Paris is known for wonderful food, and for its cafés and bistros. There are restaurants and cafés all over the city, so there's never a problem finding a place to eat.

Here are descriptions of some of the best restaurant areas that should help you narrow your search.

Numbers in parentheses give the arrondissement:

Near Place Saint-Michel (5th)

Rue de la Huchette, Rue de la Harpe, and Rue Xavier Privas are narrow streets lined with little restaurants serving a wide range of food, much of it at bargain prices. A popular, central location just off the busy Place Saint-Michel, economy-minded travelers can get a decent meal cheap here, relatively fast.

Rue de Buci (6th, bordering 5th)

The Rue de Buci is a short and lively street, also near the Place Saint-Michel and not far from the Boulevard St-Germain, that is lined with restaurants and cafés. It is also a wonderful spot for people watching, having a drink, and/or enjoying a meal.

Rue St-André des Arts (6th, near 5th)

Off the Rue St-André des Arts near the aforementioned Rue de Buci is the Cour du Commerce de St-André, a cobblestoned pedestrian passageway full of restaurants including Le Procope, the oldest restaurant in Paris, serving here since 1686. Sit outside (weather permitting) at any of the café-bars or restaurants here in a quiet setting with no cars and enjoy dinner or a drink.

Near the Boulevard Saint-Germain (6th)

A short stretch along the Boulevard Saint-Germain is home to some famous names from the literary history of Paris. The Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots, and Brasserie Lipp have been preferred locales for writers and artists for more than a century. The prices today are hardly ones that beginning writers can afford, but you only pay a little bit more for the nostalgia. (Click here for more places favored by Ernest Hemingway, F Scott Fitzgerald and the Lost Generation.)

Marché Saint-Germain/Saint-Sulpice Area (6th)

The historic Marché Saint-Germain has gone upscale, with gone upscale, with gourmet shops and high-end boutiques, but it is still the center of a great traditional restaurant scene. On warm evenings crowds fill the restaurants and the streets in the area—Rue Guisard, Rue Mabillon, Rue Lobineau and more—enjoying a variety of excellent eateries. The Pâtisserie Gérard Mulot at the corner of Rue Lobineau and Rue de Seine is a Paris institution. You can smell the fragrant butter a block away.

Boulevard & Rue du Montparnasse (6th)

The Lost Generation artists and writers— Ernest Hemingway, F Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein and others—favored numerous cafés and restaurants along the Boulevard du Montparnasse including La Closerie de Lilas, Le Select, Le Dôme and La Cupole. They're all still here, though the prices are not at all the same as when the young and impecunious came here to drink and chat. More...

Crêpes (French pancakes) both sweet and savory, plain or filled, provide a quick, varied, tasty and inexpensive meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They're a specialty of the Brittany region of France, and also of this area of Paris, which has plenty of Bréton crêperies. The Rue du Montparnasse, not far from the Gare Montparnasse, is one such street, with at least a dozen crêperies in one block on this street. More...

Near the Louvre (1st)

You've spent hours visiting the Louvre, you're hungry and tired. There are restaurants both in the museum and in the surrounding area. And as you visit other museums, remember that most have at least one restaurant, and some offer several options.

Near Les Halles (1st)

The former food market of Paris has been completely rebuilt in a futuristic manner, but it's still a center of restaurants, ranging from the traditional to the trendy. Besides the many eateries surrounding the mammoth structures here, some of the best are on Rue Montorgeuil to the north.

Île Saint-Louis (4th)

The Île Saint-Louis is largely residential, but its main street, Rue St-Louis en l'Île, boasts a number of restaurants, many with elegant white tablecloths, as well as more informal cafés that feature delicious ice cream or sorbet from Berthillon. It's relatively quiet in the evening.

The Marais (3rd/4th)

The Marais is a wonderful place for café sitting and eating. In addition to traditional cafés, you have the Rue des Rosiers, home to several fallafel restaurants. For a change of pace, interesting variety, low prices and informality, try the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in Paris.

Grands Boulevards/Opera (9th)

Where to eat if you're on the Boulevard Haussman or near the Palais Garnier? Try the Brasserie Printemps or one of the many other restaurants in the big department stores, or head to one of the famous Parisian Covered Passages enjoy one of the restaurants there.

Montmartre (18th)

The heart of Montmartre is the Place du Tertre, the main square, which is encircled by restaurants and cafés. Catering largely to tourists, these bustling restaurants offer everything from sandwiches to complete meals. If you want to get away from the crowds a bit, head down the hill for more variety.

Market Streets

Streets with permanent markets also usually are home to many restaurants that take advantage to their access to fresh produce, meats, and fish. Check out the Rue Mouffetard (5th), Rue Cler (7th), or Rue Montorgueil (2nd) for some great restaurants and excellent food shopping.

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