Everything I Ate, Drank, and Did in Paris
It truly was the best week and a half of my life 🌟
Hello and happy Gemini season to all who celebrate!
I’m fresh off the plane from Paris, where I spent the past 10 days eating and strolling my way around the city with my favorite travel companion, my mom. I tend to overuse superlatives (Gemini sun with heavy Aries placements here), but I’m pretty sure the past week and a half were the best days of my life thus far.
This city has my favorite version of everything: food, vintage shopping, architecture, food, museums, wine, sites, FOOD, and cheese shops as plentiful as Starbucks in America. While the vast splendor of Paris is overwhelming (understatement), we went in with a flexible, abundant itinerary featuring only the crème de la crème. In another life, I must have been a travel agent, because I crushed this vacation.
Here’s everything we ate, drank, and did in the city of lights.
Where We Ate
We stayed in Le Marais, so a lot of these recommendation are in and around the 4th arrondissement.
Frenchie’s Bar a Vin: Frenchie’s is a Michelin-starred restaurant with ownership over an alley of storefronts, including a creamery, butcher, boulangerie, wine cave, etc (it’s like the French version of Zingerman’s, if you’re familiar). Their wine bar is truly excellent. We liked it so much that we returned for our last meal (mostly for their smoked ricotta agnolotti). They don’t take reservations, and I do recommend showing up early. Open every day for dinner only.
Juveniles: I love how quaint this little bistro is: the walls filled with wine, cases of even more bottles stacked against it. Our whole meal was delicious, especially the mussels and black rice in leek and asparagus sauce. They only take reservations over the phone (and you can absolutely do so in English). Reservations available by phone open Tuesday–Saturday for lunch and dinner.
Marché des Enfants Rouges: the oldest food market in Paris! It was our first stop, and it’s still one of my favorite experiences of the trip. I recommend getting a glass of wine at the Italian stall, then bellying up to the fishmonger for an order of oysters and prawns before shopping around. I also recommend stopping across the street for charcuterie at Caractère de Cochon (I didn’t go because the line was always intimidating, so I only lusted from afar). Closed Mondays.
Breizh Café: I love their buckwheat galettes, especially the complet with Comté, ham, a perfect egg, and a slap of butter sliding down the edge. Multiple locations, takes reservations, and open daily 9–11.
Crêperie Suzette: a sidewalk cafe serving perfect crêpes. It’s a lovely spot to people watch, especially on Sundays when La Marais is popping. Open daily 12-1030PM.
Sur Mer: we had a little seafood lunch here and it was unbelievable. The steamed mussels were out of this world, as was the ceviche. If you love seafood, this place is a must. Takes reservations and open Tuesday–Saturday.
Restaurant au Passage: a little bistro hidden in a little alleyway and open until 11 on weekends, which is convenient when you’re starving after a show in Montmontre (more on that later). We barely got in, and I’m so grateful we did because their sweetbreads were one of the best bites of the trip! Takes reservations and open Tuesday–Saturday.
Le Dauphin: I came here for the Sole Meunière, and damn did it deliver. I want to eat this everytime I come to Paris. The artichoke vinaigrette and the clams were both excellent as well. Takes reservations and open Tuesday–Saturday.
Kubri: delicious Lebanese in a chic little cafe. I only had lunch here (they have an amazing 3-course special for 25€, and wish I could have tried dinner! Takes reservations and open Tuesdays–Saturdays.
Septime La Cave: great natural wine bar from one of the best restaurants in Paris. They’re bar snacks our delicious, and it’s a short walk from the Père Lachaise Cemetery. Open daily from 4–11PM.
Le Willi’s Wine Bar: a great little respite not too far from the Louvre. We had Champagne, a truly perfecft tuna tartare, and a couple other dishes. They’re also a gallery, which is pretty cute. Reservations available and open Monday–Saturday from 12–11PM.
Delicatessen Cave et Place: a buzzy wine shop with a bar attached. We just bought a few bottles for the house, and I wish I could have had some snacks at the bar. The food looks incroyable but there is simply too much to eat in this city. Open daily.
Aux Deux Amis: a legendary natural wine bar with tapas. Very reasonable prices here and they curate the wine for you, which is nice when you’re starving after a trip to Versailles. Reservations by phone, open Monday – Saturday.
Les Antiquaires: I loved people watching while eating escargot and pâté en croute on the patio at this bistro. They have great cocktails, too. Open daily, 7AM–2AM.
Where I wish I ate: Le Clown Bar, Le Tagine, and Chez George, but c’est la vie!
Where We Got Our Pâtisserie
Poîlane: excellent bread and croissants (probably my favorite of the trip). We also loved their little butter cookies. Multiple locations.
Bakery Utopie: Great baguette and gorgeous pastries. Their black sesame citron tart was probably my favorite dessert of the trip.
Boulangerie Terroir d'Avenir: part of the Frenchie family. Their Pain au Chocolat was so crunchy and layered. I wish I tried their rhubarb tart and jambon beurre. Open Tuesday–Sunday from 8AM–8PM.
Folderol: a wine bar and ice cream shop featuring incredible flavors like geranium and pomelo earl grey. Both their buttermilk olive oil and the pistachio ice creams were amazing. Open Wednesday – Sunday.
La Combine: a soft serve ice cream shop across the street from Sur Mer. We tried both the rhubarb and the cardamom, and they were so intensely flavored my eyes practically rolled back in their sockets. Open Wednesday–Sunday.
Where I wish I ate: Le Récamier for souffle (it’s a must for next time)
What We Did
Nouvelle Eve: a cabaret theatre in Montmontre. While Moulin Rouge is more iconic, it has become a bit of a tourist trap. Nouvelle Eve is an excellent show, and it’s just around the corner so you’ll still see the windmill. The performers are masters at their craft and the theater is beautiful. We were seated right next to the stage, so close that the juggler dropped a hat on my mom’s head and I toasted my Champagne with the acrobat. Pair with a trip to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur and take in the best view of Paris before walking down to the theatre through Montmartre. It’s kind of touristy over there so we didn’t spend a lot of time, but I’m sad I missed a visit to Chez Virginie, which is a beloved cheese shop. I can’t speak highly enough of this experience, it really blew me away! Reservations necessary and open Thursday – Tuesday (I think, tbh the hours confused me).
Musée du Louvre: I know, I know: it’s such an obvious recommendation, and it’s also overwhelming and impossible to navigate. But, the Louvre is so, so beautiful and worthy of your time. Give yourself at least 4 hours there, go on a weekday, and reserve in advance. Also, you don’t have to see the Mona Lisa. I mean, it’s cool to have seen her, but the crowd kills the vibe and there are many, many other pieces that are more impressive. Closed Tuesdays.
Cimetière du Père-Lachaise: another obvious recommendation, but I loved visiting the final resting places of legends like Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, and Edith Piaf. Open daily 8AM–6PM.
Les Catacombes de Paris: I didn’t actually visit during this particular trip, but the catacombs are such a unique site to behold that they deserve a mention. Reserve in advance, open Friday – Sunday.
Musée d’Orsay: one of my favorite museums in Paris! I’ve already been twice so I didn’t visit this time, but it’s spectacularly beautiful and has the best lighting. Closed Mondays
Musée de l’Orangerie: home of Monet’s water lilies. It’s not huge so you only need a couple hours, but it’s a special place. We did not reserve in advance, and only had to wait about 10 minutes to get in. Closed Tuesdays.
Musée Rodin: sculpture museum with a beautiful garden. Like l’Orangerie, it’s a pretty quick visit and you don’t have to reserve in advance. We did both in the same afternoon. Closed Mondays.
Maison Victor Hugo: a great stop if you watched The Hunchback of Notre Dame on the flight over (recommended). It’s quick, free, and in a lovely part of town. Closed Mondays.
Where We Shopped
Le Bon Marché: this is kind of like French Eataly, but way better. An excellent stop for treats to take home (I could spent a lot of time and money here). There’s even a vacuum sealer, which is convenient if you’re planning to bring butter back. They also have housewares upstairs, which connects to a department store. Shopper’s paradise, I’m telling you. Open daily 10–7:45PM.
Marché aux puce de la Portes de Vanves: Paris has the best flea markets, and this one was incredible. It’s smaller and much more manageable than Les Puces, which is more famous. Bring cash and be prepared to spend it: the prices are more like that of antique and vintage shops rather than thrifting. Get there around 830-9AM because the vendors start packing up at noon. If you can’t make it, there are many other weekend flea markets sprinkled around the city. Open Saturdays and Sundays year-round.
Magasin Sennelier: a historic art shop, preferred by Picasso and other greats. I don’t know how to use pastels but I wish I did because their selection is breathtaking. Closed Sundays.
E. Dehillerin: Julia Child shopped here for her cooking tools, and I can see why. They have the most gorgeous collection of copper pots I’ve ever seen. Closed Sundays.
Bobby: a secondhand boutique with a similar vibe to Buffalo Exchange, but much chicer with finds from Balenciaga, Dior, Jean-Pail Gaultier, etc. A must-visit if you love to shop second hand. Multiple locations (visit them all if you can).
The Vintage Shops: there must be a thousand vintage shops in Paris, far too many to list out here. I’ll say my favorite was Thanx God I’m a VIP (do not understand this name), but it’s worth popping into as many as you can.
The Broken Arm: designer high fashion boutique filled with the most fashionable people you’ve ever seen. On the weekends, they have archive sales during the flea market out on the street, so it’s a great shopping destination in general. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Shakespeare & Company: a super touristy stop near Notre Dame, but the line moves fast! It’s iconic with a wonderful selection of books (I bought She Came to Stay by Simone de Beauvoir, which was a juicy read). Stop by Ostra next door for oysters afterwards. Open daily.
Cheese Shops
There are tons and tons of amazing cheese shops, but these are my favorites.
L’Arèche à Paris: tiny little spot with the best Coppa I’ve ever tasted. All of the charcuterie was great, as were the strawberry preserves. We ate the full jar over the course of the trip. Open daily.
La Fromagerie de Louvre: they sell my favorite Comté and butter! A perfect pit stop on the way home from the Louvre. Open daily.
Fromager Marie-Anne Cantin: an iconic shop that serves a wonderful cheese tasting experience. It’s also close to the Eiffel Tower, so it’s a great spot for picnic supplies. Closed Mondays.
Other shops of note: Androuet (they’re happy to vacuum-seal your cheese), Fromagerie Laurent Dubois, Chez Virginie, Barthelemy (Ina Garten’s pick), Androuet, Fromageris Roland Rousselet Affineur, Fromagerie Quatrehomme, La Laiterie de Paris Canal, Bruno Collet, and Fromagerie Platini
Day Trips
I recommend booking your tickets weeks in advance, and packing sandwiches for the trip. They’re touristy spots, so the food can be pretty mediocre (whereas a homemade jambon beurre avec Comté is always stellar).
Monet Jardin et Maison in Giverny:
The home and gardens of Claude Monet are overwhelmingly beautiful, albeit crowded with tourists. I recommend that you stop for a coffee or drink at the Hotel Baudy, where contemporary artists would stay while visiting Monet’s estate. The food is very OK, but their backyard garden is an enchanted, overgrown hideaway.
How to get there: take the train to Vernon, then get on the shuttle or take a Bolt (AKA French Uber) to Giverny. Get there early and plan to spend most of your day there.
Tip: I recommend buying roundtrip train tickets to Vernon on the SNCF website beforehand. Give yourself a LOT of wiggle room getting to the train station (just in case your bus goes the wrong way and has to do a 3-point (more like 6, tbh) turn in the middle of a one-way street.
Versailles
The palace is crowded and overwhelming, but also iconic. For me, it’s all about the gardens. They’re spectacular, especially the Queen’s Hamlet with the fairytale buildings and little farm. I recommend getting the passport ticket and spending most of your day there.
Getting there: I recommend taking the RER C which will take you straight there, but there are a couple options for getting there.
Tip: after your visit, buy a box of pastries and a bottle of wine, then retire early to watch Marie Antoinette in your AirBNB or hotel room.
I’d like to thank Ina Garten, David Leibovitz, Alison Roman, and the good people on Instagram that replied to my call for recommendations. This trip wouldn’t have been possible without their guidance.
This is living, baby! Great post! Saving for my future self.
I absolutely love the way this is formatted - the pictures, categories, descriptions, and tips! Such an amazingly helpful guide. I'm definitely saving this for whenever I plan a trip to Paris. Thank you for this!!