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This classic venue facing the Louvre’s inner courtyard serves contemporary French fare throughout the day under the palace colonnades. The views of the glass pyramid are priceless – if you don’t know you’re in Paris now, you never will – and depending on how au courant (familiar) you are with French starlets and people who appear in Match, you should get an eyeful. Decent pastas are €17 to €24 while sandwiches and snacks are from €12 to €20.

DROUANT Map French €€€

01 42 65 15 16; www.drouant.com; 16-18 place Gaillon, 2e; starters €20, mains €30; menus €42 (lunch only), €40 & €52; lunch & dinner to midnight; Quatre September

If you’re something of a literary groupie, you’ve just got to make your way to the restaurant where they award the Prix Goncourt, France’s equivalent of the Booker or Pulitzer. Of course you might also come for the food, prepared by Alsatian chef Antoine Westerman, who cut his teeth at the Mon Vieil Ami. Food comes bite-sized and in lots of four; think tapas and get ready to share.

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PRICE GUIDE

The symbols below indicate the cost per main course at the restaurant in question.

€ under €10

€€ €10-24

€€€ over €25

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MACÉO Map International €€€

01 42 97 53 85; www.maceorestaurant.com; 15 rue des Petits Champs, 1er; starters €11-18, mains €26-30, menus €30 (lunch only), €37 & €46; lunch Mon-Fri, dinner to 11pm Mon-Sat; Pyramides

From the people who brought us Willi’s Wine Bar comes this very upper-crust restaurant housed in a former brothel with Second Empire décor; it’s one of the most attractive dining rooms in Paris. The cuisine is innovative and there is a very sophisticated (and very unusual) vegetarian menu.

LE GRAND COLBERT Map French €€€

01 42 86 87 88; www.legrandcolbert.fr; 2-4 rue Vivienne, 2e; starters €10-21.50, mains €19.50-30, menus €32 (lunch only) & €39; noon-3am; Pyramides

This former workers’ cafétéria transformed into a fin de siècle showcase is more relaxed than many similarly restored restaurants and a convenient spot for lunch if visiting Galerie Vivienne and Galerie Colbert or cruising the streets late at night (last orders: 1am). Don’t expect gastronomic miracles, but portions are big and service is friendly.

JOE ALLEN Map American €€€

01 42 36 70 13; www.joeallenrestaurant.com; 30 rue Pierre Lescot, 1er; starters €7.50-10.30, mains €15.50-26, menus €13.90 (lunch only), €18 & €22.50; noon-1am; Étienne Marcel

An institution in Paris since 1972, Joe Allen is a little bit of New York in Paris, with a great atmosphere and a good selection of Californian wines. There’s an excellent brunch (€19.50 to €23.50) from noon to 4pm at the weekend, where many can be seen slumped over a Bloody Mary and trying to make sense of the night – or was that the morning? – before. The food is simple but finely prepared; the ribs (€17) are particularly recommended and some people think Joe Allen serves the best hamburgers in town.

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SWEET MEMORIES

Parisians love sucreries (sweet things) and fruit and, judging from the eye-catching and saliva-inducing window displays at pastry shops throughout the city, they can’t get enough of either in combination. The following are some of our favourite pâtisseries in Paris, but be warned: the list is not comprehensive. For a more complete rundown, consult the informative (and mouth-wateringly attractive) The Pâtisseries of Paris by Jamie Cahill.

Dalloyau (Map; 01 48 87 89 88; www.dalloyau.fr; 3 blvd Beaumarchais, 4e; 9am-9pm; Bastille) Specialities include pain aux raisins (raisin bread), millefeuille (pastry layered with cream) and tarte au citron (lemon tart). There’s also a 8e branch (Map; 01 42 99 90 00; 101 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, 8e; 8.30am-9pm; St-Philippe du Roule).

Florence Finkelsztajn (Map; 01 48 87 92 85; 24 rue des Écouffes, 4e; 10am-7pm Thu-Tue; St-Paul) Dating back to 1932, this pâtisserie has scrumptious Jewish and Central European–style breads and pastries, including