Paris Invalides (7ème)

The chic 7ème is low on budget options, but there are a number of quality restaurants that are worth shelling out the extra euro. Rue Saint-Dominique, rue Cler, and rue de Grenelle feature some of the best gourmet bakeries in Paris, and the steaming baguettes and pastries make for an ideal picnic by the nearby Eiffel Tower.

Le Sac à Dos, 47 rue de Bourgogne (☎01 45 55 15 35; www.le-sac-a-dos.fr), A neighborhood favorite, this intimate restaurant does French dining right—excellent food, good wine and fresh bread cut to order. The standing red lamps and old books on mahoganey shelves make Le Sac à Dos feel more like a living room than a restaurant, and the chummy proprieter's hearty jokes and attentive service really makes the experience; don't be surprised if he (jokingly) asks for some of your wine. The midi and soir formule (€16) will give you most bang for your buck. Gamas grille €25, burger and frites €14, desserts €5. Open M-Sa noon-2:30pm and 7-10:30pm. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Les Cocottes, 135 rue St.-Dominique (☎01 45 50 10 31), Christian Constant, a famed Parisian chef, realized that not everyone wants to pay their left arm and right leg for a good meal. Then he opened Les Cocottes. The fourth of his restaurants on the street, the food is just as delicious and half the price. Unsurprisingly, the house speciality is the cocottes (€12-17), cast-iron skillets filled with pig's feet and pigeon or fresh vegetables. The decor is a sophisticated take on an American diner, with high upholstered stools at the tall tables, where you can get in and out pretty fast. The best quickie you'll ever have. Mousseline d'artichaut €16, salads €10-12, mousse au choclate €7. Open M-Sa noon-4pm and 7pm-11pm. Closed on Sundays without reservation. MC/V/AmEx. Takes credit cards.
La Grande Épicerie de Paris, 38 rue de Sèvres If a skinny, chic, Chanel-toting Frenchwoman took on supermarket form, she would become La Grande Épicerie. In addition to its near obscene bottled water and wine display (€30 for water? seriously?), this celebrated gourmet food store features all things dried, canned, smoked, and freshly baked in itsy-bitsy packets. The butcher actually has a thin twirled mustache. We thought only cartoon French people looked like that. Most items here are overpriced, so it's better to treat La Grande Épicerie de Paris as a fascinating anthropological sample than a supermarket. You might want to avoid the American food section, which showcases such treasured “traditional” cuisine as marshmallows, brownie mix, and Hershey's syrup. The market's refined local patrons cluck their tongues disapprovingly as they walk down the aisle; it's kind of embarrassing. No pets allowed. Water €30; this place is way too expensive for you. Open M-Sa 8:30am-9pm. Takes credit cards.
Barthélémy, 51 rue de Grenelle 01 45 48 56 75 A cheese lover's dream. Every type of cheese imaginable is stacked in this small fromagerie from top shelf to bottom, and it has the smell to prove it. A little lamb statue sits innocently by the door, as if to say, “You're welcome.” A small selection of chocolate and pastries is sold as well. As quintessentially French as Barthélémy's may be, the proprietess does not seem to view her shop as a tourist attraction and gets a little flippy if you start taking pictures, so be sure to remain respectful. Takes credit cards.
Café des Lettres, 53 rue de Verneuil 01 42 22 52 17 Close to the Musée d'Orsay, this Scandinavian restaurant offers a refreshing, if sacrilegious, change from the required dishes on most French menus; try the oeur de rumsteak facon strogonoff (€22). The inner courtyard is dotted with statues, and fosters a relaxing atmosphere. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
Debauve et Gallais, 30 rue des Sts-Pères 01 45 48 54 67 (www.debauve-et-gallais.com), Chocolate is an ancient vice. Marie Antoinette, Louis XVIII, Charles X, and Louis-Phillippe all apparently favored it dark and unsweetened, and Debauve de Gallais was not one to disappoint them. Founded in 1800, this chocolatier and tea shop was once an official producer for the kings and queens of France. The local insitution continues to produce chocolates without additives, dyes, or sweeteners. Prices are steep, but it's worth the splurge. Takes credit cards.
Au Pied de Fouet, 45 rue de Babylone 01 47 05 12 27 (www.aupieddefouet.com), One of the cheaper options in the otherwise pricey 7ème, this pleasant cafe has good, simple food at a fair price. The iconic red-checkered table cloths add a typically French feel; the loft seating makes it feel like a wood cabin. Takes credit cards. Has air conditioning.
Stéphane Secco, 20 rue Jean-Nicot 01 43 17 35 20 Formerly the popular Poujaran, this beautiful boulangerie-pâtisserie has changed ownership and only gotten better; Parisians are talking about its macaroons, and the baskets of apples, stacked jars of honey, and wide range of salads, quiches, and tartes make this a great place to stock up before picnicking at the nearby Champs de Mars. Does not take credit cards.
Lotus Blanc, 45 rue de Bourgogne 01 45 55 18 89 This small restaurant has been serving authentic Vietnamese dishes for over 30 years. The steamed specialties prove you don't have to trek down to Chinatown to get good Asian food; try the prawn siu mai or pork balls (€7). The restaurant is situated below street level, and its oppressive stone walls make it feel like a Parisian cave. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Café du Marché, 38 rue Cler 01 47 05 51 27 On the quaint, cobbestoned rue Cler, this cafe has a jovial atmosphere. A popular spot for tourists, it loses much of its French feel and could do a better job with the food. The drinks are delicious, though (cocktails €5.50). Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.