Bistrot Des Fables

Most Parisians give any bistro this close to the Eiffel Tower a wide berth, but they’ll make an exception for Bistrot des Fables, which delivers massive portions of classic French food in a homey setting. Past the velvet curtain is a cozy dining room with a zinc bar, tiled floor, and chalkboard menu. The charming wooden staircase at the back of the room leads to a slightly less charming upstairs space—plead with the servers, flirt if you need to, for a seat on the ground floor.

The slow-cooked boeuf carottes is a must, falling apart at the nudge of a fork and big enough for two, and the escargot fricassée is a nice departure from the butter-soaked classic, pairing snails with pork belly and roasted peppers. Prices are almost criminally reasonable for the area, especially if you opt for the weekday lunchtime prix fixe of €24 for two courses and €27 for three. While most of the city’s restaurants are near-militant in their 12-2, 7-10 service, this spot serves from noon to 11pm daily. Even locals who wouldn't be caught dead in running shoes and athleisure can't say no to that.