14 Best Secret Restaurants In Paris, France

secret restaurants in paris
Anne
Anne 
Updated
| 5 min read

Paris is the capital of France and is known as the “City of Light”. The city sprawls over a variety of wide boulevards and nestles along the River Seine. Paris is renowned for its art, a vast collection of which is exhibited in the famous Louvre Museum. It is also known for its history, which can be seen in the 19th-century architecture of the city and the 12th-century Notre Dame Cathedral. The 324 m (1,062 ft) Eiffel Tower stands as a symbol of the city, along with the famous Arc de Triomphe national monument. Tourists looking to fully experience the city can stay in vacation apartments in Paris. There are also several two-bedroom hotels that cater to the needs of every kind of traveler. Designer fashion plays a big role in Paris, along with the city’s remarkable gastronomy and cafe culture. There are unique places where eating happens in unusual surroundings. Scroll down to discover some of the best secret restaurants in Paris, France.

1. Candelaria

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Candelaria is a hidden gem that combines the charm of a traditional Mexican taqueria with the secrecy of a speakeasy-style cocktail bar. Tucked discreetly behind an unassuming taco counter, Candelaria offers an intimate and unique dining experience. The must-try items on the menu include their mouthwatering tacos, especially the carnitas and al pastor varieties, which are prepared with succulent and well-seasoned meats. Pair these delectable tacos with their expertly crafted cocktails, featuring innovative combinations of flavors and premium spirits.

Candelaria’s cozy ambiance and commitment to delivering an unforgettable authentic Mexican dining experience make it a true hidden treasure in Paris, perfect for those in search of culinary adventure off the beaten path.

Name of food establishment

Address: 52 Rue de Saintonge, 3rd arrondissement, Paris, 75003

Website: Candelaria

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 5pm - 2am; Sat - Sun: 12pm - 2am

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2. Le Petit Prince de Paris

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Le Petit Prince de Paris’ discreet facade and intimate atmosphere lend an air of exclusivity, tucked away in a charming corner of the city. The restaurant’s interior exudes timeless elegance with its warm, dimly lit ambiance, rustic wooden beams, and antique decor, evoking a sense of whimsy and old-world Parisian charm.

When it comes to the menu, Le Petit Prince de Paris excels in crafting traditional French dishes with finesse. The coq au vin, tender and rich with flavor, and the creme brulee, a silky and indulgent dessert, are among the top recommendations.

Le Petit Prince de Paris

Address: 12 Rue de Lanneau, 75005 Paris, France

Website: Le Petit Prince de Paris

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 7:30pm - 12am; Sat - Sun: 7:30pm - 12:30am (closed on Mon)

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3. L'Osteria Dell'Anima

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

A parigi cracco spostati

Posted by Alessandro Carta on Thursday, October 11, 2018

L'Osteria Dell'Anima is a hidden gem in Paris that serves affordable Italian cuisine in a pleasant and intimate setting. Some of the must-try foods here are parfait, tiramisu, and strudels. If you want a quick caffeine fix, this restaurant also boasts delicious coffee. One of the highlights of L'Osteria Dell'Anima is the pasta maker that is placed in the middle of the restaurant. Customers can enjoy watching the process of making fresh and homemade pasta while they wait for their orders.

L'Osteria Dell'Anima is also a family-friendly and pet-friendly restaurant, ideal for families and pawrents.

L'Osteria Dell'Anima

Address: 37 Rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris, France

Website: L'Osteria Dell'Anima

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 12pm – 2:30pm, 7:30pm – 11:15pm; Sat: 7:30pm – 11:15pm (closed on Sun)

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4. Le Bélisaire

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Nestled on a corner street in the middle of a residential neighborhood, Le Bélisaire is a hidden restaurant in Paris with a carefully curated menu. Customers can enjoy plenty of seafood dishes available, including a sea urchin with mixed seafood soup as well as scallops with avocado. Ending the meal with a dessert like a chocolate lava cake with banana ice cream is also highly recommended.

You’ll be splurging at this restaurant, but it will be well worth it to try authentic French cuisine and experience impressive service. With a warm and intimate atmosphere, this restaurant is a go-to spot for all travelers.

Le Bélisaire

Address: 2 Rue Marmontel, 75015 Paris, France

Website: Le Bélisaire

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 12pm – 2pm, 7:30pm – 9pm; Sat: 7pm - 9pm (closed on Sun)

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Paris Tour Guide

Angénic  Agnero

Angénic Agnero

Paris Tour Guide

Patricia Aveline

Patricia Aveline

My name is Patricia Bollinger and my family is French. I have always had a passion for art and history and I chose to study them when I went to university. I have been a licensed tour guide for the last 30 years and I work in French, English and Italian. My passion and also as part of my work I travel a lot. For this reason, I have a good idea of visitors expectations. Naturally I want to share this passion for my country and its heritage with foreign visitors.I also love cooking and I am a foody.

Tours by Patricia

5. Le Perchoir

Posted by Le Perchoir on Saturday, 27 February 2016

Hidden from your eyesight, Le Perchoir and its different bars rest on rooftops offering a fabulous view of the city and the river. The first one was formed to give Parisians the chance to enjoy the rooftops of the city. They now have a number of different rooftop bars in Paris, including Le Perchoir Marais, Le Pavillon Puebla in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont and La Passerelle on the banks of the River Seine. All offer the chance of a panoramic view of the city of Paris while enjoying a drink or a tasty meal. Guests can choose from a menu of delicious meals by chef Benoit Dumas, or enjoy New York-style lobster sandwiches and mini-burgers as a tasty snack.

Le Perchoir

Address: 14 rue Crespin du Gast, Paris, France

Website: Le Perchoir

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 6pm - 1:30am; Sat: 4pm - 12am; Sun: 4pm - 1:30am

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6. Le Refuge des Fondus

Même en quand il fait chaud c est bon une fondue!!! Even when the weather is hot, a Fondue is so good!!!

Posted by Le refuge des fondus on Thursday, 28 July 2016

Hidden in plain sight the decor of this underrated restaurant in Paris reminds of the carnivals and the place is usually packed, but this fondue restaurant is certainly unique. Guests can enjoy a cheese or meat fondue, which is a normal thing, but the more unusual side of the restaurant is the tax on wine glasses. This is to make guests enjoy their wine in a baby bottle, complete with a teat to suck on. Prices are affordable and the experience ensures a lot of fun. The restaurant is cash only.

Le Refuge des Fondus

Address: 17 Rue des Trois Frères, Paris, France

Website: Le Refuge des Fondus

Opening hours: 7pm - 12am (daily)

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7. L'Ebouillante

Avec 32 degrés annoncés demain dimanche, pourquoi ne pas venir prendre le brunch sur la plus belle terrasse de Paris ?...

Posted by L'Ebouillanté on Saturday, 1 June 2019

In 1977, the painter Gali transformed his workshop into Ebouillanté, an art-strewn cafe where friends and lovers of art could meet for tea, coffee, and cake in a warm environment. Tucked away in a calm and peaceful street, the secret cafe in Paris also serves delicious and healthy salads and hot chocolate in the cooler months. Ebouillanté is located between the River Seine and Marais in a medieval side street close to Saint Gervais Church. Diners can relax to a background of classical music, surrounded by arty posters.

L'Ebouillante

Address: 6 Rue des Barres, Paris, France

Website: L'Ebouillante

Opening hours: 12pm - 10pm (daily)

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8. Restaurant La Maison des Frigos

La Maison des Frigos, Paris 13 (9970364694)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Jeanne Menjoulet used under CC BY 2.0

If you don’t look for it, you may not find it. La Maison des Frigos is a former artist’s squat converted into a relatively unknown restaurant. Guests here are not allowed to chat on their cellphones or take photos, and no credit cards are accepted here. Mariko, the owner, is a former painter who has lived in Paris for some time and has a love for cooking. Menu items are limited and are Japanese in origin and seasonal, but very affordable and the menu includes an entree with salad and rice, as well as a dessert, glass of wine and coffee. Virtually every wall in the restaurant is covered in art, inside and out.

Restaurant La Maison des Frigos

Address: 19 Rue des Frigos, Paris, France

Website: Restaurant La Maison des Frigos

Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 12:15pm - 2:45pm (closed on Sun & Mon)

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9. Café A

Posted by Café A on Friday, 12 July 2019

Café A is a bar and restaurant serving everything from brunch to cocktails in the heart of Paris. It is set in the 18th-century former Les Recollets convent and offers plenty of space outdoors and inside. This cafe in Paris serves a range of organic and biodynamic wines, along with salads, charcuterie, bruschetta, and cheese plates. There is always the main dish of the day to choose. Evenings often see concerts and other musical events being arranged here.

Café A

Address: Maison de l'Architecture, 148 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, Paris, France

Website: Cafe A

Opening hours: 10am - 2am (daily)

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10. La Cantine Russe

La terrasse La Cantine Russe

Posted by La Cantine Russe on Friday, 12 July 2013

La Cantine Russe, or Russian Kitchen, is one of the oldest Russian restaurants in Paris. It was first opened in 1923 by one of the founders of the Rachmaninov Conservatory as a place for their students to eat. There is always live music here, including Russian romance and pop music and sometimes the Roma play or sing here. The menu offers appetizers, fish soup, borscht, patties and pancakes, Stolichny salad, dumplings and cabbage rolls in a typical Russian setting. They also serve a French menu.

La Cantine Russe

Address: 26 Avenue de New York, Paris, France

Website: La Cantine Russe

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 7pm - 2am (closed on Sun)

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11. Chez Ramona

Posted by Leïla Benouissaaden Glaoui on Wednesday, 24 April 2019

Belleville, one of the safe neighborhoods in Paris, was known for its Spanish community in the past. Ramona, who runs Chez Ramona, hails from Spain. When she first moved to Paris, she opened a grocery store selling Spanish products and then expanded to a restaurant upstairs, with a kitsch decor, serving the best in Spanish cuisine. You may not see it until you visit. The tapas and paella come in generous portions and are delicious, while served with a good Rioja wine. Many who dine here while on vacation will take their next vacation in sunny Spain!

Chez Ramona

Address: 17 Rue Ramponeau, Paris, France

Website: Chez Ramona

Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 6:30pm - 2am (closed on Mon)

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12. Foyer de la Madeleine

Posted by Foyer de la Madeleine on Sunday, 8 April 2018

This unusual secret cafe is hidden under the vaulted ceilings of L’église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine – in the cellars of the church. Opened only for lunch, the building surrounding it has a rich history. Guests should not expect a great gastronomic experience, but this quirky hideaway has plenty of charm and serves delicious meals served by friendly volunteers. The menu is inexpensive and tasty and the surroundings are unique.

Foyer de la Madeleine

Address: Place de la Madeleine, Paris, France

Website: Foyer de la Madeleine

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 11:45am - 2pm (closed on Sat & Sun)

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13. Restaurant Boucherie Les Provinces

Posted by Les Provinces on Saturday, 23 March 2013

This is a place to visit the butchery to buy some meat. However, it is also a place where you can sit and dine on the same delicious meat with a good glass of wine. Popular with the locals, some wait in line to dine on perfectly aged prime rib, veal, pork and lamb chops, steak tartare and homemade meat terrines, all served with sautéed potatoes and a glass of good natural wine. Takeaways are also possible, but it is much more fun to sit in the restaurant itself.

Restaurant Boucherie Les Provinces

Address: 20 Rue d'Aligre, Paris, France

Website: Restaurant Boucherie Les Provinces

Opening hours: Wed - Sat: 10am - 10pm; Sun: 10am - 3pm (closed on Mon & Tue)

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14. Le Derrière

Comme à la maison ? Non ! Mieux qu'à la maison, qui t'a dit que tu devais te lever ? #posey #jenefaisrien

Posted by Restaurant Derrière on Thursday, 22 February 2018

Le Derrière is hidden away in the Marais district and its name, which translates to behind, refers to its located, behind Andy Wahloo cocktail bar and 404 Restaurant. This clandestine space will make you feel better than at home, with its comfortable and charming living room, a ping-pong table and foosball and even a bedroom with a mosaic mirror ceiling. There is also the screening room den and other rooms to enjoy. There is also a “fumoir” or smoking room, an area behind a wardrobe door where smoking is allowed. The food served in the restaurant is simple, French and wholesome, with modern cuisine including plenty of salads and great wines.

Le Derrière

Address: 69 Rue des Gravilliers, Paris, France

Website: Le Derrière

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 12pm - 2:30pm, 7:30pm - 1am; Sun 12pm - 4pm, 7pm - 11pm

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Dine in the City of Light like a Parisian

Montmartre restaurants, Paris 27 April 2018
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Pedro Szekely used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Want to enjoy delicacies inside the unusual surroundings of some of the off-the-beaten-path restaurants in Paris after some retail therapy in the shopping malls? You can relish the more traditional and Parisian side of the capital of France while dining in places the locals don’t want to tell you about, enjoying meals at the secret restaurants in Paris. Follow the list and enjoy your secret escapades.

As long as you’re here, be sure to check out some dessert spots in Paris as well!

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Frequently asked questions about secret restaurants in Paris


Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Anne Sewell was born in England, but has spent most of her life in Africa - Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa - and now resides on the beautiful Costa del Sol in southern Spain. She loves writing...Read more

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