La Grande Crèmerie in Paris's 6e is the small natural-wine room on Rue Grégoire-de-Tours with charcuterie plates and a 600-bottle cellar. Fourteen seats, no website.
Why locals love it: A 14-seat natural-wine room on Rue Grégoire-de-Tours in the 6e with no menu board outside; the wine cellar runs to 600 bottles.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Phone bookings only; the cellar holds the deeper natural list.
Address: 8 Rue Grégoire-de-Tours, 75006 Paris
Clamato in Paris is Septime's no-reservation seafood little sister at 80 Rue de Charonne. Oysters, ceviche, grilled hake from 19:00; walk-in only, 24 stools.
Why locals love it: Septime's no-reservation seafood little sister; even regulars queue from 18:45 for the 24 stools and never know whether they'll sit.
Tip: Arrive at 18:45 for the first seating or after 21:30 for the second wave. No phone reservations.
La Cave de l'Insolite in Paris's 11e is the natural-wine cave-and-bistro on Rue de la Folie-Méricourt. Two rooms past the bottle shop, charcuterie plates only.
Why locals love it: A natural-wine cave-and-bistro on Rue de la Folie-Méricourt with no street sign; the two-room dining floor sits past the bottle shop and the proprietor's desk.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The €25 cheese-and-charcuterie sharing plate feeds three; phone only.
Chez Aline in Paris's 11e is the sandwich counter Delphine Zampetti runs on Rue de la Roquette. Twelve seats, daily-rotating fillings, queue forms at 12:00.
Why locals love it: A 12-seat sandwich counter on Rue de la Roquette where Delphine Zampetti rotates daily-fresh fillings; locals queue, tourists walk past.
Tip: Get there by 12:30 or the morning batch is gone. Closed Sunday and Monday; cash and card both work.
La Buvette in Paris's 11e is Camille Fourmont's 16-seat wine bar putting white beans and fish rillettes on every editorial radar. The list is electric.
Why locals love it: Camille Fourmont's 16-seat wine-and-snack room hides at the back of the 11e; the white-beans-in-citrus-oil dish moves the room every weekend.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Arrive at 18:00 or after 21:30 for a counter stool.
Aux Lyonnais in Paris is Alain Ducasse's Lyonnais annex on Rue Saint-Marc. Quenelle de brochet, saucisson chaud and a Beaujolais list that respects the cru wines.
Why locals love it: Alain Ducasse's Lyonnais bouchon-style annex sits unmarked behind a curtain on Rue Saint-Marc; the chef name brings the food, the lack of branding hides it.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The €40 set lunch midweek is the same kitchen at half the dinner price.
Le Baratin in Paris's 20e is the Argentine-French intuition bistro Raquel Carena has cooked at since 1992. The chef's favourite chef's restaurant, locals say.
Why locals love it: Raquel Carena's Belleville bistro is the room every Parisian chef calls their favourite when no one is listening; the address is unsigned.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday, often Saturday too. Phone bookings only; no website, no walk-ins.
