Paris: 5 restaurants to visit for Christmas 2013

Paris is heaving around Christmas. And with all the crowds, and after a long day of shopping or sightseeing, all you really want to do is cosy up in a warm restaurant and have someone else cook for you. Read on for some restaurant ideas for every situation or budget.

Au Vieux Chene

An unassuming and cosy bistro down a side-street in the 11^th arrondissement that served me the most succulent and beautifully-cooked trout of my life. Evening set menus at the incredibly good value of €33 with a changing and reasonable wine list. Well worth making the trip to find it.

Au Viex Chene, 7 Rue du Dahomey, 75011 Paris, for further information or to book visit here.

Clamato

Picture the scene: laughing with a group of friends in flickering candlelight, sharing plates of delicious tapas-style seafood dishes and a bottle of wine? The chic decor and friendly atmosphere of Clamato makes you feel like you’re in a glossy magazine, but with the added bonus of amazing food.

Clamato, 80 Rue de Charonne Paris 75011, doesn’t take bookings, so it’s a good idea to turn up early just in case. Read our interview with chef Bertrand Grébaut here.

Bofinger

If you’re looking for razzle-dazzle and blow-out Christmas splendour, come to Bofinger. This huge, glitzy brasserie just off the Place de la Bastille has the lot: art nouveau chandeliers, linen tablecloths and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Come here to guzzle champagne and celebrate Christmas in style.

Bofinger, 7 Rue de la Bastille, 75004 Paris, for further information or to book visit here.

Chez Gladines

Want holiday-style cuisine but the familiarity of your best friend’s kitchen table? Go to Chez Gladines, a restaurant with a number of locations (but I recommend the one in Buttes aux Cailles, a village within Paris). Banging elbows with your neighbour and eating cheap and hearty portions are the main selling points of this popular hangout.

Chez Gladines, 30 Rue des Cinq Diamants, 75013 Paris, for further information visit here.

Le Jardin d’en Face

Screw your courage to the sticking place and drag yourself up the hills of Montmartre to the Rue des Trois Frères for a well-deserved reward. Le Jardin d’en Face is a small and homely restaurant, with consistently smiling service and a decently-priced menu. Ordering the oeuf cocotte au foie gras, the restaurant’s specialty, is a must.

Le Jardin d’en Face, 29 Rue des 3 Frères, 75018 Paris.

Catherine Bennett