Yannick Alléno's Alléno Paris in the Pavillon Ledoyen built its three-star case on cryoconcentrated sauces, the chef's twenty-year research project.
Signature dishes: Cryoconcentrated sauces, Aged beef
Must order: Whatever aged-beef course is on the carte, with its accompanying cryo sauce.
Tip: If the main room is booked, the Pavillon Ledoyen complex holds three Alléno restaurants.
Address: Pavillon Ledoyen, 8 Avenue Dutuit, 75008 Paris
Kei Kobayashi's Restaurant KEI in Paris was the first restaurant cooked by a Japanese chef in France to hold three Michelin stars, awarded in 2020.
Signature: Vegetable garden, Sea bream with citrus
Order: The garden vegetable composition starter; the sea bream main course.
Tip: The eight-week lead time is real. Set a phone reminder for the day bookings open.
Christian Le Squer's Le Cinq at the Four Seasons George V in Paris keeps three Michelin stars on a classical line built around lobster, caviar and butter.
Signature: Spaghetti with caviar, Brittany lobster
Order: The caviar-stuffed spaghetti; the Brittany lobster cooked in seaweed butter.
Tip: Lunch sets at €175 are the most under-priced way into a three-star palace room.
Pavyllon in Paris is Yannick Alléno's counter-seating two-star: 36 seats in a circle, a la carte for a fraction of what the main Ledoyen room costs.
Signature: Counter tasting, Egg with caviar
Order: Whatever caviar course is on the counter menu; the chef's classical egg.
Tip: Seats at the counter are easier than a table; book a 12:30 lunch over a 20:00 dinner.
Stéphanie Le Quellec's La Scène in Paris cooks open-kitchen on the 8e: a long copper bar fronting a 12-seat dining room, two Michelin stars since 2020.
Signature: Lobster ravioli, Wagyu
Order: The lobster ravioli course; the wagyu main with seasonal vegetables.
Tip: Eight bar stools front the open kitchen; ask for those rather than the back tables.
Akrame Benallal's Akrame in Paris cooks an Algerian-French tasting menu that earned the 8e room two Michelin stars in 2015 and a regular table since.
Signature: Algerian-French tasting, Lamb
Order: The whole tasting menu; the chef rotates a lamb course in winter months.
Tip: The shorter weekday lunch at €70 is the cheapest two-Michelin-star meal in central Paris.
Alain Passard's Arpège has cooked vegetable-first three-Michelin-star menus in Paris since 1986. The kitchen pulls produce daily from three estate gardens.
Signature: Vegetable tasting menu, Tomato confit
Order: The full vegetable tasting menu; the chef's signature tomato confit dessert.
Tip: Lunch at €175 lands a fraction of the cost of dinner and uses the same kitchen line.
