As one of the most visited cities in the world, it’s no surprise that Paris boasts an incredible range of restaurants and cuisines. Like other major capitals however, the City of Lights is pretty pricey, so it can be difficult to find excellent eateries that don’t blow your entire budget in one go. Luckily, the Michelin Guide has already done the hard work and highlighted some of the best quality spots around. At these eight recommended restaurants, including those with Bib Gourmand awards and one with a Michelin star, you can get a meal for around €30pp.
Kwon
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The decor at this Korean restaurant may be pared back and industrial, but the food is jam-packed with tongue-tingling flavour. You can’t really go wrong with classic dishes like barbecue beef and bimimbap with beef tartare, tofu or kimchi.
Lai’Tcha
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Located in Les Halles, which is nicknamed the ‘stomach of the city’ because it was once the site of Paris’ fresh food market, Lai’Tcha is the sister restaurant of the Michelin-starred Yam’Tcha. The more casual sibling offers comforting, high quality Chinese cuisine, including delicate dim sum and warming noodle soups, for a pleasing price — the most expensive dish on the menu is the sautéed beef, which costs €24.
Mandoobar
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Another highly-regarded Korean spot in the city is Mandoobar, an intimate locale where you can watch as Seoul-born chef Kim Kwang-Loc works away behind the counter. The menu is brief, featuring tartars, sides and the moreish mandu dumplings that the restaurant is named after.
Pho Tai
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An unassuming gem hidden on a sleepy street in the 13th arondissement, this Vietnamese eatery has achieved legendary status among those in the know. It serves vibrant, authentic dishes — including steaming bowls of its namesake beef broth Pho Tai — in welcoming, no frills surrounds. The brilliant chef behind this cult spot is Mr Te, who moved to France in 1968!
Siamsa
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This homely bistro can be found in a northern pocket of the city, Folie-Méricourt, where the spectacular winter circus has been located since the mid-1800s. While Siamsa is a little more low-key than the nearby stage shenanigans, you should still be dazzled by the classic, reasonably-priced menu, which features dishes like duck with forgotten vegetables… The latter tend to be a mixture of root vegetables and they’re named as such because they were consumed so much during the Nazi occupation that the nation stopped cooking them for many years after the country’s liberation!
Mắm From Hanoï
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This is one of the Michelin Guide’s newest Parisian additions. The owners of this Northern Vietnamese eatery hail from Hanoi — mắm is a popular fish-based condiment that is used heavily in dishes in the area. In this sleek yet understated space, you can tuck into comforting bowls of umami broth, melt-in-mouth meat, jammy eggs, and nems (crispy fried spring rolls) that have been made by families for generations.
Etsi
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This Greek spot brings the laidback mood of Mediterranean summers by the sea to the French capital with its striking lapiz lazuli exterior and flavourful plates that are made for sharing with friends al fresco. You’ll find plenty of fresh fish, moreish mezes, crispy golden chips, and generous salads, as well as a wine list full of highly drinkable pours, refreshing Greek beers, and a few strong spirits to round off the evening…
Benoit
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You should visit Benoit as much for the history that surrounds you, from its gleaming mirrored walls to its sumptuous red banquettes, as you should for its consistently excellent food. As one of the city’s original Lyon-style bistros, it’s been perched on a corner of the 1st arrondissement since 1912; nowaways, it’s now part of the Alain Ducasse group and boasts a Michelin star. You might be wondering how such as spot has made it onto a list of affordable eateries in Paris, but the secret is that you can enjoy a set two-course lunch menu for just €32. Some the Gallic delights on offer include garlic-drenched snails, ox cheek raviole with broth, and Benoit profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce…
