ELLE France editors reveal the best restaurants, clubs and cultural hot posts in Paris.

• Valérie Toranian – Editor in Chief of ELLE France

• Erin Doherty – Fashion & Beauty Editor of ELLE France

• Elisabeth Martorell – Deputy Editor of ELLE France

• Catherine Roig – Lifestyle Deputy Editor of ELLE France

• Lauren Bastide – Editor of ELLE France & Deputy Editor of DailyELLE.fr

RESTAURANTS

ATAO, LA DAME AUX HUITRES
86, rue Lemercier, 75017 Paris
33 (0)1 46 27 81 12
€€-€€€
A great place if you want a taste of summer in Brittany… The blue and white restaurant looks like a traditional home, where the oysters and seafood are simply delicious, not to mention they are direct from Brittany and the family’s oyster-farm.

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ATELIER ROBUCHON
5 rue de Montalembert, 75007 Paris
33 (0)1 42 22 56 56
joel-robuchon.net
€€-€€€
One of this famous chef’s many restaurants. The concept of the bar makes it a real must-see: you can enjoy your dish while keeping an eye on the inventive and incredible kitchen just in front of you. One-of-a-kind.
VT: “Amazing! However, watch out, you can’t book a table. But, it’s a lot nicer to eat at the bar.”

CHATOMAT
6 rue Victor-Letalle, 75020 Paris
33 (0)1 47 97 25 77
€€-€€€
A very cosy and lovely little restaurant with an original menu and a great wine list. We won’t tell you more, just go, you won’t regret it.
CR: “A couple that cooks in a light and original way, a really nice surprise!”

CIBUS
5 rue Molière, 75001 Paris
33 (0)1 42 61 50 19
€-€€
A tiny restaurant nestled in the 1st quarter of Paris. Here, the kitchen is Italian and organic. But don’t be fooled by its modest appearance, the place is always crowded and is a favourite amongst celebrities.
VT: “There isn’t any menu in this Italian restaurant. The chef tells you what ingredients he bought in the morning. You never know what you’re going to eat but it’s always delicious!”

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FRENCHIE
5 rue du Nil, 75002 Paris
33 (0)1 40 39 96 19
frenchie-restaurant.com
€€€
The smoked trout and the suckling lamb are the classics of the restaurant. Be careful though, if you want to taste them, you will have to book a table weeks in advance since the place is a hit with the gourmet lovers.
CR: “One of Jamie Oliver’s former chefs, an incredible talent, a spontaneous cuisine. However, it is very hard to book a table there! If there aren’t any tables available, try the wine bar across the street.”

HANAWA
26 rue Bayard, 75008 Paris
33 (0)1 56 62 70 70
hanawa.fr
€€-€€€
A very classy and elegant Asian restaurant – a wonderful place to savour fine Japanese food and discover teppanyaki. In one word : delicious.
VT: “Very popular amongst famous people such as politicians and film producers…”

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HÔTEL AMOUR
8, rue Navarin, 75009 Paris
33 (0)1 48 78 31 80
hotelamourparis.fr
€€€
In this intimate place, you don’t feel like you’re in Paris. The big garden is peaceful while each room offers a different experience. It is definitely worth the trip.
LB: “I live next door and spend entire days there. It’s my office, my second home, my canteen, my meeting room. And the food is great, especially the roast chicken and macaroni and cheese.”

L’EPI DUPIN
11 rue Dupin, 75006 Paris
33 (0)1 42 22 64 56 /
www.epidupin.com
€€-€€€
For a taste of real French brasserie-style food. All the products are extra-fresh and the menu changes twice a day, offering a wide choice of meats and fish. If you are in a rush, the restaurant has recently opened a grocery store on the street: L’Epi Malin.

Read on for more of the best restuarants in Paris…

LE CHATEAUBRIAND
129, avenue Parmentier, 75011 Paris
33 (0)1 43 57 45 95
lechateaubriand.fr
€€€
Voted one of the top 50 restaurants in the world by Restaurant Magazine, Le Chateaubriand deserves its outstanding reputation thanks to it’s inventive neo-bistrot style cuisine and it’s chic yet informal decor. Be sure to book!
LB: “Being able to try chef Inaki’s gastronomic menu is an unforgettable experience. He is a genius, he will make you like things you had never ever wanted to taste before. And a different wine is served with each dish. You have to go there and live the experience at least once in your life.”
CR: “There’s always something happening in Chef Inaki Aizpitarte’s restaurant.”

Grab a bite at one of these amazing HOTELS

LE RELAIS DE L’ENTRECOTE
15 Rue Marbeuf, 75008 Paris
33 (0)1 49 52 07 17
relaisentrecote.fr
€€
This is THE place to go for a rib-eye steak. The recipe has remained the same since the opening of the restaurant in 1959, and the sauce itself has made the reputation of the house. Be ready to queue, the restaurant is extremely successful.

NANASHI
57 Rue Charlot, 75003 Paris
33 (0)1 44 61 45 49
nanashi.fr
€
The new it-spot for lunch, brunch or a cool dinner, serving Japanese bentos that are all the rage. Take yours to go if you don’t have time to sit. For 13 Euros, choose between a fish or meat bento. And, if you still have room for more, treat yourself to one of their great desserts.

ORIENT EXTREME
21 rue Bayard, 75008 Paris
33 ()01 47 20 91 58
orient-extreme.com
€-€€
Next to the Avenue Montaigne, Orient Extrême is a great place to have a Japanese-style break during an intense day of shopping. In a very luxurious decorum, the staff is lovely and the atmosphere quite relaxed.

TOKYO EAT
Palais de Tokyo, 13 avenue du Président Wilson, 75013 Paris
33 (0)1 47 23 54 01
palaisdetokyo.com
€€
Recently refurbished, Tokyo Eat greets you in the Palais de Tokyo and invites you to grab a bite during a trip to the museum, or sit back, relax and enjoy the view.

THOUMIEUX
79 rue Saint Dominique, 75007 Paris
33 (0)1 47 05 49 75
thoumieux.fr
€€-€€€€
A fantastic place to go if you want a glimpse of true French cuisine… Chef Jean-François Piège is very well-known in France, and this brasserie is famous for being crowded. Make sure you book a table!
LB: “I’ve had the opportunity to have a private cooking lesson with chef Jean-François Piège. I like his very generous way of interpreting traditional French cuisine, with garlic, butter, olive oil, great vegetables and local products.”
CR: “An exquisite, chic and fantastic restaurant. You have to try it!!!”

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FOR SUNDAY BREAKFAST

BIOBOA ORGANIC FOOD CAFÉ
93, rue Montmartre, 75002 Paris
33 (0)1 40 28 02 83
bioboa.fr
€-€€
Opened a year ago, Bioboa is the newest trendy organic spot to go for savouring a juicy cheeseburger or a beef salad. The restaurant is also known for its freshly squeezed juices. The masterpiece? Ask for the "Vitalité".

HÔTEL AMOUR
8 rue Navarin, 75009 Paris
33 (0)1 48 78 31 80
hotelamourparis.fr
€€€
In this intimate place, you don’t feel like you are in Paris. The large garden is peaceful while each room offers you a different experience. It is definitely worth the trip.
LB: "In my opinion, the best brunch in Paris. Love their sausages and eggs Benedict.”

LES DEUX ABEILLES
189 Rue de l’Université, 75007 Paris
33 (0)1 45 55 64 04
€
A nice typical tearoom in the way that purists like them to be, with a cosy feel that’s perfect for a quiet yet chic lunch or brunch, run by the owner and her mother. And their lemonade is not to be missed!

MAMA SHELTER
109 rue de Bagnolet, 75020 Paris
33 (0)1 43 48 48 48
mamashelter.com
€-€€
Every room is unique if you choose to stay for the night. But if you don’t, you’ll still appreciate the crazy restaurant and bar.
VT: “Mama Shelter is very hype, young and you can even play foosball there!”

ROYAL MONCEAU
37 Avenue Hoche, 75008 Paris
33 (0)1 42 99 88 00
leroyalmonceau.com
€€-€€€€
An excellent brunch in a fabulous decor. Do you want to live the dream?
CR: “Fabulous brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Pierre Hermé’s pastries and pancakes! You can also watch a movie in the theatre room after your brunch.”

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FOR LUNCH WITH FRIENDS

BIZAN
56, rue Sainte-Anne, 75002 Paris
33 (0)1 42 96 67 76
isse-et-cie.fr/bizan/
€€-€€€
A Japanese restaurant that mixes luxury and tradition. Enter Bizan’s traditional world, and discover the most fabulous bentos you’ve ever seen.

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BON
25 rue de la Pompe, 75116 Paris
33 (0)1 40 72 70 00
restaurantbon.fr
€€
Newly decorated by Philippe Starck, Bon greets you with four salons to choose from. A great spot to dine at and savour fine food inspired by south-east Asia.
CR: "Decorated by Starck, a glamorous ambiance, Thai cuisine: a great address to have lunch with the girls.”

CAFÉ DE FLORE
172 bld Saint Germain, 75006 Paris
33 (0)1 45 48 55 26
cafedeflore.fr
€-€€
One of the most symbolic places in Paris. Ever since it was Jean-Paul Sartre’s headquarters in the 40’s, the Café de Flore has maintained its standing for the intellectual elite and the fashion pack. A must in Paris.
LB: "I live on the right bank, but many friends of mine live on the other side. So when I have to meet them and cross the Seine, I’d rather have a croque-monsieur at the Flore and spot some celebs there.”

LES DEUX ABEILLES
189 Rue de l’Université, 75007 Paris
33 (0)1 45 55 64 04
€
A nice typical tearoom in the way that purists like them to be, with a cosy feel that’s perfect for a quiet yet chic lunch or brunch, run by the owner and her mother. And their lemonade is not to be missed!
VT: “You bump into everybody working in fashion and on television.”

LES VITTELONI
4 Rue Dupetit-Thouars, 75003 Paris
33 (0)1 48 87 38 45
€
A warm, authentic and cosy Italian bistro in the Marais, but don’t to order a pizza here, we are talking about modern and refined cuisine.

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FOR BREAD & PASTRIES

DU PAIN ET DES IDEES
34 rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris
33 (0)1 42 40 44 52
dupainetdesidees.com
€
Voted ‘Best Boulanger de Paris’ in 2008, Christophe Vasseur likes to surprise his customers in his one-of-a-kind bakery. Try the different "escargots" (pastry in the shape of a snail, in lemon and nougat, praline, pistachio and chocolate or sultanas).
CR: “Christophe Vasseur’s "pain des amis" is a real treat which is served in Alain Ducasse’s restaurant.”

JOSEPHINE
69 avenue Marceau, 75016 Paris
33 (0)1 47 20 49 62
josephine-boulangerie.com
€€-€€€
Here is a place that is going to make you want to ditch your diet. From the giant éclair (puff pastry filled with cream, for five to six persons) to the raspberry Macaronade cooked without butter cream, every pastry screams "Eat me!" Will you be able to resist?

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SEBASTIEN GAUDARD
22 rue des Martyrs 75009 Paris
33 (0)1 71 18 24 70
sebastiengaudard.com
€
2012’s best pastry Chef Sébastien Gaudard does not cook to impress. His mantra? "Not too many cakes, but all of them should be delicious". And it works…
LB: “He was just voted best pastry cook in Paris, and he deserves the title. His "baba au rhum" is to die for, and you should never ever try his chocolate pie, OK? It’s just a piece of advice. I don’t want you to become an addict.”

Get the best beverages in Paris on the next page…

FOR COFFEE / TEA TIME

CARETTE
25 Place des Vosges, 75003 Paris
33 (0)1 48 87 94 07
carette-paris.com
€-€€
Following the success of its first tea room at Trocadéro, Carette has settled down in Place des Vosges to offer you another enjoyable experience. A la carte: the famous home-made macaroons, pastries and ice creams.
CR: “It is so nice to have tea under the arcades of the place des Vosges in the spring, hmmmm!”

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KB CAFE
62 rue des Martyrs, 75009 Paris
33 (0)1 56 92 12 41
€
Make coffee not war is the mantra here, and once you have tasted theirs, you will surely be in a peaceful mood. In a wooden decor, everything (except for the coffee) is organic and the pastries are freshly baked. Add a friendly greeting and you have one of the cosiest places in Paris.
LB: “I have developed a very serious addiction to their latte. And everything there is organic.”

LES DEUX ABEILLES
189 Rue de l’Université, 75007 Paris
33 (0)1 45 55 64 04
€
A nice typical tearoom in the way that purists like them to be, with a cosy feel that’s perfect for a quiet yet chic lunch or brunch, run by the owner and her mother. And their lemonade is not to be missed!
VT: “You must try their apple and raspberry crumble, it’s to die for!”

THE MERCE AND THE MUSE
1bis rue Dupuis, 75003 Paris
merceandthemuse.com
€-€€
Merce Muse, a girl from Washington DC, chose to launch her tearoom in the Marais and wow, what a good idea it was… Everything here is you’d find in a Manhattan tearoom…

THE TEA ROOM OF THE MUSEE DE LA VIE ROMANTIQUE
16, rue Chaptal, 75009 Paris
33 (0)1 55 31 95 67
€
In the Musée de la Vie Romantique’s gardens, the tearoom greets you in the shade for a nice cup of tea or anything else you crave. Especially lovely in the summer for tea in the garden.

FOR HAPPY HOUR

LE CINEMA DES ARTISTES’ BAR
7 avenue de Clichy, 75017 Paris
€
Downstairs, it looks like a typical cinema. Upstairs, you will have the opportunity to relax with a wonderful glass of wine. Sit back and enjoy…
POMPON
39 rue des Petites Ecuries, 75010 Paris
33 (0)1 53 34 60 85
lepomponblog.fr
€
Open every day until 2am, Le Pompon is the new place to see and be seen. As the elite has changed, so has the hit crowd: it’s mixed and it works. Everyone is more than welcome here to listen to music and chat all night.
LB: “Finally a place in Paris where people mix. In this little club, you find all colours, all ages, all styles. And great hip hop music!”

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THE BAR OF THE HÔTEL MEURICE
228 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
33 (0)1 44 58 10 66
meuricehotel.fr
€-€€
If there is one nice hotel bar in Paris, it is at the Meurice. In a cosy atmosphere that is reminiscent of a British men’s club, you’re sure to have a good time and bump into some celebrities.
VT: “Refined and discreet service. The music there is fantastic: very nice jazz!”

THE BAR OF THE ROYAL MONCEAU
37 Avenue Hoche, 75008 Paris
33 (0)1 42 99 88 00
leroyalmonceau.com
This bar was designed by Philippe Starck in a very old-school, intimate and discreet atmosphere. A sexy place for drinks between friends, or more. Do check out the bathroom.
CR: “To enjoy a delicious mojito while seating on a leather couch…”

Read on to the next page for the chicest clubs in Paris…

CLUBS

CARMEN
34 rue Duperré, 75009 Paris
33 (0)1 45 26 50 00
le-carmen.fr
€€-€€€
This is a great club in a sumptuous decorum. The ceilings are decorated with stucco moulders and the walls are embellished with caryatids. This should already be enough to make you want to take a closer look.

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LE BARON
6 avenue Marceau, 75008 Paris
33 (0)1 47 20 04 01
clublebaron.com
€-€€€€
It used to be the club to be seen at for many years. It was hard to get in but once you did, you mixed with Paris’s it-crowd. Today it’s a bit more laid back since the hype has calmed slightly, but it is still a great place to go to have a good time.
LB: “Probably the place where I have spent the most hours dancing. People keep saying it’s over, but it remains the best dance floor in Paris!”

LE MONTANA
28 Rue Saint-Benoît, 75006 Paris
33 (0)1 44 39 71 00
€€
Right next to the Café de Flore, this club is small and can’t hold too many people… Will you make the cut?
VT: “Very much appreciated by people working in the fashion and cinema industry.”

LE SILENCIO
142 rue Montmartre, 75002 Paris
33 (0)1 40 13 12 33
silencio-club.com
€€€€
Created by David Lynch, Le Silencio is the trendiest place in Paris. For members only until midnight, the club is then open to the happy few and what happens behind those closed doors stays there.

THE BEEF CLUB’S BALLROOM
52 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 75001 Paris
33 (0)9 54 37 13 65
€
This ballroom is like a clandestine bar, as you will have to walk quite a bit to reach it… But once you have arrived, the atmosphere is relaxed.
CR: “In the basement of the new IT restaurant, the Beef Club, a great club held by the Experimental gang.”

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THE TRENDIEST PLACES NOT TO MISS

LE SILENCIO
142 rue Montmartre, 75002 Paris
33 (0)1 40 13 12 33
silencio-club.com
€€€€
Created by David Lynch, Le Silencio is the trendiest place in Paris. For members only until midnight, the club is then open to the happy few and what happens behind those closed doors stays there.
LB: “Well, David Lynch is its artistic director. There is a subterranean cinema and the door is famous for being hard to push, so, of course, it’s the trendiest place in Paris, what else?”

ROSA BONHEUR
2 allée de la Cascade, 75019 Paris
33 (0)1 42 00 00 45
rosabonheur.fr
€
In the park of Buttes Chaumont, Rosa Bonheur is where you must go if you want to spend a country-style evening. Plastic cups, nice wine, lots of people and not too many seats.

Read on for more must-see destinations in Paris…

DISHES NOT TO MISS

THE BABA AU RHUM at the PLAZA ATHENEE
25 avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris
33 (0)1 53 67 66 65
plaza-athenee-paris.fr
€
He once worked for Ladurée and Pierre Hermé, and now, the champion of the pastry world in 2005, Christophe Michalak treats us with his delicious sweets at the café of the Plaza Athénée.
VT: “People either love or hate this desert but for its lovers, chef Michalak’s version is the best in Paris!”

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THE PARIS BREST at THE PATISSERIE DES REVES
Rue du Bac, 75007 Paris
33 (0)1 42 84 00 82
lapatisseriedesreves.com
€-€€€
Everything looks incredibly delicious in this little fairy-tale pastry shop. All the sweets are displayed under giant glass domes that add to the dreamy atmosphere of this bakery that certainly deserves its name: The Bakery of Dreams.

THE CONFIT DE CANARD at SUD-OUEST MONCEAU
8 rue Meissonier 75017 Paris
33 (0)1 47 63 15 07
€€
You can’t come to Paris and forget about the other French regions. To discover France’s south-west gastronomy, the Sud-Ouest Monceau is the place to go to have a taste of typical dishes specially prepared as they are in the south.

THE VEGETARIAN BENTO at NANASHI
31 rue de Paradis 75010 Paris
33 (0)1 40 22 05 55
nanashi.fr
€
The new it-spot for lunch, brunch or a cool dinner, serving Japanese bentos that are all the rage. Take yours to go if you don’t have time to sit. For 13 Euros, choose between a fish or meat bento. And, if you still have room for more, treat yourself to one of their great desserts.
LB: “It’s a perfect and balanced meal that you can have in the middle of a work day. Nanashi managed to mix a very Japanese concept with a very Parisian way of using it. The idea is so great they keep expanding and have just opened their second Parisian place.”

THE TARTE INFINIMENT VANILLE at PIERRE HERME
72 rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris
33 (0) 1 43 54 47 77
pierreherme.com
€-€€
The chef is famous worldwide for his well-known macaroons and other delicious pastries. There’s simply nothing else to add.
CR: "A pure pastry masterpiece. Pierre Hermé always invents new flavour mixes, such as the raspberry, lime, Espelette chili pepper macaroon. He’s a real artist!"

Check out the top looks from PARIS FASHION WEEK

EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS FALL/WINTER

PARIS FASHION WEEK

FIAC
Grand Palais, Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin des Plantes
fiac.com
18 – 21 October 2012

WEST SIDE STORY’S MUSICAL
Theatre de Châtelet – 1 Place du Châtelet, 75001 Paris
33 (0)1 40 28 28 40
chatelet-theatre.com

THE OPENING OF TRENDY CLUBS IN CITE DE LA MODE ET DU DESIGN
34 quai d’Austerlitz, 75013 Paris
paris-docks-en-seine.fr
LB: “In September, the Baron and the Silencio are going to open new clubs in this amazing concrete space near the Seine, dedicated to young fashion creation. I won’t miss it!”

THE OPENING OF DAME DE PIC (Anne-Sophie Pic’s Parisian restaurant)
20 rue du Louvre, 75001 Paris
CR: “The only three-star French female chef will be in Paris soon, that’s a big event!”

IMPRESSIONISM AND FASHION EXHIBITION at MUSEE D’ORSAY
From September 25, 2012 until January 20, 2013
Musée d’Orsay
62, rue de Lille, 75343 Paris
33 (0) 1 40 49 48 14
musee-orsay.fr
An inspiring look at the true fashion of the times, as seen by the great impressionist masters from 1860 to 1880.

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