Bistrot Des Tournelles

You’d assume that this bistro near Place des Vosges, with tile floors, lace curtains, and an old-timey cash register, has been around since Charles de Gaulle was president, but it opened in late 2022. The menu delivers on the retro kitsch thanks to the usual bistro suspects that remind us why the saucier is the top dog of any French kitchen brigade. Beef tenderloin swims in creamy au poivre sauce, and daube de boeuf, the Provençal answer to beef stew, is olive-studded gravy perfection. If you can't resist a cheese pull, their signature softball-sized cordon bleu oozes a lava flow of melted comté when you pierce it with your knife. (Watch out for hot cheese oil geysers!) This is a pocket-sized spot with limited seating, so head here with close friends, especially ones who like low-intervention Beaujolais and hate shared small plates.