As great classics of Parisian (and French) dining, brasseries are warm and welcoming restaurants where traditional French dishes take center stage. Here you can enjoy simple, comforting traditional dishes, such as eggs with mayonnaise as an appetizer, roast chicken or steak and fries as a main course, or even a lovely cheese platter for dessert… Here are the legendary spots in Paris you should visit at least once in your life.
A floating terrace for a vacation-like atmosphere as you drift along the river. Among the brasseries you should try at least once in Paris, the Aqua barge, moored on the Seine near Suresnes, offers a large, sunny terrace facing the current—ideal for lunch or a drink with a soothing view.
Among the best brasseries in Paris to try at least once, we recommend stopping by Brasserie Le Tourville. If you reserve a specific table upstairs, you’ll enjoy a direct view of the Eiffel Tower.
For a gourmet outing this weekend in Paris, head to this spot dating back to the 1860s and located in the 7th arrondissement: taken over by a family-run management team, it has revamped the menu, renovated the decor designed by Jacques Garcia, and improved the service to restore its reputation.
A true favorite—a chic, gourmet, and unassuming brasserie.
If you’re looking for a somewhat hidden gem to try at least once, head to Maison François 1er: a former wine bar transformed into a cozy brasserie, it offers refined French cuisine in a warm setting, just a stone’s throw from the Champs-Élysées.
A historic brasserie dating back to 1909, staying true to the classics and its Belle Époque decor. Among the Parisian brasseries worth discovering at least once, Brasserie Floderer stands out as a sure bet: established in 1909 in the Cour des Petites-Écuries, it offers traditional French cuisine with a strong Alsatian influence in a Belle Époque setting. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch on weekends.
Seafood platters prepared to order in a Belle Époque atmosphere. Among the Parisian brasseries you should try at least once, L’Auberge Dab, located near Porte Maillot and the Palais des Congrès, stands out for its Belle Époque decor and its reputation for generous seafood platters, as well as its traditional French cuisine.
The Grand Café Capucines, a historic Parisian brasserie, has been delighting diners since 1875 with its seafood and Belle Époque ambiance. Among the must-visit brasseries in Paris, it’s hard to overlook the Grand Café Capucines: an institution that has been delighting diners since 1875 with its seafood and Belle Époque ambiance. Opened at the same time as the Opéra Garnier, it has recently undergone a renovation while preserving its old-world charm. The menu features reimagined classics, such as melt-in-your-mouth escargots and profiteroles. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m., it’s the perfect spot for a meal at any hour after a show.
A Saint-Honoré bistro with 19th-century charm. Among Paris’s must-visit brasseries, this refined spot in the 1st arrondissement is well worth the detour: housed in a former grocery store founded in 1823, La Renommée charms with its generous French menu, its wine cellar featuring 700 labels, and an atmosphere as timeless as its two-century-old facade.
Au Pied de Cochon—a sublime brasserie with magnificent decor
Founded in 1947, this legendary Parisian brasserie serves a pig’s trotter whose recipe has remained unchanged for nearly 70 years. Open almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this spot—where French cuisine reigns supreme—is a must-visit in Paris. Even after midnight! All you have to do is step through the brasserie’s doors, adorned with golden doorknobs… shaped like pig’s feet!
Bofinger – and its legendary sauerkraut
Tucked away between Place de la Bastille and Place des Vosges lies a true Parisian institution: Brasserie Bofinger. It’s worth noting that for over 150 years, this (now iconic) spot has stood the test of time without ever losing its soul or the authenticity of its cuisine. Founded in 1864 by the Alsatian innkeeper Frédéric Bofinger, it’s the oldest Alsatian brasserie in Paris.
Brasserie Mollard – One of Paris’s most famous brasseries
Located just a stone’s throw from the Saint-Lazare train station, this Parisian institution is definitely worth a visit. In its splendid, historic Art Nouveau setting, you can savor dishes that are as delicious as can be. Fish soup, house-made foie gras, scallops in saffron sauce, grilled rib steak with Béarnaise sauce, tiramisu, profiteroles… With service until after midnight, the legendary Brasserie Mollard has everything to win you over!
Brasserie Sébillon – and its all-you-can-eat leg of lamb
This charming Art Deco brasserie, with its very chic setting, has been delighting Parisians for over a century. Founded in 1914 by Charles Sébillon, you can enjoy homemade dishes every day of the week until 11 p.m.! Service is available 7 days a week, and the quality never disappoints! Here, the best of French cuisine is showcased through generous, hearty dishes. The house specialty? A leg of Allaiton farm-raised lamb from Aveyron, carved to your liking right before your eyes.
Among the new spots already shaping up to be must-visits, a brasserie inspired by the world of entertainment will open its doors near the Châtelet in the fall of 2026. Brasserie Casel will open in thefallof 2026 at 16 Avenue Victoria, just a few steps from the Théâtre du Châtelet, and will offer French cuisine featuring meats aged in a glass-enclosed cellar.