Top Paris wine bars and restaurants

The city of romance is the perfect place to enjoy fine wines and innovative cuisine at both new and well-loved establishments, says Christian Holthausen...

Paris wine bars and restaurants

Clown Bar

Japanese chef Sota Atsumi takes a modern riff on classics like duck pithiviers at this animated bistro (pictured above) located next to the Cirque d’Hiver.

Fans of natural wines can discuss their merits with like-minded souls here for hours on a Sunday afternoon. +33 014 355 8735

Fulgurances, Paris

Fulgurances

Describing itself as an ‘incubator’, Fulgurances invites a revolving roster of resident chefs to take over the kitchen in order to find and refine their identities and test their ideas.

Franco-Vietnamese chef Céline Pham is at the helm until September. Former resident chefs have included Sam Miller and Tamir Nahmias. www.fulgurances.com

Osteria Ferrara

Fabrizio Ferrara is perhaps the best Italian chef in Paris. His ravioli have legions of fans who come from all over the city. An exclusively Italian wine list and service that’s as charming as the venue. +33 143 716 769

Ellsworth, Paris

Ellsworth

Following the wild success of Verjus nearby, Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian opened this slightly more casual hotspot in 2015.

A carefully chosen selection of wines complements a menu that changes constantly.

The fried chicken should not be missed under any circumstances! www.ellsworthparis.com

La Cave Crus

Run by long-term British expat Romik Arconian for many years, the charm of this place is its unique breadth of choice.

Expect grower Champagnes and rare Burgundies that sit alongside gems sourced from Austria and New Zealand.
www.crus.fr

Maison David, Paris

Maison David

At this Marais delicatessen long patronised by some of Paris’ best chefs, master artisan charcutier Michel Kalifa serves up everything you need for a sublime picnic on the Place des Vosges, including pastrami, smoked salmon and perhaps the tastiest taramasalata to be found in the French capital. www.maison-david.fr

Septime, Paris

Septime

Chef Bertrand Grébaut helped usher in the néo-bistrot revolution when he opened the doors of Septime in 2011 to showcase the very best of seasonal produce.

As it remains one of the more difficult reservations to snag in town, Grébaut’s Clamato (located just next door, walk-ins only, no reservations) is one of the very best places to eat fish in Paris. www.septime-charonne.fr

Juveniles

As it’s been around since 1987, you might think you know all about this Paris institution for wine lovers founded by jovial Scot Tim Johnston. But in the old days, you never came here for the food.

All that has changed now that Tim’s daughter Margaux took over the dining room and invited her husband Romain Roudeau (ex-La Régalade) to take over the kitchen.

The cuisine now rivals one of the most dynamic wine lists in Paris. www.juvenileswinebar.com

Chez la Vieille, Paris

Chez la Vieille

The newest restaurant from Chef Daniel Rose (now just as famous for Le Coucou in New York as he is for Spring in Paris), is a homage to the classic French dishes once created here by Adrienne Biasin, like lentil and foie gras salad and blanquette de veau.

Sommelier Rémi Segura has created one of the most interesting and affordable lists of wines by-theglass in town. www.chezlavieille.fr

La Belle Hortense, Paris

La Belle Hortense

Since it opened in 1997, this unique address has offered a selection of wines by the glass from a bar located inside an esoteric bookstore. Both bottles and books are also available for take away. www.cafeine.com/fr/belle-hortense

Christian Holthausen is an American-born writer living in Paris who works in Champagne for AR Lenoble.