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Astier.

$ | BISTRO | There are three good reasons to go to Astier: the generous cheese platter plonked on your table atop a help-yourself wicker tray, the exceptional wine cellar with bottles dating to the 1970s, and the French bistro fare, even if portions seem to have diminished over the years. Dishes like marinated herring with warm potato salad, sausage with lentils, and baba au rhum are classics on the frequently changing set menu for €31, which doesn’t allow you to order fewer than three courses. The vintage 1950s wood-panel dining room attracts plenty of locals and remains a fairly sure bet in the area, especially since it’s open every day. | 44 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, République | 75011 | 01–43–57–16–35 | Reservations essential | MC, V | Station: Parmentier

Fodor’s Choice | Le Bistrot Paul Bert.

$$ | BISTRO | Faded 1930s decor: check. Boisterous crowd: check. Thick steak with real frites: check. Good value: check. The Paul Bert delivers everything you could want from a traditional Paris bistro, so it’s no wonder its two dining rooms (one recently added) fill every night with a cosmopolitan crowd. Some are from the neighborhood, others clutch copies of the Financial Times, but they’ve all come in search of the elusive balance of ingredients that makes for a feel-good experience every time. The laid-back yet efficient staff serves up hearty dishes such as monkfish with white beans and duck with pears—the reasonable prix-fixe is three courses for €34, or you can order à la carte. | 18 rue Paul Bert, Bastille | 01–43—72–24–01 | Reservations essential | MC, V | Closed Sun., Mon., and Aug..

Le Repaire de Cartouche.

$$–$$$ | BISTRO | In this split-level, dark-wood bistro between Bastille and République, chef Rodolphe Paquin applies a disciplined creativity to earthy French regional dishes. The menu changes regularly, but typical are a salad of haricots verts (green beans) topped with tender slices of squid, scallops on a bed of diced pumpkin, juicy lamb with white beans, game dishes in winter, and old-fashioned desserts like baked custard with tiny shell-shape madeleines. In keeping with cost-conscious times, he whips up a bargain three-course lunch menu for €16that doesn’t skimp on ingredients—expect the likes of homemade pâté to start, followed by fried red mullet or hanger steak with french fries, and chocolate tart. The wine list is very good, too, with some bargain wines from small producers. | 8 bd. des Filles du Calvaire, Bastille/Nation | 75011 | 01–47–00–25–86 | Reservations essential | MC, V | Closed Sun., Mon., and Aug. | Station: Filles du Calvaire

14E ARRONDISSEMENT (MONTPARNASSE)

La Coupole.

$$–$$$ | BRASSERIE | This world-renowned cavernous spot with Art Deco murals practically defines the term brasserie. La Coupole might have lost its intellectual aura since the Flo group’s restoration, which has put its rather commercial stamp on many historic Paris brasseries, but it’s been popular since Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir were regulars, and it’s still great fun. Today it attracts a mix of bourgeois families, tourists, and elderly lone diners treating themselves to a dozen oysters. Recent additions to the classic brasserie menu are a tart of caramelized apple and panfried foie gras, beef fillet flambéed with cognac before your eyes, and profiteroles made with Valrhona chocolate. On most days, you can’t make a reservation after 8 or 8:30, so be prepared for a wait at the bar. | 102 bd. du Montparnasse, Montparnasse | 75014 | 01–43–20–14–20 | www.flobrasseries.com | AE, DC, MC, V | Station: Vavin

16E ARRONDISSEMENT (ARC DE TRIOMPHE/LE BOIS)

Fodor’s Choice | L’Astrance.

$$$$ | HAUTE FRENCH | Granted, Pascal Barbot rose to fame thanks to his restaurant’s amazing-value food and casual atmosphere, but after the passage of several years, L’Astrance has become resolutely haute, with prices to match. With no à la carte, you can choose from a lunch menu for €70, a seasonal menu for €120, or the full tasting menu for €190 (this is what most people come for)—the latter two are available at lunch and