Emily in France Exclusive 🇫🇷 5 Touristy Restaurants Not Worth the Hype (And 5 Worthy Swaps)
From the desk of an expat
This Tuesday, I wrote about why I think it’s worth it to (sometimes) frequent the tourist spots when you're visiting a city. But of course, not every place that’s caught the eye of visitors is worthy of the hype. And in a world inundated with travel influencers who spawn ever-growing lines in front of storied establishments, I think it’s all the more important to separate the wheat from the chaff.
There are, of course, some more touristy tables I think are absolutely worth it. When I appeared as a guest on Chef Chris Kimball’s Milk Street podcast, I shocked him by telling him that Le Jules Verne was actually exquisite. And it is. This dining room’s location on the Eiffel Tower means it could easily skate by on reputation alone, but everything from the service to the food to, of course, the views, is exceptional. And lunch, in particular, is a relative steal with a 180-euro three-course meal that also includes all manner of amuse-bouches and mignardises. I’ve had similarly good experiences at other highly-reputed establishments, including Bistrot des Tournelles, La Renommée, La Maison d’Isabelle, and Tâpisserie, to name just a few.
What’s perhaps harder is to zero in on the touristy destinations that aren’t worth the attention – at least as far as I’m concerned. In many cases, it’s not that there’s nothing laudable about these spots. It’s just that I don’t think they’re worth waiting in long lines (and spending big bucks) when there are truly delicious alternatives that are just as storied and even more phenomenal.
Want to know which ones are actually worthy of your time and money (at least in my highly subjective opinion?) Read on.
Not Worth It: Caractère de Cochon
Caractère de Cochon is a pocket-sized charcuterie shop in the heart of the Marais. It’s always been a bit infuriating to visit, with random opening hours and a patron whose frequent surliness makes you understand the shop’s name: a reference, in French, to someone who’s a bit of a jerk. But since influencers started visiting this shop, I’ve begun steering well clear; there’s just no need to wait for an hour for the privilege of spending in the double digits for a jambon-beurre.
A Worthy Swap: Le Petit Vendôme
Le Petit Vendôme has also done the rounds on social media, but in this case, I think the sandwiches are actually worthy of the hype. Excellent baguette from award-winning Boulangerie Julien is slathered liberally with excellent-quality butter and piled with your choice of fillings. Where I think the influencers get it wrong is by going for the six-euro jambon-beurre when for just 2.50 more, you can get the Spécial (8.50), which includes fresh goat cheese, dry-cured ham, a blend of five peppercorns, and fruity Provençal olive oil. It’s fresh and light and just cheffy enough to make it feel special. And the Jardin des Tuileries steps away makes the perfect spot to chow down.
Not Worth It: Cédric Grolet
Cédric Grolet is a media darling who’s all over Instagram, but every time I walk past the lines snaking beneath the arches of the distinguished rue de Rivoli, I shake my head in disbelief. There’s obviously loads of work going into his gorgeous trompe l’oeil pastries, but I typically find them too sweet and lacking in texture. And especially given the 18-euro price tag, I expect perfection.
Luckily, Grolet is not the only palace hotel pastry chef out there, and after much research (the things I do for you…) I’ve zeroed in on the three that I think are actually worthy of your time and money.
Read on to discover the pastries, steak-frites, and opulent dining rooms steeped in Old World luxury I think you should actually seek out.
