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01 49 29 05 08; www.lesoukfr.com, in French; 1 rue Keller, 11e; starters €7.50-13, mains €16-21; menus €20 & €27; lunch & dinner to 11.30pm Tue-Sat; Ledru Rollin

We like coming here almost as much for the décor as the food – from the clay pots overflowing with spices on the outside to the exuberant (but never kitsch) Moroccan interior. And the food? As authentic as the decoration, notably the duck tajine and vegetarian couscous. Be warned: mains are enormous, so this might have to be a one-dish meal.

LE TROISIÈME BUREAU Map French, Bistro €€

01 43 55 87 65; 74 rue de la Folie Méricourt, 11e; starters €7.50-11.50, mains €15.50-21, menus €11.50 & €13.50 (lunch only); lunch & dinner to midnight daily; Oberkampf

An interesting clientele frequents this pub-cum-bistro, where you can read, listen to music, do a little work on the laptop, tickle the ivories on the funky old piano and enjoy Sunday brunch (€15.50) from noon to 4pm. There are one-plate specials for between €9.80 and €13.50.

BLUE ELEPHANT Map Thai €€

01 47 00 42 00; www.blueelephant.com/paris; 43-45 rue de la Roquette, 11e; starters €13.50-18, mains €14.80-21, menus €42 & €52; lunch Sun-Fri, dinner to midnight daily; Bastille

This is Paris’ most famous upmarket Thai restaurant and part of an international chain, with a dozen branches in cities round the world from Brussels to Beirut. Although it has become a little too successful for its own good (it also sells its own branded knick-knacks and gift items), the indoor tropical rainforest and well-prepared spicy dishes (look for the one, two or three elephant symbols on the menu) are still worth the inflated prices. Sunday buffet (noon to 3pm) is good value at €39.

L’ENOTECA Map Italian €€

01 42 78 91 44; 25 rue Charles V, 4e; starters €10-14, mains €18-20, menu €14 (lunch only) & €30-43; lunch & dinner to 11.30pm daily; Sully Morland or Pont Marie

‘The Vinotheque’, a trattoria in the historic Village St-Paul quarter of the Marais, serves haute cuisine à l’italienne, and there’s an excellent list of Italian wines by the glass (€3.50 to €12). It’s no secret that this is one of the few Italian wine bars in Paris to take its vino seriously, so book ahead. Pasta dishes (€13 to €23) are good, as is the generous tavola antipasti (antipasto buffet table). The cocotte du jour (casserole of the day; €13) is served with a glass of wine.

LES SANS CULOTTES Map French, Bistro €€

01 48 05 42 92; www.lessansculottesfr.com, in French; 27 rue de Lappe, 11e; starters €9-15, mains €14-20, menus €18 & €23; lunch & dinner to 11pm Tue-Sun; Bastille

You wouldn’t cross Paris to eat at Sans Culottes – the place takes its name from the working-class ‘men without breeches’ who fought in the French Revolution – but in a neighbourhood that has become somewhat trendy in recent years it’s a comforting reminder of the past. The interior, with frosted glass, huge zinc bar, ornate ceilings and wooden floors, positively glows in the evening. The range of food is uneven, though relatively low-priced; service is friendly and attentive. The set menus include wine.

LES GALOPINS Map French, Bistro €€

01 47 00 45 35; www.lesgalopins.com; 24 rue des Taillandiers, 11e; starters €6.50-10.50, mains €13.50-20, menus €14.50 & €17.50 (lunch only); lunch Mon-Fri, dinner to 11pm Mon-Thu, to 11.30pm Fri & Sat; Bastille or Voltaire

The décor of this cute neighbourhood bistro is simple, the meals are straightforward and in the best tradition of French cuisine, with offerings such as raviolis de pétoncles (queen scallops ravioli), confit de canard laqué au sirop d’érable (duck confit cooked with maple syrup) and compotée d’agneau aux aubergines (lamb and aubergine ragout). It’s not a secret find, so it can feel like a bit of a factory at lunch or on a weekend night.

CHEZ MARIANNE Map Jewish, Kosher €€

01 42 72 18 86; 2 rue des Hospitalières St-Gervais, 4e; dishes €3-20; noon-midnight daily; St-Paul

This is a Sephardic kosher alternative to the Ashkenazi fare usually available at Pletzl eateries. Platters containing four to 10 different