What do you think?
Rate this book
Hungry for Paris: The Ultimate Guide to the City's 102 Best Restaurants
Librarian note: There is a newer, second edition of Hungry for Paris here.
This new and updated first edition version (published in September 2010) of Hungry for Paris, the most authoritative and charming guide to eating well in the French capital, includes reviews of all of the really fabulous new restaurants you won't want to miss during your next trip to Paris, as well as updated maps and indexes.
WHEN IN PARIS. . . .
If you’re passionate about eating well during your next trip to Paris, you couldn’t ask for a better travel companion than Alexander Lobrano’s charming, friendly, and authoritative Hungry for Paris, the first new comprehensive guide in many years to the city’s restaurant scene. Lobrano, Gourmet magazine’s European correspondent, has written for almost every major food and travel magazine since he became an American in Paris in 1986. Here he shares his personal selection of the city’s 102 best restaurants, each of which is portrayed in savvy, fun, lively descriptions that are not only indispensable for finding a superb meal but a pleasure to read.
Lobrano reveals the hottest young chefs, the coziest bistros, the best buys–including those haute cuisine restaurants that are really worth the money–and the secret places Parisians love most, together with information on the most delicious dishes, ambience, clientele, and history of each restaurant. A series of delightful essays cover various aspects of dining in Paris, including “Table for One” (how to eat alone), “The Four Seasons” (the best of seasonal eating in Paris), and “Eating the Unspeakable” (learning to eat what you don’t think you like). All restaurants are keyed to helpful maps, and the book is seasoned with beautiful photographs by Life magazine photographer Bob Peterson that will only help whet your appetite for tasting Paris.
This new and updated first edition version (published in September 2010) of Hungry for Paris, the most authoritative and charming guide to eating well in the French capital, includes reviews of all of the really fabulous new restaurants you won't want to miss during your next trip to Paris, as well as updated maps and indexes.
WHEN IN PARIS. . . .
If you’re passionate about eating well during your next trip to Paris, you couldn’t ask for a better travel companion than Alexander Lobrano’s charming, friendly, and authoritative Hungry for Paris, the first new comprehensive guide in many years to the city’s restaurant scene. Lobrano, Gourmet magazine’s European correspondent, has written for almost every major food and travel magazine since he became an American in Paris in 1986. Here he shares his personal selection of the city’s 102 best restaurants, each of which is portrayed in savvy, fun, lively descriptions that are not only indispensable for finding a superb meal but a pleasure to read.
Lobrano reveals the hottest young chefs, the coziest bistros, the best buys–including those haute cuisine restaurants that are really worth the money–and the secret places Parisians love most, together with information on the most delicious dishes, ambience, clientele, and history of each restaurant. A series of delightful essays cover various aspects of dining in Paris, including “Table for One” (how to eat alone), “The Four Seasons” (the best of seasonal eating in Paris), and “Eating the Unspeakable” (learning to eat what you don’t think you like). All restaurants are keyed to helpful maps, and the book is seasoned with beautiful photographs by Life magazine photographer Bob Peterson that will only help whet your appetite for tasting Paris.
464 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2008
58 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 28, 2019
Yes, it's a guide book, but I actually read this nearly straight through. We are planning a trip to Paris next spring and I saw this book mentioned on David Lebovitz's blog... it is excellent! I feel like I learned a lot about Paris cuisine, neighborhoods and culture just by reading this book. Sure, I skimmed a few entries, but I totally enjoyed all the anecdotes and descriptions of meals. I don't know how many restaurants mentioned here we'll make it to, but I sure made a few notes!
November 15, 2017
One of the best foodie guide books I've ever come across. We used this on our first trip to Paris and it did NOT disappoint ... until the 2nd trip when places we had fallen in love with from the book were no longer there. :-( Discovered Lobrano's website which updates the books and locations to keep his readers up to date on the constantly changing restaurant scene in one of the most beautiful and travelled cities on the planet.
June 8, 2008
This book turned out to be an excellent resource during our recent trip to Paris. We ended up trying 5 restaurants he recommended, and all were excellent and great experiences. In addition, his reviews and the essays interspersed throughout the book are entertaining and informative. For those unfamiliar with French food (or language) you may have difficulty identifying the foods he eats as the names aren't always presented in both French and English, but overall I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone traveling to Paris or who justs wants to vicariously enjoy some great dining experiences.
June 14, 2008
This book did not steer us wrong on our recent trip to Paris. I dined at six of the restaurants recommended by the author and had terrific meals at all of them. One of the restaurants, Au Bascou, specializes in Basque cooking. My husband and I decided to try it on his birthday and we weren't disappointed...everything (the wine, service, food) was wonderful. Our only misstep was walking in circles around the 17th arrondissement trying to find one of the mentioned restaurants for lunch, only to find it doesn't exist anymore. That was slightly surprising since the book came out in April of this year, but I certainly don't hold the author responsible for that.
November 15, 2008
Alec assembles a concise collection of wonderful addresses you'd be unlikely to find on your own. Like a Michelin guide for the even-more-discriminating, this book provides much more insight on each restaurant than any other guide I have seen. The emphasis is on small and unique places, with a smattering of the Grandes Dames.
I also suggest his columns for Gourmet Magazine, which appear regularly.
I also suggest his columns for Gourmet Magazine, which appear regularly.
July 5, 2011
Love it!! The author does a wonderful job of making me feel like he is talking just to me as he explains his early love of french food. This book is so much more than just a listing and descriptipon of the 100 best restaurants in Paris, he really does a great job of making you feel like you are there too.
Read
April 13, 2015"Lobrano is a true gourmand, his passion for great food coming across in sensual prose."
Read more here.
Read more here.
October 3, 2014
A fun and insightful guide to dining in Paris. Equally as interesting as his descriptions of the food and establishments are his anecdotes about his own journey on dining in Paris and those of his friends. Don't read this while hungry.
May 29, 2016
I loved this book, because it turned out to be a great read in addition to being a really authoritative and useful guide to Paris restaurants. The author has a great prose style and is a fine story-teller.
January 13, 2017
Really nicely done excerpts about nice bistros in Paris. Good focus on restaurants that won't break the bank. Excerpts captured the atmosphere as well as the food.
October 26, 2009
Great recommendations for restaurants in Paris - his blog was also very useful!
January 23, 2012
Preparing for trip to Paris.
December 9, 2012
best book out there to tell you where to eat.
February 14, 2013
30 euros per person is inexpensive!? This dining may be a bit finer than my wallet can handle. But the stories were good and I'll definitely try to find some of the places he mentions.
June 11, 2013
Makes me hungry each time I pick this up! Good guide if you are headg to Paris
March 28, 2015
This book will make you want to get on the next plane to Paris
December 2, 2013
Great book about the food culture in Paris. The recommended falafel restaurant in the Marais is not to be missed.
October 27, 2015
Not a book you read from cover to cover but a nice guide to food writer Lobrano's favorite restaurants in Paris.
May 9, 2016
A lovely travel book.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews