Bistrot des Cinéastes

Enter the Cinéma des Cinéastes, stalwart of the Parisian arthouse scene, and take the grimy staircase that leads up from the main hall. You'll end up in the improbably plush upstairs restaurant, which manages to marry a sleek wine bar aesthetic to a cute film theme. Sections of the menu are named after films: desserts, for example, are listed under the heading ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. The diffused lighting and bare walls put you in the ambience of a 1920s film studio (the building is in fact a former music hall). And the menu itself harbours several treats for the culture vultures who flock here after their screenings downstairs. Generous club sandwiches are offered alongside the usual range of thoughtfully prepared meat and seafood dishes (€11-15); large cheese platters and an extensive wine list complete the picture. Cinema restaurants don’t come any classier.