Picks by TOPJAW in Paris

25 places TOPJAW went to in Paris — what they said, and what to watch out for.

• Du Pain et des Idées — TOPJAW
  The custard and chocolate layered through the pastry make it "a pain au chocolat leveled up," with complex caramel and burnt-sugar notes in the dough.
  Heads up: The shop isn't keen on filming — the video had to be shot discreetly on a phone — so don't expect a warm welcome for cameras or tourists.
• Marché couvert des Enfants Rouges — TOPJAW
  'Street food but in a gastronomic way' — great produce cooked exceptionally well, with tuna belly, morels and the signature candied foie gras all far beyond what you'd expect from a market stall.
  Heads up: As Hélène Darroze notes, it's best on a sunny day — the market is largely open-air in feel.
• Reyna — TOPJAW
  The signature Hainanese burrata, inspired by Singaporean chicken rice, fried chicken with a shatteringly crisp coating that doesn't soak into the meat, and a kinilaw made with seasonal scallops.
  Heads up: The three peanut-and-chilli sauces and the fried chicken start out delicious, then build to a 'blowtorch in your mouth' level of heat.
• Sister Midnight — TOPJAW
  The smoke-and-music atmosphere is something "other bars try to copy and never pull off," and the Mad Daddy, a smoke-fortified Negroni, is superb.
  Heads up: Drag shows are Saturdays only, and burlesque runs every other Thursday.
• The Cambridge Public House — TOPJAW
  A spicy margarita riff made with gochujang and carrot — "one of the best cocktails I've ever had."
• Terra bar à vins — TOPJAW
  The one place they'd point you to if they could only recommend a single spot in Paris.
• Terra — TOPJAW
  Big cuts of meat and big plates mean nobody leaves hungry — the salt-crust fish, the steak tartare topped with crispy potatoes and the wagyu tomahawk are all superbly balanced.
  Heads up: A small menu of four starters and three mains, and each main is sized for two, so order carefully.
• Harry's New York Bar — TOPJAW
  There's evidence the Bloody Mary, French 75 and Sidecar were all invented here, and the bar counter — dismantled in New York in 1910 and shipped over — is still in place, along with back-bar bottles that survived World War II.
  Heads up: Hot dogs are the only food on offer, and it's very touristy — about half the crowd is American.
• Dumbo — TOPJAW
  A smash burger that keeps things simple, with beautifully crisp patty edges against a soft bun — chefs unanimously named it the best burger in Paris.
  Heads up: A very pared-back menu: cheeseburger, veggie burger, fries and drinks.
• Le Cheval d'Or — TOPJAW
  Australian chef Hans blends French and Cantonese cooking without ever forcing it — the steamed scallops with rice cake play beautifully on texture, and the frog in char siu-style marinade is a standout.
  Heads up: It has a big reputation among chefs, so getting a reservation was difficult.
• Parcelles — TOPJAW
  A vast but genuinely well-curated wine list — not just long for the sake of it — plus a veal head carpaccio served on a warm plate so the fat melts, and gnocchi dripping with sage butter.
• Boulangerie Utopie — TOPJAW
  Sesame is their signature, and the sesame éclair is far more interesting than any chocolate one — as are the charcoal sesame roulé and the pain suisse.
  Heads up: There's a queue for almost all of opening hours.
• Motors Coffee — TOPJAW
  The pour-over, slowed down by hand at the end of the extraction, finishes so cleanly it tastes "like there's milk or cream in it." The cinnamon bun and lemon pastry are just as good.
  Heads up: A single pour-over runs €25, and there's no food beyond pastries — the brunch menu was dropped to keep the focus on coffee.
• Experimental Marais — TOPJAW
  The rooms are full of detail and feel genuinely lived-in, and the low, plush cocktail lounge (the American bar) off the lobby is a standout.
  Heads up: The rooms aren't especially large or spacious.
• Kissproof Belleville — TOPJAW
• Kubri — TOPJAW
  Contemporary Lebanese cooking so good it's 'no joke' — a generous piece of monkfish and rice cooked in fish stock stand out, and in a city where reviews are notoriously tough, bad ones are hard to find here.
• Bar Nouveau — TOPJAW
  Far more than straightforward cocktails — molecular-level technique used to build texture, including Goustav, a gold-leaf tribute to Klimt's 'The Kiss'.
  Heads up: Plenty of the drinks, Goustav included, are seriously strong.
• La Binouze — TOPJAW
  A bar for serious craft beer lovers, collaborating with breweries and importing from around the world — the thick, hazy NEIPA goes down especially well, and unlike most Paris bars it opens at 11am.
  Heads up: Plenty of high-ABV beers, including a Monkish double IPA at 8.5%.
• Bistrot Des Tournelles — TOPJAW
• Frenchie — TOPJAW
  Lamb balanced by the acidity of carrot and plenty of butter, a trout tartare, and seriously good value at €25 for two courses or €30 for three at lunch.
• Ten Belles — TOPJAW
  Hangover-fixing brunch: a bacon and cheese toastie with funky blue cheese and stretchy cheddar, plus a Welsh rabbit topped with an egg.
• Candelaria — TOPJAW
  A flagbearer for Paris's hidden bar scene — an atmospheric cocktail bar tucked behind a taqueria, still packed 15 years on.
  Heads up: The entrance is a taco shop; you have to go through the white door at the back to reach the bar.
• Chop Chop Love — TOPJAW
  The natural wine goes down dangerously easily, and the Mexican-style chicken soup simmered for five days is packed with flavour.
  Heads up: The chef changes constantly, so the menu is completely different from visit to visit — and in the evening there's essentially just one dish.
• Dreamin' Man — TOPJAW
  Excellent coffee poured by Yuichiro himself, pastries made by his girlfriend, and a real sense of community.
• Déviant — TOPJAW

All places in Paris