ARK Hôtel Paris Boulogne

This town house (once the station café) has morphed into a gourmet restaurant with a chic, modern vibe and walls adorned with photos and paintings. The recipes are the work of seasoned chef Régis Douysset, who is backed up by a crack team in the kitchen. The ingredient-led cuisine is precisely and generously cooked and seasoned, a case in point being the frogs' legs sautéed in garlic with a watercress velouté sauce. The dishes go down a treat with meticulously selected wines from small-scale producers. Pleasant terrace for sunny days.

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

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.

After stints in the kitchens of Yannick Alléno, Jean-François Piège and Guy Savoy, chef Alexis Voisenet decided to make his own mark by opening this restaurant in the casemates of the old fort of Issy-les-Moulineaux. A unique historical site whose stone vaults are enhanced with contemporary furnishings. A champion of seasonal produce, the chef's creative, delicate approach results in refined dishes such as the house signature, calf’s sweetbread. In addition to a well-oiled front-of-house team.

A Canadian couple, Noam Gedalof and Etheliya Hananova, run this fine Parisian restaurant. The chef draws his inspiration from Gallic traditions, to which he adds a modern spin. His mission is to highlight seasonal ingredients with the utmost care, tailoring the single set menu to the produce of the moment. The flavoursome results are to be sampled in a natty modern interior with vivid blue walls hung with paintings by contemporary artists. The cordial front-of-house team is directed by Hananova, who also welcomes diners in a manner befitting the Canadian reputation for warm hospitality!

A quiet street in a residential area, a contemporary bistro and a buzzy vibe paint the portrait of Maximilien Kuzniar’s fine dining haunt. Ceviche of seabass, mashed sweet potato and leche de tigre sauce; egg parfait, purée of carrots and ginger: a festival of forthright flavours crafted from wholesome seasonal ingredients. The lunch set menus are excellent value for money, while the evening dining options are more creative and ambitious.

Much like the artist Corot, who painted the nearby ponds, Rémi Chambard turns to nature and produce from Île-de-France for inspiration when it comes to cooking. He devises a set menu that showcases the region by highlighting the different villages from which he sources his ingredients, from Montmorency to Crécy-la-Chapelle. He also personally undertakes what he calls his "urban harvest" in the King's Kitchen Garden in Versailles. This virtuoso chef still takes great pleasure in working with vegetables and plants (as well as other ingredients). Imbued with a certain purity, his dishes are strik