Dining in Paris and/or Rome?

[bigred77]

So in a few weeks my wife and I will taking a trip to Europe and will be spending about a week in both Rome and Paris.

I known this is a well travelled group so i wanted to pose this question to the board: What are some of the best restraunts you can reccomend in either Paris or Rome?

I would like to have 2 very nice meals out (1 in each city). I'm OK spending a few hundred dollars per meal for a great experience. Neither of us drink so wine would not be a consideration.

Thanks in advance.

[drewswan]

Try New York Times dining guide link for Paris: http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides ... rants.html

You will find recommendations by district in a publication such as Lonely Planet. Try the online site as a start.

[cks]

First of all you can't go wrong with restaurants in either city. In terms of Paris, it'll help if you let people know where you'll be staying:left bank/right bank/ which arrondissement. It'll also help if you let people know whether you prefer Michelin starred formal restaurants or neighborhood establishments where Parisians eat.

[More Please]

Paris: Ledoyen is a lovely restaurant in Paris, very fancy and memorable. I prefer Taillevant another fancy restaurant but cozier and I prefer the food.

Rome: Hassler Hotel, primarily for the view which is fabulous and the service is impeccable. Old world and famous hotel.

[EternalOptimist]

It's hard to get a bad meal and since dining is largely subjective, you may want to explore Trip Advisor...

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants- ... rance.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants- ... Lazio.html

[reggiesimpson]

There a couple of excellent restaurants across from the Coliseum in Rome. Sunset would be ideal.

[carolc]

Check out the slow travel site. Very knowledgable/helpful people on that forum.

Also, consider the EatRome app:
http://www.elizabethminchilliinrome.com

[Bob's not my name]

In Rome you can eat very well in any trattoria that is away from the tourist areas and that does not display an English menu. Don't ask for a menu, just ask the waiter for recommendations. Spending several hundred dollars on a wine-free meal would be insane in Rome.

[midareff]

A couple of years ago I went to the Moulin Rouge in Paris for dinner and the show. Past fabuluous and a memory for life. Quite expensive but well worth it for an experience so memorable. Greyline supplied hotel pickup transportation to the show and was waiting for me for hotel return afterwards.

[timmy]

Re Paris, unless you have a specific love of french food, I suggest smaller, more frequent stops. I was there for less than 24 hours, and must have walked 15 plus miles. I stopped at 6 different cafes/restaurants. All good. I avoided fancy and looked for places with seating on the sidewalk (people watching).

There are a lot of places along the river and by the train station.

The river boat tour was great... not that expensive either.

Bring cash.

Have fun.

[nimo956]

Here are a couple of observations about my trip to Rome a few years ago:

1. Some restaurants are tourist traps with mediocre food. I second the suggestion of looking for restaurants with no English on the menu.
2. You can't get tap water, you have to pay a few euros for a bottle of water.
3. They charge you for bread (even if they just put it out on the table). Between bread and water it's like $8 right there!
4. You are supposed to order a first course, second course, etc. in order to be full after a meal, although it's rather expensive. I would often just go straight to the second course, but the portion was not big enough.

I don't have any specific restaurant recommendations, but I would just visit a different neighborhood every night and walk around until I found something that looked good.

[bowes11217]

For Paris, I agree that making lots of smaller, frequent stops is a great way to experience the city's food. I would try to make sure to stop at Jacques Genin, Poilane Bakery, Pierre Herme, l'as du Falafel, and Berthillon ice cream, despite the cold. But I do have a few favorite restaurants I'd very strongly recommend.

These are excellent and a bit more expensive (but worth it, I think):
Chez Dumonet - https://plus.google.com/116357455183936230241/about?gl=us&hl=en
Le Violon d'Ingres - http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d719476-Reviews-Le_Violon_d_Ingres-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

And these are reasonably priced and also wonderful:
Breizh Cafe - http://www.breizhcafe.com/
Cafe Constant (same owners as Violon d'Ingres) - http://www.maisonconstant.com/cafe-constant/

I would also take a look at this blog - the author is very knowledgeable about Paris food:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/paris/

Have a wonderful trip!

[charley]

You might try John Talbott's restaurant reviews for researching Paris:

http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com/

We used it when we visited in May and agreed with the favorable review of the restaurant we visited (Christophe in the 5th arrondissement or district was our special dinner of the trip). You can search for restaurants by arrondissement, which is a nice way to narrow down a wide array of great choices.

I'll echo what timmy said - the cafes, patisseries, boulangeries, are a great way to try a variety of foods while walking the city. Keep an eye out for shops with a MOF banner (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) which signifies a shop run by a winner of an illustrious competition.

And I agree with Bowes that a Poilane bakery is a must.

Have a wonderful trip.

[Valuethinker]

First of all you can't go wrong with restaurants in either city. In terms of Paris, it'll help if you let people know where you'll be staying:left bank/right bank/ which arrondissement. It'll also help if you let people know whether you prefer Michelin starred formal restaurants or neighborhood establishments where Parisians eat.

Actually the other way. In that Paris (and Rome, to a lesser extent) are full of overpriced tourist traps, particularly in the more popular areas.

Paris we've struggled on reasonable eating out (and we live in London which is another difficult city for eating out, in that way). Best bets may be ethnic restaurants (as in London, the best ones of which are not likely to be in the centre). You definitely need a good guide book or referrals. We've had reasonable luck in Montparnasse (Vietnamese).

Rome there are lots of family type trattorias-- we found some great restaurants in Trastavere (I think it is spelt, ie the traditionally foreign quarter on the Vatican side of the river).

[STC]

Paris. Without question,