Baillotte

These days, it’s rare to find fresh gastronomic cuisine on the Left Bank, which makes this a welcome addition to one of Paris’s most popular and picturesque neighborhoods: Saint-Germaine-des-Prés. While this elegant newcomer, which only opened in March 2023, serves both lunch and dinner, their three-course midday meal is fantastic for the €34 price. And while the French tend to get their own appetizer, main, and dessert, the portions are so generous you could easily do two for €28, with one person getting a starter and a main and the other getting a main and a dessert. And then, voila! You share. (It’s not sneaky—it’s French.) 

Of course, then you’d be missing out on sampling more of the well-balanced, seasonal plates that the skilled Japanese chefs are churning out of their glass-walled kitchen, like a mushroom tarte topped with edible flowers or a tender duck breast served with tri-colored carrots. We’ll leave it up to you. (Another option: come for dinner, when many of the same dishes are offered on the à la carte menu.) Whatever you do, arrive hungry and don’t rush. Their velour banquettes and armchairs covered in Tunsian textiles are not only chic, but comfortable and made for leisurely wining and dining.