Germain

Quaint rue de Buci has been shaken up by the extravagance of Germain, a versatile brasserie halfway between Alice in Wonderland and London's Sketch. The heated terrace is great for people watching, and the main ground-floor room, which features the lower part of a vast yellow statue piercing through the ceiling above, is perfect for a quick lunch.

There's also a cosy salon for cocktails, a more conservative dining room at the back, and a private room on the first floor with a snooker table and the top half of the yellow statue. The food is almost childishly classic, but always with a twist (ham and butter macaroni with truffle) and not as expensive as you might expect.