This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bistro near the Place de la Bastille is perfect for a traditional French meal. Expect simple starters like crispy fried mushrooms and artichoke hearts doused in butter and plated with zero flair, practically just-plucked sucrine lettuce served with a creamy mustard dressing, and mains like a fist-sized chicken cordon bleu. All dishes come with either thin and crispy frites, a whipped potato purée, or green beans.

Cheval d’Or has been a Belleville restaurant since 1987, and its red facade hasn’t changed since. What’s different is the international team running it. Now, it's one of the only places in Paris that do a menu of French-Chinese mashups in a soaring, industrial-chic space that fits in with the area’s bohemian vibe. Stylish locals and their friends sit along industry pros and devour whole roast duck, lobster-stuffed croque madame topped with chili oil, or or foie gras wontons in flavorful stock.

L’Ami Jean is a lively, rickety bistro with mismatched furniture and crooked artwork, and the food is excellent and hearty—think roasted veal cheek and confit beef shoulder. The €98 tasting menu includes smaller portions of the greatest hits, plus seasonal standouts like stuffed butternut squash and a foie gras-packed tuna belly “sandwich” topped with marinated melon. No matter what, you'll want to zero in on their famous rice pudding, which comes in a wooden bowl with a big serving spoon.

At Parcelles, you’ll get both charm and sophistication from a daily-changing menu of French classics done up with clever touches. Expect dishes like chou farci, or stuffed cabbage, filled with minced pork, foie gras, and flecks of pistachios. And if the starter of slightly seared escargot-style scallops topped with thin guanciale slices is on the menu, order it. While this Le Marais spot is white tablecloth territory, it somehow feels fun and fresh.

This women-run Lebanese hotspot on the edge of Le Marais is fun, flavorful, and great for vegetarians. Nail the experience by starting with a cocktail that weaves in Levantine ingredients, like sumac, orange blossom, rosewater, or arak. Then, continue with a few small plates to share like one of the khebez, or bread-accompanied dips, like labné topped with a pile of greens or the Chou Hispi, a grilled piece of cabbage paired with the true star: spicy cream cheese topped with pickled apricot.

Septime, ever heard of it? When it opened in Charonne in 2011, the pioneering neo-bistro took all the stiffness out of bistro dining, made the cuisine more creative and unpretentious, threw in natural wines, and kicked off a movement. This casual yet still sophisticated spot has been full non-stop ever since, and we’d even say the restaurant put the 11th arrondissement on the dining map—after all, they got loyal Left Bankers to cross the river to eat here.

Expect mains here like line-caught fish or chicken that’s flavored with Middle Eastern spices, and desserts like satsuma mandarin almond cake and sesame halva cookies. Everything is flavor-packed and near-perfect in execution. While lunch is the most popular time (they’re not open for dinner, or on weekends), we suggest breakfast between 9am and 10:30am. You’ll find the same superb quality in their whole wheat waffles, or granola with fruit, mint, and a dollop of homemade confiture.

For 40 years, the French-Moroccan owners of this 11th arrondissement restaurant have been spotlighting two unexpected pairings: Moroccan classics and natural wine. In fact, this spot was fanatic about the unfiltered, funky stuff long before le vin nature was a buzzword. Families gather at lunch while the wine-obsessed locals from across the city come at night to sit beneath striking lanterns and dig into one of ten different couscous dishes and tagine specials with vegetables, lamb, or chicken.

Yes, you’ll hear a lot of English speakers at Le Mary Celeste, but we still enjoy this wine bar in Le Marais (from the same group that runs Candelaria) for its laid-back vibe, great small plates, and funky natural wine. Count on dishes like creamy deviled eggs, bulots with wasabi mayo, beef tartare with smoked mayonnaise, chili oil, and mint, and you'll want to order plenty of oysters. Everything is meant to be shared, but if the plum tarte is on the menu, order one for yourself.

With historic Paris dining institutions, it’s easy to wonder whether you’re coming for the French food or the myth of the place itself. In the case of La Tour d'Argent, a fine dining temple that inspired Ratatouille, you’re coming for both—and for the city views, gold-star service, and a striking blue dining room with enough Christofle tableware to make you feel like royalty. The tasting menus skew traditional without feeling boring or dated, and the zhuzhed up plating highlights old favorites.