Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In
Dining and Drinking, Paris
Search:

Home » Travel Guides » Europe » France » Île-de-France » Paris » Things To Do » Dining and Drinking Reviews

Paris Hotels

Real reviews from real travelers.

Dining and Drinking, Paris

Art déco Le Zeyer - Paris
Art déco Le Zeyer
by Norali
Dining and Drinking tips and photos posted by real travelers and Paris locals.
• 24 Photos
• 24 Reviews

See all Paris Things To Do
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Dining and Drinking: BRASSERIES.
  • Tip Rating:
  • breughel
  • By breughel on September 9, 2009
  • Paris Page by breughel
  • In most countries a brasserie = brewery is a place supposed to brew beer. Not in France where a brasserie is a place where one can drink beer, wine, coffee, sodas all the day but also eat breakfast, lunch or dinner.
    The difference with a restaurant lies in the fact that the food served in a brasserie is generally (with exceptions) rather simple, less elaborate. Most served are salads, omelettes, toasts and steak frites. Nothing complicated to prepare especially at noon time when the brasseries are often full because employees have lunch there as well as people doing their shopping in the centre.

    Do not assimilate the food of a brasserie to that of a Fast Food; there is an ocean of difference. A cultural difference and a dietetic difference. The problem of overweight is linked here to the "Burger" type food and the Parisiennes and Parisiens are, from what I observed, keen on staying slim especially in the areas with luxury shops like around La Madeleine or Place Vendome
    You will see in a brasserie that most women eat salad. There are usually a dozen different ones on the menu. But even salad is not cheap in Paris, often around 12 € for a "Salade Caesar" type.
    To be slim is a necessity when eating or drinking in a brasserie because the seats and the tables are so terribly close to each other.
    Inside is non smoking; outside on the terrace is for smokers.

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Paris?

    Read reviews about Paris Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Dining and Drinking: ENJOY THE PASTRIES!!!!
  • Tip Rating:
  • Sandi-2004
  • By Sandi-2004 on November 10, 2004
  • Paris Page by Sandi-2004
  • Dining and Drinking - Paris
    by Sandi-2004
    The pastry shops are on every block it seems and the pastries are little works of art that are delicious. This is not the time to be concerned about dieting. Our favorite pastry was the strawberry with custard tart that my friend is enjoying in this photo. After I came home from Paris I went to every French pastry shop I could find trying to duplicate the quality and taste, but nothing was a good as the pastries in Paris.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Dining and Drinking: Cafeterias in museums.
  • Tip Rating:
  • breughel
  • By breughel on September 9, 2009
  • Paris Page by breughel
  • Restaurant of the Musée d'Orsay. - Paris
    Restaurant of the Musée
    d'Orsay.
    by breughel, 2 more photos
    Many Paris museums have a cafeteria. Most are just useful like the big one under the Pyramide of the Louvre.

    A few are charming:

    Best is the restaurant at the median level (restaurant from the former station hotel) of the MUSÉE D'ORSAY:
    Magnificent decor, correct food, efficient often kind service, normal prices for Paris.
    The painted décor of the ceiling and walls is of Benjamin Constant and Gabriel Ferrier. I advise you to arrive at the opening at 11.45 am. Tearoom in the after noon and dinner on Thursdays evening.
    (I don't recommend the Café and Cafeteria on the 5th and 6th floors).

    Another charming place, when the weather is dry, is the cafeteria "Le Jardin de Varenne" of the MUSÉE RODIN located in the beautiful garden at the back of the Hotel Biron among 25 statues from Rodin. There are seats inside but by nice weather it is quite agreeable to eat a "baguette garnie" or sandwich with a glass of wine under the trees. Prices are normal (for Paris). One has to pay 1€ to enter the beautiful garden of the Rodin Museum.

    At the PETIT-PALAIS museum (free) is a café-restaurant called "Le Jardin du Petit Palais" under the peristyle and looking on the interior garden of the Petit-Palais (open 10 - 17h; closed on Monday).

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Dining and Drinking: In the footsteps of Amelie Poulain
  • Tip Rating:
  • Martinewezel
  • Updated By Martinewezel on May 2, 2006
  • Paris Page by Martinewezel
  • cafe of Amelie Poulain (of Montmartre) - Paris
    cafe of Amelie Poulain (of
    Montmartre)
    by Martinewezel
    Do you remember the movie "Amelie Poulain"? In the USA it had the name "Amelie of Montmartre".
    In the same "rue Lepic" from my previous tip, about 300 m down from the Moulin de la Galette, we found the cafe where Amelie was a waitress. "CAFE DES 2 MOULINS"
    I didn't feel comfortable taking a picture inside the cafe, it was full of lacals, but I can assure you that it looks pretty the same as in the movie, only a bit more "schmutzig". I think this German word exactly describes the yellowed walls.

    Little detail: they sell Belgian beer! (Grimbergen) ;-)

    Outside, on the sidewalk, there was a small table with oisters for sale.
    By the way, the rue Lepic down hill is full of fish dealers. The whole street smelled like shellfish, though there are also flower shops, butchers, pastry and delicatesses shops.

    This is the real authentic Paris!

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: rue Lepic (down hill) 15
  • Phone: +33 1 42 54 90 50
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Dining and Drinking: Breakfast and berry fruits at a brasserie
  • Tip Rating:
  • Norali
  • Updated By Norali on September 9, 2006
  • Paris Page by Norali
  • Art déco Le Zeyer - Paris
    Art déco Le Zeyer
    by Norali
    I use to associate Paris with grandes brasseries. A good treat in a (grande) brasserie has been always a pleasant experience. For it being less formal than a grand restaurant (that is sometimes overrated). Also, it *can* be cheaper. A plus, unlike cafes, restaurants & brasseries are still the right places to have long lunches (for, at least 1 hour... you're in vacation after all), enjoying the good food & drinks & a good company.

    If you are lucky enough to spot the perfect brasserie to try Auvergnate cuisine, Bretonne, Corse or from Périgord area. Then, it is possible to try cuisines du terroir or classic French dishes (ris de veau, rôti de boeuf, salades de foies de volaille, pot-au-feu, fromage de tête, terrines...). I would not like to fill my page with links to Parisian brasseries, unless I've tried them. Still, I think brasseries are Parisian features to experience.

    I don't know why but I have a thing for them. Also, you can have everything in a brasserie: your noon lunch, your diner, your breakfast, your beer/pastis/kir (royal or not) sitting in a terrace. If needed, you can return there in the afternoon to have this berry dish that lured you while having your breakfast. That's what I did at Le Zeyer (14e arr.).

    I had my typical French breakfast (demi-baguettes beurrées - didn't need jam - plus warm chocolate). As I went there rather late (10 am), could see the waiters cleaning and getting ready for the noon rush. Then, I saw one of them placing those alluring plates of berry fruits in the fridge of the dining room. Hmmm... I hadn't forgotten it and when my Dad suggested, in the afternoon, that we went chilling out at le Zeyer, after visiting Les Batignolles area and that we couldn't visit Jardins d'hiver at Jardin de plantes (closed for reparation for an unspecified duration), I had my berry fruits plate: with a glass of sparkling water and a scoop of mint icecream. Isn't life grand ?

    I'll tell you later about the lunch and diner formulas and dishes when I have tried it there.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Le Zeyer looks onto the Place Alésia, 14arr
  • Phone: 0145404388
  • Directions: 62 rue d'Alésia - 75014 Metro Alésia
  • Website: http://paris.evous.fr/paris-guide/restaurant/brasserie/brasserie.htm
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Paris?

    Read reviews about Paris Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Dining and Drinking: Coffee
  • Tip Rating:
  • barryg23
  • Updated By barryg23 on February 16, 2003
  • Paris Page by barryg23
  • Les Deux Magots - Paris
    Les Deux Magots
    by barryg23
    There are brasseries and coffee bars on practically every street in Paris. Les Deux Magots is a famous and very pricey coffee shop on the Boulevard St. Germain. Apparently Sartre and De Beauvoir used to drink here and talk Philosophy. Talk then was obviously a lot cheaper as it now costs 30 francs for an espresso.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Dining and Drinking: Picnic by the river
  • Tip Rating:
  • onecut
  • By onecut on May 26, 2004
  • Paris Page by onecut
  • Miekuelle and Onecut - Paris
    Miekuelle and Onecut
    by onecut
    VT meeting in Paris, Miekuelle myself and my partner, had a great afternoon by the river near to the Bastille. A big thanks to Miekuelle for the picnic ............ wine cheese French bread. Wonderful. Try it if you get the chance.

    Leave a Comment

  • Directions: Near the Bastille
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Dining and Drinking: get a crepe from a little...
  • Tip Rating:
  • Libs
  • By Libs on August 25, 2002
  • Paris Page by Libs
  • get a crepe from a little stand...
    my personally favourite is nutella, but they're all delisious...and french...

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Dining and Drinking: High tea in a tea room.
  • Tip Rating:
  • cincin
  • By cincin on August 24, 2002
  • Paris Page by cincin
  • I love the atmosphere of tea rooms in paris. Very relaxing and a good place for people watching. The one i went to is called ANGELINA'S . I like the pastry very much(the house specialty, designed to go well with tea, is a Mont Blanc, a combination of chestnut
    cream and meringue) but its famous hot chocolate is too sweet for me. My sis and I got so scared of the word chocolate for a few days after that experience. Don't say I didn't warn you ahha.

  • Directions: Angelina's: 226 Rue de Rivoli, 1st. Metro: Tuileries
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Dining and Drinking: Bateaux Mouches
  • By cometoparis on June 12, 2006
  • Paris Page by cometoparis
  • DO NOT USE WWW.COMETOPARIS.COM FOR ANYTHING!
    Alex is a liar and a cheater. He will rip you off like he did me.
    Bateaux Mouches and Parisiens are both great but make sure you do not book either through the website cometoparis.com. Expect trouble if you do!!!!!!
    He is only out to make a buck, I mean Euro.

  • Address: Seine River
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    More Paris Tips
    Overview
     
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 2,053 - Photos: 1,652
    Things To Do
    Tips: 10,143 - Photos: 17,336
    Nightlife
    Tips: 873 - Photos: 806
    Transportation
    Tips: 1,634 - Photos: 1,380
    Restaurants
    Tips: 2,625 - Photos: 2,535
    Shopping
    Tips: 827 - Photos: 938
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 1,805 - Photos: 2,723
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 502 - Photos: 330
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 812 - Photos: 408
    Local Customs
    Tips: 833 - Photos: 736
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 274 - Photos: 157
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 110 - Photos: 130
    General Tips
    Tips: 2,457 - Photos: 2,445
    Flights
    Tips: 110 - Photos: 0

    Best Paris Travel Deals

    Flight Deal to Paris
    All Tax Inc. Flight From New York Book Your Ticket Online & Save!

    Fly New York to Paris
    Book a Great Deal to Paris on the Air France Official Site Now

    Paris Walking Tours
    Visit the Best of Paris! Skip the Line tours of Notre Dame and Louvre

    Paris Louvre Apartments
    Directly by the Owner, Great Price Great Location Luxury Apts from 50€

    500 Hotels in Paris
    Find your hotel on a city-map All hotels with guest-reviews.

    Sponsored Links

    More Paris Travel Deals

    Need Paris Housing?
    Safe, clean and friendly homestays available at a affordable prices

    Small French luxury hotel
    Chateaux and boutique hotels chosen by a French Selection Committee

    Paris Hotels
    Photos, Customer Ratings & Reviews. Save on Hotels in Paris.

    Sponsored Links


    Paris Hotels





    About VirtualTourist |  10 Great Things to Do On VirtualTourist |  Contact Us |  Press Center |  Help |  User Agreement |  Privacy Statement
    Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2009 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.