Once you have remembered that Paris is a possibility, it’s hard to shake it from your mind. Just the concept of Paris is romantic, and the thought of settling into a corner table in a just-the-right-side-of-busy bistro with someone you love, ordering plates of steak tartare and making your way through a carafe of red and a mound of golden frites is too good to ignore. Because that’s the other glorious thing about Paris – yes, there is art to be seen, there are winding streets to explore, monuments to visit and shopping to be done. But the real way to experience the city is not to rush around but rather to find somewhere to stop for a while, sit opposite each other and eat some good food.
A romantic day trip or weekend does, however, take a little planning. Traipsing around in search of a table and ending up in a tourist trap doesn’t exactly say ‘city of love’. Happily, Paris restaurants haven’t yet gone the way of London and New York when it comes to reservations. It’s still possible to walk in somewhere without a booking and have a good meal, and the sorts of lines that stretch down the street at London hotspots are few and far between. Still, it’s not a bad idea to have a plan, so our editors have created a list of some of the best and most romantic restaurants to get you started.
If you are planning on being there for Valentine’s weekend, consider this your ultimate guide to Paris restaurants (and if you’re in search of a hotel, look no futher than our pick of the best hotels in Paris). Either way, take this as your reminder to book a Eurostar in the not too distant future – even just a day return. Take a great love with you, and get a table at one of the following restaurants.
The most romantic restaurants in Paris, according to House & Garden’s editorsBistrot Paul Bert
You must order the rum baba at Bistrot Paul Bert
Hemis / Alamy Stock Photo
If romance is in the eye of the beholder then I’m not sure there are many gestures more romantic than someone securing a table for two at Paul Bert. If you have ever attempted to pin down a reservation, you’ll know this to be true. There is no online booking system so you have to call to secure a table, and the restaurant has a, shall we say, French approach to answering the phone. I once called over 30 times before getting through. If you do manage to get a table, you have one of the all time great meals in store for you. Get a late booking so you can stay for as long as you like and linger over every last scrap of pepper sauce on the aloyau de boeuf with thinly sliced fried potatoes. Do order the rhum baba. It’ll arrive with a bottle of rum to slosh over your pudding (and into your glass for good measure), ensuring you stumble out at the end of service feeling happy and satisfied.
Dining and Cooking