sharing my top paris restos and personal google map with you
plus, a Q&A with Lindsey Tramuta, author of THE NEW PARIS and THE NEW PARISIENNE
happy sunday, friends!
if you’re stateside, I hope you’re enjoying the long weekend. actually, I hear there’s a bank holiday in the UK tomorrow as well, so happy three-dayer to my Brits reading as well! thanks so much for your patience with me last weekend as I took a break from landing in your inbox—I was traveling from Stockholm (OMG still sooooo not over our epic experience at the Eras Tour!) to Copenhagen and was processing the news of my nana’s passing I’d gotten earlier in the week.
my nana was always my first FaceTime when I reached my destination halfway around the world—I have memories ringing her up from hotel rooms South Africa, Peru, Vietnam, and beyond. so it feels especially fitting that the last time I spoke to her was from our suite at Le Meurice in Paris. the Eiffel Tower was twinkling in the background, and tears were flowing as I said goodbye. but somehow, thanks to my mom and aunts who were right beside her as she passed and reassured me to keep my trip intact, I was exactly where I needed to be. while I could easily turn this entire newsletter into a dedication for her, I know that’s not what you came for. instead, I’ll share the tribute I made for her below and say a warm thank you to everyone who chimed in on the video with their kind words; it was incredible to hear how her zest has been felt through the screen as I shared snippets of our relationship over the years.
pivoting to all things Par—eeeee
oh, Paris…the single city I’ve returned to more than anywhere else in the world. I’ve lost count of my time spent here after a fair bit of time in college going back and forth between Paris and the two cities I studied in France (La Rochelle and Grenoble). and going back even further to it being the first European city I ever visited, the nostalgia mixed with a newness each time I rediscover this city is pure alchemy for me. no matter how many times I visit, I don’t think I’ll ever feel like I’ve gotten my fill until I split my time more equitably between New York and Paris. but we’ll save that existential crisis for another time.
as we get into recs, let me just start by saying that I’m a SUCKER for a guide. perhaps it’s confirmation bias considering my livelihood (I write full-time for a luxury travel company, SmartFlyer, in case you missed that part!) is predicated on the value of expert recommendations…or maybe it’s just the result of being a Virgo, but I have a really hard—more like impossible—time being spontaneous on a trip when it comes to dining.
like, I’m a bit of an unreasonable monster if you deign to suggest, “want to just try that place across the street that looked cute?”
NO! no, I don’t want to risk WASTING a meal on that place that looked cute because what if the ‘cuteness’ is just overcoming for the trash that is the food? I can’t bear that possibility.
as to where these precious recommendations come from, I’m not talking about someone anonymous on a Google/Yelp review—no, I never look at those. I’m talking about someone I know who has recently been to [insert destination] and walked away raving about the place that served the best oyster mignonette and crispiest stuffed artichokes that they’ve ever had. I want to walk in knowing I have to order the roasted chicken, and not to miss the lemon dessert that looks like a real lemon. maybe that sounds like a hyper-specific hell to you. but in that case, you probably don’t work in the travel industry, and we definitely can’t go on a trip together!!
call me a cauality of the chokehold that recommendation culture has on our society (more on that in
), but I’ll happily be over here in my research hole. I’m apt make you walk thirty minutes away to somewhere someone told me they loved only to find out it’s closed on mondays and curse myself because “damn it, we really should have gotten a reservation.” luckily, in the case of this most recent trip, there were no such meltdowns, because your girl worked in concert with the concierges (we stayed three nights each at Le Meurice and Hotel Lutetia and both concierge teams were EXCELLENT) to lock down dinner reservations each evening in advance of our arrival.without further ado, my Paris Google Map is a compilation of favorite places I’ve tried, and recommendations I’ve lifted both from friends and those like
who’ve recently visited and recapped their favorites. there are also hotels, vintage shops, bakeries, and cocktail bars abound. it continues to be a living document as I’ll add recs here leading up to my next inevitable visit! have faves you think I missed? would love to hear from you in the comments!
13 Paris restaurants I adore (alphabetized):
Alfred: located squarely in the 1st arrondissement, this is a power lunch-style spot with the most delightful prefix two or three course menu to be enjoyed amongst its chic Parisien crowd. it offers striking Art Deco decor and classic French cuisine with a twist. if you’re staying at Le Meurice, it’s a two minute walk away, tucked just behind the Tuileries.
Chez André: if you’re staying at any of the palace hotels clustered between Avenue Georges V and Avenue Montaigne (Four Seasons Hotel George V, Bulgari Paris, Hotel Grand Powers, Hotel Plaza Athénée), this is a super conveniently located brasserie with excellent staples. I ate here the night before I ran the Paris marathon and will always remember it for fueling me to perfection!
Chez Janou: I finally had the chance to check out this Provençal style restaurant on our latest girls’ trip and was delighted by its beautiful chaos. the tables and chairs are crammed in within an inch of their life, the staff is frenziedly buzzing from table to table, and in our case, we were seated next to the hottest commodity: the bread drawer…oh how it delighted me that they just kept refilling the bread with no less than four varieties! the food is solid—not excellent in my humble opinion—but the value is incredible, and the chocolate mousse is even better. caveat: it’s full of tourists, thanks to said mousse which has gone a bit viral!
La Mangerie: fun for a night out with friends in the Marais, this is more tapas style dining where drinks are FLOWING—it makes for a vibey dinner before going out. I’ll be honest, I have no recollection of what I ate last time I was here, but it makes my list purely for the warm hospitality we received and the lively atmosphere that left its mark.
La Renommée: newly opened, this sister restaurant to 4 Charles Prime Rib (!!!!) literally has a “West Village Burger” on its menu. what a brilliant change of pace from all the French fare to see our very own neighborhood nodded to in the heart of the 1st arrondissement!! we had the most lovely, lingering meal here that started in its 42-seat upstairs before retiring for dessert and after-dinner drinks in the beautifully designed basement lounge. aside from the insane burger, the wallpaper-laden walls and bathrooms outfitted with Officine Universelle Buly soap REALLY did it for me.
Le Bistro Barbeuf: another brasserie tucked into the 8th arrondissement near the previously mentioned palace hotels, this is a great go-to for Lyon-style cuisine. I had a duck magret here this past fall that I’m still thinking about!
Le Bon Georges: okay, so most of my spots have focused on in this list offer French fare, but this one perhaps the most traditional of them all. walking in feels a bit like stepping back in time with vintage wine and spirits posters plastering the walls, the menu detailed on a chalkboard, a wine list bigger than an encyclopedia, a cart of cheeses being wheeled around, and a pot of chocolate mouse on the dessert menu that’s large enough for a family of six to split. fair warning, this is a bit more of a splurge but ideal for lovers of old-school techniques who don’t want to be surrounded by a lick of English (though your server will indulge you) considering this spot seems to draw in an especially local crowd.
Le Petit Lutetia: I came in *hot* on our recent trip raving about the steak tartare here and I’m thrilled to share that upon revisiting, it actually tasted better than I remembered. you can come for lunch or dinner, but I loved our evening here by candlelight—don’t miss the roasted chicken in morel sauce or the thin apple pie dessert! they’re also known for their espresso martinis.
Les Philosophes: this is another repeat offender for me in the Marais. on a gorgeous day when you’re bopping around the shops, this makes for a perfect stop where you can sit on the street and have SUPERB people-watching thanks to its primely located address. the onion soup is exceptional, but you can’t go wrong with a classic chèvre chaud salad if you’re craving something lighter!
Le Relais de l'Entrecôte: don’t judge me for including this (it’s like the New York equivalent of recommending Quality Meats/Quality Bistro) but I dream of this steak frites sauce. the concept is simple: no reservations, you queue, and when you get in, for a flat rate, you get a salad, fries, and steak dripping with their delectable green sauce. and they just keep coming back to top you off until you’re stuffed to the gills!! if you live in New York or London, maybe skip it since they have outposts there too, but I think dining at one of their three Paris spots is a rite of passage and you’ll find me going back time and time again for my fix.
Shirvan: if you’re craving a change of pace from French fare, this Azerbaijanian spot blends Persian, Arab and Indian influences for beautifully spiced shareables. the cocktail menu and glassware are as admirable as their hospitality, as evidenced by the time my mom asked where they got their coupes, and instead of sharing the vendor, they just gave her the black frosted glass that now sits on her bookshelf as a decoration.
Tekés: translating to "ceremony" in Hebrew, dining here is equally about the art of preparation. we sat at the bar in front of the open kitchen which sincerely enhanced our dining experience to include more tastes of things than the number of dishes we actually ordered! the menu is veg-forward and we went nuts over a dish built around leeks—though, surely the menu is constantly changing due to seasonality. what I hope doesn’t change is their sea salt-flecked chocolate mousse, which snagged our second favorite spot on our ranking from this trip behind Chez Janou.
Vivant: I dined here solo and it was such an impressionable experience, that I almost don’t know if I want to go back for fear it couldn’t possibly be that good again. but you should! try to snag a seat toward the back (there are no more than twenty seats in the entire restaurant) in front of the tiny kitchen where magic is worked. fittingly, today’s guest, Lindsey Tramuta, describes this unique dining experience better than I ever could in this Condé Nast Traveler writeup.
if you’re planning a paris trip moving forward, of course, my advice is ALWAYS going to be to work with a travel advisor who can sort you out start to finish. but if you’re aren’t going to be needing their services for hotel bookings, there are other great resources for concierge-only guidance. I actually purchased
’s “A Guide to The New Paris Restaurants” which is a downloadable Google map with over 200 vetted spots for only 20€ which was a great companion piece to my own map. for my next trip when I have more lead time, I’d love to work with my friend Meghan whose company En Route to Rêverie creates bespoke itineraries based on your preferences! if you want to work with her, get started sooner rather than later as I know she has quite the waitlist. bon voyage! xKDmeet Lindsey Tramuta
Since becoming a journalist and publishing two books, Lindsey have been committed to documenting the people and ideas that are shaping not only Paris, where she have lived since 2006, and the rest of France, but the world. Whether it’s through highlighting the societal and cultural shifts that inspired a culinary movement in Paris or the technologies propelling sustainable business practices everywhere from San Francisco to Sweden, her goal is for readers to better understand the evolving world and learn about the people and ideas driving the change. Lindsey is the author of The New Paris: the People, Places & Ideas Fueling a Movement and The New Parisienne: the Women & Ideas Shaping Paris.
Kayla Douglas: Lindsey, what did your road to becoming a journalist, author, author and podcaster look like?
Lindsey Tramuta: It was circuitous! I studied French literature and linguistics, went into communication and advertising in Paris and didn't start freelance writing until 2011, while I was still employed by an advertising firm. I contributed culture and travel-related stories for the NYT T Styles Magazine, for Condé Nast Traveler, for the NYT Travel section, and many others, realizing along the way that what I was documenting about Paris, in particular, highlighted a massive cultural shift. None of the books being released about Paris looked at all of those changes as a whole, and that led me to begin thinking about the book that would become The New Paris. When I was getting ready to launch the book in 2017, I started experimenting with podcasting as a way to promote the book and all the stories that I couldn't cover in its pages. Today, I still cover the city (and beyond) for major media, I still podcast, and all of it led to the second book, too: The New Parisienne.
KD: You've been based in Paris since 2006. What inspired you to relocate and begin documenting the people and ideas shaping the city?
LT: I was enamored with the French language so I came to Paris for a summer, initially, to dig deeper and learn more. Naturally, after 7 weeks I didn't want to leave. I went back to my hometown of Philadelphia for a time and returned for good at the end of 2006 to finish my undergraduate studies and try to fashion a career for myself in Paris. I would but not without first going back to school (The American University of Paris) and then spending six months interning to get concrete experience. The jump to writing and documenting life in the city came years later as an outlet for my observations. Professionally, I was quite lost as I had completed grad school just as the economy was crashing (2008/2009) and jobs were scarce. Writing--on a blog, at first-- gave me some sense of control and a more positive lens to see the city. I wasn't on a clear professional path in Paris but at least I could say I was in a city that inspired me.
KD: Tell us more about The New Paris: the People, Places & Ideas Fueling a Movement as an evolving look at what you consider "The New Paris."
LT: The book was meant to reflect a movement and pivotal moment in Parisian history. There was an energy in Paris that was dormant for many years after I arrived that I wanted to capture and explore the societal factors propelling the change.
KD: In addition to writing your own books and podcasting, you contribute reporting to global publications such as The New York Times, Vice, Fortune, Afar, Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, Vogue, Travel & Leisure, Bloomberg, and many others. How do you approach pinning down societal and cultural shifts from your unique perspective as an American living in France?
LT: I think that being simultaneously an insider and outsider has been a gift for my career. I’m not locked into any strict idea or understanding about France but also I’m integrated and bilingual which allows me to dig deeper and capture the cultural nuances that others might miss. It also helps that it’s my passion !
KD: What's the premise behind your second book The New Parisienne: the Women & Ideas Shaping Paris as it serves to lift the veil on the mythologized Parisienne?
LT: If The New Paris was a different narrative on the mythologized city, this book was my way of busting open the myth of the Parisienne and exploring the many ways that the archetype, and the many stereotypes that have been nurtured for centuries about her, is harmful to women everywhere. I begin by discussing the source of these ideas around Parisian women and continue with profiles and conversations with 40 women who are influencing the city; some French-born, many foreign; each impacted in some way by an unchecked and unrealistic standard of beauty and femininity imposed by the myth.
KD: How do you use your Substack, , to continue sharing recommendations for maximizing visitors' time in the city?
LT: My goal with the newsletter is to cover the evolving city in all its forms, with conversations, essays, and newsy analysis. Occasionally I include recommendations and tips but I try to make it a much deeper read than that.
KD: Shifting to what you're reading! Tell us about something you read recently that left you with a book hangover.
LT: Nothing has left me quite as hungover as Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow or Crying in H Mart, both of which I read last year. But there’s still plenty of time for that to change in 2024!
KD: What book is on your TBR pile that you're most excited to pick up?
LT: My friend Cody Delistraty’s long-awaited book “The Grief Cure,” which is part memoir and part research on new advances in grief management.
KD: The Sunday Series was conceptualized as a love letter to my favorite day of the week. If we were with you in Paris on Sunday, where would you take us to spend the afternoon?
LT: We could start with coffee at Mardi in Belleville, brunch at Gramme 11, a wander around the Canal St Martin and the bookstore Artazart, and perhaps an early apéro and dancing at Le Comptoir Général.
KD: Where can readers order your books, listen to your podcast, and subscribe to The New Paris Dispatch?
LT: You can find links to all of the above here. Wherever possible, buying from indie booksellers is ideal! And my newsletter is linked below.
Thanks for including me 🙏🏼
Love Le Relais de L’entrecôte !! Though my perennial favorite is Chez L’ami Jean. This whole post makes me want to book a trip to Paris. // Thanks for the shoutout. My evolving view is that we’re all continuously figuring out how to navigate recommendation culture. I find the key to be honing our personal preferences and taste, while also turning to passionate experts when needed (and being sure those people really are experts).