seasonal vegetable-focused shared plates, and a highly popular brunch menu). In March, she opened Lou’s Parisian outpost in the Saint Ambroise section of the 11th arrondissement, doubling down on a nouveau Americana menu — a style that has seldom been executed with great expertise in the French capital — and a bright, white-washed dining room with a glass-enclosed kitchen as the focal point.

Weger and her kitchen staff (for the moment, they hail from Mexico and Thailand and infuse their own influences into the mix) have come up with a lunch menu built around generous shared plates, like tostadas; a braised lamb hash with winter squash, confit shallots, gouda, and habanero sauce; an asparagus salad with marinated celery, snow peas, and radish dressed in a yogurt ranch sauce and topped with fried capers; sourdough bread served with fermented pineapple butter; and a gargantuan buckwheat pancake that yields audible gasps when it arrives to the table, as much for its size as for the generous dollop of malt butter and salted chocolate syrup on top. There’s a different menu in the evening that pairs beautifully with a sharp selection of more than 200 bottles of natural and biodynamic wines handpicked by sommelier Fabrice Mansouri (who previously ran La Cave à Michel). Coming soon: the Lou wine shop directly next door.

Reservations available online via Google or by phone: +33 09 87 02 00 11.

The Manila-born and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Erica Paredes has cooked for chefs, private clients, and in pop-ups in Paris for nearly a decade but really earned attention during the city’s strict pandemic lockdowns when she was selling Filipino twice-fried chicken for pick-up. That dish lives on as a fixture of the menu at Reyna (which means queen in Filipino), her first restaurant which opened last year. Here, they’re served in portions of three or five with several sauces of varying degrees of kick — the adobo, a balsamic and soy glaze topped with garlic yogurt; the Patis Caramel, made from fish sauce; and the Pinatubo, a spicy mango habanero with chile oil and Thai chilis. Having lived in other parts of the world, Paredes’ cooking reflects multiple influences. As she puts it, guests should not expect any strict adherence to tradition on the menu, but it will transport them. Other standouts have included the Hainan burrata dressed in kecap manis, ginger sauce and chili oil; the Palabok, a rice noodle dish with shrimp sauce topped with dried fish, garlic, crispy pork, eggs, and calamansi; and the vegan-friendly grilled portobello mushroom dish with adobo sauce and wild garlic pesto.

Reservations available online here.