Paris Bistros/Bistrots/Restos Open on Sunday

[Simon Majumdar]

Hi

i am planning a weekend in Paris and while Saturday is taken care of ( La Regalade - thanks Magnolia ) I am finding it impossible to find anything open on a Sunday that is not a tourist trap.

I don't mind travelling out a bit and also don't mind the price.

Any suggestions?

S

[grahamtigg]

La Cagouille does relatively simple fresh seafood dishes in a simple cafe like environment and is open 7/7. We had Sunday lunch there a couple of years ago and are considering going back for Saturday lunch (an equally impossible time) on 26th Jan.

La Cagouille, 10/12 Place Constantin Brancusi 75014 (opposite 23 rue de l'Oues) Tél.+33 (0)1 43 22 09 01 Fax: (+33) 01 45 38 57 29 email: lacagouille@cognacnet.com

NB. There's an interesting small museum dedicated to the French resistance abouve the nearby Monparnasse station.

[Bux]

The brasserie is a traditional fall back place for Sunday. I have mixed reports of the decline of the Flo group, but I don't usually go to a brasserie for creative cooking or finesse. I suspect they're mostly at least acceptable for oysters, andouille, steak frites, etc. One exception, it's a Flo brasserie but sort of exceptional in several aspects, is Les Grandes Marches, 6, place Bastille, 01 43 42 90 32.

Trough a mix up not of our making, we found ourselves in need of a table on a Sunday last July. Les Grandes Marches was the best I could come up with. I'll admit my companions were not so thrilled with my suggestion, but changed their minds by the end of lunch. It's billed as a contemporary brasserie, but the food is certainly not traditional brasserie food.

I'll save you the visit to my site. Here's what I wrote:

With few places open on Sunday, we fell back on a brasserie, but decided we'd reserve a table at the Flo group's contemporary version, Les Grandes Marches, adjacent to the Bastille Opera. Lunch turned out to be well worth recommending. We were directed upstairs (the ground floor was undergoing renovation) to a bright and contemporary space. We all had fish and seafood. Most of it was simply prepared, and all of it was excellent. Neither the food nor the décor should come as a surprise if you know that Christian Constant, whose restaurant Le Violon d'Ingres has two Michelin stars, is the consulting chef and Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Christian de Portzamparc and his wife, Elizabeth, are the designers. There's a decent menu for 200 francs and a good à la carte selection for a bit more.

                     

[robert brown]

La Cagouille has been my favorite fish place in Paris. However, my last meal there about 2-1/2 years ago was my least favorite. I have a recollection, as well, of seeing either a Gault-Millau downgrade or something about its being in decline. Nonetheless, it's not a bad place to have to end up in. My advice is to order a simply-prepared piece of fish. I have had great "saumon a l'unilateral" (lightly-cooked on one side) and terrific turbot. Avoid stews and complicated sauce-type dishes and you could end up being very happy unless the decline is a result of using inferior or less-than-impeccably-fresh products. Is there anyone who has been there lately?

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Le Bistro d'Hubert (41 bd Pasteur 15e  01.47.34.15.50 ) is a Sunday favorite of Left Bank Parisians. It's 210FF  (Don't know what the euro conversion will be.) three course menu includes such interesting departures as a "nougat" of duck thigh and foie gras with tomato confit and a cream flavored with curry and Sichuan pepper, going on to an amazing dish of pallards of swordfish sauced with a soy enhanced demiglaze, and for dessert a gateau of salted butter caramel.  There is also a traditional side of the menu.  Dishes are based on Southwest flavors, such as a plate of pimientos stuffed with brebis that look like a bouquet of tulips.  There are 6 choices for each of the three courses.  There are also carte selections. There is a single cheese offering of brebis fermier with confiture de cerises noires.

Unless you are set on brasserie food, I would say that this place is considerably more interesting, and undoubtedly less expensive.  Gault Millau gives it a "14" rating.  We like it enough to return every other trip or so.

[Bux]

Le Dauphin, centrally located in the 1st arr. at 167 rue St.-Honoré, is open on Sunday. I don't know that it was all I hoped it to be. I thought I'd had better food from these same two chefs in Biarritz, but I've heard it highly recommended for Lièvre à la Royale. I had a Basque cassoulet, which had a nice piece of cured pork along with some good Basque boudin noir and sundry other meats. I'm not sure what made it Basque, but the only other cassoulet I've had that was labeled Basque also had blood sausage. I thought the beans were bit watery but liked the bread crumb crust. My wife was ecstatic about her pig's cheeks. We ordered simple first courses and don't remember them as well. I suppose it's on the order of La Régalade if less exciting. Dinner was on the night we arrived from NY, so it was hard to be too focused.

Bistrot de Hubert is another choice and perhaps a better contrast to La Régalade.

For what it's worth, we had a Sunday meal at le Balzar. This little bistrot seemed overrun with Americans, but I had a wonderful andouille. I felt no connection with my countrymen eating roast chicken and lamb chops. My wife had breaded pigsfeet and was less enthused about the success of her meal. If I had the chance to do it again, I'd probably have chosen Le Vaudeville, but as it's been some years since we've been there, I can't say if it's held up. It's got a neat art deco interior.

[jaybee]

La Fontaine de Mars in the 7th, Les Bookinistes in the 6th, Chez Maitre Paul in the 6th, Chez Toutine in the 5th, Benoit in the 4th, Le Bistrot d'a Cote Flaubert in the 17th, L'ardoise in the 1st.  All are recommended and will provide enjoyable food and authentic bistro dishes.

[Bux]

I ate in Les Bookinistes on a Sunday a few years ago, but the current (2001) Michelin indicates it is closed on Sundays. Are you sure it's still open on Sunday or that it's open once again on Sunday? We had a very good meal and the restaurant is centrally located on one of the quais--quai des Grandes Augustins, I think.

[jaybee]

I believe you are correct.  They used to be open on Sundays but I according to my bistro maven they recently got religion.

[magnolia]

Ah...a perpetual challenge because I always want to maximise my time in Paris, and end up booking a late train back...and then I remember that it's not so easy to find something to do on Sunday other than a museum. French people eat home on Sundays so any place that's open will be somewhat touristy.

Some suggestions...Rue Mouffetard (metro Monge) has a small market so you can do last-minute food shopping. But the restaurants around there that are open are indeed tourist traps.

Rue Grenelle also has a market on Sunday mornings, and nearby is a good restaurant that at least used to be open on Sunday and may still be: La Cave de l'Os a Moelle. 181 rue de Lourmel (15th) . 01-45-57-28-28. Definitely book because it only fits about six people!Service is buffet style, no choice...When I went, we had various house pates & bread and some fresh shellfish as starters; a hearty meat stew or similar for the main, cheeses, yoghurt, bread, pudding & coffee - and you buy wine from the shelf. It's owned by a chef who has a fancier place across the street (L'os a Moelle).

The other place I've been to that's open on Sunday is L'ambassade d'Auvergne on rue du Grenier St. Lazare 0142723122

Hotel bars are a good bet - lower key than hotel restaurant, still good food. But yes there will be tourists.

[Scottf]

I would 2nd the suggestion of L'Ardoise in the 1st.  We ate there on Saturday night and although it was the first and only time we encountered other English speaking diners I wouldn't say that let the place down.  My starter of pied a veau et foie gras ravioli was michelin star quality, as good, if not probably better than any starter I've had  in far more expensive restaurants.  3 courses is €29 (approx £18).

[David Bizer]

Quick note on L'Ardoise...while the food is excellent, it has become a haven for American Tourists.  It's pretty much been listed in every major tourist guide as well as the recent issues of Bon Appetit and Gourmet (at least one of them as I recall).  If you don't mind the tourist house, the cuisine is well worth it.  They usually have scallops on the menu which are consistently good.  If you happen to see a Pumpkin Soup, (Potiron), you have to try it.  I was in heaven..ok, I love pumpkin, but the presentation was excellent.

The other thing you must keep in mind....when you make a reservation, ask to be seated on the main floor. The basement is really boring, and in the summer you will feel like you are dining in an inferno.

[ecelizzy]

Greetings!

We'd like to suggest Chez Paul, a wonderful generally "tourist-free" bistro in the 11th. Extremely warm service, full of history and culture, and wonderful food (chevre and mint stuffed rabbit is amazing).

Chez Paul

13 Rue de Charonne

Metro: Ledrou-Rollin

Also, the restaurants at L'ecluse (a chain of Parisian wine bars) are often super (AND many wine by the glass choices!). (Many locations; one at 15 Quai Grands-Augustins, Metro: St. Michelle).

[porkpa]

I know I'm a year or so late, but here goes anyway.

Chez l'Ami Louis, which quite a few people think is the quintessential bistro experience is open on Sunday. The food is quite simple and I think great. Its served in copious amounts. The decor and ambience are non existent. Although one could say that its lack of decor in fact is part of its essence. You could be walking into a time warp of a restaurant of a century ago.

Special dishes are the Scallops and Escargots for appetizers. The roast chicken and lamb for mains. I love their potato cake and the frites are excellent as well.

Its very small and often full of celebrities. President Clinton has eaten here. I have been told that Stephen Spielberg has flown its whole staff over to California to cater a function there.

When Mimi Sheraton was food critic fior the New York Times, she described it as the best restaurant in the world.

I'll be there in about ten days where a group that I'm affiliated with, annually takes over the entire restaurant for dinner on the last Sunday in January.

Be careful!! They run perhaps the heaviest pencil of any bistro in the world. Their prices are comparable to, and in some instances more than what some of the three stars charge.

Porkpa

[Gary Marshall]

Hi Simon

though you seem to have enough recommendations, i had a similar problem and found 'la rotisserie du beaujolais' 19 quai de la tournelle 75005 tel 01 43 54 17 47.

It is in the shadow (literally) of la tour d'argent (also open sunday but really not worth it), and serves the old classics i had quenelles de brochet which weren't a million miles off the ones L'TA charged me about £30 for the night before! and a navarin of lamb en croute which was marvellous. It's a small and bustling but suited me fine. I Certainly have fonder memories of that meal than L TA !

cheers

Matthew

[Pan]

My brother and I had lunch at Garnier, right across from the Gare St.-Lazare, on a Sunday. I posted a short review of that brasserie in the beginning of a longer post that focused more on places in Burgundy: click One thing I didn't mention in my review was the attractive streamlined neo-post-art deco (or something) decor in the place. It was a pretty space, though naturally not on the order of the almost unbelievably gorgeous old interior of Grand Vefour.

[ranitidine]

This touches on several other recent threads, but I note that Jo Goldenberg's in the Marais is open on Sunday and that their goose pastrami makes all discussions about Katz's or any other place in NY simply irrelevant. I had it served on a platter, with the slices spread out, sort of like an elegant smoked salmon service. It was truly one of the best foods I have ever tasted.

[mogsob]

Le Dauphin

Benoit

Grizzili Cafe

Vieux Bistro

Le Languedoc

Le Reminet

Rotisserie du Beaujolais

Aux Charpentiers

La Fontaine de Mars

Chez Andre

L'Assiette

Brasserie de la Poste

Of these, my favourites are L'Assiette, Aux Charpentiers, and Rotisserie du Beaujolais.

[marcus]

The food at l'Ardoise is very special and quite inexpensive, and the restaurant has a convenient 1st location. The service and decor are minimal and the tables are turned over more rapidly than any other restaurant that I know of in Paris.

[tony h]

Benoit - a few blocks south of pompidour - just lovely

[Bux]

Benoit - a few blocks south of pompidour - just lovely

Centre G. Pompidou?

[hollywood]

I think Taira in the 17e is open on Sunday. If not, if you ask nicely, maybe he'll open for you. Good seafood.

Taïra

10, rue des Acacias (Argentine)

Paris 014 7667414

[OAKGLEN]

On our last visit in November we had a good meal at Goumard, 9 r. Duphot, in the first arr.. This one star specializes in seafood and the carte menu is reasonably priced. My review is posted on bparis.com (Oops!).

[fresh_a]

Speaking of L'Ami Louis:

Although the food is top notch, the owner is crazy, and the place is full of loud, rich Americans, so it's not a real "French" ambience

[porkpa]

Who is the owner? Is he usually in the restaurant? The heavy set waiter named Louis seemed to be in charge all of the times I've been there. I have eaten there about half a dozen times, always on the last Sunday in January, when the group I am associated with takes over most of, if not all the restaurant. There are several loud Americans, as well as loud Swedes, Frenchmen(and women), Germans, Norwegians, Canadians, Dutch, Danes and several other nationalities of horse people. I cannot deny that the group is usually kind of loud, but not in an offensive manner. We usually have a great time despite overeating and some over drinking.