Paris restaurants: 10 to whet the appetite

1 Best 'In' Place

1 Best 'In' Place

Name: L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon.

Address: 5 rue de Montalembert, 7th Arrondissement (00 33 1 42 22 56 56).

Nearest metro: Rue du Bac.

Opening hours: 11am-3.30pm lunch, 6.30pm-midnight dinner, open daily.

Cost per person: €74 (£53) for three courses with one drink and tip.

Cuisine: Small plates are in high demand, and come-back chef Joël Robuchon wows the clientele with his "tapas-like" haute cuisine.

Style: This is a real culinary hotspot, noted for its sleek black décor (think glorified diner) with counter seats overlooking the kitchen. But eat early because the no-reservations policy can cause a long wait at the door.

Clientele: The fashionable élite and Paris power scene.

Nina Zagat's verdict: One of the most popular trends this year is small plates, with more and more restaurants offering sample-sized servings. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the most high-profile of those following this trend, and his coffee shop-cum-sushi bar had our surveyors lauding his haute cuisine.

2 Best Outdoor

Name: Pavillon Montsouris.

Address: 20 rue Gazan, 14th Arrondissement, (00 33 1 43 13 29 00; www.pavillon-montsouris.fr).

Nearest metro: Porte d'Orléans.

Opening hours: 12pm-2pm lunch, 7.30pm-10pm dinner, open daily.

Cost per person: €54 (£38.50) for three courses with one drink and tip.

Cuisine: The thoroughly classic French menu on offer at Pavillon Montsouris offers excellent quality for a price that puts all others in the shade.

Style: Diners enjoy eating in the charming Belle Epoque conservatory, which boasts a wonderful new colonial-style interior designed by the architect Alain Leonardon.

Clientele: During the week busy businessmen, at weekends everyone from young to retired couples out for a special treat.

Nina Zagat's verdict: This really is the ideal spot to dine in summer thanks to its unbelievable setting. Relaxing here is easy. You feel that you are in the middle of the country and away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

3 Best Great Hotel Dining

Name: Le Meurice.

Address: Hotel Meurice, 228 rue de Rivoli, 1st Arrondissement (00 33 1 44 58 10 55; www.meuricehotel.com).

Nearest metro: Concorde or Tuilleries.

Opening hours: Noon-2pm lunch and 7.30pm-10pm dinner, closed Sunday.

Cost per person: €108 (£77) for three courses with one drink and tip.

Cuisine: Chef Yannick Alleno serves up sensational haute cuisine and classic Gallic fare with elegant and refined dishes that display culinary creativity in picture-perfect presentations.

Style: The regal dining room - a mélange of mirrors, marble, crystal chandeliers, painted ceilings and ormolu - must be the finest in Paris. Expect total luxury, space and comfort, the service alone is pure ballet. It's like eating a banquet at Versailles.

Clientele: Everyone who is anyone.

Nina Zagat's verdict: The arrival of superchef Alleno [ex Les Muses] in late 2003 has made this table a must-try for foodies the world over. The impeccable service puts everyone at ease, so the eye-popping tabs are certainly worth every euro. Those in the know will kill to bag a table.

4 Best Late-Night

Name: Le Gavroche.

Address: 19 rue St-Marc, 2nd Arrondissement (00 33 1 42 96 89 70).

Nearest metro: Bourse or Richelieu-Drouot.

Opening hours: 7am-2am, closed Sunday.

Cost per person: €43 (£31) for three courses with one drink and tip.

Cuisine: Unpretentious, good old-fashioned bistro fare with a good selection of Beaujolais to accompany some prime cuts of beef. The kitchen features the freshest ingredients, including the best grilled ribs in Paris and great steak au poivre.

Style: Diners adore Le Gavroche because it has the charm of the classic bistros of yesteryear. Tables are packed tightly yet retain a feeling of intimacy. Great fun for late-night dining and hangover damage-limitation breakfasts.

Clientele: A youngish crowd of artists, students and visitors.

Nina Zagat's verdict: We find that this utterly vibrant city institution in the 2nd is a perfect choice for those seeking that Parisian atmosphere. It does get a bit crowded but that is part of its appeal and charm.

5 Best Quick Bite

Name: Cosi

Address: 54 rue de Seine, 6th Arrondissement (00 33 1 46 33 35 36).

Nearest metro: Odeon or St-Germain-des-Pres.

Opening hours: noon-11pm, open daily

Cost per person: €14 (£10) for three courses with one drink and tip.

Cuisine: Some of the best sandwiches in Paris are to be found in this unique sandwich-cum-wine bar. The humble sandwich doesn't get much better than this.

Style: The perfect snack stop, served up to the sound of grand opera music. (Needless to say the owner is an opera buff who believes the musical accompaniment aids the digestion.)

Clientele: A youngish, bustling crowd of shoppers, students and local workers.

Nina Zagat's verdict: Everyone talks about the wonderful ingredients stuffed into tasty focaccia at a price that makes you wish for a Cosi on every corner. We cannot praise the restaurant too highly and for this reason Cosi has been ranked as one of the best buys in the latest Zagat guide.

6 Best Bargain Chinese

Name: Mirama.

Address: 17 rue St-Jacques, 5th Arrondissement (00 33 1 43 54 71 77).

Nearest metro: Maubert-Mutualité or St-Michel.

Opening hours: noon-11.45pm, open daily.

Cost per person: €23 (£16) for three courses with one drink and tip.

Cuisine: The Chinese food here is not like anywhere else - it's better. Outstanding signature dishes include a flavoursome and meaty roast duck. The only thing that counts here is the quality of the cooking.

Style: It has a uniquely drab style all of its own. The décor in this hole-in-the wall establishment is virtually nonexistent but the place is always full. Expect some of the surliest and most arrogant waiters in Paris - but do try to get a table.

Clientele: The Paris cognoscenti.

Nina Zagat's verdict: We think the secret of this old and known Latin Quarter Chinese is the amazing food at bargain-basement prices. If the service seems pressed, it is to clear a space for those in the long queue who are drooling outside the window.

7 Best Budget Thai

Name: Thiou.

Address: 3 rue Surcouf, 7th Arrondissement (00 33 1 40 62 96 50).

Nearest metro: Invalides.

Opening hours: Noon-midnight, open daily.

Cost per person: €52 (£37) for three courses with one drink and tip.

Cuisine: The very creative chef, Madame Thiou, creates spicy and exotic dishes that are authentic and full of flavour. The original Thai cuisine here is as delicate at Madame Thiou herself and is generally considered to be among the best in Paris.

Style: Budget-conscious fans trek happily to this less refined, annexe of the nearby original, because they know the food is equally tasty.

Clientele: Hipsters and fashionistas with more style than cash.

Nina Zagat's verdict: There are now three locations of Madame Thiou's restaurant and this new branch is ideal for those with less money in their wallets. It is cheaper but just as nice as the original restaurants although you don't have the same opportunity to people-watch.

8 Best French Classic

Name: Le Villaret.

Address: 13 rue Ternaux, 11th Arrondissement (00 33 1 43 57 89 76).

Nearest metro: Oberkampf or Parmentier.

Opening hours: 7.30am-11pm, closed Sunday.

Cost per person: €44 (£31) for three courses with one drink and tip.

Cuisine: Le Villaret offers incredible, classic French cuisine with modern, inventive touches and subtle combinations of flavours in even the simplest of dishes. This is a real gastronomic adventure, which changes with the menu every day.

Style: An unpretentious setting with a simple brick-and-stone walled interior keeps the customers coming back for more.

Clientele: Young and old alike.

Nina Zagat's verdict: We think this hidden jewel in the culinary desert of the 11th offers fantastic fare at affordable prices. Expect abundant portions and a long list of exceptional but affordable wines.

9 Best Tea and Desserts

Name: A Priori Thé

Address: 35 Galerie Vivienne, 2nd Arrondissement (00 33 1 42 97 48 75).

Nearest metro: Bourse or Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre.

Opening hours: 9am-6pm daily, closed Sunday.

Cost per person: From €15 (£11) for high tea and tip.

Cuisine: Peggy Hancock opened A Priori Thé in 1980 to introduce Paris to the concept of afternoon tea and she hasn't looked back. The crumbles, pastries and scones are to die for and the cheesecake is by far the best in the city. Lunch is served during the week; ample brunch at weekends. Great salads and vegetarian options.

Style: The small and cosy tearoom, which is always packed, spills out on to the mosaic floor of the beautiful Galerie Vivienne. Dating from 1823, this is one of the most picturesque of the Paris covered galleries.

Clientele: The fashion set, journalists and anyone interested in tea.

Nina Zagat's verdict: The waiters here are sometimes overwhelmed while serving the abundant brunch on weekends, when the place is packed to capacity, but its charm soothes away the pain of any glitches.

10 Best Seafood

Name: La Cagouille.

Address: 10 pl Constantin Brancusi, 14th Arrondissement (00 33 1 43 22 09 01; www.la-cagouille.fr).

Nearest metro: Montparnasse-Bienvenue or Gaitè.

Opening hours: Noon-2pm lunch and 7.30pm-10pm dinner, open daily.

Cost per person: €49 (£35) for three courses with one drink and tip.

Cuisine: La Cagouille specialises in simple and honestly prepared fresh seafood. Sensational signature dishes include aromatic red mullet cooked in olive oil and king scallops with a balsamic sauce.

Style: Eat in the modern black slate and wood interior or, in summer, on the tranquil green terrace. There are several private dining rooms and a special salon housing the best cognac collection in town.

Clientele: Fish fans from across France.

Nina Zagat's verdict: This Montparnasse mainstay is fish heaven and while the service can sometimes be colder than the ocean, it is definitely worth it for the remarkably fresh fish.

With thanks to Zagat Surveys. The new Zagat Survey 2004/5 Paris Restaurant guide will be in bookstores from 30 April, price £7.99