How we select the best addresses in Paris
How My Best Paris chooses the addresses in each ranking: research in every arrondissement, a lasting reputation, confirmed opening days and real quality.
A Paris guide can easily become a list of the same famous names. We try to do something more useful: to point English speakers to the addresses that serve the city well, in every arrondissement, and to keep those lists honest as Paris changes. Every ranking goes through five steps.
Exploring every arrondissement
We open each category with a wide search across the city, from the central arrondissements to the outer ones where most Parisians live. A traiteur in the 15th or a wine bar in the 11th receives the same consideration as an address on a celebrated tourist street.
A name Parisians trust
Priority goes to addresses whose good reputation has lasted, where customers return, bring friends and praise the same qualities over the years. That matters in a city with so many visitors, where a place can be full every night without being good.
Checking days and hours
Opening times in Paris are not always intuitive. Before publication we confirm that each business still operates at the address listed, that it can be reached, and that its days and hours are up to date, including Sunday and Monday closures where they apply.
Judging what matters
Each type of address has its own test. A bistro is judged on its cooking and its welcome, a hotel on its quarter, its rooms and its staff, a boutique on the quality of what it sells. Substance counts for more than a pretty façade.
Practical for English speakers
Finally we think about our readers. Where the choice is close, we take account of what makes a visit easier for someone who speaks little French, without leaving out the small, French-only addresses that are worth the effort of a few rehearsed phrases.
After the summer, and all year round
Paris changes in small steps: a new owner, a refurbishment, a closure at the end of a lease, and a quieter city in August. We review our lists regularly and update them when something changes. If you notice an error, or an address that deserves a place, write to info@mybestparis.com.
A note on reservations
Many of the restaurants in our lists are small, and the best tables go quickly, particularly at weekends. When a listing shows a phone number or website, it is worth booking ahead rather than relying on walking in.