Exploring Paris’ iconic bistros

Whether it’s coffee on the terrace, lunch at the brasserie or drinks at the bistro, dining out in Paris is a way of life rather than a rare pleasure. It’s no coincidence that the term “restaurant” was born here to designate the tables where workers would “restore” after a day’s labour. Central to the capital’s dining scene are its bouillons, boisterous dining halls serving traditional French cuisine quickly and – a rarity in Paris – very affordably.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Paris had more than 200 bouillons, a number that dropped as high-end brasseries took over in popularity. However, they have seen a resurgence in recent decades as Parisians rediscovered traditional ways of eating out.

Sacit Celaloglu is the manager of Bouillon Julien . For 120 years, this establishment – one of the oldest of its kind in the city and a favourite of Édith Piaf – has remained true to its motto: cheap, good and popular food. Under a magnificent Art Nouveau glass roof, snails are enjoyed for less than €10 (HK$84) and a juicy steak for less than €13 (HK$110). Today, it not only welcomes tourists but also families who come to share memories. “Grandparents come with their grandchildren to show them their Paris of yesteryear. It’s a place that brings generations together and one that everyone can afford,” says Celaloglu.

Just a stone’s throw away, another Parisian institution, Bouillon Chartier , sees thousands enter every day in search of the speed and conviviality it’s famed for. The waiters, who take turns to provide continuous service from 11.30am to midnight, are as efficient as they are friendly, chatting away while writing up orders of beef bourguignon and leeks in vinaigrette directly onto the paper tablecloths. You leave the Belle Époque-style dining room with the feeling that you’ve tasted both the joys of French cuisine and the sweetness of a bygone era.

At Procope , no less than the oldest café in Paris founded in 1686, the centuries-old recipes of coq au vin, calf’s head and French sole meunière have lost none of their splendour. Known as the headquarters of Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire and Benjamin Franklin, the establishment has maintained a spirit of openness.

“The tables talk to each other and people meet quite naturally. I’ve never seen that anywhere else,” says Élodie, a waitress at Procope for 15 years. The café also claims to be Paris’s first to have served coffee, an exotic novelty in the 17th century. Its rooms, adorned with original wallpaper, provide the ideal setting for an afternoon repose.

The journey back in time continues at La Coupole , a landmark of the Montparnasse neighbourhood and a jewel of the Roaring ’20s. Having counted the likes of Giacometti, Picasso, Man Ray and Chagall as regulars, the brasserie still lives to the rhythm of art. Its columns are painted by artists of the time, who exchanged a little of their talent for a good meal. The speciality dish may surprise you: lamb curry.

“When La Coupole was founded in 1927, its founder wanted to set it apart from the other brasseries. He asked his Indian chef to invent a recipe, and that’s how our famous curry was born,” explains Laurent Mouzat, the restaurant’s manager. Once a month, La Coupole’s basement club welcomes crowds donning vintage attire for themed dances. But whatever the day or time, the dozens of waiters gliding around in black and white make the space feel like a ballroom.

At Café du Commerce, a brasserie prized for its warm atmosphere and excellent value for money, the action is spread across three levels. The mezzanine floors, adorned with greenery and naturally lit by a vast glass ceiling, all overlook a central patio. Located near the Eiffel Tower, the bistro opened its doors in 1921 to feed the many workers of the area’s thriving car industry, and its neighbourhood character still lives on today. On the menu: a perfect beef tartare, a fillet of sea bass with fresh green beans and beurre blanc, melt-in-the-mouth profiteroles and creamy chocolate mousse.

To complete your discovery of traditional French dishes, head to the fashionable 11th arrondissement and into Bistrot Paul Bert , a restaurant which unites quality cuisine with a cosy setting straight out of Meryl Streep’s vintage Paris in 2009’s Julie & Julia. “When we opened over 30 years ago, there was no other restaurant in the street. We embody both the glorious past and the dynamic present of Parisian bistronomy,” says the owner.

The bistro occupies the premises of a former butcher’s shop, from which it has retained a few nods. The large old fridges now house a rich selection of French wine, which customers can enjoy alongside unique devilled eggs, tender beef steak with pepper sauce and a brilliant Grand Marnier soufflé. Bistrot Paul Bert also sells plates and wine glasses emblazoned with its name, a tradition maintained by most bouillons, bistros and brasseries, giving you the opportunity to take home a genuine sample of Paris’s delicious soul.