Appart Hotel La Defense

In a quiet residential neighbourhood, this bistro with a colourful façade and bright green-floored terrace catches the eye. The stylish neo-vintage interior cleverly blends wood, wallpaper, large mirrors, old photographs in gilded frames, and shelves lined with knick-knacks. Friendly welcome and highly attentive service. In the kitchen, Arnaud Delvenne (a Top Chef finalist 2022) has devised a thoughtful and appealing à la carte menu and an affordable lunch menu (add-ons available). A refreshing chilled courgette soup, lightly seared sea bream served with a tasty caponata, and a perfectly made

How time flies! Frédéric Anton has been the chef of the Pré Catelan, the mythical Napoleon III lodge nestled in the Bois de Boulogne and refurbished by Pierre-Yves Rochon with lashings of designer furniture and a palette of green, white and silver tones, for almost 30 years. Born in Nancy into a working-class family, this Meilleur Ouvrier de France learned the ropes under Joël Robuchon. His tasting menu, which stars top-drawer produce (scallops, langoustine, salmon, caviar), is a masterclass of high-flying understatement and razor-sharp precision. The culinary score, which rises to a crescendo

In a residential neighbourhood in the 16th arrondissement, Julien Dumas (previously of Lucas Carton and Bellefeuille - Saint James Paris) has set up shop in this elegant, tastefully decorated eatery, previously the fine dining restaurant Le Pergolèse. This talented chef's love of the Atlantic Ocean finds expression in flavoursome and remarkably delicate seafood cuisine (zostera is a seagrass). Tender Arctic char with butter and tansy, asparagus confit in wax, or premium hand-dived scallops simply seared: precise seasoning, accurate cooking and delicate combinations are testament to the full po

Built in 1892, this private mansion resembles a small château surrounded by greenery in the very heart of Paris. It became a hotel in the early 1990s, but it wasn't until 2013 that its restaurant opened to non-residents and it is very probably one of the most exclusive establishments of the French capital! The high-flying score, which focuses on vegetables and seafood, is proud to serve produce from the establishment’s own vegetable garden, capable of supplying over 250 varieties of fruit, veg and herbs. This sustainable farming ethos is elegantly and steadfastly championed by the knowledgeabl

Chef Nicolas Beaumann enthusiastically perpetuates the tradition of delicious food that has always been synonymous with this emblematic establishment, albeit while increasingly embracing the modern, as reflected in the newly refurbished dining room. The short à la carte menu and the tasting menus (one of which is plant-based) include poivrade artichoke "in a velouté of its leaves; caper and olive stuffing", their classic pike-perch quenelle with lobster cream, and Bresse chicken with salsify and a yellow wine jus. Pastry chef David Boudinet's sweets also make an impression – for instance, the

Transformed into a restaurant for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, Empire, Belle Époque and Art nouveau styles culminate in the charm of a rotunda dining room with a glazed roof and a superb terrace. The business clientele comes here to savour the spirit of a bygone Paris and the ‘country’ air of the Bois de Boulogne. Georges Menut lovingly maintains the image of a “grande dame”, but modernity is ensured with the cooking of chef Frédéric Robert, whose cv includes L’Ambroisie, Le Vivarois and Lucas-Carton, and the desserts of young pastry-chef Joris Vée.

Having run the kitchens at Lasserre (one of the temples of classical French cuisine) for many years, Jean-Louis Nomicos is now well installed in this restaurant bearing his name. For this bard of gastronomic tradition, who was born near Marseille and grew up in a world where bouillabaisse is king, culinary arts and techniques are first and foremost about the senses and pleasures of the palate. It is within these parameters that he reveals the full potential of his successful recipes and top-notch ingredients – Mediterranean wherever possible, of course – including his signature macaroni with b