Paris

ma griffe.

Ie

• Bibliotheque des Arts Décoratifs; 107 Rue Rivoli (library) —go here for : a quiet, charming library; extensive art history research in multiple languages
• La Rose de France; 24 Place Dauphine (bistro) —go here for : terrines of escargot and chestnut, perfectly cooked meats
  
• E. Delhillerin; 18 rue Coquillière (cooking supplies store) —go here for : rare cooking supplies, culinary inspiration
• “Destruction des Animaux Nuisibles”; 8 rue des Halles (photo opp!) —go here for : a good laugh and a reality check (concerning the old days at the Les Halles market)
• Le Fumoir; 6 rue de l’Amiral de Coligny (bar) —go here for : a swanky cocktails and dirty martinis in a vintage bistro setting (my fav. bartender is Blaise)
• Spring; 52 rue de l’Arbre Sec (specialty food store) —go here for : great wines, a smattering of high end gourmet delicacies-both french and foreign
• 59RIVOLI; 59 rue de Rivoli (gallery/art collective) —go here for : “portes ouvertes”, an inside look at the edgier side of the contemporary Paris art scene
• Le Louvre des Antiquaires; 2 Place du Palais Royal (antiques and art gallery) –go here for : a tranquil walk through 3 floors of gorgeous antiques from all over the world, selected art exhibitions
• Palais Royal; 25 Rue de Valois (park) —go here for : a luxurious stroll among high end art, antiques, and clothing shops
• Mora; 13 Rue Montmartre (cooking supplies) —go here for : cooking supplies without the nostalgia, easy to navigate and well stocked.

IIe

• Comptoir de la Gastronomie; 34 rue Montmartre (specialty foods store) —go here for : hard to find wines, charcuterie
• Rue Montorgueil (walks/streets) —go here for : rotisserie chicken, eclairs, good smells and people watching
• Vert Midi; 1 Rue St. Marc (restaurant) —go here for : “make your own” salads with fresh ingredients and crunchy shells, outdoor eating

IIIe

• Au Levain du Marais; 32 Rue de Turenne (bakery) —go here for : the smell of fresh baked bread, carmelized nut tarts
• Centre Pompidou, top floor (photo opp!) —go here for : a view of Sacre Coeur and the Eiffel Tower
• Centre Pompidou, (attraction) —go here for : a mind-expanding, imagination-sparking museum experience
• Rue Rambuteau (walks/streets) —go here for : guimauves (parisian marshmallows), italian sandwiches, interesting retail
• Marché des Enfants Rouges; 39 Rue de Bretagne (outdoor dining) —go here for : world cuisine, historic context
• Pain de Sucre; 14 Rue Rambuteau (candy/marshmallows) —go here for : parisian guimauves
• Foccaceria; Rue Rambuteau (sandwiches & wraps) —go here for : fresh, mediterranean ingredients
• Breizh Café; 109 Rue Vielle du Temple (crèpe restaurant) —go here for : crispy, inventive, sit-down crèpes and cider
• Goumanyat: 3 Rue Dupuis (spice shop) —go here for : restaurant quality products, extensive variety
• Tartes Kluger; 6 Rue de Forez (tarte restaurant) —go here for : meeting strangers, inventive tarts, to make yourself seem “branché”
• Rue Bretagne (walks/streets) —go here for : fun gifts, people watching
• Huré; 18 rue Rambuteau (bakery) —go here for : some of the best baguette sandwiches in Paris – even one with bbq sauce (in case you’ve got a strange craving for such things…)
• Café Charlot; 38 Rue de Bretagne (café/bistro) —go here for : sunny outdoor seating, a solid, reliable steak tartare, and steak de cheval (horse meat).
• Mary; 1 rue Charles-François Dupuis (gelateria) —go here for : the best gelato in Paris, served by Mary – a lady so Italian that she barely speaks a word of French.
• Ofr; 20, rue Dupetit-Thouars (shop) —go here for: art books, vintage postcards, free art exhibits, hipster cool à la française
• Grazie; 91 Boulevard Beaumarchais (pizza joint/bar)—go here for: inventive cocktails, industrial ambiance

IVe

• Aux Delices de Saint-Paul; 129 Rue Saint Antoine (bakery) —go here for : sandwiches, quiches, and dessert
• Free’P'Star; 61 Rue de la Verrerie/8 rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie (thrift store) —go here for : cheap, random garb
• L’as du Falafel; 36 Rue des rosiers (falafel restaurant) —go here for : the “best falafel in the world” (according to the NYTimes)
• La Chaise au Plafond; 10 rue de trésor (bistro) —go here for : standard bistro fare: terrines, tomato tart, tartare
• Berthillon; 31 Rue St. Louis en Ile (ice cream) —go here for : fruit flavors & caramel beurre salé
• Izrael: épicerie du monde; 30 Rue Francois-Miron (spice shop) —go here for : piment, pistachio halvah, wild rice
  
• Folle du Logis; 25 Rue St. Paul/Village St. Paul (antique shop) —go here for : interesting cutlery and glassware
• Bernard Lefrance; 38 Rue St Louis en l’Ile (cheese shop) —go here for : an intense, impressive aroma
• Rue St. Paul (antique, jewelery, food shopping) —go here for : american foodstuffs, exotic jewelry and antiques
• Rue du Roi Sicile (thrift shopping) —go here for : a high concentration of thrift stores
• Au Grand Appétit; 9 Rue de la Cerisaie (macrobiotic foodstore) —go here for : non-wheat grains, hard to find health-food

Ve

• Le Violon Dingue; 46 Rue de la Montagne Sainte-Geneviève (bar) —go here for : american ambiance, french people
• Chez Nicos; 44 Rue Mouffetard (crèpe shop) —go here for : the “crèpe du chef”, with aubergines
• Café Maure/Le Restaurant, Mosquée de Paris; 39 Rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (moroccan café/restaurant)  —go here for : tagine, mint tea
• Bistrot des Anglais; 6 rue des Anglais (bar) —go here for : giraffes of beer, a pregame
• Café de la Nouvelle Mairie (bar/bistro) —go here for : interesting organic wines, perfected “home cooking” on Tuesday and Thursday nights
• Le Bowling Mouffetard; 73 rue Mouffetard (bowling) —go here for : American high school nostalgia, without the creepy drunk old men and cigarette smoke.
• Fromagerie Laurent Dubois; 47ter Boulevard Saint Germain (cheese shop) —go here for : perfect textures, fragrant aromas – overall cheese perfection.

VIe

• Vin et Terroirs; 66 Rue Saint-André des Arts (french restaurant) —go here for : escargot, duck , chocolate mousse
• Coolin’; 15 Rue Clément (bar) —go here for : a bar where people dance, meeting people
• Rue de Buci (walks/streets) —go here for : Saint Germain people watching, interesting retail and cafés
• Guichard Stephane; 5 rue Vavin (bakery) —go here for : the perfect sandwich, especially tuna
• Eric Kayser ; 87 Rue d’Assas (bakery) —go here for : white chocolate brioche, amazing bread in general
• La Sieste ; 16 rue de la Grande Chaumière (french/nouveau cuisine) —go here for : high end bistro-esque fare, ratatouille
• Midi-Vins; 86 rue du Cherche-Midi (french restaurant) —go here for : revisited classics, a good quality-price ratio, blanquette de veau
• Art Macaron ; 129 Blvd Montparnasse (pastry shop and restaurant) —go here for : the 12 euro lunch, salade de chevre chaud
• Cuisine de Bar; 8 rue Cherche-Midi (open faced sandwiches, “tartines”) —go here for : the 11 euro lunch, Poilane bread
• Malongo Café; 50 Rue Saint-André des Arts (café) —go here for : great espresso, breezy street views
• Les Deux Magots; 6 Place St Germain des Prés (café) —go here for: the best chocolat chaud in town, amazing people watching
  

VIIe

• La Petite Chaise; 36 Rue Grenelle (french restaurant) —go here for : traditional fare, white chocolate mousse with chocolate sauce
• Le Raspail; 58 Boulevard Raspail (bistro/café) —go here for : lunch, croque madame, salade de chevre chaud
• La Grande Epicerie du Bon Marché; 38 rue de Sèvres (luxury grocery store) —go here for : international foodstuffs, hard to find products, spices, oils, or culinary inspiration
• Pain et Chocolat; 16 ave la Motte Piquet (breakfast) —go here for: a high-end relaxing breakfast
• Poujauran; 18 rue Jean Nicot (bakery) —go here for: great crusty breads, especially raisin/noisette
• Chez L’Ami Jean; 27 rue Malar (restaurant) —go here for : riz au lait, nouveau-basque cuisine, the menu carte blanche
  

VIIIe

• Laduree; 16 Rue Royale (bakery) —go here for : cassis et violet macarons, also café, pistache, or framboise
• Neva; 2 rue de Berne (French restaurant) —go here for: a special occasion that won’t break the bank, beautifully plated haute cuisine

IXe

• Uniqlo; 17 rue Scribe (clothing store) —go here for : affordable, reliable basics and bright colors
• La Nouvelle Athènes; 46 rue Laffitte (hair salon) —go here for : dry-cut hair; natural, low-maintenance cuts
  
• Bus Palladium; 6 rue Fontaine (club/bar) —go here for : live music, high-end karaoke, star sightings, ambiance
  

Xe

• La Tete dans les olives; 2 rue Sainte Marthe (épicerie/table d’hote) —go here for : olive oil, the “table d’hote”
• Marché Saint-Quentin; 85 bis Blvd Magenta (covered market) —go here for : good quality/price ratio, hard to find products, cancaillote
• Artazart; 83 quai de Valmy (design bookstore) —go here for : interesting and visually stimulating reading, gifts for your creative friends, meeting your future intello soul-mate
  
• Canal Saint Martin (picnic spot, photo op!) —go here for : a laid-back picnic, lively and interesting barhopping, creative shopping, to escape the tourists (or at least the annoying ones)
  
• Le Verre Volé; 67 rue de Lancry (wine bar, bistro) —go here for : hard-to-find organic wines, refreshing but traditional French cuisine and pickings.
• Du Pain et des Idées; 34 Rue Yves Toudic (boulangerie) —go here for : le pain des amis (the bread of friends) – an almost ciabatta like loaf with a smoky, crunchy crust- and pâte feuilleté (flaky crust) pastries.
• Chez Prune; 36 Rue Beaurepaire (bistro) —go here for : finger-licking assiettes of cheese and meats, a lovely canal-side outdoor table, kitschy ambiance
• Chez Jeanette; 47 Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis —go here for: edgy bistro appeal, updated French fare

XIe

• Marché Richard Lenoir (food market) —go here for : variety, lively people watching, pain libanais with thyme
• Alimentation Générale; 64 Rue Jean Pierre Timbaud (bar) —go here for : free live music, dancing on the weekends
• Baguette Tardif ; 7 Rue Sedaine (bakery) —go here for : fresh, perfect baguettes
• Favela Chic; 18 Rue du Faubourg du Temple (bar/Brazilian restaurant) —go here for : solid brazilian food, excellent nightlife
• Au Pied de Fouet; 96 Rue Oberkampf (traditional french restaurant, terroir) —go here for : tradition, cassoulet, rillettes
• Jean Louis David; 83 rue de la Roquette (hairdresser) —ask for Stéphanie!
• Chez Paul; 13 rue de Charonne (bistro) —go here for : fresh inventive salads, a sunny weekend lunch
• Morry’s; 1 rue de Charonne (bakery) —go here for : great bagel sandiwiches, viande de grison (dried meat), filet d’hareng (herring), and anything with the figue moutard (figue mustard).
• Al Taglio ; 2 bis rue Neuve Popincourt (pizza) —go here for : creative, savory pizza toppings, including truffle, potato, or pumpkin.
• Le Chateaubriand; 129 avenue Parmentier (restaurant) —go here for : stripped-down bistro ambiance, unusual ingredients and flavor combinations, the fixed dinner menu (45€) which changes nightly
• Caffé dei Cioppi; 159 Rue Faubourg Saint-Antoine (restaurant) —go here for : modern, fresh Italian food in a lovely cobbled-alley ambiance
• Il Piccolo Otranto; 122 rue de Charonne (Italian specialty store) —go here for : artisanal pastas, oils, and antipasti products
• Barbershop; 68 Avenue de la République (bar) —go here for: trendy/hipster scene, respectable cocktails

XIIe

• Viaduc des Arts (walks/streets) —go here for : a run, a romantic stroll
• La Table d’Aligre; Place d’Aligré (french/nouveau Cuisine) —go here for : perfectly cooked meats, creative plates
• Marché Place d’Aligre (covered market) —go here for : excellent quality and selection, generally good prices, spit-roasted pig
• Graineterie/Epicerie du Marché d’Aligre; 8 Place d’Aligre (dried beans, grains, and spices store) —go here for : an amazing selection of flours, dried legumes, and spices – and truly friendly service
• Moisan; Place d’Aligre (boulangerie) —go here for : organic breads and pastries : pain de figues, olive fougasse, viennoiserie du chocolat, pain de levain bio
• Blé Sucré; 7 rue Antoine Vollon (patisserie/boulangerie) —go here for : escargot de raisin and other flaky pastries
• Le bar à thé; 9 rue Antoine Vollon (tea shop) —go here for : exotic, hard-to-find teasfrom all over the world
• La Gazzetta; 29 Rue de Cotte (restaurant) —go here for : elegant, art-deco ambiance with refreshing, inventive cuisine (5 or 7 satisfying, but not overly-filling courses)

XIIIe

• Tricotin; 15 ave de Choisy (asian restaurant, multiple cuisines) —go here for : good prices, delicious soups, cuisine à la vapeur
• Pho 14; 129 ave de Choisy (vietnamese restaurant) —go here for : pho.  and be prepared to wait for it.
• Boulangerie; 64 Rue des Gobelins (bakery) —go here for : the best meringues in town.
• Marché Auguste Blanqui (food market) —go here for : one of the cheaper Sunday markets
• Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir (footbridge) —go here for : a romantic stroll, modern view of Paris and the BNF
• Paris-Beirut; 242 rue de Tolbiac (lebanese restaurant) —go here for : fresh mediterranean fare, mousaka, taboulé
• Chez Gladines; 30 rue des Cinq Diamants (basque cuisine) —go here for : cheap, delightful gluttony : charcuterie, cheese, bacon and potato laden salads, generous portions all around
• Genty Gastronomie; 169 Boulevard Vincent Auriol (cheese shop, gourmet shop) —go here for : the (cheap) cheeses of the day

XIVe

• Marché Edgar Quinet (art market) —go here for : the Sunday marché de la création, fresh crèpes
• Plan B; 89 rue Daguerre (bistro) —go here for: os à moelle, interesting wine selection
• Casa Della Pasta; 19 rue Delambre (italian trader) —go here for : vegetable tarts, cold marinated salads, italian specialty products
• Les Petits Plats; 39 rue des Plantes (bistro) —go here for: gamey meats, seasonal flavors, locals-only ambiance

XVe

• L’Arbre de Sel; 138 rue de Vaugirard (korean restaurant) —go here for : the dinner formule, galettes de champignon, dolsot bibimbap
  

XVIe

• Jardins de Trocadéro (public park) —go here for : the best view of the Eiffel Tower
  

XVIIe

• Terrasse 17; 17 Rue des Batignolles (bistro) —go here for : piscines (rosé wine with ice cubes), generous salads

XVIIIe

• Mur des je t’aime (photo opp!) —go here for : an enjoyably touristy moment, to learn to fall in love in little-known languages
• Refuge des Fondues; 17 rue des Trois Frères (fondue restaurant) —go here for : cheap, amazing cheese fondue, photo opps, meeting strangers, finding reasons to gripe about tourists

XIXe

• Parc des Buttes Chaumont (garden) —go here for : an exception park experience, the view, to feel like you left Paris
• Rosa Bonheur; Buttes au Chaumont (restaurant/bar) —go here for : the ambiance, the staff, meeting people, dancing
• The 104 (CENTQUATRE) ; 104 rue Aubervilliers (contemporary art gallery/cultural center) —go here for : interesting artistic events, bric à brac, the “ball”(s) de 104
• 25° Est; 10 Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad (bar/restaurant) —go here for : a relaxing drink on the scenic banks of the Bassin de la Villette

XXe

• Le Baratin; 3 Rue Jouye Rouve (restaurant)  —go here for : authentic french home cooking, no-frills service
• La Mer à Boire; 1 Rue des Envierges (bar/bistro) —go here for: a cheap drink on a lovely outdoor terrasse alongside the breaktaking views of le Parc de Belleville

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AILLEURS (Outside of Paris)

LYON

• Café des Fédérations; 10 Rue Major Martin (restaurant, bouchon lyonnais) —go here for : rich, traditional fare, rillons, quenelles
• Perroudon, Grande Patisserie de Bellecoeur; 6 Rue de la Barre (pastry shop) —go here for : tuiles

TOURS

• Restaurant l’Etable ; 121 Rue Colbert (french restaurant) —go here for : simple classics, rillettes