10 Of The Best Gourmet Food Shops In Paris, France

A step away from the historic Place de la République in the 10th arrondissement, Du Pain et des Idées is more than just your average boulangerie. Under the direction of ex-fashion industry sales executive Christophe Vasseur, this beautiful bakery — dating back to 1889 — creates delicious bread and pastries. The pistachio-chocolate escargot is a popular choice. What’s more, this bakery is just a stone’s throw from Canal St. Martin — the ideal location to eat and watch the world go by.

Part of the famed Bon Marché department store in the sixth arrondissement, La Grande Epicerie is widely considered the best food shop in Paris. Traversing the world from the Middle East to Brazil, you’ll find white truffle honey, caviar crisps, to classic fruit jellies in this high-end foodie paradise. Any one of the store’s themed gift-boxes — ‘Rive Gauche’, ‘Dolce Vita’ or ‘100% brunch’ — will make for a lovely gift. La Fermette | © Alice White Walker

In the middle of the bustling Rue Montorgueil in the second arrondissement, La Fermette is the place for all your cheese needs. Choose from an array of French produce including 12-month-aged comté, rounds of camembert and a huge variety of goats’ cheese. Furthermore, there’s top-notch quality saucisson, pickles, chutneys and jams to accompany your feast. The obliging vendors can also vacuum-pack your cheese for the journey home.

Located in the trendy SoPi neighborhood (South Pigalle), Causses is where the cool kids go to get their groceries. They stock a beautiful range of seasonal fruit and vegetables, plus eclectic seasonings and dressings, coffee beans, glazed fruit, cheese biscuits, and a range of over 50 French wines. If you want something to go, choose from their selection of freshly-made salads, soups and sandwiches, and intriguing juice mixes such as radish, turnip, strawberry and apple.

Located in the Marais, La Maison Plisson’s expansive space is divided into a food hall on one side, and a restaurant on the other. Hailed for their excellent service and fine produce, La Maison Plisson is your own personalized deli with beautifully laid-out divisions including a rotisserie, butcher, cheesemonger and charcuterie. Head downstairs for cereals, crisps, and a high-quality range of liqueurs. If you’re too tempted to wait, chef Bruno Doucet transforms the shop’s offerings into well-executed creations at the in-house restaurant.

Found on one of the inclines up to the Sacré Cœur, Jeanne B is a port of calm in Montmartre. Like its sister, Jeanne A, here the emphasis is on rotisserie. From traditional succulent whole chickens to duck thighs, paired with creamy dauphinoise potatoes, to succulent meat pies, and poached peaches with mascarpone, there’s nothing at Jeanne B that isn’t delicious. Everything on the menu — including the signature croqu’homard (a lobster spin on the Croque Monsieur) — is available to take away.

Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie is the place to come if foie gras is your thing. With duck, goose and truffle-infused options, splurge on up to 530g of the rich French delicacy. The luxury doesn’t stop there with salmon gravlax, black pudding, caviar and terrines on the menu as well. Continue to the wine cellar where one of their carefully-selected French wines and champagnes will round off your aristocratic fare.

Paris’s eastern arrondissements are home to many cool, independent places to eat and L’Epicerie du Verre Volé is no exception. A short walk from Rue Oberkampf, this épicerie-cum-sandwich shop contains all of the understated charm of its sister — the highly-regarded bistro Le Verre Volé. You’ll find some niche brands here, from English beers and fruit juices, Italian passata and spiced oils. Create your own freshly-made sandwich with layers of quality ingredients such as Neapolitan mozzarella, smoked herring, pig’s snout, Genevan pesto and Tandoori chicken. A seasonal menu with an exceptionally high standard, a snack from here is the ideal refuel for the Parisian streets.

Found in the heart of Montmartre, in between metros Blanche and Abbesses, Appellations d’Origine looks like a French version of an old fashioned English sweet shop. You’ll be pressed to choose between their regional specialties, including tins of terrines and rillettes, flavored nougats and licorice candies, luxury jams and a range of French aperitifs. The authenticity and presentation of each product won’t go unnoticed among fans of traditional French cuisine.