Capital Cuisine in Paris, France - 24-Hour Travel Guide
Place de la Madeline
The Seine, from above
Metro stations - easy to find
Overview - Paris is the world’s capital of cuisine. French delicacies can be found in one form or another in every country, but Paris – oh Paris – it is truly a step above the rest. Use the following guide to explore all facets of the perfect Parisian epicurean experience.
Breakfast - Start the day off properly – in a pastry shop. One of the best in the land is Angelina’s (225 Rue de Rivoli), just down from the Louvre. A mix of locals and tourists indicate this is a gold mine. Have croissants or a pain du chocolate, but be sure to save room for dessert (yes, breakfast in Paris should have dessert): the mont blanc, a delicious concoction of meringue, chestnut puree, and whipped cream.
Morning - Head to Place du Madeline for one of the most fun food shopping experiences on the planet: Fauchon. This pretty in pink market-cum-café sells exquisite chocolates, coffee beans, wine, herbs, and a long list of other specialties. There is another shop next door (also pink) which sells takeaway food for lunch or picnics.
Lunch - Enjoy a picnic along the Seine with some of your treats from Fauchon. There are plenty of nooks alongside the bank; afterwards, head up to Berthillon (31 rue St-Louis-en-l'Ile) and join the long but quickly moving queue for some of the best ice cream in France.
Afternoon - Explore the streets of the Quartier Chinois, Paris’s Chinatown. You can reach it easily via metro, stopping at Porte d'Ivry or Place d'Italie. Here you will find the largest Asian-food market in Europe, Tang Frères, with cooking spices and teas direct from Asia. There also a number of restaurants to sample, including the popular Le Mer de Chine (159 des Rentiers).
Dinner - One of my favorites is Le Navigator (63 rue Galande) in the Latin Quarter. This area has tons of restaurants, many of them not very nice (despite the charms of waiters trying to attract your attention).
After Dark - Stop into the Café de Flore (174 Boulevard St Germain), a beautiful café well balanced between fashionable chic and cozy comfortable. Try a chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) or a well earned cocktail.
Sleep - There are plenty of apartment rental agencies, for those of you who want to sample your market goodies before heading home.
Tags: Food