Where to Eat in the Marais: Favorite Bistros, Brasseries, & Restaurants

Intro

In the Sunday edition of my free Paris Discoveries Newsletter, I answer reader questions about Paris travel.  Recently, several readers have asked whether it makes sense to move from one Parisian neighborhood and hotel to another when time permits.

This article is part of the Paris Discoveries Q&A Archive and ...

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I've lightly edited, expanded, and updated my original answers, and added photos to make this a more complete Paris travel resource. 

Top photo:  Le Sancerre restaurant on Rue des Archives in the Marais neighborhood, (c) Paris Discovery Guide

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What Are Some Favorite Restaurants in the Marais?

Carolyn's Question:

My husband and I will be staying in the Marais during the Easter period at Le Chambre de Marais. 

I am wondering what some of your favourite restaurants in the Marais? We love to eat where locals eat.

Susan's Answer: 

That's a wonderful hotel with a lovely park, Square du Temple Élie Wiesel, across the street. 

You're very close to Paris's oldest covered market, Marché Couvert des Enfants Rouges, where you'll find several stalls with wonderful food plus an area with tables filled with lots of locals.  Sometimes scoring a table can be challenging, so for the best luck, head over around 11:30am, walk around the market to decide what you want to eat, and then find a table.  Some of the vendors have their own small collection of tables and chairs, plus there's a communal area with additional seating outside of the market along its western edge.  You can also take your food over to the park, but be discreet as you eat - I'm not sure what the rules are there regarding eating in the park, even though I've seen Parisians enjoying their lunch while sitting on the benches.

Also check out all the small cafes and bistros within a block or two of the market - it's hard to go wrong here.

I also have a number of other favorites in this area where you'll also find plenty of locals. Here they are, in no particular order:

Bouillon République on Place de la République - Expect a long line and cheap prices for traditional "bouillon" favorites - eggs mayo, onion soup, escargot, a selection of simple meat and fish dishes, and traditional desserts

Bistrot Instinct - Gastronomic bistro with modern French cuisine and always a good selection for each course for vegetarians - its a little more of a splurge than the other places I'm mentioning (except for Datil, below), but I really love the food here

Le Sancerre - Consistently good brasserie food near your hotel - I love their salads, so that's what I usually order here

La Terrasse des Archives - Popular neighborhood brasserie with popular casual French dishes a few blocks down Rue des Archives - I usually get a fish-centric dish and dessert, but the salads are also good; this is also one of my favorite people-watching spots in this neighborhood

Breizh Cafe on Rue Vielle du Temple, also a few blocks away - Breizh Cafes are all over Paris now but I believe this was the original, and it's still one of my favorites, Breton-style buckwheat galettes plus regular crepes

Thai Thae, on Rue Pastourelle - Wonderful Thai food at this small local bistro

Plus, almost directly to the east of your hotel in the Oberkampf neighborhood between Blvd du Temple and Blvd Voltaire, you'll find so many great options - just walk around and pick what appeals.

Ditto for the area between your hotel and Place de la Republique - sooo many good places and in all of them, you'll mostly find locals.

In general, Asian (especially Vietnamese) restaurants are quite good in this area as it's the site of one of Paris's older Asian communities - it's really hard to go wrong, wherever you choose.

Also, Rue des Gravilliers (a couple of blocks south of your hotel) has become something of a food street with many mouth-watering options so just stroll down it and see what appeals.  Datil is highly regarded, but I believe they do tasting menus only - not really my thing, so I can't speak from personal experience - but I do love the nearby Source Matcha Bar.

Enjoy!

What Restaurants Do You Suggest for Lunch & Dinner near the Charles V Hotel in the Marais?

Wendy's Question:

We are going to Paris in late May and are staying in the Charles V Hotel in the Marais. 

Can you suggest a few restaurants for lunch and dinner in the area?

Susan's Answer:

Sure, happy to! Your hotel is in a great area - a calm slice of the Marais despite being between the bustling Rue Saint-Antoine and the Seine. This area has lots of small cafes, bistros, and wine bars where you'll find "bistronomique" (which roughly means elevated bistro fare) and modern French cuisine emphasizing market-fresh products and in many cases, menus that change daily.

At the Charles V Hotel, you're across the street from Village Saint-Paul. The "village" is actually a series of inter-connected courtyards which are totally hidden from the street aside from a few small entrances. It dates back to the Middle Ages but has been renovated a couple of times in the past century - you'll feel a medieval vibe despite the buildings now being in good repair.

Once you're inside, you see a mix of small boutiques of various sorts and 5-6 small bistros and wine bars. Stroll around, check the menus, and choose whatever looks good. The outdoor seating is wonderful on a warm day but go early or late to grab a table, as the Village has lots of fans.

Be sure to exit on the west side bordering Rue des Jardins Saint-Paul, and look at the stone wall on the other side of the sports field - it's called the "Philippe Auguste Wall," because it's part of a wall built to enclose and protect Paris (which of course was much smaller then) by the order of King Philippe III in the late 1100s-early 1200s before he left to fight in a crusade - you can even see the remains of tower that was part of it. There are actually bits of the wall still standing in other areas, but this is the biggest. Every time I walk by, I think about how very cool as well as astounding it is that we can still see this Medieval remnant from so long ago in the 21st century.

But back to food. Across Rue Charles V from your hotel, L'Enoteca serves very good Italian food, and down Rue Saint-Paul toward the river, Poison (a self-deprecating play on words; no need to worry about the excellent food here being deadly) focuses on veggie-forward bistronomic cuisine - you should make reservations at both of these, as they're quite small but also popular.

In the other direction on Rue Charlemagne, Chez Mademoiselle is one of my own long-time favorites. I'd call the food traditional, but with a modern twist. The menu changes frequently with the seasons, and like all the other places that I'm mentioning here, it's tiny so make reservations if you can. The outside terrace seating overlooks a quiet area, although the inside dining room is fine too.

If you want something even more traditional, continue up the street (which becomes Rue de Jouy) to Au Bourguignon du Marais for food from the Burgundy region such as onion soup, escargot, and Beef Bourguignon - but there's usually a sprinkling other culinary influences as well - Asian and maybe Italian? I was skeptical due to the mix of cuisines on the menu the first time I ate here but pleasantly surprised and have been back a couple of times since.

Bon appetit, and happy dining!

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See Questions & Answers on Similar Topics

Wondering about specific neighborhoods for your Paris visit?  You'll find those Q&A archives here:

• Where to Stay in the Marais (placeholder: add links later)
• Where to Stay in Saint-Germain (placeholder: add links later)

Paris Neighborhoods & Hotels - Where to stay in Paris + choosing the right hotel

Paris Discoveries Q&A Archive - See Q&As on all topics

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Paris Discovery Guide is a reader-supported publication.  If you purchase through our links, PDG may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Merci for your support!