You are probably aware that at Do It In Paris, we are all about advocating for small luxuries that make life more beautiful. Our mission for today? To uncover some well-kept culinary secrets at Paris’s finest spots… with less than 40 € in your pocket. Challenge accepted! 5-star hotels, palaces, and Michelin-starred addresses: a look at 5 delicious experiences for foodies without the big budget.
Aperitivo at the Bvlgari Hotel
You may not know this, but in Italy, when you order a cocktail during aperitivo hour, they offer you small bites to nibble on. This is also the case at the Bvlgari Hotel, the most elegant Italian HQ in the Golden Triangle. Every cocktail, mocktail, or glass of wine served from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Bvlgari Bar is accompanied by elegant snacks: focaccia, charcuterie, crostini, antipasti… at the price of the drink only. Our cocktail recommendation? The Serpenti: vodka infused with hibiscus, amaretto, ginger bitters, kumquat cordial, and lapsang souchong tea (35 €).
Bvlgari Bar, 30 Avenue George V, Paris 8th. 01 81 72 10 80. Aperitivo served daily from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
Breakfast at La Tour d’Argent
We’ve already sung the praises of the brunch at the Bar des Maillets d’Argent, nestled at the bottom of the iconic Tour d’Argent building. What’s less known is that from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, breakfast lovers love to settle in for a wonderfully Parisian breakfast with a view of the Seine. For 19 €, you can choose between outrageously good toast and jams by Stéphan Perrotte (sweet orange & vanilla, apricot & black currant pepper, wild blueberries & silver fir, strawberry Marianne & kalamansi juice) or pastries from the Boulangerie de la Tour right across (honestly: the best pain au chocolat and apple turnovers in Paris). Along with freshly pressed juice, you’ll have your pick of hot drinks: ristretto, café crème, cappuccino, and especially addictive curiosities like marocchino or a matcha latte, black sesame, chai, and even Mazarine with orange and ginger…
Bar des Maillets d’Argent, 15 Quai de la Tournelle, Paris 5th. 01 40 46 71 25. Breakfast served daily from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
Moules Frites at Relais Plaza
Friday means moules frites at Relais Plaza! The couture brasserie of Plaza Athénée, run by Chef Jean Imbert, offers an especially tempting weekly menu. The best plan? Book for Friday lunchtime to enjoy Paris’s most stylish moules-frites. The deal: Bouchot mussels in curry, gracefully arranged around a portion of ultra-crunchy pomme paille fries (28 €). A deliciously palace-style dish, presented like a work of art, already earning a great reputation on Instagram.
Relais Plaza, 21 Avenue Montaigne, Paris 8th. 01 53 67 64 00. Weekly menu served from Monday to Friday at lunch.
Couture Sandwich at the Ritz
No need to introduce Ritz Paris Le Comptoir, the setting of the Ritz’s pastry chef François Perret hidden behind the most luxurious hotel in Paris on Rue Cambon. It’s better to go for lunch off-peak, early or late, to avoid the crowds hunting for small luxuries to devour. To enjoy on-site or to take away, our ultimate crush: the majestic Salmon Sandwich (15 €), a buckwheat sandwich bread filled with tender Norwegian salmon, complemented by lemon, arugula, and a horseradish cream with dill. Of course, we recommend tasting the devilish Marble Cookie (18 €) and a Mille-feuille To Go (17 €), because you only live once.
Ritz Paris Le Comptoir, 38 Rue Cambon, Paris 1st. 01 43 16 30 26. Open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Steak Frites at the Crillon
No need to go to Shanghai to discover Paul Pairet’s cuisine (after all, his 3-star Ultraviolet restaurant has just closed its doors there). Our favorite Top Chef judge also showcases his talent (and his dad jokes!) at Nonos & Comestibles, the French grill at the Hôtel de Crillon. Here, you’ll find that the steak frites for 28 € is definitely worth it: a 180-gram Simmental beef hanger steak raised in Austria, topped with béarnaise sauce, and served with perfect crispy and tender fries. Bonus: we’ve been told the terrace just reopened for a fresh lunch in the open air.
Nonos & Comestibles by Paul Pairet, Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, 6 Rue Boissy d'Anglas, Paris 8th. 01 44 71 15 17. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
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