The Angel’s Paris

A très grande guide to eating and drinking in the City of Light

The view from Belleville at sundown during the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Outside of L.A. and New York, Paris is the city I know best. My first overseas experience was a trip to Paris with my mom, sister, aunt, and grandma. I was eight, and my inaugural bite of a French butter croissant catalyzed a lifelong obsession with the purist’s pastry. In high school, I spent several summer months in France’s capital. Then, a few short trips throughout my 20s culminated in a six-week stint in the summer of 2022, during which I conducted extensive reconnaissance. Now in my 30s, I have a pretty good grasp of the Parisian food scene.

All this to say: this deeply researched guide on where to eat, drink, and (as an added bonus) buy food gifts and kitchen goods has been a long time coming. I like to shop for clothes almost as much as I like to eat in Paris, but to keep things manageable, this list will stay in line with my beat. 

Before I get into the nitty-gritty, a few notes on neighborhoods and getting around. I most frequently find myself in Oberkampf, on the border of the 10th and 11th arrondissements, as well as in Belleville (just underneath the beautiful Parc des Buttes-Chaumont) and Le Marais. But Paris is an exceptionally walkable city with a smooth-sailing metro system and a surplus of electric Lime bikes, so don’t be afraid to pick seemingly far-away places to dine.