Villa Raspail

Bruno Verjus's approach is to select the finest ingredients and cook them with humility and the utmost respect. This remarkable character was previously an entrepreneur, blogger and food critic. Behind the counter (where diners are seated on comfortable bar stools), he waxes lyrical about his suppliers and the desire to take a back seat to the artisans who produce what he then cooks – on that note, when it comes to either the recipes or the ingredients, the chef considers himself to be a "middle man". Everything is made to order, with garnishes and sauces designed with just one thing in mind:

A stone's throw from the Marché d'Aligre, the navy-blue façade of this restaurant conceals a vintage interior strewn with Art deco details that is reminiscent of a Parisian apartment and which is the work of Argentinian architect Marcelo Joulia. A talented couple is at the helm: Frédéric Lorimier in the kitchen and Camille Gouyer who graciously supervises the front of house. After honing his talent with the greats (not least Arnaud Donckele in Saint-Tropez), the chef crafts a meticulous, almost surgical score. Think seasonal produce, virtuoso technique and exquisitely aromatic sauces, e.g. lin

Chef Andreas Mavrommatis, with his engaging personality, had become over the years a true ambassador of Greek cuisine in Paris, thanks to his refined and authentic cooking, based on classic French techniques combined with the best of Hellenic flavors. Grilled octopus, crispy phyllo, onion confit with xinomavro; Lozère lamb, the shoulder meltingly tender, the saddle roasted with halloumi, Swiss chard dolmades and a Volos olive relish... As the seasons and inspirations change, this culinary journey continues thanks to a loyal team, in a an elegant and evocative setting.

If there are "writers' writers", then there are chefs' chefs. A Meilleur Ouvrier de France, a mainstay of the Ferrandi gastronomy school, promoter of culinary design, restaurateur in Tokyo, Éric Trochon is that sort of chef – admired and yet relatively little known. He and his sommelier wife preside over this elegant, intimate-feeling restaurant with a decor that blends Brazilian rosewood furnishings and paintings and ceramics by a Korean artist. The menu also errs towards minimalism, with on-point proposals including an omakase menu. The dishes showcase modern cuisine with Asian touches, such

Indulgence and good wine: Gilles Choukroun has taken his friend Émile Cotte's motto and made it his own! In the lively atmosphere of a Parisian bistro, he serves up his generous take on hearty bistro classics: marinated herring and potato salad; calf's head, tongue and brains in sauce ravigote; floating island with praline and crème anglaise… Appealing menu-carte on the blackboard.

Not far from rue de Cîteaux, this restaurant in an apothecary-style shop dating back to the 1900s is not merely aesthetically pleasing. It serves modern cuisine packed with quality ingredients: seared scallops with parsnip cream and parsnip crisps, stuffed breast of veal from the Basque Country… The chef knows how to draw out flavours with a generous touch, and the service is attentive.

The title says it all – a duo of chefs who trained under Thierry Marx and innovative fusion cuisine in which South American and Asian influences rub shoulders with pedigree French ingredients. The aubergines are underscored by miso sauce; pollock is flanked by creamy green peas, risotto of quinoa and Thai herbs sprinkled with grilled buckwheat for a roasted flavour; beef dumpling and a teriyaki sauce: everything is intelligently and patiently combined and assembled by our gourmet duo. This warm, colourful bistro, fully in tune with its era, is good news for the town centre of Saint-Maurice!