Le Pré Verre. 8, rue Thenard, 5th arrondissement. Métro: Maubert-Mutualite.
I highly recommend this restaurant. The food and wine is of exceptional quality and the price is right. There is a wide-ranging and imaginative dishes like veal kidneys with tamarind, hanger steak with artichokes, and poached skate wing with cranberries. It is near the Cluny, across the street from the Hôtel du College de France. The French food here is complemented with spices, especially those of the Asian/Meditteranean variety. They offer a prix fixe menu for about €30 that makes it the best dinner bargain in Paris. The lunch “formule” costs half of that. Make a reservation a day or two beforehand for the upstairs room. Website: www.lepreverre.com.
Le Café du Musée. 17 Bouleard des Invalides, 7th arrondissement. Métro: Varenne.
I love to stop at this local spot before or after visiting the Rodin Museum or Napoleon's Tomb. Waiters are friendly, seating is available inside or outside. Get the "Croque Madame" (an open faced ham and cheese sandwich with a fried egg on top) or go san-fried egg with a "Croque Monsieur".
L’As du Fallafel. 34, rue des Rosiers, 4th arrondissement. Métro: St-Paul.
This Jewish deli-type restaurant in the Marais is a crowd-pleaser. I like it so much for their 6-8 euro falafels (they call them “cocktail de viandes”, literally translated as “meat cocktail) washed down with an Orangina that I keep their business card tacked on my corkboard in my kitchen. A great little take-away (“emporter” in French) place or fine for a sit-down lunch (reservations not taken). I highly recommend this restaurant for a tasty, inexpensive meal.