Traditional French Restaurant in Paris: How to Spot the Real Thing

Every second restaurant in central Paris claims to be « traditional French ». Most aren't. After 95 years in the trade, here's our honest field guide.

7 red flags

Laminated photo menus in eight languages · staff waving you in from the sidewalk · "French cuisine" with no actual dish named · 60-item menus · pizza next to boeuf bourguignon · no French customers · food photos in the window.

5 proofs of the real thing

A named specialty (ours is in our name) · named suppliers — our beef is dry-aged by Alexandre Polmard, our cheeses matured by a Meilleur Ouvrier de France · a short menu that changes · regulars at the tables · a verifiable history. Picasso ate at ours; the street tells the story.

What to order once you've found it

Onion soup or escargots, then frog legs or steak tartare, cheese BEFORE dessert, crème brûlée to finish. Full crash course: our bistro classics guide. Book a table