For 800 years, the best place to be hungry in Paris was Les Halles. The neighborhood took its name from the city’s main food market; those halls in the belly of the 1st arrondissement fed the city and were the hub of a district dense with restaurants and purveyors. In 1969, the market moved to suburban Rungis, replaced by an ugly mall and train station. But this fall, following a $1 billion makeover that capped the shopping center with a lemon-hued glass roof (La Canopée), the area has risen as Paris’s ascendant dining neighborhood. Terrific spots have opened, helmed by icons like Alain Ducasse and new stars who deemed the once-shabby district the next place to be. Parisians are loving Les Halles again, and here’s how they would tell you to eat your way through these winding blocks.
Les Halles was what the French call a quartier populaire, or working-class neighborhood. Alain Ducasse tips his beret at that history with a sleek new brasserie, Champeaux, that makes his cuisine accessible to the thousands of suburban commuters who come above ground in Les Halles every morning. His menu includes traditional brasserie fare like steak tartare and charcuterie boards but otherwise leans toward low-salt, low-fat, vividly flavored choices. That’s why six soufflés—three savory (go for the lobster), three sweet (don’t miss the pistachio with caramel sauce)—are the signatures here.
Alan Geaam—AG, for short—born in Liberia, Parisian since 1999, owns two other bistros in town.
Burrata with radishes, cecina (cured Spanish beef ham), fennel, and Granny Smith apples.
Quiet, affordable, just as right for a romantic evening as for a business lunch.
Rack of free-range pork (above right), alongside daikon, spinach, crushed macadamia nuts, and pan juices.
A former café and nightclub with a gorgeous landmark Art Deco glass ceiling.
“No” cheesecake with yuzu, a citrusy dairy mousse that’s served free-form, without a crust.
The bawdy vibe of Chez Denise—open until 5 a.m. nightly!—is kept alive by the wisecracking waiters who deliver bavette steaks with sautéed shallots, huge prime ribs, and more traditional dishes like tripe stewed with Calvados. The house Brouilly, served by the carafe, hasn’t blinded anyone yet. And everyone talks between tables at one of the city’s liveliest restaurants.
If you think the best bird in Paris will be roasted, you’ve never been to La Poule au Pot, a louche long-running bistro popular with French showbiz people. They have two specialties, La Poule au Pot Henri IV—hen stewed in its own bouillon with carrots, turnips, potatoes, and celery—and La Poule au Riz Sauce Suprême, which is poached hen served next to rice and a soothing cream sauce. Comfort food doesn’t get any more comforting.
A 24/7, penultimate Parisian pig-out is at Au Pied de Cochon, which has been open since 1947 to cater to the market’s former night-shift workers. Go whole hog by ordering a Tentation de Saint-Antoine, named after the patron saint of pork butchers. The plate includes braised pig snout, grilled pig’s ears, roasted pig’s tail, and breaded pig’s foot alongside a scattering of fries. Try it, you’ll like it. And if not? The café makes some of the yummiest onion soup in town, too.
Most of the city’s seafood is supplied daily by small boats out of France’s Atlantic and Mediterranean ports, so Paris has perhaps the top catch of the day of any city in Europe. But as quantities plummet due to overfishing and climate change, seafood costs can be steep here. That explains the popularity of Fish Club, a chill seafood shack in a former butcher’s shop. Everything chef Julien Burlat makes daily is reasonably priced, from sea bass in a rich tomato sauce to the oysters he shucks, which include in-demand varieties from Holland.
This cluttered boutique, a favorite of Julia Child’s, has been the ultimate address for cookware since 1820.
The half-moon blade is solid for chopping herbs; what makes this one ideal are fold-down handles that cover the sharp edge when it’s in your drawer.
For weighting pie crusts while blind-baking. The indestructible French ones are pure enamel and clay, unlike cheaper brands.
Silicone molds usually don’t create golden edges like these metal ones do. They’re good for petite quiches.
The brand is known for its copper, but Mauviel also puts out less expensive, infrequently exported gear in stainless steel, such as this double-boiler for sauces.
Design your own cake-decorating set from dozens of custom motifs that produce perfect leaves, stars, petals, and other pretty shapes.
Once you land back in the good old US, try out one of our Hot 10 Best New Restaurants