Walking around Paris, viewing the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame and taking a boat ride along The River Seine can leave you and your family exhausted. With an empty stomach, things can get a bit nasty when you have a hungry 5 year old, trust me… I know!
Paris is full of wonderful (and some not so wonderful) restaurants offering different cuisines aimed at families with young children. Here is a list of restaurants we visited while out in Paris, all are family-friendly, with good service and menu selections.
Le Grand Café – French, Seafood, Gastropub $$$
Le Grand Café restaurant is a warm and comfortable place, located at the Place De L’Opera. They have a 3 course menu which you will enjoy and menus that are also translated in different languages.
Pizza Pino – Italian, Pizza, Pasta $$
This is an Italian Restaurant is in the heart of Champs Elysees, and has a warm and comfortable atmosphere (when not busy). Staff were friendly and very welcoming and their pizzas were really good and the servings were just right.
Big Fernand – French, American, Fast Food $$
The moment you see and smell those burgers, your mouth will water. Try also Little Fernand, Big Fernand’s little brother whose menu is also composed of hot dogs, coleslaw, brownies and more. The recipes are cooked with a French twist, which makes it so special. You’ll have to try it to find out!
Pho 13 – Vietnamese $$
This is a very popular Vietnamese restaurant. Being in the restaurant will make you feel like you are in Vietnam. The restaurant is a 5-7min walk from the metro station (Place d’Iitale) and the restaurant has outdoor tables which we preferred. It has a quick service and turn over and everyone spoke English (which was quite helpful). Their menu has several tasty and colorful dishes to choose from. It will give the whole family a chance to experience authentic Vietnamese food with large servings. The highlight is the Pho dish itself.
La Butte Aux Piafs – French/International $$$
This restaurant is located in Butte Aux Cailles and is very popular with the younger crowd. Their menu is French, but they also have burgers (which were really good), steak, vegetarian lasagna, and seared tuna for the weight conscious people. The restaurant has is retro 60s style which the kids loved and the waitresses were very polite and friendly.
Let me share a secret!
Parisians don’t encounter the problem of forcing their child to eat healthy or to eat their vegetables. If you have the chance to observe them while in Paris you will see children eating what’s served on their plate…not throwing any tantrums.
As mentioned before, in my article “How to Turn Your Kids into Foodies”, you can introduce new eating habits to your child as early as three years old. Schools in France give children a 3o-minute time limit to sit and eat their meal and provide them with proper table settings and 3-course meals which is something we lack in the US.
So during your visit, take advantage of the time to incorporate it in your child’s life, seeing other children with healthy food habit may convince them to try new things as well.