Where to Eat in Paris: Iconic and Visually Stunning Restaurants for 2026

Paris is the spiritual home of fine dining, a city where gastronomy, design, and storytelling converge. In 2026, its most iconic restaurants continue to dazzle with Michelin-starred menus, historic interiors, and skyline views.

From gilded salons to modernist rooftops, here’s where to dine in style.

Le Meurice Alain Ducasse

Le Meurice Alain Ducasse is a palace of precision. Set inside the Hôtel Meurice, the dining room is inspired by the Salon de la Paix at Versailles, crystal chandeliers, antique mirrors, and frescoed ceilings. Chef Amaury Bouhours delivers a two Michelin-starred menu rooted in naturalism line-caught sea bass, artichoke with black truffle, and seasonal soufflés. It’s a masterclass in French refinement.

Guy Savoy – Monnaie de Paris

Guy Savoy offers three Michelin stars in a neoclassical setting overlooking the Seine. Housed in the Monnaie de Paris, the restaurant features vaulted ceilings, contemporary art, and river views. Signature dishes include artichoke soup with black truffle, oyster concassé, and a 12-course “Colours, Textures, and Flavours” tasting menu. Service is warm, theatrical, and deeply personal.

Arpège – Alain Passard

Arpège is a temple to vegetables, led by visionary chef Alain Passard. With three Michelin stars and a minimalist dining room near Les Invalides, the focus is on produce from Passard’s own biodynamic gardens. Expect beet tartare, white asparagus with hazelnut oil, and vegetable sushi. The experience is intimate, cerebral, and quietly revolutionary.

Le Jules Verne – Eiffel Tower

Le Jules Verne is Paris’s most iconic dining room, perched 125 metres above ground inside the Eiffel Tower. The interiors are sleek and futuristic, with panoramic views of the city. Chef Frédéric Anton’s Michelin-starred menu includes lobster ravioli, pigeon with cocoa jus, and millefeuille with Tahitian vanilla. Arrive early for sunset and stay for the sparkle.

Girafe – Palais de Chaillot

Girafe is a design-forward seafood restaurant with one of the best Eiffel Tower views in Paris. Located at the Palais de Chaillot, the interiors are art deco chic, cream banquettes, marble tables, and brass accents. The menu includes oysters, grilled lobster, and sea bream carpaccio. It’s a favourite for fashion week lunches and golden hour cocktails.

Plénitude – Cheval Blanc Paris

Plénitude is the flagship restaurant of Cheval Blanc Paris, led by chef Arnaud Donckele. Awarded three Michelin stars, it offers a poetic, perfume-inspired tasting menu in a luminous dining room overlooking the Seine. Dishes are built around house-made sauces and rare ingredients, langoustine with citrus veil, pigeon with cocoa nibs, and tomato water consommé. It’s haute cuisine as art installation.

Lapérouse

Lapérouse is a romantic relic of the Belle Époque, with private salons, velvet drapes, and mirrored walls etched with 19th-century graffiti. Located on the Left Bank, it’s a favourite for discreet dinners and literary nostalgia. The menu includes foie gras, sole meunière, and Grand Marnier soufflé. It’s less about reinvention and more about timeless charm.

Le Grand Véfour

Le Grand Véfour is one of Paris’s oldest restaurants, dating back to 1784. Tucked inside the Palais-Royal, the dining room is a jewel box of gilded mirrors, painted panels, and velvet banquettes. Chef Guy Martin’s menu blends tradition and innovation, duck foie gras with hibiscus, truffle ravioli, and caramelised pear tart. It’s a living museum of French gastronomy.

Maison Russe

Maison Russe is a lavish newcomer that channels imperial Russian glamour. Located in a 19th-century hôtel particulier near the Golden Triangle, it features chandeliers, caviar carts, and live piano. The menu includes blinis with Oscietra caviar, beef Stroganoff, and vodka pairings. It’s theatrical, indulgent, and unapologetically opulent.

Septime

Septime is a modern bistronomic gem in the 11th arrondissement, known for its minimalist interiors and sustainable ethos. Chef Bertrand Grébaut’s Michelin-starred tasting menu changes daily, with dishes like smoked eel with beetroot, fermented plum with duck, and wild herbs from Île-de-France. It’s a favourite among creatives, chefs, and design lovers.

Restaurant Lasserre

Restaurant Lasserre is a hidden jewel near the Champs-Élysées, famous for its retractable roof that opens to the Parisian sky. The interiors are gilded and romantic, with white orchids, crystal chandeliers, and impeccable service. The menu includes blue lobster, truffled poultry, and Grand Marnier soufflé flambéed tableside. It’s a celebration of old-world elegance.

The Last Bite

Paris doesn’t just serve food, it stages it. These restaurants offer more than Michelin stars or skyline views; they offer a sense of place, history, and theatre. Whether you’re dining in a palace, a tower, or a garden, Paris in 2026 remains the global capital of culinary romance.