The brasseries at a glance
| Brasserie | Area | Why go | Indicative budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bofinger (5-7 rue de la Bastille) | 4th, Bastille | Opened in 1864, known for its choucroute and seafood | €€€ |
| Brasserie Lipp (151 boulevard Saint-Germain) | 6th | The listed decor and the writers' atmosphere of Saint-Germain | €€€ |
| La Coupole (102 boulevard du Montparnasse) | 14th | Large Art Deco room from 1927, in Montparnasse | €€€ (fairly steep according to a guide) |
| Le Grand Colbert (2 rue Vivienne) | 2nd | 1900 decor, fixed-price three-course lunch menu | €€ |
| Le Train Bleu (Gare de Lyon) | 12th | Gilded room from 1901 inside the station; up to €90 for three courses according to a 2019 Michelin guide | €€€ |
| Le Procope (13 rue de l'Ancienne Comédie) | 6th | One of the oldest cafés in Paris, founded in 1686 | €€ |
Price levels come from guides of various dates: they are guidelines, not rates.
Which to choose
- For decor and photos: Le Train Bleu, for its gilded room, and Bofinger, for its glass dome.
- For a classic brasserie evening: Bofinger or La Coupole, with seafood and choucroute.
- For a cheaper lunch: Le Grand Colbert, with its lunch menu, or Le Procope.
- For the literary mood: Lipp, next to the Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots.
What you eat there
Seafood platters, choucroute, oysters, steak tartare, andouillette, sole meunière, île flottante. Portions are generous; order to share if you are going for the platter.
Booking without mistakes
Book, especially in the evening and at weekends: Bofinger, for example, recommends reservations. Say whether you prefer the main room or the glass dome, and ask for the menu in advance to know the budget. For cheaper, more popular cooking, see our Parisian bouillons.
Frequently asked questions
Are historic brasseries expensive? Yes, usually more than bouillons: expect a full meal in the high two figures.
Do you need to book? Yes for evenings and weekends.
Which brasserie for the decor? Le Train Bleu and Bofinger.
