Picking a restaurant
France is known for their food, and there are thousands of restaurants to chose from in the city. You’ll find your classic French bistros, but you’ll also find food from all around the world (which is one of the many things I love about living here).
When trying a new restaurant, it’s sometimes hard to know what to look out for. In my first year here, I definitely ate at some restaurants that were not good and were way more expensive that they should have been.
How to pick a good restaurant
In recent years, I’ve rarely been let down by this guide. As someone who has eaten at hundreds of restaurants across the city, here’s some of the things I personally look out for when picking a new place to try.
This isn’t to say that all restaurants that do some of these things are bad, but they are all things that I factor in.
Opening hours
In France, it’s very common for restaurants to only open for lunch (roughly between 12 and 2pm) and dinner (from 6pm onwards).
As a general rule, if a restaurant is open between lunch and dinner it means that it’s at least partially targetting tourists.
This can definitely be frustrating, especially if it’s not something that you’ve prepared for. If I’m hungry between lunch and dinner, I will usually go to a bakery or a supermarket.
Someone standing outside
If you walk by a restaurant and a waiter tries to talk to you, to encourage you to come in, especially if they talk in English, it’s almost always a red flag for me.
If your restaurant is good and well rated, then people will decide to go there without being pressured. This usually happens in touristy locations like Saint-Michel.
Personally, I like to check the menu before going in, and I don’t like feeling pressured to make the decision on if I want to eat there or not.
Menu being translated into multiple languages
If you see a menu outside the restaurant that has been translated into multiple different languages, this is a sign that it’s aimed at tourists. Tourists care about convenience and in the end pay more for this.
A lot of restaurants in Paris will translate things into English, but it’s usually just a line underneath the French, not an entirely separate one.
The length of the menu
If you go to a french restaurant and they have things like pizza on the menu, you can presume the pizza isn’t going to be good.
I prefer not going to restaurants that have many different options, because realistically are they all going to be good? Probably not. Especially if they have multiple different cuisines on their menu
How busy the place is
If the place looks busy, and has a good atmosphere then it’s a good sign, especially if you can hear people speaking French.
Tables in Paris restaurants are often super close together (sometimes the table needs to be pulled out to access the seat at the back), so they can optimise space. This style doesn’t suit everyone.
Seating
I love sitting on a terrace, but I rarely do it when I’m eating. It’s super common for people to smoke while drinking or just after their meal and I hate the smell.
Smoking is accepted as part of the culture here, so that’s something to consider if you’re sensitive to the smell like me.
Location
The location of the restaurant is important. If you’re close to the Louvre or have a great view of the Eiffel Tower then you should expect to pay more compared to a restaurant further from the main touristy areas.
Google maps reviews
I almost always check the ratings on google maps, but I think the reviews should be taken with a grain of salt.
If I see a few reviews complaining about how the service, I’m not automatically put off by this because I’m aware that French service is very different to that in the UK.
If someone dreams of eating with a view of the Eiffel Tower, they’re more likely to write a 5 star review even if the quality of the food is not that great because they’re wowed by the Eiffel Tower (and honestly, it’s an incredible piece of architecture).
Overview
I hope this list can help you narrow down your restaurant choices and avoid the ‘tourist traps’!
There is nothing wrong with being a tourist, or visiting the touristy places, there’s just so many restaurants to choose from and I hate seeing people disappointed after a meh meal when there are so many good options out there (that are often cheaper!).