My 20 Favorite Paris Restaurants for Lunch in 2020

Fish dish at Rallonge

This is a lunch follow-up to my favorite dinner venues in Paris as we ease into the 2020s.  It's a twice as long list, mainly because I tend to go out to lunch more frequently than dinner.  I love partaking in the Paris lunch scene.  There are a lot of things that disappoint me about Paris - the music scene is a disaster, for example - but the lunch culture lives up to its billing (as it does in Italy and Spain).  Pick a decent, inexpensive spot to experience the animated conversations of a business or neighborhood crowd, have a glass or two of wine, and take advantage of great two or three plate daily specials, and you will see what I mean.

I repeat the caveat from my previous post - the list that follows does not represent my attempt at a 'best of' list, although you may find a few on the top critics' lists, but rather some of the establishments that I return to, time after time, on the basis of the following criteria :  inexpensive 'formules', decent to high quality food, good atmosphere, comfortable for dining alone (given that my spouse works for a living), welcoming and efficient staff.  I typically select an entree and plat for lunch, along with a glass or two of wine or beer, and typically this results in a bill of around 20 euros - a lot of times less, a few times more.  

If you plan on arriving at peak lunch hour, say around 1 - 1:30 pm, you might be smart to reserve.  I find that if I wander in about 45 mins. before closing - usually around 2:30 pm - I am led to a table without problem.  Sometimes that strategy doesn't work, which is why I always go out to lunch with a Plan B in mind.  And believe me, there is always a Plan B.  A lot of the entries on my list can be found around Chemin Vert, as well as the Jacques Bonsergeant and Chateau d'Eau neighborhoods - funky, ethnically diverse, and non-touristy - call me an East-side kind of guy.

20 Favorites for Lunch  (in alphabetical order)

1.  BAR A IODE (Charonne)

     18 rue Jean Mace - Paris 11    tel. 01 40 56 08 94
     (there is also a Bar A Iode Saint Germaine, which I haven't tried)

Very fresh seafood (oysters, eperlans, couteaux), but my favorite is the entire grilled fish a la plancha.


2.  BONHOMIE

     22 rue d'Enghien - Paris 10    tel. 09 83 88 82 51

I really enjoy this modern place - sit at the bar and engage with the English-speaking staff who come from all corners of the globe.  Great price/quality relationship.


  3.  BOUILLON PIGALLE

     22 bvd de Clichy - Paris 18    tel. 01 42 59 69 31

The popular, traditional 'bouillons' trend really picked up in 2019 - large venues, often ornately adorned, with traditional French dishes at ridiculously low prices.  You won't find these restaurants snagging Michelin stars, but the food is satisfying and fresh.  At the more modern-looking Pigalle, don't miss the half bottle of red wine for 6.60 euros.


4.  CHEZ JANOU

     2, rue Roger Verlomme - Paris 3    tel. 01 42 72 28 41

I think this venue is sometimes unfairly maligned as a tourist trap.  I've never had a bad lunch here, and although it is true that you'll often find English speakers at nearby tables, I'm a sucker for the Pagnol inspired decor and can't say no to a bistrot that offers 80 varieties of pastis.


5.  CAFE DE L'INDUSTRIE

     16 Rue St Sabin - Paris 11    tel.  01 47 00 13 53

The food here is far from fantastic, but it does the job, and the atmosphere makes up for any shortcomings.  There's a really inexpensive lunch special that varies by day.


6.  CHEZ MINNA

     20 rue D'Hauteville - Paris 10    tel.  01 71 37 97 04

Decent Corsican restaurant with some pretty good daily specials that, unfortunately, often run out well before closing time.


7.  GALERNA

     7 rue du Cher - Paris 20    tel.  09 81 29 27 12

Relatively new Spanish restaurant near Pere Lachaise is rapidly becoming one of my favorite lunch spots.  Classic lunch formula and fantastic, original tapas offerings for dinner.


8.  GEORGIA

     12, rue du Chateau D'Eau - Paris 10    tel.  01 42 40 85 68


Another new option, this one American, with good lunch deals.  Unlike most of the other American restaurants in Paris - the ones that offer tasteless facsimiles of stereotypical American dishes -this one actually serves unique offerings with French accents.  Disappointed by their crab cakes, but I'm from Baltimore, so sue me.

 
9.  LE DAILY SYRIEN

     12 rue des Petites Ecuries - Paris 10    tel.  01 42 29 33 86
      (a 2nd around the corner at 55 Faubourg Saint Denis, haven't tried)

Always crowded and abuzz, terrific place for a Middle Eastern lunch.  I usually sit at one of those tiny round cafe tables facing the window, and sip on a couple glasses of red wine during the often extended wait for a satisfying, filling, inexpensive meal.


10.  LES RESISTANTS

     16-18 rue du Chateau d'Eau - Paris 10    tel.  01 77 32 77 61
     

The food is here is more refined than many of the other options in this list - fresh and original dishes.  Just a few meters from Georgia, this spot is a bit more expensive than what I noted above, but worth it.


11.  LE ROBINET D'OR

     17 rue Robert Blache - Paris 10    tel.  01 44 65 14 50
     

The small corner hotel up from the Quai de Valmy has a roomy restaurant, with some inexpensive lunch specials that hit the spot.


 12.  LUZ VERDE

     24 rue Henry Monnier  - Paris 9    tel.  01 70 23 69 60
     

Although the carte of this Mexican spot in Pigalle is more limited at lunchtime, at least it's not packed to the gills as it often is at dinnertime, and the guacamole is really good.  



13.  MI RANCHITO PAISA

     35 Rue de Montholon,  Paris 9    tel.  01 48 78 45 94
     
I don't get over to this traditional Colombian restaurant very often because the neighborhood doesn't do much for me, but for a change of pace, I've found the few, cheap meals I've had here to be hearty and good. They're not wasting their money on light bulbs inside, so if you are looking to hide, this is a good spot.


 14.  PAGE 35
     4 rue du Parc Roya  Paris 3    tel.  01 44 54 35 35


I've never gotten around to asking why this Breton-based restaurant on the edge of Le Marais bears its name, but the inexpensive specials vary by day and are usually good.  I just wish they'd give that goddam clichéd French music that plays non-stop a rest.  The restaurant also serves as a quasi art gallery, so just plug your ears and enjoy the art on the walls while you are eating and everything will be fine.


15.  RALLONGE
     4 rue du Parc Royal  Paris 3    tel.  01 44 54 35 35


Out of the many options listed here, Rallonge may be the cream of the crop in terms of high quality lunch cuisine.  Rallonge offers a traditional lunch formule, with dishes elevated to a level that far exceeds the bargain price.  Like Galerna, Rallonge transforms into an excellent tapas restaurant for dinner.  Not in the most exciting neighborhood, but worth the trip.

 
16.  SOON GRILLE
     78 Rue des Tournelles  Paris 3    tel.  01 42 77 13 56


This elegantly designed Korean restaurant was a late 2019 discovery for me, and I'm not sure how I missed it.  It's in an area resplendent with eateries (Chez Janou, Page 35, Les Caves Saint Gilles) and one of my favorite photography galleries in Paris (Polka Galerie).  The offerings are far more expansive than the typical Korean BBQ fare (which is available as well), and though it may get a bit pricey for dinner, I had a terrific, reasonably priced lunch there a couple months ago and plan on going back.


17.  SHOUK
     59 Rue de Lancry  Paris 3    tel.  09 87 57 87 68


The atypical Israeli restaurant Shouk is the third point of my Lancry triangle, along with Les Resistants and Georgia.  I've often gotten off at the Jacques Bonsergent metro stop and visited all three restaurants, comparing menus and checking out which has some available tables and a still available lunch deal.  As far as the latter, Shouk often strikes out, but the food is very good and the options, a bit pricier outside the lunch formule, are numerous, thankfully beyond the typical Israeli falafel and houmous fare.  Along the way to Shouk are other reasonable options, such as the Mexican El Guacamole and the very good Vietnamese spot, Le Mekong.  I've often also been tempted by the highly rated Sur Mer, but have yet to try it.  You won't go hungry on rue de Lancry.


18.  STREET BANGKOK GRILL & BEER - CANAL
     3 Rue Eugène Varlin  Paris 10    tel.  01 42 05 22 51


Sometime last year, I returned to rue des Petites Ecuries  to lunch at one of my favorite Asian fast food joints, W for Wok, only to find that it was gone - boarded up and done.  In its place is the more inventive Asian restaurant Bruce, where I lunched once without great results (although the dinner menu seems to have more potential).  My go-to Asian fast food in W's wake is Street Bangkok, a few steps from the Quai de Valmy.  Here, I order my calamar salad, and the fiery curry du jour, washed down with a couple beers because there is no wine.  If all the seats at the picnic tables are taken, there is the casual Le Valmy on the corner, and the aforementioned Le Robinet d'Or up the street.


19.  WALY FAY
     3 Rue Eugène Varlin  Paris 11    tel.  01 40 24 17 79


My long-time favorite Senegalese restaurant in Paris is one I haven't managed to get back to for dinner in over a year, but I've made up for it with a couple of reasonably priced, satisfying lunches.  


20.  ZICATELA REX

     42 Rue Poissonnière  Paris 2    tel.  01 73 75 70 84

This casual, authentic (at least by Paris standards) Mexican restaurant probably wouldn't have made the list if one of my favorite Spanish restaurants, Pessic, hadn't closed last year.  Nonetheless, Zicatela Rex offers copious meals, including excellent enchiladas, at reasonable prices. 


 There are several venues I couldn't quite get to in 2019 that I will make it a point to visit this year.  At the top of the list are Saul's, Le Petit Bouillon Pharamond, Mokoloco, and the Oyster Club.  You just might be reading about them at this blog before you know it. 

Typical lunch fare at Le Daily Syrien

Aux Plumes - Intriguing Discovery

I've long been intrigued by the tiny little storefront restaurant that I passed numerous times on rue Boulard in the 14th.  This is for a couple of reasons: I was always hungry at the time, that time essentially being lunchtime, and the place looked so nondescript from the outside that I figured that something interesting must be going on inside.  A nameless facade often belies a magical cuisine, and that is what Co. and I discovered during our dinner at Aux Plumes last Friday evening.

Good vibes from the outset - a warm greeting by the hostess and a nice discussion about Spanish wines with the server/sommelier.  The 22 seats were filled pretty quickly, by which time we had already commenced the dégustation of six courses - 3 éntrees + 1 poisson + 1 viande +1 dessert.  Throw in an interesting amuse bouche (rillettes
d'espadon on thinly sliced, buttered pieces of baguette) and you have an incredible deal at 50€ a pop.  I chose one of those Spanish wines that are rarely seen on a French carte, an Aleceno Twelve from the Murcia region (32€), and as promised, it was puissant, corsé, and really, really good.

Aux Plumes is another one of those Paris neo-bistros helmed by an Asian  - in this case, Japanese - chef.  Here you will find behind the counter in the spatially impaired open kitchen in the rear of the restaurant Kazuhiro Fujieda, who previously worked at L'Arpege and Chamarré Montmartre and who not surprisingly infuses his dishes with Asian textures.  Aux Plumes is conveniently located next door to the Desnoyer butcher shop, where Monsieur Kazuhiro gets his meats.  The room itself is minimalist Asian, with bare white walls, wooden tables, and brown leather banquettes.  

Chef Fujieda (Source: http://sortir.telerama.fr/paris/lieux/restos/aux-plumes,30490.php)

The menu changes regularly according to the season and what is fresh in the market that day, but here's a rundown of our meal.

Entree 1 : This was a tantalizing French onion soup, comprised of a portion of red onion and a healthy slab of foie gras.  Aux Plumes had me at the soup. 

 

Entree 2:  Carpaccio de thon, flowers, red caramelized onion, and cranberry powder - wow.

Entree 3:  Calamar with petit pois, and don't quote me on this, but I think I think that's a cushion of white asparagus cream.

Poisson :  Panga with wild asparagus and chorizo - as good as it looks.

Meat :  Coquelet a la vanille with caramelized Roscoff onions an thin mushroom slices on a bed of green asparagus (this being the season of the asparagus and all)

Dessert:  Mousse de chocolat blanc, mostarda de céleri  rouge et granité de Yuzu.  Need I say more?

If your appetite is smaller, there is a 38€ dinner menu option, and the possibility of an 18€ lunch, which I fully intend to take advantage of the next time I pass 45 rue Boulard around lunchtime.  That lunch has to be one of the best deals in Paris.  Aux Plumes recently received a shout-out from Telerama Sortir, so it should now be tougher to snag a table.  That means you should be sure to reserve a week in advance.  I noticed several people pass the restaurant during our visit who appeared equally intrigued to discover, but once the two small outdoor tables were filled, they were turned away.  Better luck next time. 

Total price for a really terrific dinner: 134.50 (one espresso included)


AUX PLUMES
45 rue Boulard
75014 Paris
tel. 01 53 90 76 22
web:  https://www.facebook.com/Restaurant-aux-Plumes

Tues. - Sat. 12h-14h15 et 19h30-22h30


Springtime in Paris, as seen through the window of Aux Plumes.

La Vague - Change of Pace, South American Style

You have to admit, much of Faubourg Saint-Martin doesn't make it into many Paris tourist guides.  Walking from the metro, Co. and I passed about 20 hair salons catering to African women - it was Friday evening, and every single one of those coiffeurs were filled to the gills.  Then you have Passage Brady, an alley jam-packed with Indian restaurants leading onto the trendy, cafe/restaurants galore Faubourg St. Denis.  Definitely a melting pot of a neighborhood.  Jammed into a small spot on the otherwise pedestrian Saint-Martin is the little cantina La Vague, a kind of Peruvian/Asiatic concoction. 

This was a pleasant change from our (that would be me and Co.) more typical high gastronomy neobistrots.  More of a fun place, but not exactly fun in the sense of, say, a pillow fight with a trio of nubile 18-year-old babes or, say, waiting four years to hear all those rust belt supporters of Trump say 'gee, uhm, we were really conned.  He really is insane.'  No, maybe fun isn't the correct descriptor.  

The menu options at La Vague are pretty limited, falling essentially into three categories:  les ceviches, les tatakis (dishes built around black angus rumsteak), and les butifarras(Peruvian sandwiches).  There are also some side dishes, including the one we took, causa poulpe (a mound of cream with  kalamatas and poulpe).
In order of the photos, we opted for the Peruvian ceviche (with sebaste fish and tiger milk) (15€), tataki sesame (14€), the butifarras vegetarian (11€), causa poulpe (7€) and two desserts, the carrot cake (7€) and tres leches (7€).

This is the ceiling mobile

Overall, a pretty decent change of pace.  This is probably a better option for lunch or a relatively inexpensive spot to hang out with a few of your pals.  I would have liked to have seen a few poultry dishes on the carte or perhaps a special of the day or two.  My guess is that your meal would get pretty repetitive after a couple visits.  Co. and I had a nice drink beforehand at the cool theater cafe a couple doors up from La Vague.  If you hit the cantina for lunch, you can always take in the beautiful (ahem) sites of the Faubourg Saint-Martin, then pass through the Passage Brady, get a few drinks on Faubourg St-Denis and then hit 52 Faubourg St-Denis for a tapas-oriented dinner.  Hey, whaddaya think I am, a tourist guide or something?

The price for two, including a bottle of Pinot Noir (23€) = 84 euros.  Fair enough.

LA VAGUE
38, rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin   Paris 10
tel. 09 86 69 80 70
website:  http://la-vague-paris-75010.zenchef.com/


Lundi - Vendredi 12h00 - 15h00 / 19h30 - 23h00
Samedi 12h00 - 15h00

Biondi - No Clowning Around

Named after a famous Argentine clown (we had to ask), Fernando De Tomaso's Biondi is a great find in the 11th, an Argentine restaurant where non-meat items vie with the more obvious meats.  Working the room along with a couple assistants, Fernando De Tomaso, the chef and owner of La Pulperia (sadly, not yet reviewed here) has created a good vibe in a handsome space.  If I was going to open a bistrot, god forbid, this is pretty close to what my fabulous place would look like: stone walls, mirrors, wooden tables, a small tiled bar, an open kitchen -- a nifty combination of modern and rustic, kind of like the food.

 

 

On a nice Fall Friday evening, Co. and I pondered this carte, which unfortunately was all a la carte, my only real gripe of the evening.  As you should know by now, clicking on the image will actually make it readable, more or less:

After a spirited amuse bouche of poultry/porc terrine, accompanied by a basket of terrific country bread, Co. and I decided to play the paupers and split an entree, the poulpe a la braise-choux rouge, pomme de terre, Kalmata (16€).  Very nice.

Poulpe entree

Later in the evening, I noticed that one of the two young gentlemen sitting at the table to my right had a much larger portion, with some poulpe actually encroaching on the yang part to my yin.  I was pretty upset about that until I heard the words "double portion," which put me back at ease, although the wine ( a 27€ Bicicleta pinot noir) was doing a pretty good job of that anyway.

For the main dish, I opted for the chicken, or in more familiar terms, the volaille de bresse croustillant with betterave, epinard, and truffe de bourgogne (30€).  Bear in mind, I was interested in how this was prepared - chicken breast, thigh, bones, etc., but my bemused waiter took me aback by asking, 'what do you mean, how is it prepared?'  WTF?  Well, excusez-moi for asking, although I did learn that Bresse is an area of France near the Rhône-Alpes region.  Which also told me that the folks behind Biondi go to the market, including the Marche d'Aligre Beauvau off rue de Cotte, in the morning for fresh produce and vegetables.

At any rate, the chicken dish was first rate.  I was underwhelmed when it was brought to the table, but once into it, the little mountain of beets and spinach unraveled to reveal two pieces of chicken differently cooked   than the thin piece of breast that was more apparent.  Together, the combination was perfectly prepared and interesting.

Main dish - volaille, beets, spinach

Co., by contrast, a regular habitue of Buenos Aires, went with real meat - the wild boar dish - sanglier a la braise, chou rouge, and chataigne - accompanied by potatoes and the other items listed on the menu, including chimichurri, one of my favorite sauces and one of the main reason I go along for the ride with Co. to tango country, although it wasn't very evident in the dish (28€).

Now, bear in mind that the only time I've ever been around wild boar is when I attend sporting matches, only in those cases, boar is spelled boor.  Co., on the other hand, knows her sanglier, but not this time.  She had to ask the waiter if they hadn't made a mistake.  No, madame, was the answer, this was a special meat purchased at the market earlier in the day and 100% wild boar.  Don't get me wrong, Co. thoroughly enjoyed the dish, and discovered that, like snowflakes, not all wild boars are alike.

Main dish - sanglier, chou rouge, chataigne

For dessert, we went with the first two of three on the carte.  My nougat glace (8€) was hands down the best I've ever had, and I've had some pretty good ones over the years.  More nutty than fruity, and more copious than the photo suggests, plenty for Co. to test.  Co. had no complaints regarding the declinaison, which hit all the right notes (10€).

Dessert - an epic, homemade nougat glace

Dessert - declinaison de dulce de leche, glace, mousse

Even a la carte, the final price, including one cafe at the end, was more than reasonable, clocking in at 122€.  Biondi hits the spot on Amelot.  Relaxed atmosphere, but serious business, no clowning around.  And before I forget, you can reserve an upstairs room for a special party or two.












BIONDI

118 rue Amelot
75011 Paris
tel. 01 47 00 90 18
web: www.facebook.com/restaurantblondi

TANNAT - Another Winner on Parmentier

I like the idea of naming one's restaurant after something related to food and not, say, the street address of the establishment.  The former is the case for Tannat, whose brave owners Ariane Stern and Simon Auscher had the tenacity to open about a half block from Chateaubriand, one of the top eating venues in all of Paris.  Tannat doesn't reach the heights of Chateaubriand, but it has its merits and is definitely worth its place on the map.  Getting back to names, as I digress, according to Wikipedia:

Tannat is a red wine grape, historically grown in South West France in the Madiran AOC, and is now one of the most prominent grapes in Uruguay, where it is considered the "national grape".

Okay, I admit I didn't know what tannat meant until I looked it up, so maybe it's not such a great thing to name your restaurant after a food item that one has to google, but if you want to be a culinary snob, you have to do some work.  And as part of my work, I also learned that Tannat's home on 119 avenue Parmentier was for 20 years the site of "the fiery and gourmet cabaret evenings at Chez Raymonde," according to the Le Fooding website.  And just to clarify, Tannat is not a Uruguayan restaurant, but a place to find - oh, what the hell, Le Fooding was on a roll, "colorful neo-bistronomic creations from Olivier Le Corre (Tour d’Argent, Bristol, 52 Faubourg)."

Co. and I checked out Tannat on a Friday evening in mid-May and found an airy, brightly-lit, mirrored room centered by a bar where one can perhaps find a seat without a reservation.  Already this is pretty unique, because when I think of the typical Parisian neobistrot, the words 'airy' and 'brightly-lit' rarely come to mind.  Those adjectives are also appropriate to describe the colorful, elegantly prepared dishes, some of which were more successful than others, but what else is new?

One of my few gripes about Tannat is that everything is ala carte.  I can't remember the last time I ate in Paris without some sort of 'menu' deal offered.  In fact, more and more I am drawn to establishments with fixed menus - the tyranny of the carte as some critics claim.  But from my vantage point, I'd prefer to let the chef decide what is best, but you are free to differ.  To each one's own.  But if you like choice - albeit limited - you'll like Tannat.  So let's get down to business - the business of food.  Here's what the carte looked like during our visit:

What's on the menu?  Click on it to find out.

Another something you don't see very often in Parisian neobistrots is a selection of dishes to share at the start.  Be forewarned, though, the plates at Tannat are copious enough without taking one of the 'partager' dishes - I was pretty much stuffed early into my main plate - but as a reviewer, I felt obliged, with Co's hesitant blessing, to go with the radis et tandoori butter.  This was just okay - the butters were blander than I expected - something I probably would have enjoyed more to embellish some cocktails.  The thinly sliced bettrave was an interesting ingredient, however.

Radishes, beet, and tandoori butter for sharing

And the very satisfying entrees:

Pain perdu, asperge vert, moelle, gremolata for Co. - what is gremolata you ask? I'll tell you.  It's a chopped herb condiment with lemon zest, garlic, and parsley

Although tempted by the beets and herring dish, I selected this one - artichokes, coques, and sable parmesan

The main plates:

For Co., the beef, gambas, and navet unique melange.  Hard to see the thinly sliced beef, but its there. 

No idea I was ordering fish and chips, even though that's what the menu says, and that's what I got.  And when I say chips, I mean chips - not the British kind (fries), but the potato chips kind, even though this dish would make any obese Brit diner (which I am happily not) proud.  Not fantastic, but I rather enjoyed this very rich dish - and I just said rather with a British accent, so as not to offend anyone, I think.

Dessert time:

Killer presentation for the strawberry, rhubarb, and white chocolate dish

A chocolate dessert fit for a Marquise - not as rich as it looks, which made it even better

We accompanied our meal with a rapidly disappearing Coteaux du Languedoc Argentier (27 euros), bringing our bill, sans cafe, to 114 euros.  I liked Tannat a lot more than I thought I would, especially in retrospect.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the carte varies in the future, which isn't the wittiest way to end this post, but it will have to do.


TANNAT
119 avenue Parmentier
75011 Paris
tel. 09 53 86 38 61
useless website

Note:  Apparently you can overcome my fixed-price formula nit pick at lunch with a 15 euro two-dish meal, which sounds like a pretty good deal.  You can also take a nice little walk to the Canal St Martin after your dinner, which Co and I did - on this particular evening the streets were packed, the canal lined on both sides with YOUTH, and the intersection of Petit Cambodge and Le Carillon was happily animated, six months after tragedy struck.

The canal - a short walk from Tannat