Mangez Bien: 25 Favorite Dishes in Paris

My most memorable mouthfuls—plus recs from friends!—including chili burrata, chou farci pita, chocolate ganache and more.

Last week, T Magazine published an article I contributed to: The 25 Essential Dishes to Eat in Paris. When I was first asked to participate, I was honored: What a feat! To come up with the most essential dishes in Paris!

Not so fast.

That part had already been determined by a panel of culinary experts. In this case, cookbook author and NY Times columnist, Dorie Greenspan; baker and cronut creator, Dominique Ansel; chef and food consultant, Marie-Aude Rose; and Mokonuts owners and chefs Moko Hirayama and Omar Koreitem. Along with three other local food writers, I was commissioned to report the entries: to taste the dishes, interview the restaurant owners, and write up the descriptions. Still a great assignment, to be sure. But as someone with an opinion, it felt funny not to have a say. (Presumably, had I gone to report a dish and found it inedible, they’d have reconsidered including it. But, thankfully, that didn’t happen.)

And so, while eating at one of the restaurants with a dear friend, she suggested I make my own list. Because while the chou farci from Parcelles, and the overall experience at Les Arlots were two highlights from the six I covered, the meals and/or restaurants on T’s list are not necessarily my go-to’s. They’re not dishes I have gone back for, or tasted and been like, “Wow, this is unlike anything I’ve ever had and I want to eat it again and again.” Granted, I haven’t tried them all—and there are a few on that list I want to taste. But, mostly, if I don’t eat another steak au poivre or sole meuniere I’ll survive. If you can believe it, I’ve still not had the Ispahan macaron from Pierre Hermé, but I’m not really a fan of meringue-based pastries and rose *or* lychee flavors. Hence therein lies the rub: Food is subjective. Cravings shift and preferences depend on wide-ranging variables from general taste, mood, and diets, to time of day, hunger level, nostalgia, and one’s proximity to the food in question.

So, in creating this companion list, I also enlisted my closest friends here in Paris to second one of my entries and/or add their own. We are a mix of French, Australian, American, and Canadian women and one man, which may explain the number of sweets, sandwiches, and egg dishes listed. Some of us write about or photograph food for a living, others just enjoy eating it, but we have all been collectively living (and dining out) in Paris for 96 years.

While the city embraces a seasonally-minded cuisine culture, it’d be a disservice to include a dish that might not be available whenever you visit, so this list only includes items that are *always on the menu (*unless otherwise noted because this is France and there are often one or two exceptions).

Our choices are far more international than classic French, so I’m not calling them “Paris essentials.” Rather, they’re just favorites. Hence it’s a real “P.S.” to the T25. Even if you’re just visiting Paris, you’re not going to eat sausage, scallops, and sweetbreads five nights in a row, are you? (Please say no.) You’re an adventurous bunch who will gladly journey outside the brasserie/bistro/bakery zone for something tasty. Alors! Here we go, and in no particular order…

1. Labneh with Za’atar at Mokonuts

With the exception of Moko’s cookies, which you should also get, this is generally the only dish that’s consistently on the menu at this popular lunch spot near chez moi. Omar’s wildly flavorful starters and mains otherwise switch up weekly, if not daily. While there’s rarely enough homemade pita to sop up the za’atar-covered creamy labneh saturated in EVO, ask for more and you shall receive. 5 rue Saint-Bernard, 75011; Breakfast and lunch only, Monday-Friday