A French culinary icon's guide to Paris' restaurants

On the menu? Traditionally, beloved dishes like steak frites or a cheesy croque monsieur; for dessert, a tarte tatin (apple cake) served warm out of the oven or a crackly, creamy crême brulée.

Today, with big-name chefs from France and all corners of the world setting up shop in the French capital – especially this summer, when a handful of Michelin-starred chefs have been selected to cater the Paris 2024 Olympics – the Parisian food scene has become a true melting pot of flavours from around the globe, enriching the national cuisine. In any given arrondissement, visitors are guaranteed to stumble upon an astonishing number of excellent restaurants.

Anne-Sophie Pic grew up in the kitchen of her family's iconic restaurant, Maison Pic, first established in 1889 by her great-grandparents. Today, she is the world's most decorated Michelin female chef. She is the culinary mastermind behind Restaurant Anne-Sophie Pic in Valence, Le Dame de Pic in Paris and seven other restaurants across the globe.

We asked chef Anne-Sophie Pic – owner of the legendary three-Michelin-starred restaurant Anne-Sophie Pic, and one of the Olympic Games' official torch bearers – what's delicious in Paris now and where to get it.

"French cuisine has a unique heritage of traditions and culinary codes that have evolved over the centuries, following a common thread of passion and taste," says Pic, whose Paris restaurant Le Dame de Pic is found just steps away from the Louvre Museum. "A good dish is first and foremost one that is capable of arousing emotion, of leaving a memorable imprint."

Pic's own dishes are recognised as some of the most memorable in contemporary French cuisine. "Being a woman and self-taught has given me a certain freedom," she says. "My heritage is, of course, part of my cooking's DNA, but over the years, I've been able to forge my own path… each chef aims to create his own universe and culinary identity."

Here are chef Anne-Sophie Pic's picks for the best restaurants in Paris this summer.

1. Best old-school French restaurant: Chez L’Ami Louis

Founded in 1929 by chef Antoine Magnin, Chez L'Ami Louis has hardly changed over the past century: the dark wood panels still give the restaurant the same cosy atmosphere, the waiters are still dressed to the nines in their pristine white blazers and black ties and the woodfire oven is still intact and in use today.

"Chez L'Ami Louis is an iconic restaurant in Paris serving classic French dishes," says Pic. "It truly encapsulates the myth of the Parisian bistro with its checkered tablecloths, serving classic French food."

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The menu focuses on a handful of hearty, traditional French dishes like duck confit, escargots and thick slabs of foie gras. But at L'Ami Louis, the main event is without a doubt the roast chicken, which attracts diners and celebrities from around the world. Pic's go-to order? "The sweetbreads with a side of crispy shoestring potatoes and the baba au rhum."

2. Best for  romance: Espadon – Ritz Paris

In September 2023, the Ritz Paris Hotel unveiled its new gastronomic table, inaugurating a fresh new look, name, menu and chef. "[Espadon is] a completely new restaurant set up in an iconic space," says Pic.

Eugénie Béziat is the first female head chef of the majestic hotel nestled in Place Vendôme since its opening in 1898. At Espadon, chef Béziat brings diners on a culinary journey to Gabon, where she was born. Her cuisine is greatly influenced by her roots and her tasting menu is filled with African flavours – she marries ingredients from her childhood like hibiscus flower, cassava and brede mafane (spilanthes plant) with traditional French produce. "Eugénie Béziat is definitely a chef to follow," says Pic.

Guests are invited to enjoy this singular culinary experience in an opulent dining room under a crystal-leaf chandelier, while observing the chef’s brigade in action behind the large bay windows of the open kitchen, or under the stars in the Grand Jardin in the warmer months. "[It's] one of the most romantic restaurants in Paris," says Pic.

3. Best seafood: Yam'Tcha

Yam’Tcha, a cosy and intimate French-Chinese restaurant adorned with one Michelin star, is the place to go for great seafood in Paris, according to Pic. "Adeline Grattard’s cooking is in keeping with the times," she says. "It is a true discovery of umami in Paris."

Chef Grattard developed a sensitivity for the "fifth taste" when she lived in Hong Kong. Since then, she’s made it her mission to bring it back to Paris, with a twist. Her tasting menu, which changes daily, might feature dishes like foie gras soufflé paired with white miso, or a steamed bao bun filled with Stilton cheese and Amarena cherry. Pic describes chef Grattard’s cuisine as "savoury with strong, distinct tastes".

In Cantonese, Yam tcha means "having a meal with tea". In keeping with the spirit of the place, "opt for the Chinese tea pairings, carefully curated and explained by chef Grattard's husband", says Pic.

4. Best farm-to-table restaurant: Table – Bruno Verjus 

Chef Bruno Verjus sources the finest ingredients sustainably, directly from small producers close to him. "Bruno Verjus has a great passion for the produce, which he elevates with talent," says Pic. "He is a key figure in the world of gastronomy."

Fittingly, the star of the show at Table is the produce, be they herbs, vegetables, fish or meat. The menu, playfully named couleur du jour (colour of the day) changes daily, depending on the ingredients available. Table – Bruno Verjus holds two Michelin stars and a green star, which highlights restaurants paving the way for sustainable practices in the industry.

5. Best budget: Père & Fils par Alléno

Halfway between an American diner and a Parisian bistro, this burger joint is Pic's go-to restaurant after a day out shopping in Beaupassage – a vibrant, open-air shopping mall where Paris' most celebrated chefs shop for fresh, seasonal items. Here, the three-starred Michelin chef Yannick Alléno and his son opened Père & Fils par Alléno back in 2021 with a mission to serve high-quality street food.

The restaurant's motto? "Burgers cooked by chefs." Every few months, a renowned chef is invited to imagine a new ephemeral burger to enrich the mouth-watering menu. Pair burgers with a seasonal salad and a glass of wine from the restaurant bar’s large selection. "It’s a pleasant and tasty stop in the privileged setting of Beaupassage," says Pic.

-bbc