The Best of British in Paris

At Bol Porridge Bar, porridge is a sophisticated lifestyle choice. This pocket-handkerchief-sized space is a dreamy slice of Scandinavian-inspired design, all pastel tones, blond wood, elegant grain-filled glass vessels and piles of interiors magazines. Breakfast porridge flavours are all warming fruit and spice, and can be made with soy, almond or oat milk on request, while jugs of water flavoured with star anise are set on every table...

The Shannon is an Irish pub in Montparnasse. The décor is sombre with Spartan furnishings (stools, benches and barrels). On the face of it, the bar is fairly unremarkable: the staff is friendly enough, while the pints are on the expensive side (between €6.50 and €7.50). But the bar’s décor and offerings are not the real draw. We come for the inclusive atmosphere created by its open and approachable clientele. Free of the usual Parisian tics, clients come to the Shannon for nights out with friends...

As you might reasonably have guessed, here it’s all about the steak. At the reins is star Parisian butcher Yves-Marie le Bourdonnec, well known for selling premium British cuts at his eponymous butcher’s in the 16th arrondissement. Now, he’s branching out into the restaurant world with this stylish debut opening near Châtelet. Served with Charlotte potatoes cooked in duck fat and grilled Paris mushrooms, the steak dish we order is juicy, generous and comforting in equal measure...

 The oldest Irish pub on the left bank, and one of the three oldest in Paris. Unlike many of its blander contemporaries, Connolly’s Corner could almost be mistaken for an authentic Dublin tavern. It’s squirrelled away on the Rue Mouffetard, an area that counts plenty of soulless pubs, so happy are those who find it, for it’s said to serve the best Guinness in Paris. There are also innumerable excellent whiskies decorating the shelf behind the bar...

That humble British classic fish ‘n’ chips is getting the royal treatment on both sides of the channel, riding the current wave of enthusiasm for gourmet versions of comfort food. At George (named, intriguingly, for both George Harrison and George Michael, whose portraits hang in the dining room), top quality fish is dispatched daily from the Rungis market, ready for filleting in the kitchen and frying in the finest batter...

With its plain white frontage and understated interior design, this small Indian restaurant offers modern cooking in a sleek and stylish setting. Owners Stéphanie and Arnaud de Saint-Simon have already had great success with MG Road in the 3rd arrondissement, and they aim to top that here at Desi Road.The extensive menu of ‘small plates’ for sharing can be hard to choose from, but standouts include the healthy and spicy ‘Malai Prawn’ (prawns cooked in cream with curry leaves, mustard and freshly grated coconut) and the ‘lamb cake’ (with potatoes, curry yoghurt and cress)...

Perched the left bank hillock of Montagne Saint-Geneviève, The Bombardier is the place to come to drink stout in peace and to indulge in a bit of nostalgia for the other side of the channel, if you're so inclined. An extra boon is the unabashed British pub menu, from the generous breakfast to the fish and chips via chicken, fish or vegetable curry with mango chutney (yes, curry is Britain's national dish). A great place to hole up when the weather suggests you're back in London, not Paris...

This English-themed café run by a Franco-British couple stands out for the quality of its ingredients – organic or from small producers – as well as the too-good-to-be-true puddings: carrot cake, sticky toffee pudding and, in winter, a chocolate-chestnut tart. The DIY salad plate is crunchily satisfying, but the thin-crusted pizzettes, daily soups and occasional risottos are equally good choices. Don't expect much beyond scones in the morning except at weekends, when brunch is served to a packed-out house...

Found halfway up the hill in Belleville, this pretty, on-trend café was founded by two coffee-roasting experts who cut their teeth at Ten Belles and who source their beans from the Brûlerie de Belleville. Apart from the top-notch coffee, it's worth stopping by for the quality menu, which runs from breakfast time until closing at 6pm. Patisserie, sandwiches and granola start the day (around €3-€4), while lunch might include soup or an Italian piadina wrap...

This sumptuous Art Deco bar, specialising in absinthe-laced cocktails, takes its name from the New Orleans brothel madam and procuress Lulu White. Nestled on Rue Frochot with a discreet windowless façade, Lulu White’s only marker is a small brass engraving of its namesake, taken from a 1920s mug shot. With its all-English staff and turn-of-the century décor, the bar is truly a world apart from both the sex shops and gourmet grocers nearby...