Upon the publication of his latest book, Hungry for France: Adventures for the Cook & Food Lover, we asked longtime Paris resident (and frequent Bon Appétit contributor) Alexander Lobrano for his take on the best places for solo dining in Paris.
Solo Dining in Paris? C’est si Bon!
Paris is a cinch for any food lover traveling solo, because as far as the French are concerned, taking yourself out for a good meal is not only civilized but just plain common sense. Counter seating and other casual options are more popular in Paris than ever, but dining at a table is so much nicer, especially in good company—your own. And as long as you’ve made a reservation, no one will bat an eyelash when you turn up without a date.
The Shellfish Feast
Just a few of blocks from the Opera Garnier and the big department stores on the Right Bank, the little counter-service oyster bar just inside the front door of Restaurant Garnier (111 rue Saint Lazare, 8th Arrondissement, +33-1-43-87-50-40) is good enough to give fast food a good name. We’re talking happiness on the half-shell—maybe plump Gillardeau oysters or briny ones from Utah Beach in Normandy. Other shellfish are available, too, as are good wines by the glass.
The Hip Wine Bar That’s a Great Place to Make New Friends
Getting a reservation at Frenchie, chef Gregory Marchand’s bistro, is a little like pulling a rabbit out of hat. But if you get to his wine bar across the street (5-6 Rue du Nil, 2nd Arrondissement, +33-1-40-39-96-19) when it opens at 7 p.m., you can see why he’s so popular with a small-plates feast of dishes like foie gras with quince preserves, beet salad, ricotta tortelli, and even turbot with hollandaise sauce. They pour great wines by the glass, and the international crowd is as chatty as you want it to be.
The Beautiful Old-Fashioned Left Bank Bistro
One of the best and most beautiful old-fashioned bistros on the Left Bank, Josephine Chez Dumonet (117 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 6th Arrondissement, +33-1-45-48-52-40) is worth the effort to land a reservation, so you might want to get a little dressed up if you go for dinner. The best seats for singles are the banquette tables by the bar up front, the waiters are friendly (but not too), and they serve half-portions of almost everything you’ll want to eat here, including the foie gras and superb boeuf bourguignon.
The Locavore Bistro
With stylish twin locations in the 5th and 2nd Arrondissements, Terroir Parisien (Maison de la Mutualité, 20 rue Saint Victor, 5th Arrondissement, +33-1-44-31-54-54; Palais Brongniart, 28 place de la Bourse, 2nd Arrondissement, +33-1-83-92-20-30) serves as much local, seasonal produce as possible. Chef Yannick Alléno, who had three stars when he cooked at the Hotel Le Meurice, just might be the most ardent locavore in Paris. “Paris ate farm-to-table for centuries, then suburbanization broke the link,” Alléno said. "I’m trying to bring it back again, since many of the greatest recipes in the French kitchen were invented with produce from the Île de France region where Paris is located." What this means is bona-fide Parisian comfort food like a witty riff on onion soup, navarin d’agneau (lamb stew) with baby vegetables and a terrific Paris-Brest. Both restaurants offer counter and table seating.
The Locals' Favorite Hangout in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
So here’s the place for that time when you’re too tired to make much of an effort, or it’s a Sunday night and it’s raining and you’re thinking room-service, but you feel that in Paris that might be kind of sad. Fish La Boissonerie (69 rue de Seine, 6th Arrondissement, +33-1-43-54-34-69) is friendly, English-speaking, and open daily, and this popular bistro with great contemporary French cooking offers both counter and table service. The menu changes often but runs to dishes like fish soup with mussels, fillet of mackerel with harissa, and hake with the Sardinian pasta fregola and walnut relish.
The Glamorous Gourmet Splurge
Inspired by sushi and tapas bars, globe-trotting chef Joel Robuchon gave counter culture in Paris a major boost when he opened L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (5 rue de Montalembert, 7th Arrondissement, +33-1-42-22-56-56), this stylish bar-service-only, two-star restaurant on the Left Bank. Chic and seriously glamorous, it pulls in a worldly, well-dressed crowd for small plates like scallops with Jerusalem artichoke cream and black truffles, foie-gras ravioli in chicken bouillon, and baby lamb chops with thyme. It’s the kind of place where you end up chatting with the beautiful Brazilian honeymooners to your left and the handsome French antiques dealer to your right, and where ordering a glass of champagne with a passionfruit soufflé for dessert feels like one of the best ideas you’ve ever had.