Paris Latin Quarter And St-Germain

The rule with food in these neighborhoods is not to eat on rue de la Huchette or at a cafe with English menus on one of the main boulevards. You'll leave with higher cholesterol and a lighter wallet. Venture inland a bit to find a host of terrific selections. The Comptoir Méditerranée is a great cheap lunch option, Così is a convenient cheap eat at any time of day, and Le Foyer Vietnam provides a nice switch from heavy traditional French cuisine.

Le Foyer de Vietnam, 80 rue Monge (☎01 45 35 32 54), It's easy to miss this restaurant, whose meager decor foreshadows this local favorite's meager prices. We suggest that you look for the crowds—Le Foyer de Vietnam is always packed, though it manages to keep hungry patrons waiting for only a few minutes tops. Portions are large but not unmanageable; try one of this hole in the wall's delicious meat- and spice-laced soups, followed by the duck with bananas (€8.50). Wash it all down with the delicious and ambiguously titled Saigon Beer (€2.60). Unconventional desserts prevail; ever heard of lychees in syrup (€2.50)..for dessert? The restaurant appeals to everybody except tourists, offering student discounts on certain menu choices. Menus €9.20, students €7.50. Entrees €3.80-7.50. Plats €6.50-9.20 Open M-Sa noon-2pm and 7-10pm. Does not take credit cards.
Cafe Delmas, 2-4 pl. de la Contre Escarpe (☎01 43 26 51 26), Two venues in one, Delmas is the place to while away the hours (stylishly) in a happening part of town. A modern creperie and cafe on the stylish Pl. Contre Escarpe, Delmas's menu boasts a wide variety of choices, from stylish cocktails to traditional cuisines to crepes. Don't sit inside; the painted library in the back corner is a rather tragic decorative decision. Sweet crepes €3.50-8.50. salads €13.50-18. plats €16-24.50. Open M-Th and Su 7:30am-2am, F-Sa 7:30am-5am. Happy hour 7-9pm. Takes credit cards.
Casa Pepe, 5 rue Mouffetard (☎01 44 27 01 85; www.lacasapepa.com), The exterior of this charming Spanish restaurant on the tourist-frequented rue Mouffetard is decorated with pictures of past soirees and pictures of Pepe himself with various Spanish athletes and celebrities. Every night, there's a guitar serenade that generally persuades the clientele to get down on the floor. Food is pricey, flavorful, and copious. Menus €20-22. Paellas €14-29. Tapas €15-17. Open daily noon-midnight. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Jardin des Pates, 4 rue Lacépède (☎01 43 31 50 71), Ideally located around the corner from the Jardin des Plantes, the Jardin des Pates combines a relaxed atmosphere and a lovely terrace with tasty, inventive, and fruity pasta dishes. Bright white plant-decorated walls and tiled floors evoke a yogi kitchen vibe. Selections are unconventional to say the least, like the entree, avocado in melon sorbet (€6). Sweet tooths, be warned that ther is a somewhat paltry selection of desserts; for those with normal appetites, a meal here should do the trick. Entrees €4.50-10. Pasta €9.50-14. Desserts €5.50-6.50. Wines €17-77. Open daily noon-2:30pm, 7-11pm. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Guen-maï, 6 rue Cardinale (☎01 43 26 03 24), This healthy-living oasis might have more appeal for vegetarians and vegans than for carnivores (though they do have fish); anyone who craves seitan and soy will find a little slice of macrobiotic heaven here. Also a lunch restaurant, this is a great alternative to yet another heavy traditional French meal; flush out the butter, oil, and richness with one of Guen's homemade vegetarian options. The all-natural food products are made completely in-house. The lunch counter quadruples as a salon de thé, food market, bookstore, and vitamin boutique. Lunch menu entrees €3-5. Plats €7-12.50. Desserts €5. Open M-Sa 9:30am-8:30pm. Takes credit cards.
Savannah Café, 27 rue Descartes 01 43 29 45 77 (www.savannahcafe.fr), Owned by the friendly and omnipresent Richard Sahlani, this cheerful, tiny, yellow-walled restaurant serves a large selection of very tasty Lebanese food. Limited terrace seating is available as well. Try the noodles stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese in a basil cream sauce (€14). Yum. Takes credit cards. Has outdoor seating.
Comptoir Méditerranée, 42 rue du Cardinal Lemoine 01 43 25 29 08 (www.savannahcafe.fr), Savannah Café's little sister, Comptoir Méditerranée, is run by the same welcoming owner. A bit more of a deli than restaurant, Comptoir Méditerranée serves fresh and colorful Lebanese dishes, which can be easily ordered to go or consumed in the airy, if informal, dining room. The house lemonade incorporates a unique melange of spices and is not to be missed (€2.20). Neither is the delicious baklava (€1.30..or €2.60, because you'll want 2.) Takes credit cards.
Così, 54 rue de Seine 01 46 33 35 36 Find yourself in the touristy region of Paris and yearning for a high-quality, non-artery-clogging, cheap meal option? Così's got ya covered. Enormous, tasty, reasonably priced sandwiches are served up after being freshly toasted in the restaurant's brick oven. Above the register hangs a sign that boasts about Così's great clients and rotten staff; contrary to this comical message, the staff somehow remains friendly and smiling after a long day of dealing with tourists. This is the original Così that inspired the now-popular American chain. Upstairs dining room offers nice views of the crowded, happening rue de Seine. Takes credit cards.
Le Grenier de Notre-Dame, 18 rue de la Bûcherie 01 43 29 98 29 (website), A meditative array of sunflowers, small eco-friendly lamps, and plants decorate this upscale cafe's patio and interior. A popular spot for vegans and splurging students conveniently located off the bustling rue de la Huchette, Le Grenier gives vegetarian specialties a French spin. Revolutionizing what it means to have “greens” as a main course, the autumn salad (€16) combines chestnuts, endives, feta, ginger, hazelnuts, honey, olives, and oranges. Overkill? Don't speak until you taste it. Known to veggie circles as one of the top vegetarian gastronomic spots in Paris. Takes credit cards.
L'Heure Gourmande, 22 Passage Dauphine 01 46 34 00 40 Tucked away on the quiet, largely residential Passage Dauphine, this classy and understated salon de thé boasts a quiet terrace and upstairs balcony that overlooks a beautiful side street. Cuisine-wise, selections range from salad to ice cream. While they don't go together well, the salads and ice creams are equally mouthwatering. Takes credit cards.
Amore Mio, 13 rue Linné 01 45 35 83 95 (www.amoremio.fr), A cheap Italian restaurant that cooks up simple dishes and offers tasty homemade desserts. The terrace is luxuriously large and shady on hot days; a familial vibe pervades the dark wood dining rooms. If you're lucky and pay in cash, your waiter might do a disappearing coin magic trick at the table; don't worry, he gives you back your money. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Le Perraudin, 157 rue St-Jacques 01 46 33 15 75 (www.restaurant-perraudin.com), Simple and elegant, Le Perraudin has a deep-red exterior decorated with old French ads and posters, a lovely, intimate garden seating option, and red-and-white checkered tablecloths; the setting is traditional and very relaxed. The restaurant offers a nice selection of traditional Parisian favorites: we recommend the tête de veau and boeuf bourguignon, with some ile flottante to finish off. Vegetarians and (God forbid) vegans should probably stay away. Takes credit cards. Has outdoor seating.
Gérard Mulot, 76 rue de Seine 01 43 26 85 77 A wide selection of succulent French pastries. Selections range from mundane croissants to flan to marzipan, and are laced with any kind of fruit imaginable. Widely recognized by locals as one of Paris' finest patisseries. Does not take credit cards.
Le Petit Mabillon, 6 rue de Mabillon 08 99 69 80 00 Le Petit Mabillon specializes in fresh, homemade pasta, but successfully dabbles in traditional French cusine. A small five-table terrace is lovely on beautiful nights, but the rustic, exposed-wood and brick dining room promises an equally lovely soiree. The owner chats it up with customers regularly, so sharpen up your French before heading to lunch or dinner here. Takes credit cards. Has outdoor seating.
Le Bistrot d'Henri, 16 rue Princesse 01 46 33 51 12 This Left Bank bistro's offerings are fashioned with the freshest, albeit heavy, ingredients. The outdoors is unmistakably covered in travel-guide recommendations, while the interior portion is a dimly lit small dining room. Let's Go just had to hop on the bandwagon. Around the corner is Le Machon d'Henri (8 rue Guisarde ☎01 43 29 08 70), with the same menu in a smaller, white-stone alcove. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Le Comptoir du Relais, 9 carrefour de l'Odéon 01 44 27 07 97 A tourist trap that Let's Go still recommends, Le Comptoir has a menu that's diverse and surprisingly sharp on all accounts. The young local crowd is the highlight of this experience; fashionable and self-conscious types unabashedly use the Comptoir's sparkly clean wine glasses as mirrors while they scoff at the poorly clad commoners walking by. The place is always super crowded, so don't expect to be seated immediately if you come at peak lunch and dinner hours. While Le Comptoir is admittedly pretty pricey, the lunch formules are definitely a bit more affordable. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Marché Biologique, Bld. Raspail between Cherche-Midi and Rennes Under the leafy shelter of bd. Raspail, French New Age marketers peddle everything from seven-grain bread to olives and tofu patties. The selection caters to, but is not limited by, its largely vegan clientele; fish, meat and cheese are available en masse. Does not take credit cards.