Le Baratin

Perched on the Belleville hill since 1987, Le Baratin is the chefs’ favourite bistro. Star pastry chef Pierre Hermé, for example, visits this cheerful little spot at least every two weeks to fill up on Raquel Carena’s homely cooking, with the occasional exotic twist.

Behind this feat is a complementary duo with a Bonnie-and-Clyde dynamic. Down in the cellar, one of the pioneers of natural wine, owner Philippe Pinoteau aka Pinuche, curates a characterful list in his own image. In the kitchen, Raquel Carena, a legend of bistro cooking, delights regulars daily – offal front and centre – with a cuisine that’s as disarmingly sincere as it is comforting.

The menu, scrawled up on a blackboard, changes weekly or even daily, guided by local, seasonal produce – though there are some frequent fixtures (the aforementioned offal included). But all dishes draw on her native Argentina – you might find tuna carpaccio with cherries, roast Basque lamb with new potatoes and spinach, and hazelnut puddings paired with delicious dessert wines. If the food weren’t so fantastic, it would still be worth coming for the mostly organic wines. Just be warned: we haven’t always found the service the friendliest here. But that’s proper bistros for you. 

Time Out tip: Le Baratin attracts gourmands from all over Paris – so be sure to book.