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Moveable Feasts: Paris in Twenty Meals
WINNER OF THE JANE GRIGSON TRUST AWARD
'Thoroughly entertaining (and hunger-inducing)' The Times
'A joy and an education for anyone who loves Paris' Diana Henry, author of From the Oven to the Table
Paris has a justifiable claim to be the centre of European gastronomy - but beyond its trademark terrasses and zinc-topped tables, what can its cuisine tell us about the city? Chris Newens, an award-winning food writer and long-time resident of the historic slaughterhouse quartier Villette, takes us on a delightful gastronomic journey around Paris' twenty spiralling arrondissements, seeking out, sampling and attempting to recreate a dish that represents each as it is today.
Hemingway wrote that 'wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast'. From Congolese cat fish in the 18th to Middle Eastern falafels in the 4th, to the charcuterie served at the libertine nightclubs of Pigalle in the 9th, Newens lifts the lid on the city's ever-changing, defining and irresistible food culture.
'A gorgeous romp through the city's culinary past and present that made me hungry for Paris' Olivia Potts, author of A Half-Baked Idea
'This joyful, delicious book is a feast for all the senses' Ned Palmer, author of A Cheesemonger's Tour de France
'Thoroughly entertaining (and hunger-inducing)' The Times
'A joy and an education for anyone who loves Paris' Diana Henry, author of From the Oven to the Table
Paris has a justifiable claim to be the centre of European gastronomy - but beyond its trademark terrasses and zinc-topped tables, what can its cuisine tell us about the city? Chris Newens, an award-winning food writer and long-time resident of the historic slaughterhouse quartier Villette, takes us on a delightful gastronomic journey around Paris' twenty spiralling arrondissements, seeking out, sampling and attempting to recreate a dish that represents each as it is today.
Hemingway wrote that 'wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast'. From Congolese cat fish in the 18th to Middle Eastern falafels in the 4th, to the charcuterie served at the libertine nightclubs of Pigalle in the 9th, Newens lifts the lid on the city's ever-changing, defining and irresistible food culture.
'A gorgeous romp through the city's culinary past and present that made me hungry for Paris' Olivia Potts, author of A Half-Baked Idea
'This joyful, delicious book is a feast for all the senses' Ned Palmer, author of A Cheesemonger's Tour de France
368 pages, Hardcover
Published July 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 29, 2026
This was a very enjoyable read. It’s always a good idea to combine food and Paris. While I’m not certain Newens accomplished what he set out to do (find each arrondisment’s most representative food item), it ultimately didn’t matter to me. I loved learning about Paris’ and France’s history in easily digested chapters, while also getting a very very good look at contemporary France as well. I think this is what the book does best and makes it a great read for travelers heading to Paris, especially first time visitors. Plus, who doesn’t want to read about cheese and croissants and butter?
The book also increased my saved places to visit on Google Maps, I’ve been lucky enough to get to Paris quite a bit over the years, but most of my old favorites have disappeared and I’m in the midst of discovering new ones, there is a wealth of places to explore mentioned between these covers. I was surprised to find a 20 year favorite (La Palette) included.
I would never attempt to make a definitive list of anything Paris, but here’s where you’ll currently find me in the capital.
Le Pinardier - perfect wine bar with creative food that falls in between a snack and a meal.
Lou Cantou - film set atmosphere great French basics
Le Grand Cafe - the food is only ok, the service worse, but it’s setting on the terrace is so lovely I don’t care.
Les Marronniers - best people watching for before/after dinner drinks.
And of course La Palette, my reliable go to first visited with author Kirsten Lobe on her recommendation some 20+ years ago.
The book also increased my saved places to visit on Google Maps, I’ve been lucky enough to get to Paris quite a bit over the years, but most of my old favorites have disappeared and I’m in the midst of discovering new ones, there is a wealth of places to explore mentioned between these covers. I was surprised to find a 20 year favorite (La Palette) included.
I would never attempt to make a definitive list of anything Paris, but here’s where you’ll currently find me in the capital.
Le Pinardier - perfect wine bar with creative food that falls in between a snack and a meal.
Lou Cantou - film set atmosphere great French basics
Le Grand Cafe - the food is only ok, the service worse, but it’s setting on the terrace is so lovely I don’t care.
Les Marronniers - best people watching for before/after dinner drinks.
And of course La Palette, my reliable go to first visited with author Kirsten Lobe on her recommendation some 20+ years ago.
July 9, 2026
Newens, an English journalist, grew up working in his family bakery and tea rooms, so knew of the hard labour and long, early hours that daily food preparation requires. He’d lived in Paris for a decade when he decided that his strategy for getting a broader understanding of his adopted city would be through its cuisine. Arrondissement by arrondissement, he explores culinary landmarks and famous dishes, choosing one recipe from each to recreate in his kitchen. Some of these are familiar French staples such as croissants, crêpes, macarons, a goat’s cheese salad and tartiflette. Others aren’t so much a recipe as a serving suggestion: fresh oysters, an omelette with no ingredients beyond 3 eggs, pre-packaged escargots. Tourist food can be good or terrible, depending on where you go.
To get beyond clichés and give an accurate portrait of Paris, Newens realized, it’s essential to include ethnic dishes such as banh mi, couscous, falafel, kebabs (made of equal parts lamb belly and turkey thigh meat) and meen puyabaisse (a Tamil-fusion fish stew – A Waiter in Paris taught me that many of the city’s food service workers are from Sri Lanka) to reflect the many immigrant cultures that call Paris home. To mix things up, he sometimes strays from the usual format of meeting with restaurant staff and learning a dish from them. One chapter is an elegy for the family friend through whom he first discovered French food. In others he is surprised by the delicious/awful fare on offer at a Paris soup kitchen/sex club. Ultimately, he concludes that what sets the food in France apart, no matter the cuisine in question, is the quality of the produce, so his final trip is to Rungis, the largest produce market in the world, which supplies most of Paris’s food needs at some times of year. He then ties it all together by hosting a picnic where guests cook one of his 20 recipes to bring.
This is the best sort of armchair travelling, where you get to experience the deliciousness and excitement vicariously and can be relieved that you’ve avoided all the inconvenient or embarrassing realities of interviewing strangers. I also learned a fair bit about the different districts’ personalities and how tradition meets modernity in French food. Food is a daily chance at pleasure and I just love reading about it (even though I don’t cook). Newens won a Jane Grigson Trust Award for New Food and Drink Writers, and with his curiosity and sense of humour it’s easy to see why.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
To get beyond clichés and give an accurate portrait of Paris, Newens realized, it’s essential to include ethnic dishes such as banh mi, couscous, falafel, kebabs (made of equal parts lamb belly and turkey thigh meat) and meen puyabaisse (a Tamil-fusion fish stew – A Waiter in Paris taught me that many of the city’s food service workers are from Sri Lanka) to reflect the many immigrant cultures that call Paris home. To mix things up, he sometimes strays from the usual format of meeting with restaurant staff and learning a dish from them. One chapter is an elegy for the family friend through whom he first discovered French food. In others he is surprised by the delicious/awful fare on offer at a Paris soup kitchen/sex club. Ultimately, he concludes that what sets the food in France apart, no matter the cuisine in question, is the quality of the produce, so his final trip is to Rungis, the largest produce market in the world, which supplies most of Paris’s food needs at some times of year. He then ties it all together by hosting a picnic where guests cook one of his 20 recipes to bring.
This is the best sort of armchair travelling, where you get to experience the deliciousness and excitement vicariously and can be relieved that you’ve avoided all the inconvenient or embarrassing realities of interviewing strangers. I also learned a fair bit about the different districts’ personalities and how tradition meets modernity in French food. Food is a daily chance at pleasure and I just love reading about it (even though I don’t cook). Newens won a Jane Grigson Trust Award for New Food and Drink Writers, and with his curiosity and sense of humour it’s easy to see why.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
July 30, 2026
Yes, this book was everything I hoped for in a foodie book, a travel book, a Paris book. Chris Newens takes us all around Paris, arrondissement by arrondissement, looking for the defining of food of each. He does a deep dive into each key food, tastes it, and then replicates it. In the process, we learn about the history of each Paris section and we explore the flavor, both actual and metaphorical, of each.
A satisfying book.
A satisfying book.
Did Not Finish
July 23, 2026Couldn't get into it.
December 24, 2025
Three stars go to the fact that the book is about Paris. I loved the concept and the way the book truly transports you from one arrondissement to another, all while casually teaching you something about each neighborhood. It felt like walking, eating, and wandering through Paris alongside the author.
Were all the food choices my personal favorites? Not necessarily. I would have enjoyed it more if the meals leaned more consistently toward classic French cuisine. That said, the choices were clearly personal to him, and in the end, they worked within the spirit of the book.
The structure is very organized, the tone light, and the sense of humor enjoyable. Overall, a charming, easy read for anyone who loves Paris, food, and the idea of discovering a city one meal at a time.
Were all the food choices my personal favorites? Not necessarily. I would have enjoyed it more if the meals leaned more consistently toward classic French cuisine. That said, the choices were clearly personal to him, and in the end, they worked within the spirit of the book.
The structure is very organized, the tone light, and the sense of humor enjoyable. Overall, a charming, easy read for anyone who loves Paris, food, and the idea of discovering a city one meal at a time.
August 3, 2026
My Interest
This book has been on my TBR since it was published this winter. I love a good nonfiction foodie book, and this one ticked every box! I forgot about #ParisinJuly2026 so had to scramble to find a couple of good books–this one came to mind. I know I was not the only one who read it for this event.
The Story
The Story
Foodie writer Chris lives in Paris and sets out to find “the” dish of each of the city’s 20 arrondissements [like wards in Chicago or townships in a county–not just neighborhoods but a city government district]. As he travels through the city he meets interesting people, tries interesting food, learns some interesting history and tells us about all of it. Whether it is brunch for the upper-middle class, or a salad from the bountiful produce at a superb outdoor market or–well or “anything.” The story of the people who have and now do inhabit a location makes it all much more interesting. There are people today whose grandparents came from French colonies but if they are still alive, they barely remember living anywhere but France.
Then there are the “original” French–their traditions are the foundations of a culture and that culture has a whole lot to do with exact preparation of very good, very fresh food consumed in a civilized manner at a properly set table and washed down with excellent wine. The world’s premier cheeses are severed as their own course at the main me. So, too is salad–real salad of fresh greens picked that day and carefully cleaned, mixed with the freshes herbs and lightly dressed with the perfect vinaigrette. Sorry, Hidden Valley Ranch! And no cookies–macrons! So delicate and made only one precise way. Ditto the croissant and the brioche and the baguette–all must be made precisely. Thank heaven France never adopted gross American Wonder Bread [“glue bread” a friend called it–add water and it becomes glue]. The emphasis on the best and freshest ingredients, the one correct way to chop, slice, dice, prepare and you have true foodie heaven. No microwaved bagel bites for French kids! Rocket [arugula] salad and lamb shanks or something.
My Thoughts
Without doubt my favorite chapter was the soup kitchen. This is France, not rural Southern Ohio. A proper MEAL is served to the homeless. A perfectly made seasonal soup, a fine cheese course, and…wait for it…a glass of wine. Now this is serving the people as the Lord would have done it in my humble opinion. This is what French culture demands and it is given. But wait–there’s more! I know from other books and videos that this care is taken from day care centers to school to the army. (Hospitals are still not good like most places)
While this was my favorite, I of course loved hearing about the stories of France’s immigrants–or ex-colonial “subjects” who have infused France with their own great flavors. That curry chapter was to die for! And the couscous discussion! Yes, and I am not even a big fan of couscous!
We have pretend outdoor markets here–so-called “farmer’s markets” many of which are shams where people buy produce from produce companies and bring it to a place where they can sell it from boxes at inflated prices that rich suburbanites swilling $7 coffees will willingly buy to virtue signal.[You two can pay twice the price for supermarket produce!!] The real farmers often don’t bother. I was disappointed when my great Amish food stand went commercial and now they are part of a co-op of identical buildings with some local, some purchased produce. None is anywhere near as fresh as in Paris, or in Crimea or Malawi where I bought it myself.
Other than the cheese and the better than Michelin starred local restaurants I’d also like to that curry and the salad with fresh tarragon. Tarragon as a dried herb is one I’ve never learned to like. It brings licorice to mind for me which is never good.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book–more than I thought I would! But–warning! There is a distasteful chapter on a sex club and lots of “ick”–skip it [somewhere around chapter 12 or so]. And if you are squeamish, butchering animals comes up a few times–especially near the end.
My Verdict
4.0
Moveable Feasts: A Story of Paris in Twenty Meals by Chris Newens
I listened to the audio version of this book
This book has been on my TBR since it was published this winter. I love a good nonfiction foodie book, and this one ticked every box! I forgot about #ParisinJuly2026 so had to scramble to find a couple of good books–this one came to mind. I know I was not the only one who read it for this event.
The Story
The Story
Foodie writer Chris lives in Paris and sets out to find “the” dish of each of the city’s 20 arrondissements [like wards in Chicago or townships in a county–not just neighborhoods but a city government district]. As he travels through the city he meets interesting people, tries interesting food, learns some interesting history and tells us about all of it. Whether it is brunch for the upper-middle class, or a salad from the bountiful produce at a superb outdoor market or–well or “anything.” The story of the people who have and now do inhabit a location makes it all much more interesting. There are people today whose grandparents came from French colonies but if they are still alive, they barely remember living anywhere but France.
Then there are the “original” French–their traditions are the foundations of a culture and that culture has a whole lot to do with exact preparation of very good, very fresh food consumed in a civilized manner at a properly set table and washed down with excellent wine. The world’s premier cheeses are severed as their own course at the main me. So, too is salad–real salad of fresh greens picked that day and carefully cleaned, mixed with the freshes herbs and lightly dressed with the perfect vinaigrette. Sorry, Hidden Valley Ranch! And no cookies–macrons! So delicate and made only one precise way. Ditto the croissant and the brioche and the baguette–all must be made precisely. Thank heaven France never adopted gross American Wonder Bread [“glue bread” a friend called it–add water and it becomes glue]. The emphasis on the best and freshest ingredients, the one correct way to chop, slice, dice, prepare and you have true foodie heaven. No microwaved bagel bites for French kids! Rocket [arugula] salad and lamb shanks or something.
My Thoughts
Without doubt my favorite chapter was the soup kitchen. This is France, not rural Southern Ohio. A proper MEAL is served to the homeless. A perfectly made seasonal soup, a fine cheese course, and…wait for it…a glass of wine. Now this is serving the people as the Lord would have done it in my humble opinion. This is what French culture demands and it is given. But wait–there’s more! I know from other books and videos that this care is taken from day care centers to school to the army. (Hospitals are still not good like most places)
While this was my favorite, I of course loved hearing about the stories of France’s immigrants–or ex-colonial “subjects” who have infused France with their own great flavors. That curry chapter was to die for! And the couscous discussion! Yes, and I am not even a big fan of couscous!
We have pretend outdoor markets here–so-called “farmer’s markets” many of which are shams where people buy produce from produce companies and bring it to a place where they can sell it from boxes at inflated prices that rich suburbanites swilling $7 coffees will willingly buy to virtue signal.[You two can pay twice the price for supermarket produce!!] The real farmers often don’t bother. I was disappointed when my great Amish food stand went commercial and now they are part of a co-op of identical buildings with some local, some purchased produce. None is anywhere near as fresh as in Paris, or in Crimea or Malawi where I bought it myself.
Other than the cheese and the better than Michelin starred local restaurants I’d also like to that curry and the salad with fresh tarragon. Tarragon as a dried herb is one I’ve never learned to like. It brings licorice to mind for me which is never good.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book–more than I thought I would! But–warning! There is a distasteful chapter on a sex club and lots of “ick”–skip it [somewhere around chapter 12 or so]. And if you are squeamish, butchering animals comes up a few times–especially near the end.
My Verdict
4.0
Moveable Feasts: A Story of Paris in Twenty Meals by Chris Newens
I listened to the audio version of this book
October 18, 2025
I loved this book so much - from the humility of its excited and enthusiastic narrator who takes us down the Paris spiral, the way it tells Paris’s history through its many foods and nationalities, to the hope it instills in its reader - a hope that we can still find ways to connect in a city and a world that struggles to be ”personal” or ”distinct” in the shadow of an increasingly globalised and culture sick political environment. Whether Parisian, expat, immigrant or tourist, you will walk the streets of Paris differently after reading this book. P.S, don’t read it when you’re hungry!
March 27, 2026
This book was a lot of fun for someone who loves Paris. The author came up with a neat concept. He decided to visit each of the 20 arrondissements (districts) of Paris, learn about their history and social makeup, identify a single dish that would represent that district and then learn to make that dish at home. So we get 20 chapters as he goes from the outer edges of the city spiraling into the core. The anecdotes are fun, and the author has a way of getting random people to talk with him from homeless people to the elite of Paris society. Recommended.
July 21, 2025
I appreciate that the book starts with a big question - what is the representative dish of each arrondissement? - and that the author quickly accepts the subjectivity of this quest.
Something that could have easily been just another Paris guide book is instead a very personal journey through the city, and one I very much enjoyed reading. It was a nice reminder to really consider what and where we eat, and to stay curious, because there is a story behind every dish.
Something that could have easily been just another Paris guide book is instead a very personal journey through the city, and one I very much enjoyed reading. It was a nice reminder to really consider what and where we eat, and to stay curious, because there is a story behind every dish.
January 1, 2026
Such a personable book, where you're gaining a deep understanding of the food and culture of Paris through a likeable narrative voice. One of the only non-fiction books I have actually read and enjoyed. Can't wait to try some of these restaurants.
February 27, 2026
4.5. I liked this quite a bit more than I thought I would because it wasn’t only about traditional French food. It’s a (not the) food story of the actual city of Paris, as it exists right now, rather than the idolized Paris you get in most food writing about the city.
March 24, 2026
Fantastic blend of history, gastronomy, Paris-philia and a bit of autobiography to help us identify with this quest through the 20 arondissements searching for the quintessential Paris. An ideal book to read before or after a trip to la Belle Ville. Tres bien!
August 12, 2026
I thought this concept might get a bit dry or repetitive - 20 arrondissements is a lot of neighborhoods to each claim a unique meal - but the author does a great job of uncovering deeper and fresh angles for each chapter.
March 18, 2026
Let the Francophiles in your life know about this book!
May 14, 2026
This book rules ❤️
May 21, 2026
A fun and informative look behind the scenes of the excellent culinary life in Paris in each arrondissement, highlighting their specialties.
May 26, 2026
A beautiful declaration of love to Paris and food, loved it!
Did Not Finish
June 15, 2026The idea is cool. The stories are interesting. The writing is good. It's just not holding my attention. I may circle back to this. Could just be I'm not in the mood for this kind of book right now.
Read
July 30, 2026I absolutely loved the phrase "vertiginous meat carousel." Not so fond of the many descriptions of hangovers.
July 9, 2025
Fantastic book! I don't know Paris particularly well, but that didn't matter at all as Chris Newens is such a thoughtful, curious and entertaining guide through the city's arrondissements, each chapter told through the story of a representative meal.
It's such a clever way of sharing with us what he has learned about Parisian society today, as well as in its recent history. To me this is as much a travel book as it is a food book, and Chris Newens paints such a rich picture of a complex and contradictory modern-day Paris, exploring every corner of the city. Particular highlights for me were the chapter about the homeless communities living in the park, and of course his escapades at Moon City (no spoilers).
For an Anthony Bourdain fan like myself, this book was a real treat, and I can't wait to read whatever Newens writes next. Congratulations Chris Newens!
It's such a clever way of sharing with us what he has learned about Parisian society today, as well as in its recent history. To me this is as much a travel book as it is a food book, and Chris Newens paints such a rich picture of a complex and contradictory modern-day Paris, exploring every corner of the city. Particular highlights for me were the chapter about the homeless communities living in the park, and of course his escapades at Moon City (no spoilers).
For an Anthony Bourdain fan like myself, this book was a real treat, and I can't wait to read whatever Newens writes next. Congratulations Chris Newens!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews