Paris · Casual Michelin stars
Michelin stars without the stuffiness, in Paris
Paris is one of the most starred cities in the world, and it has the reputation to match: silver cloches, hushed rooms, a dress code nobody mentions until you arrive. That picture is accurate for the top of the guide. By our reading, every two- and three-star restaurant in Paris is a formal affair.
One level down, the city looks different. These 57 restaurants hold one Michelin star, are well reviewed by diners and still feel relaxed enough for an ordinary evening: open kitchens, counters you can sit at, à la carte menus and young teams who talk you through the food rather than perform it. If you're after the best casual fine dining in Paris, this is where it is. Most sit comfortably in between, a clear step up from a bistro and a long way from a palace dining room. Two, Shabour and Fleur de Pavé, are louder and looser still.
They cluster around the Champs-Élysées and the Left Bank, but some of the most personal are in the 11th and in Batignolles. 53 take bookings online. If you're watching the bill, go at lunch: set menus at midday are usually a fraction of the dinner price.
Also in Paris: Good value · Romantic · Dog-friendly · All 449 restaurants
How we chose
Casual, for a starred restaurant, doesn't mean paper napkins. It means a room you can relax in, staff who talk to you rather than perform, and a meal you can shape yourself: order à la carte, sit at the counter, come for lunch.
So we read what every starred restaurant in Paris is like to sit in: the room, the service, the format, the noise. We kept the ones that feel relaxed or smart rather than ceremonial, as long as diners rate them highly too. The grand dining rooms, with cloches and a waiter at every elbow, aren't here, however good the cooking.
Beside each restaurant you'll see our own read on how formal it feels, drawn from publicly available descriptions, reviews and photos. It runs from Chill (come as you are) and Easy (a proper restaurant that stays relaxed) to Smart (polished, people make an effort) and Fancy (full ceremony). Tap it for more. Nearly everything here is Smart: polished, but you won't feel out of place without a jacket. Two are Easy.
Twelve are our favourites, grouped by the kind of evening you're after. The rest follow by neighbourhood, each with a line on what makes it easy to enjoy.
Our selection 12
Lively rooms
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Frenchie
1 StarExposed brick, old beams and a small room that fills up fast with people who love their food. The buzz does the relaxing for you, and the cooking is modern, international and carefully sourced.
Pets welcome
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Shabour
1 StarDim lights, metal ducts overhead and a room that hums from the first table to the last. Generous, Mediterranean-leaning plates, ordered à la carte: about as loose as a starred evening in Paris gets.
Pets welcomeCounter seats
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Le Violon d'Ingres
1 StarA lively neo-brasserie near the Eiffel Tower, full of people who came to enjoy themselves. South-West French classics à la carte, and a team that keeps it all running smoothly. Book ahead.
Pets welcomeNotable wine listWheelchair access
A seat at the counter
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Pavyllon Paris
1 StarA long counter facing the open kitchen, and a terrace ringed with greenery for warm days. Refined classic cooking with international touches, in a room that's smart but never stiff.
No petsNotable wine listCounter seatsTerrace
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FIEF
1 StarSit at the counter and the team talks you through every dish as it lands. Gutsy sauces made only with French produce, and a fully plant-based menu that meat eaters enjoy too.
Pets welcomeCounter seats
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Omar Dhiab
1 StarA white marble counter, an open kitchen and a young team whose enthusiasm keeps things warm. Creative, full-flavoured cooking, with careful sauces and some Egyptian spices.
Wheelchair access
Bistro at heart
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Tomy & Co
1 StarBare wood tables and a playful streak in the cooking: a gourmet bistro that happens to have a star. Simple but sophisticated food, built on local sourcing, a short walk from the Eiffel Tower.
Pets welcome
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Fleur de Pavé
1 StarNobody stands on ceremony here, and pets are welcome throughout. Flavour comes before flashy technique, with vegetables from a single market gardener leading the menu.
Pets welcomeNotable wine list
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Gaya par Pierre Gagnaire
1 StarA chic, comfortable brasserie behind a bright blue façade in Saint-Germain. Delicate, precise cooking with a love of the sea, and none of the ceremony of a fine-dining temple.
No petsNotable wine listWheelchair accessValet parking
A warm welcome
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L'Arôme
1 StarThe chef-owner moves between the kitchen and the tables, stopping to chat, and the whole room feels the better for it. Indulgent, seasonal cooking with excellent sauces, just off the Champs-Élysées.
Pets welcomeNotable wine listValet parking
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Qui Plume la Lune
1 StarTwo very different rooms, one of bare stone, one all colour and dried flowers, and service that's warm and attentive. Creative, seasonal cooking in the 11th with beautifully balanced flavours.
Pets welcomeWheelchair access
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Ze Kitchen Galerie
1 StarBold paintings, a windowed kitchen where you can watch the team at work, and a smiling welcome. French cooking lifted with the herbs, spices and roots of South-East Asia.
No petsValet parking
Everywhere else that made the cut, by neighbourhood
Champs-Élysées, Passy & Batignolles (8th, 16th, 17th) 22
Hotel dining rooms with the ceremony turned down, à la carte rooms around the Champs-Élysées and in Batignolles, and a boat with the Eiffel Tower in its windows.
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Alan Geaam
1 StarFrench technique with Lebanese touches gives the cooking a personal streak, and the dim, calm room lets you linger over it and talk without raising your voice.
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Anona
1 StarIn the evening there is one multi-course menu, so you hand over every decision. Contemporary cooking built around produce from the Paris region, with a sustainable bent.
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Astrance
1 StarA maître d' who puts you at ease and finds the right bottle from the glass-walled cellar sets the tone. The cooking is inventive, with a taste for Asian and plant-based ideas.
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Contraste
1 StarChandeliers and gilded mirrors meet modern touches, and you can order à la carte rather than commit to a tasting menu. Flavours swing boldly between acidic, bitter, sweet and umami.
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Don Juan II
1 StarA gracious welcome aboard an Art deco yacht, with the Eiffel Tower in the windows and a meal paced like a cruise. Indulgent, classically minded cooking.
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Frédéric Simonin
1 StarIt feels like lunch in an elegant Parisian apartment, with soft lighting and a good selection of wines by the glass. Precise, delicate cooking, with sauces and reductions the highlight.
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Geoélia
1 StarA bright corner room under two Murano chandeliers, with a menu that suits meat eaters too. Cooking follows the tides and seasons, with fish, seafood and vegetables sharing the stage.
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Héritages
1 StarA small, pared-back room with the ease of a luxury hotel and seamless service. The cooking is modern and produce-led, with rich, technical sauces.
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Il Carpaccio
1 StarA conservatory-style room painted in spring colours, with a terrace alongside and a corridor lined with mother-of-pearl. Meticulous Italian cooking, free of fuss, that lets star ingredients taste of themselves.
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Imperial Treasure
1 StarBuilt for sharing, with servers guiding you to the highlights and carving at the table. Time-honoured imperial Chinese recipes under a curved gold ceiling.
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Jacques Faussat
1 StarOrder à la carte and enjoy Gascon cooking that keeps the warmth of home cooking. It is flavoursome, rooted in tradition and focused on produce rather than show.
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L'Archeste
1 StarNo menu to puzzle over: the chef sets and changes it daily, in a sleek room with a big window for daylight. Modern, precise French cooking that follows the seasons.
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Le Faham
1 StarA sleek but intimate room run by a couple, tucked away in Batignolles. Spiced yet subtle cooking with an exotic edge, and sauces finished at the table.
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Mallory Gabsi
1 StarA plush, muted room styled like a vintage ocean liner to sink into. The cooking is daring, balancing acidic and bitter notes, with nods to the chef's Belgian roots.
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Nomicos
1 StarA modern, uncluttered room with warm lighting keeps classical technique free of stuffiness. Cooking leans Mediterranean wherever it can, with real depth and plenty of pleasure.
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Onor
1 StarA small maritime-themed brasserie that feels like a ship's salon, with à la carte ordering. Modern, delicate cooking with quiet nods to Asia.
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Origines Restaurant
1 StarA real à la carte, so you order exactly what you fancy, and a slick team that keeps things friendly. Bold, crisp cooking on a classical base.
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Oxte
1 StarA small, warmly lit room where the chef sometimes steps out to help in the dining room. Mexican-influenced cooking with French ingredients, vibrant seasonings and a punchy, colourful streak.
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Substance
1 StarGreen velvet walls, dark wood and a wall of wine bottles make a grown-up room, with à la carte freedom. Vibrant seasonal cooking with Italian nods, plus mostly natural and organic wines.
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Trente-Trois
1 StarA plush Belle Époque room inside a discreet hotel, with a deliberately short menu that spares you endless choices. Subtle seasonal cooking, with real attention given to jus and sauces.
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Zostera
1 StarTablecloths and fresh flowers in an elegant room, with warm, attentive service that never stiffens. Delicate, seafood-led cooking, with vegetables a second passion.
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Ōrtensia
1 StarPale wood, neutral tones and mirrors that make the small room feel open. French cooking with gentle Japanese accents that shift with the seasons.
Louvre, Grands Boulevards & the Marais (1st–4th) 11
Around the Bourse and the Palais Royal: the city's liveliest one-star rooms, from Frenchie's brick walls to Shabour's dim, noisy dining room.
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Accents Table Bourse
1 StarA warm, lively front-of-house team softens the polish in a Scandinavian-styled room. The cooking is precise and balanced, classical at heart, with smoky, roasted touches.
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Anne
1 StarOrder à la carte and take your time in a plush room, with a patio for fine weather. Modern cooking with a good deal of fish.
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Datil
1 StarNothing ornate or showy here: a velvet banquette, light oak chairs and quiet tones. The cooking is mostly plant-based, with grains and fruit to the fore and meat used sparingly.
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Granite
1 StarChilled, hipster-leaning energy meets smooth, effortless service in a cocooning stone room. Delicate, precise cooking with subtle Japanese touches.
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Le Baudelaire
1 StarComfy armchairs and floor-to-ceiling windows around a courtyard winter garden make it easy to settle in. The cooking is well-balanced and vegetable-led.
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Le Sergent Recruteur
1 StarBare stone walls from an old Île Saint-Louis tavern, softened by modern lighting, make for an unhurried meal. Classically grounded cooking with refined sauces and jus.
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Le Tout-Paris
1 StarA brasserie on the seventh floor of a luxury hotel, with colourful decor and a terrace above the Seine. Brasserie rules are respected, with real craftsmanship in every dish.
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Nhome
1 StarOne large shared table in a stone-vaulted cellar gives the room a low, friendly buzz. Creative, Scandinavian-style cooking with Japanese and Middle Eastern influences and plenty of technique.
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Pantagruel
1 StarTerracotta red and electric blue walls with gold-framed chairs make a colourful, composed room, with young, slick service. Fun-loving modern cooking that is crisp and exact.
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Pur' - Jean-François Rouquette
1 StarDim lighting and rich wood panelling make for an intimate dinner where conversation stays low. Creative, delicate cooking that marries excellent produce with care.
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Sushi B
1 StarA tiny marble room where the chef shapes each piece of sushi right in front of you. The flavours stay balanced, never swamped by soy or wasabi.
Left Bank: Latin Quarter, Saint-Germain & the Eiffel Tower (5th–7th) 6
Saint-Germain and the streets around the Invalides, where small, calm rooms let the cooking do the talking.
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Auguste
1 StarA compact room with an unexpected calm, and wines by the glass poured from magnums. The cooking is technically sound and modern, built on market-sourced ingredients.
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Mavrommatis
1 StarSoft lighting and warm earth tones keep the room easy on the eye. Greek flavours meet French technique in refined cooking that shifts with the seasons.
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Pertinence
1 StarA minimalist room of light wood and soft light with an understated, cosy feel. Market-fresh cooking with powerful flavours that gives French tradition a brush-down.
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Prévelle
1 StarAn open kitchen downstairs and a calm upstairs room of clean lines and bare wood tables. Plant-centric cooking with bold seasoning and deep roasted flavours.
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Sola
1 StarShoes come off at the Japanese-style dining platform in the vaulted cellar, which sets an easy tone. Japanese precision meets French countryside produce, using smoking, fermenting and drying.
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Solstice
1 StarDesigner lighting, fresh flowers and two counter seats looking straight into the kitchen make this an intimate evening. Modern cooking with Asian touches, with an omakase menu available.
Canal Saint-Martin, Oberkampf, Bastille & Belleville (10th–12th, 19th, 20th) 2
Fewer stars, more personality: a chef's counter, a light-filled lunch spot and warm, beautifully styled rooms in the 11th.
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Amâlia
1 StarSoft lighting and a calm room make it easy to settle in. Modern French cooking with a few Italian touches and a bright, citrusy sharpness.
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Automne
1 StarBig windows and a simple bistro-style room keep lunch light and unceremonious. Seasonal cooking that pairs just a few flavours per dish and lets each come through clearly.
Chinatown, Montparnasse & the 15th (13th–15th) 3
Three quieter addresses, from West African, Japanese and French ideas in the 14th to calm precision in the 15th.
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MoSuke
1 StarBotanical wallpaper and sculptural lighting give a mid-century room real personality. West African, Japanese and French ideas are layered together in adventurous, accomplished cooking.
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Neige d'Été
1 StarA bright, minimalist room where nothing distracts from the food. Japanese precision meets French repertoire, with Brittany fish and vegetables and a hint of barbecue.
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Pilgrim
1 StarA bright, understated room with an à la carte menu and a shorter one at lunch. Crisp, seasonal cooking with a fondness for briny shellfish, raw, cooked and in broth.
Opéra, Pigalle & Montmartre (9th, 18th) 1
One outlier: a calm sushi counter up in the 18th, where the fish gets your full attention.
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Sushi Shunei
1 StarA long wooden counter under an origami-inspired ceiling, with quiet, attentive service. Sushi built on exceptional fish and subtle seasonings, with a choice of two omakase menus at booking.
Questions
What's the best casual Michelin-star restaurant in Paris?
It depends on the evening. For a lively room, Frenchie or Shabour. For South-West classics without the starch, Le Violon d'Ingres. To watch the kitchen at work, a counter seat at Pavyllon or FIEF.
Do relaxed Michelin-star restaurants in Paris have a dress code?
Rarely a written one. Smart casual is safe everywhere on this page, and you won't need a jacket or tie. Dressing up is expected in the formal rooms: most two- and three-star restaurants and the palace hotels.
What's the cheapest way to eat at a starred restaurant in Paris?
Lunch. Most restaurants here serve a shorter set menu at midday for much less than the full dinner menu. Weekday lunches are also easier to book.
How do you decide what counts as casual?
We look at what a restaurant is like to sit in: the room, the service and the shape of the meal. The ones that feel relaxed or smart rather than formal, and that diners rate highly, are on this page. The grand, ceremonial rooms aren't, though several of them are on our romantic Paris page.