Le Taillevent

On a quiet side street in the 8th Arrondissement, Taillevent has been a beloved choice for haute French cooking since it opened in 1946, and continues to be one of the city’s top splurge-worthy restaurants. Named for the author of the first French-language cookbook, published in 1380, it earned its first Michelin star in 1948, a second in 1954 and the coveted third in 1973. The restaurant held this three-star rating until 2007—the longest tenure for any Paris restaurant ever. Following a glamorous, though subtle renovation, Taillevent reopened in 2021 with a new (and—gasp—Italian!) chef, Giuliano Sperandio, at the helm.

And while the changes to the interior from Yann Montfort added elegant gilding to the wood panels of the main salon and new swirly partitions in other dining rooms, the theme of Sperandio’s menus is to pare things back, with an emphasis on quality (local ingredients from sustainable producers) over quantity. Rather than a 12-course tasting menu, diners enjoy four or five sublime courses of reliably exquisite Parisian classics—with a little extra flair. Options change with the offerings from the restaurant's preferred purveyors, but include delicacies like langoustines with pistachios in a decadent Choron sauce; whole turbot served with thistles and hollandaise; or duck in a Vin jaune sauce. After the main course comes a generous cheese plate. But make sure to save room for Taillevent’s signature dessert, Crêpes Suzette, flambeed tableside.