There are many places to have lunch in Paris. I can rattle off a few of my favorites like L'As du Fallafel in the Marais or the now-closed La Pre Verre in the Latin Quarter. There is Fish La Boissonnerie on rue de la Seine which has been a favorite for years. However, there are 2 places in Paris that are the best places for lunch:
Restaurant at Musée d'Orsay: There are several dining options at the Musée d'Orsay, so make sure to select the restaurant and not the cafe or Café de l'Ours or Café Campana. The restaurant is glamorously modeled after the restaurant in the Hotel Orsay as it was in 1900. It is a large, bright room and being very atypical of French restaurants, diners do not feel cramped in their seats. The setting is beautiful within the Museum among the greatest works of art in the world.
The offering at the Restaurant at Musée d'Orsay is as follows:
- Starter + Main dish or Main dish + Dessert: 24.50 euro
- Starter + Main dish + Dessert: 29.50 euro
My favorite is to always start with the terrine or the soup, followed by a main dish like sea bream or grilled beef. I was never a big fan of dessert until I tried the unbelievable and elegantly presented Limoncello ice cream.
For the complete menu, click HERE.
Café Jacquemart-André: Without a doubt, the Café Jacquemart-André is the most beautiful tea room in Paris. Located in the Jacquemart-André museum, lunch is served every day except on Sunday, where a spectacular brunch for 29.30 euro is presented. For lunch there are many options to select from. From the a la carte menu, I'll often have a salad like the Bellotto filled with all sorts of spices and vegetables. There is a popular lunch time menu which includes a quiche of the day and ends with 2 scoops of ice cream for dessert for the ridiculously low price of 18.50 euro.
For the complete menu, click HERE.
Please note at the time of writing, the Café Jacquemart-André is closed for reservations, but should open soon. Both the Café Jacquemart-André and Restaurant at Musée d'Orsay do not accept reservations.
Join The Traveling Professor on a small group tour to Paris.