Le Petit Cler in Paris sits on Rue Cler, the embassy market street, and runs an all-day bistro carte of croque-monsieur, steak frites and Lyonnais salads.
Signature dishes: Croque-monsieur, Steak frites
Must order: Croque-monsieur at lunch, steak frites at dinner, a glass of Brouilly.
Tip: The terrace catches sun until 19:00 in summer; the back room is the warmer winter pick.
Address: 29 Rue Cler, 75007 Paris
La Fontaine de Belleville in Paris is Belleville Brûlerie's day-long café-bistro: third-wave coffee, tartines, plat du jour, and a wine list past 18:00.
Signature: Tartine, Café crème
Order: A tartine at 11:00, the plat du jour at 13:00, a glass of Beaujolais at 18:00.
Tip: Open 08:00 to 22:00 daily; the back room is quieter for laptop work mid-morning.
Robert et Louise in Paris's 3e has grilled côtes de bœuf over an open log fire in the dining room since 1958. Booking required for the fireside tables.
Signature: Côte de bœuf grilled on log fire, Aligot
Order: Côte de bœuf for two grilled in the room, aligot from the Aubrac.
Tip: Two seatings only, 19:30 and 21:30. Closed Sunday. Sit close to the fire in winter.
Chez Omar in Paris has plated couscous royal under brass lanterns on Rue de Bretagne since 1978. The bistro chairs and the fashion crowd are part of the seasoning.
Signature: Couscous royal, Tagine
Order: Couscous royal with merguez, lamb and chicken; baklava for dessert.
Tip: Cash only. No reservations; arrive before 20:00 to skip the line on Saturday.
La Poule au Pot in Paris's Les Halles cooks the Henri IV chicken-in-the-pot at its historical address. The menu of grand-mère bistro classics has not changed.
Signature: Poule au pot Henri IV, Soufflé Grand Marnier
Order: Poule au pot Henri IV for two, soufflé Grand Marnier to finish.
Tip: The room is small and warm. Book a banquette table over the centre seats.
Chez Michel in Paris cooks Breton-Norman regional French in the 10e: kig-ha-farz in winter, a kouign-amann for two as dessert, no a la carte at all.
Signature: Kouign-amann, Game in winter
Order: Whatever game or fish is on the daily menu; the kouign-amann to finish.
Tip: The annex tables in the cave are the quieter option; book at least a week ahead.
Le Relais de l'Entrecôte in Paris's 6e runs one menu: salade aux noix, contre-filet steak, fries, secret-recipe butter sauce. No menus, no choice, no booking.
Signature: Steak frites with house sauce, Profiteroles
Order: Steak medium-rare, frites for the second helping, profiteroles to finish.
Tip: Queue from 12:00 for lunch or 19:00 for dinner. The Marais branch is the easier ticket.
