• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Gérard Mulot (Map; 01 43 26 85 77; www.gerard-mulot.com in French; 76 rue de Seine, 6e; 9.30am-8.30pm Thu-Tue; Odéon or Mabillon) Specialities include various fruit tarts (peach, lemon, apple), tarte normande (apple cake) and mabillon (caramel mousse with apricot conserves).

Jean Millet (Map; 01 45 51 49 80; 103 rue St-Dominique, 7e; 9am-7pm Mon-Sat, 8am-1pm Sun; École Militaire) Specialities include délice au chocolat praliné (a heavenly almond and chocolate concoction) and bavarois d’abricots (a cold, moulded mousse dessert of cream and apricot fruit purée).

La Fougasse (Map; 01 42 72 36 80; 25 rue de Bretagne, 3e; 7am-8pm Tue-Sat, 7am-2pm Sun; Filles du Calvaire) Come here for the scrumptious marrons glacés (candied chestnuts) & tarte aux abricots (apricot tart).

Ladurée (Map; 01 40 75 08 75; www.laduree.fr in French; 75 av des Champs-Élysées, 8e; 7.30am-11pm Mon-Fri, 8.30-midnight Sat & Sun; George V) Specialities include macarons au chocolat (chocolate macaroons) and macarons à la pistache (pistachio macaroons).

Le Nôtre (Map; 01 53 01 91 91; www.lenotre.fr in French; 10 rue St- Antoine, 4e; 9am-9.30pm; Bastille) This branch of the famous traiteur chain at the corner of rue des Tournelles has some of the most delectable pastries and chocolate in Paris. There are a dozen other outlets sprinkled across the capital.

Stohrer (Map; 01 42 33 38 20; www.stohrer.fr in French; 51 rue Montorgueil, 2e; 7.30am-8.30pm; Les Halles or Sentier) Specialities include galette des rois (kings’ cake; puff pastry with frangipane cream) and marrons glacées (candied chestnuts).

* * *

AUX LYONNAIS Map French, Lyonnais €€€

01 42 96 65 04; www.alainducasse.fr; 32 rue St-Marc, 2e; starters €11-14, mains €21-25, menu €30; lunch Tue-Fri, dinner to 11pm Tue-Sat; Richelieu Drouot

This is where Alain Ducasse (who’s got three Michelin stars at his restaurant over at the Plaza Athénée) and his followers ‘slum’ it. The venue is an Art Nouveau masterpiece that feels more real than movie set and the food is restructured Lyonnais classics on the short, seasonal menu; any item based on cochon (pig) comes with an ironclad guarantee to satisfy and everything goes well with Beaujolais. Two complaints: there are too many covers in the small space and service is rushed and impersonal.

CHEZ LA VIEILLE Map French €€€

01 42 60 15 78; 1 rue Bailleul, 1er; starters €15-21, mains €18-25, menu €23 (lunch only); lunch Mon-Fri, dinner to 9.45pm Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri; Louvre-Rivoli

This favourite little restaurant on the corner of rue de l’Arbre à Sec, ‘At the Old Lady’s’ is on two floors, but don’t expect a slot on the more rustic ground floor; that’s reserved for regulars. The small menu reflects the size of the place but is universally sublime. Try the excellent terrine maison and poitrine de veau confit (veal breast confit; €21).

L’ÉPI D’OR Map French, Bistro €€

01 42 36 38 12; 25 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1er; starters €6.50-16, mains €18-24, 2-/3-course menus €19/23; lunch Mon-Fri, dinner to 11.30pm Mon-Sat; Louvre-Rivoli

‘The Golden Sword’ has been an institution since the belle époque, when it would open at 10pm to serve the ‘forts des halles’, the brutes who stacked the ‘devils’, huge bags of potatoes and cabbage, all night at the old Marché des Halles. Today it’s an oh-so-Parisian bistro with 1940s décor and well-prepared, classic dishes – gigot d’agneau (leg of lamb) cooked for seven hours, magret de canard (sliced duck breast) – to a surprisingly well-heeled crowd. The menus are available at lunch and till 9pm only.

RESTAURANT DU THÉÂTRE Map French, Bistro €€

01 42 97 59 46; 36 rue de Montpensier, 1er; starters €9.50-16, mains €16-22, menus €30 & €38; lunch & dinner to 8.30pm Tue-Fri, to 10pm Sat; Pyramides

This civilised bistro and wine bar facing the Jardin du Palais Royal is next door to the little-known Théâtre du Palais Royal. It’s a convenient spot if visiting the passages couverts around Palais Royal or even the Louvre and is best entered via 67 Galerie de Montpensier. The