Where to Eat and Drink Near the Opera

Here are a few restaurants and cafés worth visiting before or after Palais Garnier.

Restaurant Mieux This French restaurant serves seasonal cooking built on very fresh ingredients: all meat is French, fish comes only from small-scale fisheries, and dairy products come only from farms. It has been selected by the Michelin Guide and is well known, so prices can run high. We recommend booking ahead through Google Maps.

Le Grand Café Capucines This historic café opened in the 1800s. It serves classic French dishes such as escargots and onion soup.

Stohrer This is a dessert destination, and it's a roughly 20-minute walk from Palais Garnier, so it may feel a bit far. But it's a bakery that opened in 1730, which makes it well worth recommending. It sells traditional French desserts such as baba au rhum, Saint-Honoré, tarte framboise and éclairs, and we especially recommend the baba au rhum and the Saint-Honoré. Because baba au rhum contains rum, it can be hit or miss: if you don't handle alcohol well or dislike the taste of rum, it may not be for you. If you're visiting in a group, let those who like it order it. Some desserts come in jars, which also make great gifts and souvenirs.

Starbucks Capucines This one is famous for an interior that echoes Palais Garnier, which makes it different from other Starbucks locations. Don't expect much from the coffee, the service or the cleanliness, though. Its draws are the beautiful interior and a free restroom, so drop in lightly, snap a photo, rest a moment or use the restroom, and then move on. Because the restroom is free, there are often more visitors than elsewhere, and lines can be long.

Locations are in the Google Maps link under "Learn More" at the bottom of this script. Check the menus and reviews and pick the places that suit you.