Benoit - 4th Arrondissement

Benoit is a Michelin starred bistro that is part of Alain Ducasse's stable of restaurants situated a short distance from the Hôtel de Ville, the Pompidou Centre and the famous Tour Saint-Jacques. It first opened in 1912 and was owned by the Petit family for three generations until they sold it in 2005 to the Ducasse group. It is now one of the last authentic Parisian bistros in the city, the dining room retains a lot of the décor from 1912 with large mirrors, etched glass panels, brass fixtures, lace curtains and a polished zinc bar.

The kitchen under Wilfrid Hocquet serves traditional French cuisine on large porcelain plates such as veal tongue Lucullus, snails in the shell with garlic butter and herbs, while desserts take in orange soufflé with Grand Marnier or profiteroles with a Benoit hot chocolate sauce. The wine list is a majestic 400 bin tome of wines covering all regions of France.