How-to Have the Most Romantic All-Day Dining Experience in Paris

The must-visit café once frequented by Hemingway and Picasso, how to pack the perfect Eiffel Tower picnic, and the most romantic restaurant in Paris.

Paris. Just hearing the word itself elicits a feeling. A feeling that is not easily defined, because there’s no real way to put into words how one feels sitting in a French café with an ambiance full of accordion music, fresh flowers, warm pain au chocolats, and a perfect café Americano. However, as I sit here back in California with French music blaring through my headphones, I’ll do my best, because our most recent trip to this treasured destination was si magnifique! Here are the 3 spots I 12/10 recommend for the most romantic dining day in Paris.

1. Breakfast at Café de Flore

Jonathan and I do our very best to avoid tourist traps while traveling. However, sometimes the location tag on Instagram is simply too enticing i.e. I give you, Café de Flore. When you round the corner of Boulevard Saint-Germain and Rue Saint-Benoît you’ll see this place is just as much ‘reality’ as it is ‘Instagram.’ I highly recommend starting your day here.

The café is nothing new, staking claim since the 1800s and once known to be frequented by the likes of Hemingway and Picasso. The sun-kissed terrace tables, while first-come-first-serve, are as hard to come by as a prime time table at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. If you’re patient and don’t have a set schedule, opt for the terrace table. There’s people watching and then there’s OMG THESE ARE THE MOST CHIC people watching, and this is the latter. You might also be able to catch an aspiring author with a pencil in one hand leisurely scribbling a potential masterpiece and a cigarette in the other. (*12/10 recommend)

Worth a mention: Another one of my favorite cafés not quite celebrity-striken (that I know of) but more than worth a mention and home to my very favorite chocolate croissants is Maison Plisson. It’s located in the 3rd arrondissement and is host to a magical array of pastries and just about everything else you would ever need or want in a market. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus, if you visit on the weekend you can catch the farmer’s market set up out front which is an experience in itself. In case you are unfamiliar, like I was, in order to get what an American would consider a chocolate croissant one must order a ‘pan au chocolat’ which literally means chocolate bread. (*12/10 recommend)

2. Lunch at the Eiffel Tower

If you’ve ever heard the song “Paris in the Rain” by Lauv then you can probably imagine that there’s actually nothing more romantic than being in Paris…in the rain. Unless of course it rains on your picnic, Thankfully we finished before it really started to coming down, so we really got the best of both.

How to get the perfect picnic: Well if you’re the type that likes to vacation with minimal responsibility, you're in luck! There are a few services that will actually pack the picnic for you and some even deliver! Picnics in Paris by Zia offers picnics to-go, and they include a blanket too. (kinda genius) Or you could always have your snacks delivered using a service like Deliveroo.

How to pack the perfect picnic: However, (being picky and wanting a somewhat authentic experience) I opted to pop in and out of every grocery store and fresh bakery we passed along the way. There are quite a few options in the 7th arrondissement which is where you’ll find the Parc du Champ de Mars, aka the park around the Eiffel Tower. One thing I noticed as we weaved in and out of Monoprix, Franprix, and Carrefour City, searching for the stinkiest cheese and freshest baguettes is that a lot of stores run out of fresh baguettes in the afternoon. (cue the panic) Thankfully, a few steps closer to the Tower are plenty of cute bakeries like Les Gourmandises D'Eiffel that do not run out of this picnic staple. (phew!) They also have little fresh fruit cups filled with grapes and berries. Now, there are conflicting reports on whether alcohol is allowed on the green. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t toast Jonathan with one of our favorite French sparkling wines (Code Rouge) and I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t see just about every other picnicker doing the same. However, some reports say it’s prohibited, others say it’s only prohibited at certain times…je ne parle pas français! As always, be respectful of other cities, their rules, and their culture.

What to pack: A blanket, baguette, cheese, mini mustard bottles, mini jam bottles, little meats or a meat alternative, fresh fruit, olives, plasticware + plates, beverage of choice, cups, bottle opener, napkins, and a bag for trash.

3. Dinner in Montmarte

If you find yourself looking to dine in a storybook setting without having a Hollywood budget allow me to introduce you to, La Maison Rose. This perfectly placed pink building is located on the corner of Rue de l'Abreuvoir, in Montmarte, one of the world’s more charming villages. Its cobblestone streets lead to the stunning Basilica, breathtaking views of Paris, and French filled terraces like the one we found at La Maison Rose. The people working there were so nice it actually baffled me. The restaurant was busy and we didn’t have a reservation, so the waiter set up a bistro table across the street and served us by candlelight. The French house wine was exactly what you’d hope it would be, as is the people watching. We took our time and watched as couples cozied up together, groups of people ran by in what I would assume was French Crossfit, friends laughed over carafes of wine, and the chef expressively danced around the kitchen on the second floor. (*12/10 recommend)

As far as dessert goes, I’m pretty simple. There are of course classic French desserts such as, Apple Tarte Tatin, Babas au Rhum, and Chocolate Mousse, but I’d recommend picking up some macaroons.

Hopefully at this point, you’re full. If not, Paris has very good pizza fyi. Bon appétit! 

xx,

The Love Lock Bridge

Also worth a romantic mention is of course the Pont des Arts aka the ‘Love Lock Bridge.’ For years, hundreds of thousands of lovers locked personalized padlocks to the bridge and tossed the key in the Seine River. However, in the past couple years city officials starting removing the locks citing that the bridge ‘can no longer withstand the gestures of love.’ While they ask that you no longer add to the bridge, it’s still a beautiful image of love worth visiting.

rachel

South Florida based travel blogger creating a diary of how-to’s for 12/10 recs

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