Ask anyone what they want to do in Paris, and they will usually mention eating before shopping or a museum visit. When I ask people what their favourite part of Paris is, it usually involves a long story about food. For me, I tend to make recommendations by location because the city can easily become a beautiful mess, zigzagging across it, chasing places that feel alive right now. Not just restaurants, but atmospheres, rooms where fashion spills into food, where lunch turns into something longer, or where you can pop in on your way to your next Parisian adventure. When it comes to recommendations, it is a known fact that Parisians gatekeep and influencers overshare. For me, my lists can get long, so I narrowed it down to five for this spring.
Tucked just off one of the most famous shopping streets in the world, Rue Saint-Honoré, BAR OMI anchors the list with a kind of discreet magnetism, the sort of place you only find if you’re looking, or if someone in the know sends you there. From cult smash burgers to collagen-fuelled glow rituals, tapas and more, here’s where to eat when Paris starts heating up this spring.
BAR OMI
At BAR OMI, set just off Rue Saint-Honoré, moves from an intimate sushi counter to a glossy dining room, all lacquer, mirrors, and low light. But the real theatre is on the plate. The menu leans into precision and indulgence with immaculate sashimi, classic nigiri (hamachi, akami, unagi), and more maximalist gestures like aburi toro with tartare or wagyu topped with caviar. There are small izakaya-style plates, potato salad with trout roe, miso-wasabi tuna that feel deceptively simple but land hard, plus mini ramen. I love the lunch menu as I’m usually in the area during the day. The exceptional fish quality and that “happening sushi bar” energy make this a place people book, not stumble into. The wine list cuts through expectations, pairing sharp Japanese technique with European bottles. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during fashion week, when the room fills with the exact people you’d expect—and a few you wouldn’t.
Address: 6 rue du Marché Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris
Rosario
A lively addition to the 2nd arrondissement, Rosario brings a fresh, contemporary take on Spanish cuisine to Paris. Conceived by a Franco-Spanish team and led by a Basque-trained chef, the restaurant leans into shareable tapas, tortillas and charcuterie with a mix of tradition and modern flair. The space itself mirrors this balance, blending Parisian bistro codes with Iberian warmth, anchored by a sociable central counter and tables designed for group dining. While the atmosphere is undeniably buzzy (I discovered it during a fashion work lunch after all), it does offer a more nuanced vision of Spanish gastronomy beyond. Still, it’s a spirited, stylish spot that captures the energy of a “Paris-meets-Barcelona” moment.
Address: 96 Rue de Richelieu, 75002 Paris, France
Le Cornichon
I probably spend most of my free time in the 11th as it’s where many of my friends live and many of my favourite halls for gigs. If you want to avoid tourists and people-watch Parisians with good brasserie-inspired food, then Le Cornichon is for you. Built like a reimagined PMU, equal parts café, canteen, and late-night bar, it thrives on locals rather than hype. The food is generous, deeply French, and refreshingly unpretentious: think bistro classics done right, the kind of plates you actually want on a Tuesday. The real move here is the set lunch menu that is affordable, unfussy, and widely praised as one of the best-value midday options in the neighborhood, drawing a crowd that knows exactly what they’re doing. Come early or be prepared to hover; evenings get chaotic in the best way, like a dinner that accidentally turned into a party.
Address: 11th arrondissement, Paris
DUMBO (Oberkampf)
If you like burgers, fast eats, and prefer supporting independent instead of big franchises, then you will love DUMBO. It has four locations across Paris: Pigalle, Petites Écuries, the Marais, and Oberkampf, each drawing the same loyal crowd for its cult smash burgers. I wanted to point out the Oberkampf location because during fashion week, more and more shows have been popping up in that area, and it’s perfect for between appointments. The classic cheeseburger, with its double matured beef patties, pickles, onions, and signature sauce, is the one to order, ideally with fries and nuggets on the side. And then there’s the newly introduced cookie, born from a collaboration with Mamiche, simple, gooey, and engineered for instant nostalgia. This is Paris doing fast food without apology, and doing it better than most cities.
Address: 121 rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris
48 Collagen Café
I love 48 Collagen Café when I’m running around Opera and Pigalle, because it always find me and I always find an excuse to pop in like a kind of beauty ritual. It’s the city’s first “glow café,” and it leans all the way in with collagen-infused everything, from soups to smoothies, designed to boost skin, joints, whatever needs fixing. The menu reads like a wellness manifesto made up of antioxidant drinks, neon-toned bowls, and snacks. It is only open during the day, making it also exactly the type of place where you feel welcome solo. But what makes it work is the futuristic, slightly surreal atmosphere, with LED masks available while you wait. I usually like to do it while catching up on a podcast for a little me time. Whether you believe in collagen or not, you’ll leave feeling like you’ve done something good for yourself or at least looked like you did.
