The France of the imagination remains undimmed. The romantic boulevards and cobbled streets of Paris. The sparkling waters of the Cote d’Azur. The slow-paced villages of Provence. Each is enough to make travelers swoon. Yet while these hotspots will always be popular with Francophiles, it’s the sheer diversity of the country that makes it so alluring to millions of tourists every year. Whether it’s skiing in the Alps or Pyrenees, surfing in Biarritz or cycling through the greenways of Dieppe, France has got it all.

Throw in some of the world’s finest food and best wine, whether in a three-star Michelin restaurant or local brasserie, and it’s hard to think of a more perfect destination.

We combined and compiled a list of the 10 best French restaurants in Paris (courtesy of CNN) and Conde Nast and we came up with the below “affordable listing”:

Quote: “Down-market food trucks and pop-up restaurants have invaded Paris just like other cities around the world. But when looking for the best French restaurants in Paris, we want the kind of classic tables that make French dining a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Item.

To find the most memorable food and drink experiences, CNN turned to Meg Zimbeck, brainchild of the extensive online food guide Paris by Mouth. Zimbeck and her colleagues lead walking tours in the capital of France and have been seeking out the best tables in the city for years. With her help, CNN compiled a list of 10 best French restaurants in Paris” (end of quote):

1. Bistrot Paul Bert: classic bistro experience, a gut-busting traditional French meal at its finest (there’s no escaping a food coma following a meal here).
2. Septime: inventive innovative cuisine.
3. Chez Casimir: where locals go for high-caliber affordable tasty bistro food.
4. Relais d’Entrecôte: steak served with secret sauce and crispy fries.
5. Le Chateaubriand: no-choice menu, morning ingredients put together in interesting ways. 
6. Verjus: the best fried chicken dishes in the city.
7. Semilla: open kitchen, distinguished M.O.F. chef, the highest French honor for craftsmen, wine obtained from the nearby Derniere Goutte wine shop.
8. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon: Started by legendary French chef and restaurateur Joel Robuchon. 
9. Les Papilles: copious 4-course fixed menu, plate of cheese that change daily. A lot of chefs come here.
10. Breizh Café: authentic Breton sit-down creperie, an authority in Paris.

Conde Nast compiled few other restaurants:

1. Allard: duck with green olives, frogs legs, duck foie gras.
2. Epicure: 3-Michelin-starred restaurant… a meal experience that borders on religious.
3. Clamato: inventive seafood.
4. Tannat: real emphasis on seasonality and wine stories …
5. Benoit Paris: classic bistro (which opened in 1912): escargots, cassoulet, pate en croute, Scottish salmon with Bearnaise sauce, scallops, cheese, crepe Suzette.
6. Dersou: Taku Sekine has become the chef around-town with artfully plated dishes, edible flowers…
7. Le 52: for diners serious not only about food but high good-time quotient.
8. Le Grand Bain: Brit Edward Delling Williams, the tall blond handsome chef.
9. Anahi: steak, steak and more steak, an Argentine institution (so it is more ole than ohlala).
10. La Coupole: typical French brasserie food with strong seafood emphasis. A living memorial to Paris’ Art Deco legacy. La Coupole has seen more than its share of Parisian Who’s Who (Henri Matisse, Marc Chagal, Jane Birkin ….).

11. L’Ami Jean: the food is star of the show, refined, adventurous and surprising.

12. Ellsworth: people come here to eat well. Don’t skip the fried chicken – it’s what they’ve become known for.

13. Le Train Bleu: one of the most dignified restaurant, an icon of Parisian dining… every inch drips with Parisian opulence.

14. Chez La Vieille: reinvented bistro and his genius Chef Daniel Rose.

15. Pierre Sang: creative, unexpected, fresh and full of diverse flavors (with Korean touches).

16. Bouillon Chartier: opened in 1896 with a simple mission: French food at an affordable price for the masses.

17. La Dame de Pic: Anne-Sophie’s hyperseasonal cooking is bold and delicate.

18. Vivant: spirited, confident cooking.

19. Le Servan: novel flavour pairing.

20. Le Vieux Belleville: live music, performers walk among the tables with accordion singing French Classics including Edith Piaf.

21. Le Baratin: simple, authentic dining experiences

Other recommended restaurants and cafes (from various sources)

22. Le Jardin du Petit Palais

23. Cafe de la Paix

24. Les Deux Magots

25. La Maison Rose

25. Le Consulat

26. Pink Mamma (Bar)

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