Fooding Award Winners in Paris: 45 Places to Try
Le Fooding is the French guide to creative, relaxed places, and each year it hands out awards to the few that stand out. An award can go to a two-star dining room or to a couscous canteen. That's the fun part, and the confusing one: the label alone won't tell you what kind of meal you're signing up for.
We sorted it out. These are the 45 Fooding Award winners in Paris, each with its price level, signature dishes and practical tips. For the wider selection, see all Le Fooding picks, or compare with the Michelin Bib Gourmand list.
Chef Bertrand Grébaut's acclaimed restaurant showcases seasonal French cuisine with natural wines in an industrial-chic setting on rue de Charonne.
A beloved mini-cantine in the 11th arrondissement where Omar Koreitem and Moko Hirayama craft seasonal fusion plates that blend Levantine warmth with Japanese precision.
A bistronomic gem where sisters Katia and Tatiana Levha blend French technique with bold Asian influences in an intimate Art Deco setting.
Chef Grégory Marchand's intimate bistro in the Sentier district serves contemporary French cuisine with Anglo-Saxon influences, earning two Écotable macarons for its eco-responsible approach.
A two-Michelin-starred gastronomic sanctuary in the Triangle d'Or where Chef Christophe Pelé crafts modern French cuisine with Italian influences within an intimate 19th-century hôtel particulier.
A cozy Japanese izakaya in the 9th arrondissement where buckwheat soba takes center stage in 16 hot and cold variations.
Chef William Ledeuil's acclaimed fusion restaurant blends French technique with Asian flavors in a contemporary art gallery setting.
A contemporary bistrot where chef Adrien Ferrand showcases his signature smoked eel and creative seasonal cuisine in an intimate stone-walled setting.
Giovanni Passerini's celebrated Italian restaurant serves authentic Roman specialties and handmade pasta in a convivial setting near Marché d'Aligre, earning a 14/20 Gault&Millau rating.
A Michelin-starred Italian bistrattoria where Chef Simone Tondo celebrates his Sardinian grandmother's recipes with seasonal ingredients and natural wines in the historic Passage des Panoramas.
A legendary bistronomic destination where Chef Leonardo Righini crafts an innovative 11-course tasting menu that celebrates seasonal French cuisine with bold, unexpected flavor combinations.
Chef Kim Kwang-Loc crafts addictive mandoo and Korean tartares in an intimate counter setting that earned Michelin's Bib Gourmand recognition.
A trendy cocktail bar in the heart of Haut-Marais where inventive drinks meet creative Asian-French fusion cuisine and an exceptional natural wine selection.
Chef Benoît Gauthier's acclaimed bistrot delivers exceptional French classics with impeccable technique in a convivial two-floor setting near Convention.
A Bib Gourmand bistro serving creative French cuisine in a retro-chic 1940s setting, where traditional techniques meet modern twists at remarkably accessible prices.
A convivial 11th arrondissement bistro serving creative French tapas and legendary pizzetta, where Chef Florent Ciccoli transforms traditional troquet dining into a modern sharing experience.
A charming Montmartre bistrot where André Le Letty, former sous-chef of La Tour d'Argent, crafts exceptional French classics in a convivial retro setting.
A vibrant Asian fusion bistro in the 11th arrondissement where Filipino-inspired street food meets Korean fried chicken and an expertly curated natural wine selection.
A charming neighborhood bistrot in Belleville serving seasonal French cuisine with natural wines in a bright, convivial atmosphere that feels like a village escape.
A 17m² Brooklyn-inspired burger counter in Pigalle serving expertly crafted smash burgers with potato buns and house-made everything.
Chef Inaki Aizpitarte's contemporary tapas bar where Rem Koolhaas-designed marble interiors meet bold French bistrot cooking and an exceptional natural wine selection.
A convivial 10th arrondissement bistrot serving market-driven French cuisine and legendary saucisse-purée, paired with an exceptional selection of natural wines.
A contemporary seafood bistro in Paris's 19th arrondissement where Saint-Vaast oysters meet natural wines in a chic, convivial setting.
Cyril Lignac's acclaimed fusion bar where French savoir-faire meets Japanese precision across two elegant Parisian addresses.
A nostalgic Art Deco bistrot between Place des Vosges and Bastille, serving generous French classics with exceptional natural wines.
Chef Grégory Marchand's lively wine bar serves creative tapas-style plates and an exceptional selection of natural wines in a no-reservation, stand-up atmosphere.
A beloved Butte-aux-Cailles institution serving authentic Algerian couscous at unbeatable prices in a warmly convivial atmosphere since generations.
A rare gem in Paris's 11th arrondissement where contemporary Filipino cuisine comes alive through citrus-forward dishes, natural wines, and a striking boudoir-meets-industrial setting.
A legendary natural wine bar and bistrot where exceptional bottles meet honest French cooking in a tiny, perpetually buzzing space near Canal Saint-Martin.
A beloved wine bar and bistro tucked in a secret passage, where Australian-inspired tapas and natural wines create unforgettable shared moments.
A vegetarian-forward bistro near Canal Saint-Martin where Swedish minimalism meets French market cuisine, paired with an exceptional selection of natural wines and sake.
A neo-bistrot in the 11th arrondissement serving contemporary Italian cuisine with natural wines in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere.
Award-winning Sichuan noodle house where handmade dan dan noodles and customizable spice levels earned Le Fooding's "Best Noodles" distinction in 2016.
A joyful French bistrot where vice-champion œufs mayonnaise meets an exceptional natural wine selection in a convivial, no-frills atmosphere.
A pocket-sized gastronomic destination where modern French cuisine meets an exceptional natural wine selection in an intimate marble-countered setting.
A classic Parisian bistrot in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where chef Mathieu Techer serves generous traditional French cuisine with seasonal ingredients just steps from the Luxembourg Gardens.
A stylish neo-bistrot designed by Luke Edward Hall, serving seasonal French cuisine and natural wines from morning until midnight near Paris's major train stations.
A retro-chic izakaya where organic French ingredients meet Japanese techniques, celebrated for its natural wine selection and commitment to sustainable gastronomy.
Ultra-thin Calabrian pizzas with 36-hour matured dough served in an intimate Montmartre setting where the passionate chef commands the room.
A lively all-day dining destination in the Grand Pigalle Hôtel, serving bold contemporary French cuisine with a convivial spirit and natural wine selection.
A natural wine-focused bistro in the 6th arrondissement where seasonal French cuisine meets an eco-responsible philosophy and an exceptional selection of organic wines.
A contemporary bistro where chef Thibault Laporte crafts inventive seasonal cuisine in a warm, neighborhood setting that embodies modern Parisian dining.
An intimate wine bar celebrating natural wines and artisanal charcuterie in a convivial 25-square-meter space on Rue Saint-Maur.
A standing-room-only natural wine bar in the 10th arrondissement where tapas-style sharing plates meet an exceptional selection of biodynamic wines in a striking marble setting.
A sophisticated neighborhood cocktail bar blending Art Nouveau elegance with expertly crafted drinks and curated small plates in Paris's 16th arrondissement.
What a Fooding Award means in Paris
Michelin rewards technique; the Fooding Awards reward places that change how Paris eats. That's why this list jumps from neo-bistros on rue de Charonne to a Korean dumpling counter. Use the price filter to keep only what fits your trip, and the map to group two or three winners into one walk.
The neo-bistro pioneers
Le Châteaubriand helped launch bistronomy in the 11th and still serves an eleven-course tasting menu, €65 at lunch and €95 at dinner, in a neo-retro 1930s room. Septime, also in the 11th, is its most famous heir. In the 2nd, Frenchie serves a five-course menu on rue du Nil. More in the 11th arrondissement and our French restaurants.
Italian soul, Asian counters
Le Fooding calls Racines a bistrattoria: in the Passage des Panoramas, Simone Tondo cooks his Sardinian grandmother's recipes, from polpette al sugo to handmade ravioli. Passerini does Roman cooking near the Marché d'Aligre. Mandoobar, in the 8th, folds Korean mandoo live at the counter, and Ze Kitchen Galerie pairs French technique with Thai and Vietnamese flavors. See our Italian restaurants and Korean restaurants.
Cheap wins
An award doesn't need a big bill. Chez Mamane, on the Butte-aux-Cailles, serves Algerian couscous with dishes from €11 to €17. Dumbo presses smash burgers in a 17m² shop in Pigalle. Les Arlots, in the 10th, is loved for its saucisse-purée and its 250-plus natural wines. Browse the Fooding cheap eats or our couscous page.
Booking tips
Most winners are small and busy, and the 11th and the 10th hold the most of them. Book the bistros ahead, especially for Friday and Saturday dinner; at Les Arlots, call and speak to someone, since messages left on the answering machine don't count as bookings. Arrive early at the places that don't take reservations, then check each place page for insider tips and the not-so-good side of the reviews.