Le Bistrot des Dames (CLOSED)

This is one of Time Out's 100 best bars in Paris. Click here to see the full list.

Those in the know are wise to the promise of Le Bistrot des Dames wine bar and restaurant, found underneath a youth hostel. If the interior is welcoming, with its pretty old style bar and retro décor brightened up with old advertisements, this bistro is best known for its little paradise of a garden. Though sadly only open on evenings and weekends, it’s the ideal place to bring your friends on a sunny Sunday morning and affirm that life in Paris isn’t just about tarmac and pollution.

The enormous wine list will present you with plenty of difficult choices, though you can always ask for recommendations. For a snack, you can have a lovely salad (around €15). If you want to go the whole hog, the starters (delicious duck carpaccio, artichokes and buffalo mozzarella) and the main dishes are all highly recommended. There’s a big choice of fish (medallions of tuna with a balsamic sauce is worth a go), and excellent desserts to finish up with (pear sorbet with cognac, crème brûlée with ginger). The staff are often overstretched, but very friendly. Full marks.