Le Bistrot Paris in the 7e runs a classic carte where the lunch menu rotates daily and dinner stays close to the Lyonnais playbook. A regulars' room.
Signature dishes: Steak tartare, Profiteroles
Must order: Steak tartare with a poached egg, profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce.
Tip: The lunch menu at €24 is the city's most under-rated set, including coffee and a small carafe.
Address: 33 Rue de Lille, 75007 Paris
Bertrand Grébaut's Septime in Paris remains the room every neo-bistro in the city compares itself to. Reservations open 21 days ahead and burn within an hour.
Signature: Cured mackerel, Smoked egg yolk
Order: The cured mackerel starter and whatever fish is on the second course.
Tip: Easier on a Tuesday lunch than Friday dinner. Same kitchen, same wine, half the wait list.
Gregory Marchand's Frenchie sits on Paris's Rue du Nil, the alley he and his suppliers turned into a four-shop street: bistro, bar, wine cellar, sandwich window.
Signature: Beef bavette, Pavlova
Order: Whatever the bavette is dressed with that week, and the pavlova for dessert.
Tip: If the bistro is booked, the Frenchie Bar à Vins across the alley takes walk-ups and runs the same kitchen.
Tatiana and Katia Levha's Le Servan in Paris reads the seasonal-French rulebook through a Filipino lens. The dining room is loud, the menu changes weekly.
Signature: Pork rillettes, Tomato salad with anchovy
Order: Whatever short-rib or pork shoulder dish is on, with a glass of côtes-du-rhône.
Tip: Lunch is a third of the price and almost as good as dinner. Booking opens 30 days out.
Yves Camdeborde's Le Comptoir du Relais in Paris helped invent the term bistronomie in the 1990s and still serves the dining-room version every weeknight.
Signature: Pâté en croûte, Têtes de veau
Order: The pâté en croûte for two and whatever offal main is on the chalkboard.
Tip: Lunch and weekend service runs walk-in; dinner Mon-Fri needs a booking six weeks out.
Raquel Carena cooks Argentine-French intuition food at Le Baratin, the Belleville room every Parisian chef calls their favourite when no one is listening.
Signature: Veal sweetbreads, Pigeon
Order: The sweetbreads if they are on, and a glass from Philippe Pinoteau's natural list.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday, often Saturday too. Phone bookings only, no website.
Septime's seafood little sister, Clamato in Paris runs no-reservation oysters, ceviche and grilled fish from 19:00. Walk-in only; queue forms by 18:45.
Signature: Oysters, Hake ceviche
Order: Half a dozen Gillardeau oysters, the hake of the day, and a plate of lardo on toast.
Tip: Arrive at 18:45 for the first seating or after 21:30 for the second. No bookings ever.
