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Hélène Darroze.

$$$$ | HAUTE FRENCH | The most celebrated female chef in Paris is now cooking at the Connaught in London, but her St-Germain dining room was revamped in 2008 to create an even more exclusive setting for her sophisticated take on southwestern French food. Darroze’s intriguingly modern touch comes through in such dishes as a sublime duck foie gras confit served with an exotic-fruit chutney or a blowout of roast wild duck stuffed with foie gras and truffles. If the food, at its best, lives up to the very high prices, the service sometimes struggles to reach the same level. For a more affordable taste, try the relatively casual Salon d’Hélène downstairs, which serves dishes starting at €6.50 a plate. | 4 rue d’Assas, St-Germain-des-Prés | 75006 | 01–42–22–00–11 | www.helenedarroze.com | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon. | Station: Sèvres-Babylone.

Josephine Chez Dumonet.

$$$ | BISTRO | Theater types, politicos, and well-padded locals fill the moleskin banquettes of this venerable bistro, where the frosted-glass lamps and amber walls put everyone in a good light. Unlike most bistros, Josephine caters to the indecisive, since half portions allow you to graze your way through the temptingly retro menu. Try the excellent bœuf Bourguignon, roasted saddle of lamb with artichokes, top-notch steak tartare prepared table-side, or anything with truffles in season. For dessert, choose between a mille-feuille big enough to serve three and a Grand Marnier soufflé that simply refuses to sink, even with prodding. The wine list, like the food, is outstanding but expensive. | 117 rue du Cherche-Midi, St-Germain-des-Prés | 75006 | 01–45–48–52–40 | AE, MC, V | Closed weekends | Station: Duroc

Lapérouse.

$$$–$$$$ | BISTRO | Émile Zola, George Sand, and Victor Hugo were regulars, and the restaurant’s mirrors still bear diamond scratches from the days when mistresses didn’t take jewels at face value. All together, it’s hard not to fall in love with this 17th-century Seine-side town house whose warren of intimate, woodwork-graced salons breathes history. The latest chef, Alain Hacquard, has found the right track with a daring (for Paris) spice-infused menu: his lobster, Dublin Bay prawn, and crayfish bisque is flavored with Szechuan pepper and lemon. Game is prominent in the fall, with a selection of southwestern wines to accompany dishes like Scottish grouse. For a truly intimate meal, reserve one of the legendary private salons where anything can happen (and probably has). You can also sample the restaurant’s magic at lunch, when a bargain prix-fixe menu is served for €35–€45 in both the main dining room and the private salons. | 51 quai des Grands Augustins, Quartier Latin | 75006 | 01–43–26–68–04 | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat. | Station: St-Michel

Fodor’s Choice | L’Epigramme.

$ | BISTRO | Great bistro food is not so hard to find in Paris, but only rarely does it come in such a comfortable setting. At L’Epigramme, the striped orange-and-yellow chairs are softly padded, there’s space between you and your neighbors, and a big glass pane lets in plenty of light from the courtyard. Service from Stéphane Marcouzzi’s staff is also worthy of a much more expensive restaurant. The chef has an almost magical touch with meat: try his stuffed suckling pig with turnip choucroute, or seared slices of pink lamb with root vegetables in a glossy reduced sauce. In winter, the eleborate game dish lièvre à la royale (hare stuffed with goose or duck liver and cooked in wine) sometimes makes an appearance. | 9 rue de l’Eperon, St-Germain-des-Prés | 75006 | 01–44–41–00–09 | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun., Mon., 3 wks in Aug., and 1 wk at Christmas | Station: Odéon.

La Ferrandaise.

$$ | BISTRO | Portraits of cows adorn the stone walls of this bistro near the Luxembourg gardens, hinting at the kitchen’s penchant for meaty cooking (Ferrandaise is a breed of cattle). Still, there’s something for every taste on the market-inspired menu, which always lists three meat