The market area of Les Halles was once dubbed “The Belly of Paris” by Emile Zola, and while the market shuttered in the 70s (and was replaced by the Rungis market out by the airport), this area is still a fantastic place to dine, shop for food, and even find kitchen tools and gadgets.
In this guide, I’ve united three areas that are all within a ten to fifteen minutes’ walk from one another: the Halles area around Saint-Eustache church leads to the bottom of the rue Montorgueil, which is filled with tons of food-adjacent shops (and a handful of great restaurants).
At the top of rue Montorgueil, you’ll find rue du Nil, home to the Frenchie empire (and thus one of my favorite streets in Paris).
Pastry
While you can find pastry in nearly any bakery throughout Paris, there are a few spots that are worth a special trip. Here are some of my favorites in the Les Halles area.
- Odette is a mini chain devoted entirely to cream puffs. While I generally visit the one near Notre Dame, there is also an outpost on rue Montorgueil.
- Stohrer is known as one of the oldest – if not the oldest – pastry shop in Paris. It’s also home to one of Little Sister’s favorite pastries: the puits d’amour or well of love, which is essentially a mini crème brûlée baked into a pastry shell.
- Fou de Pâtisserie is a unique pastry shop that features the pastries of a number of different famed pastry chefs. The ever-revolving offerings could include Pierre Hermé’s croissant Ispahan or the ultra-rich chocolate tart from Hugues Pouget.
- Boneshaker is part of the wave of popularizing American pastries in Paris, serving pretty much the best doughnuts in the capital.
Classic French
The very first restaurant in the world is rumored to have opened near Les Halles, so it’s perhaps no surprise that there are quite a few restaurants here. I must preface my selection by saying that there are quite a few restaurants in this area that are famous for being old and glorious but that unfortunately don’t have great foodie reputations, and since I haven’t visited myself, I can’t be the judge.
- Aux Tonneaux des Halles is one of my favorite fallbacks for a traditional bistro vibe. This unassuming address allows you to enjoy your meal overlooking the busy rue Montorgueil and enjoy reasonably priced classics like steak-frites. The cheese here is always incredible.
- Au Pied de Cochon is an historic restaurant that grew up with the Les Halles market. One of Paris’ only 24-hour restaurants, it’s the place to go for French onion soup.
- L’Escargot Montorgueil is a legendary spot known for its escargots. Classic garlic butter but also truffle and even foie gras are paired with the broiled snails here.
Modern French & Wine
Contemporary French cuisine has taken the Parisian culinary scene by storm – and this neighborhood is no exception. Modern restaurants but also wine and cocktail bars serve delicious, market-driven small plates.
- Frenchie Restaurant is where it all began: this little restaurant on rue du Nil is a legendary spot for modern French cuisine.
- Frenchie to Go is the takeaway outpost of the Frenchie empire. Here, you can sample house-made pastrami, doughnuts, hot dogs, pulled pork, and more.
- Frenchie Bar à Vins, meanwhile, is the wine bar member of the Frenchie family (and one of my top five favorite restaurants in Paris.)
- Pirouette offers one of the most creative contemporary menus in Paris.
- In a city where natural wines are de rigueur, O Château is the perfect place to go if you’re a bigger fan of the classics. With over 40 wines by the glass, this is the spot to try some of those gems you don’t feel like forking over a bottle for (but still want to taste!)
Not French At All
While most people coming to Paris are only on the lookout for French cuisine, there are quite a few spots that bring in foreign flavors. In fact, more often than not, if I’m eating out, the food being served will not be French.
- Les Pâtes Vivantes is the noodle shop for hand-pulled Chinese noodles. Yes, please.
- What started as a food truck has now acquired a storefront: Le Camion Qui Fume may be where the burger trend began in Paris.
- Blend is yet another gourmet burger stop famous for its house-made buns.
- Expats yearning for the spicy food we can get back home ultimately end up at Trois Fois Plus de Piment, a fantastic Szechuan restaurant in Paris.
- Yam’Tcha is the result of a husband-and-wife team pairing Chinese-inspired dishes with – not wine or beer – but tea.
Shopping
The area around Les Halles is also home to a handful of great shops, including those peddling kitchenware. I also recommend taking a stroll down rue Montorgueil, where you’ll find tons of shops specializing in cheese, fruits and vegetables, pastries and more.
- G. Detou is a play on words, as reading the name of the store sounds like J’ai de tout, or “I have some of everything.” When you visit this kitchen emporium, you’ll see that’s the case.
- E. Dehillerin is a specialist in pots, pans, and knives, but you’ll also find other kitchenware items here.
- Mora is yet another kitchenware spot with an excellent selection of pastry items.
- Mariage Frères sells upscale tea throughout the city; this shop, unlike many of the others, doesn’t have a tea salon, but it does sell both loose and bagged tea.
- Terroirs d’Avenir has several specialty shops on rue du Nil selling artisanal, sustainable fish, fruits and vegetables, and breads. They’re at the helm of the locavore revolution in Paris.
Did I miss any of your favorite Les Halles spots? Let me know in the comments!