France

This tiny bistro is simply decorated with a plain white facade and a rustic interior, and is always buzzing with locals. A blackboard menu offers classic French dishes such as calf's liver cooked in sherry vinegar, or scallops cooked in basil oil. There is also a selection of venison on offer, and the puddings are equally enticing. The bill is outrageously inexpensive for the quality of the food. Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, dinner only on Sunday. Reservations essential.

Food Type :French

Address :28 Rue du Mont Thabor (Beaubourg/Les Halles)

Website :www.lardoise-paris.com

La Tour d'Argent (The Silver Tower) not only serves up mouth-watering dishes, but also has wonderful views over the Seine and Notre-Dame. A restaurant has stood on this site since 1582 and dining here is still an unsurpassed event. A good section of the menu is devoted to duck, and diners who order the house speciality - caneton (pressed duckling) - are issued with a certificate. The practice started in 1890 and they are now at well over a million. Book well in advance, a jacket and tie is required in the evening. Closed Monday, and lunch on Tuesdays.

Food Type :French

Address :15-17 Quai de la Tournelle (Latin Quarter)

Website :www.tourdargent.com

Guy Savoy's creations are audacious and inventive; the steam-baked Bresse chicken with lemongras and the roasted rib of veal are testament to this. Half-portions allow patrons to sample various dishes on the menu, and the wine list reveals a treasure trove of exceptional vintages. Although the décor is formal, the atmosphere is relaxed and ambient. Book well in advance. Open Tuesday to Friday for lunch and dinner, and for dinner on Saturday; closed Sundays.

Food Type :French

Address :18 Rue de Troyon (Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile)

Website :www.guysavoy.com

The exotic Buddha Bar remains trendy with Parisians and foreigners in the know. A massive gilt Buddha dominates the spacious interior of the restaurant, which offers a variety of Japanese-Californian cuisine; tuna tataki sashimi and pork ribs with hoisin sauce are just two of the menu's many delights. Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Friday, and dinner only on weekends. Book well in advance.

Food Type :Fusion

Address :8 Rue Boissy dAnglais (Champs-Élysées)

Website :www.buddha-bar.com

Founded in 1872, the restaurant Goumard has all the charm of a century-old establishment with original oak woodwork, an engraved 1930s glass facade and designer chandeliers. One of the finest seafood restaurants in Paris, the food at Goumard is influenced by Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, served with subtle and delicate sauces - the emphasis is on enhancing the natural flavours of the catch. Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday, reservations required.

Food Type :Seafood

Address :9 Rue Duphot (Madeleine)

Website :www.goumard.com

Housed within the arcades of the Palais-Royal, Le Grand Véfour has been entertaining diners since the reign of Louis XV and has welcomed everyone from Napoleon to Danton. The menu is influenced by the cuisine Savoie - a blend of sophisticated and rustic dishes. Favourites include the sole meunière and the wild duck in laurel leaves. Desserts include the signature artichoke crème brûlée. Booking is essential, closed Friday night and weekends.

Food Type :French

Address :17 Rue de Beaujolais (Louvre/Tuileries)

Website :www.grand-vefour.com

Opened in 1947, this Paris restaurant is a traditional all-day Brasserie serving authentic French fare like stuffed pig's trotters, veal kidney flambéed in Cognac, and Provençal-style pan stuffed mussels. The long benches and brass fittings echo the authenticity of the food for a truly Parisian experience. Open 24 hours a day, the restaurant is popular with tourists just come from browsing the Louvre.

Food Type :French

Address :6 rue Coquillière

Website :www.pieddecochon.com

L'Alcazar attracts fashionable Parisians looking to dine on seafood or Modern British fare. The huge ground floor restaurant is of course designed more for style than comfort and patrons can see the chefs in action in the open-plan kitchens; the octopus salad and steak tartare are excellent. L'Az bar has regular theme nights with celebrity artists and jazz musicians. Open for lunch and dinner daily, and brunch on Sundays. Reservations recommended.

Food Type :Modern Eclectic

Address :62 Rue Mazarine (Odéon)

Website :www.alcazar.fr

The prestigious Jules Verne Restaurant is located on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower and has an atmosphere that is reminiscent of an airship moored high above Paris, with spectacular views of the city. The poached lobster and stuffed chicken are just two of the great dishes on the menu, and the wild strawberry and coconut cake dessert is fantastic. Open for lunch and dinner daily, reservations recommended.

Food Type :French

Address :Eiffel Tower, second floor (the restaurant has its own private elevator access at the south pillar)

Website :www.lejulesverne-paris.com

Le Bouillon Racine features a sophisticated Belgian menu and an enormous selection of Belgian beer. The food here is hearty and filling, even without the help of several thirst-quenching ales. The menu changes monthly and includes popular dishes like the casserole of mussels, shrimp and baby clams, suckling pig roasted with bitter Orval beer, and rack of lamb roasted in a pale biere blonde. The décor is festive and the service efficient. Reservations essential, open daily for lunch and dinner.

Food Type :International

Address :3 Rue Racine (St-Germain-des-Prés)

Website :www.bouillon-racine.com

Set in an Art Deco building on the banks of the Seine, Kong has beautiful views of the city and is full of surprises - from its Sex and the Citystint to the dining area's interesting Japanese Manga décor. The exotic menu offers cuisine such as the Kong Plate (a mixed fish platter), Chilean bass and Japanese beef carpaccio. Open daily for lunch and dinner, with brunch on Sundays. Reservations essential.

Food Type :International

Address :1 Rue du Pont Neuf

Website :www.kong.fr

The historic Cafe de Flore has been immortalised by more than one French painter. A popular meeting place for post-war intellectuals like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir and celebrated artists Camus, Picasso, and Apollinaire, the restaurant has now been overrun with tourists from all over the world. The menu offers salads, sandwiches, pastries and other cafe fare. Cafe de Flore is open daily from 7:30am to 1:30am.

Food Type :Caf�

Address :6th Arrondissement

Website :www.cafedeflore.fr

This restaurant seems tiny from the street, but there is plenty of room inside. Chez Mounier has the traditional atmosphere of a Lyonnais bouchon, with regional dishes like quenelle de brochet (dumpling in crayfish sauce) and herring salad. Locals and tourists alike love Chez Mounier for its unpretentious atmosphere and cheap food. Open Tuesday to Saturday.

Food Type :French

Address :3 rue des Marronniers

The oldest brasserie in Lyon, La Georges has been serving Lyonnais delicacies since 1836. Since then it has hosted notable celebrities like Edith Piaf, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway, and the Dalai Lama. The restaurant also brews its own beer. Its location can appear a bit seedy, but the large dining area means you can usually get a table without reservation unless dining at peak hours on the weekend. The restaurant is entirely no smoking. Open weekdays 11:30am-11:15pm, and Fridays and Saturdays 11:30am-12:15am.

Food Type :French

Address :30 cours de Verdun

Website :www.brasseriegeorges.com

This Michelin-starred restaurant is near to the heart of Lyon, located in a charming 17th-century inn on the tiny island of Île Barbe. It has a pretty ivy-covered courtyard and more intimate indoor dining area where you can sample dishes like meat stew mille feuille or red tuna tartare with quail and salmon eggs.

Food Type :French

Address :Place Notre Dame, Île Barbe

Website :www.aubergedelile.com