Restaurants in Opéra and Grands Boulevards

A restaurant called Pirouette suggests both deft maneuvering and a dash of panache. Set in a secluded little courtyard behind the concrete mess of Les Halles in the 1st arrondissement, the stage set for the meal is immediately promising, so shiny new behind its huge plate glass window that the first thing you notice as you walk in is the fresh smell of the wood pannelling...

The red façade and long waiting line that front Happa Tei are a familiar sight to habitués of the Rue Saint-Anne. Amid the trendy Japanese restaurants and bars that line the street, this chaotic little establishment is a bastion of unfussy Osaka-style cuisine, namely okonomiyaki (omelette-cum-pancakes) and takoyaki (fried octopus balls).You need only take one look at the floor-level tables on the left as you walk in to know that authenticity reigns supreme in Happa Tei...

Grégory Marchand’s restaurant Frenchie has become legendary not just for the quality of its food, but for the almost superhuman effort required to secure a table in the tiny dining room. Luckily there is Frenchie Bar à Vins across the street, where you can sample his Anglo-influenced take on bistro cooking without a reservation.Showing up just after 7pm, we were able to take our pick of the high tables, some of which already had a few occupants...

Star chef Antoine Westermann has whisked this landmark 1880 brasserie into the 21st century with bronze-coloured banquettes and butter-yellow fabrics. Westermann has dedicated this restaurant to the art of the hors d'oeuvre: they're served in themed sets of four ranging from the global (Thai beef salad with brightly coloured vegetables), to the nostalgic (silky leeks in vinaigrette)...

In the arcaded terrace overlooking the Louvre’s glass pyramid, this classy, Napoleon III-style hangout (reached through the passage Richelieu, the entrance for advance Louvre ticket holders) is in an unrivalled location. One would expect nothing else from the ubiquitous Costes brothers – it’s just a shame about the beer prices. It’s €6 for a Heineken, so you might as well splash out €12 on a chocolate martini...

In 1911, a New Yorker dismantled his Manhattan bar, only to rebuild it stone for stone on Paris’s Rue Daunou. Writers like Hemingway, Sartre and Blondin drank signature cocktails here, Bloody Marys and White Ladies. This landmark for Americans has everything that you would expect from an authentic pub from across the pond – a classic décor, a menu of almost 300 whiskies, and oceans of different beers...

This restaurant has developed a following among fashionable diners. The 'Kaï-style' sushi is a zesty take on a classic: marinated and lightly grilled yellowtail is pressed on to a roll of shiso-scented rice. Not to be outdone, the grilled aubergine with miso, seemingly simple, turns out to be a smoky, luscious experience. A generous main of breaded pork lacks the finesse and refinement of the starters, but is still satisfying...

One of the city's finest modern bistros, L'Ardoise attracts gourmets eager to sample Pierre Jay's reliably delicious cooking. A wise choice might be six oysters with warm chipolatas and a pungent shallot dressing; equally attractive are a gamey hare pie with an escalope of foie gras nestling in its centre. A lightly chilled, raspberry-scented Chinon is a perfect complement. Unusually, it's open on Sundays...

After a career as an architect, the round-spectacled owner of La Bourse ou la Vie has a new mission in life: to revive the dying art of the perfect steak-frites. The only decision you'll need to make is which cut of beef to order with your chips, unless you pick the cod. Choose between ultra-tender coeur de filet or a huge, surprisingly tender bavette. Rich, creamy pepper sauce is the speciality here, but the real surprise is the chips...

There aren't many places around the Louvre that can compete with this elegant local institution: neo-colonial fans whirr lazily and oil paintings adorn the walls. A sleek crowd sips martinis or reads papers at the long mahogany bar (originally from a Chicago speakeasy), giving way to young professionals in the restaurant and pretty things in the library. It feels a wee bit try-hard and resolutely well behaved, but the cocktails get tongues wagging soon enough, and food is consistently top notch...