Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Croque-monsieur is the Parisian counter sandwich: brioche or pain de mie, jambon de Paris, Gruyère and béchamel, grilled until the cheese on top is bubbling and gold.
The dish first appears on a Paris cafe menu in 1910, at a Boulevard des Capucines establishment whose proprietor put grilled ham-and-cheese sandwiches on the carte to feed the lunchtime crowd. The béchamel-topped form, distinct from a simple grilled sandwich, was codified by 1925. Le Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots in Saint-Germain serve €18 versions that have not changed shape in fifty years. The home version is forgiving: any decent jambon, any decent Gruyère, a 5-minute béchamel, three minutes under a hot grill. Add a fried egg on top and it becomes a croque-madame.
4 editor picks for Croque-monsieur in Paris, ranked by editorial score. All Paris signature dishes · Croque-monsieur across every city.
Telescope in Paris was one of the first third-wave coffee bars in the 1er, opened by Nicolas Clerc in 2012. Order the filter coffee. Open mon-fri 08:30-17:00.
TipLaptops fine before 10:30 and after 14:30. The kouign-amann from Ten Belles is the pair.
Le Petit Vendôme in Paris's 2e makes the city's most-cited jambon-beurre and feeds the Place Vendôme jeweller staff at lunch from 11:30 every weekday.
OrderJambon-beurre on baguette tradition; the daily plat for under €18.
TipStanding at the bar is faster than a table; sandwiches travel well to the gardens.
Café de Flore in Paris is the Saint-Germain literary cafe Sartre and de Beauvoir made famous. Order the café crème. At 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain.
TipThe first-floor mezzanine is quieter than the terrace. Order the chocolat chaud in winter.
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.
OrderCroque-monsieur at lunch, steak frites at dinner, a glass of Brouilly.
TipThe terrace catches sun until 19:00 in summer; the back room is the warmer winter pick.
Croque-monsieur makes more sense with someone from Paris explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Experience luxury gastronomy in Paris's most elegant neighborhood. Taste world-class pâtisserie, artisan cheese, wine & cult-favorite charcuterie with an expert guide....
6 hours
Learn classic French cooking techniques at a 6-hour cooking class in the Latin Quarter of Paris, visiting a local open air market to forage for fresh produce to turn i...
5 hours
Learn classic French cooking techniques at a 5-hour cooking class in the Latin Quarter of Paris, using fresh produce from the local market to turn into a memorable 3-c...
