Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
$$ La Brasserie de l'Ile St. Louis
is situated at the prow of the island's ship as it faces
Ile de la Cité, offering purely Alsatian cuisine (try the
choucroute garnie
or
coq au riesling
for €19), served in a vigorous, Teutonic setting with no-nonsense, slap-it-down service on
wine-stained paper tablecloths. This is a good, balmy-evening perch for watching the Ile St.
Louis promenade. If it's chilly, the interior is fun for a memorable night out (closed Wed, no
reservations, 55 Quai de Bourbon, tel. 01 43 54 02 59).
$$ L'Orangerie
is an inviting place with soft lighting and comfortable seating where
dinersspeakinhushedvoicessothateveryonecanappreciatethedeliciouscuisineandtaste-
ful setting (€35 three-course
menu
, €27 two-course
menu
, Tue-Sun from 19:00, closed Mon,
28 Rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile, tel. 01 46 33 93 98).
$AubergedelaReineBlanche
welcomesdinerswillingtorubelbowswiththeirneigh-
bors under heaving beams. Earnest owner Michel serves traditional cuisine at reasonable
prices.Thegiantgoat-cheesesaladisabeefymealinitself(€20two-course
menu
,€25three-
course
menu
, daily from 18:00, 30 Rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile, tel. 01 46 33 07 87).
$ Café Med,
near the pedestrian bridge to Notre-Dame, is a tiny, cheery
crêperie
with
good-valuesalads,crêpes,and€11
plats
(€14and€20
menus,
daily,limitedwinelist,77Rue
St. Louis-en-l'Ile, tel. 01 43 29 73 17). Two similar
crêperies
are just across the street.
Riverside Picnic for Impoverished Romantics
(See “Marais Restaurants” map,
here
.)
On sunny lunchtimes and balmy evenings, the
quai
on the Left Bank side of Ile St. Louis
is lined with locals who have more class than money, spreading out tablecloths and even
lighting candles for elegant picnics. And tourists can enjoy the same budget meal. A handy
grocery store at #67 on the main drag (open until 22:00, closed Tue) has tabouli and other
simple, cheap take-away dishes foryourpicnicking pleasure. The bakery a few blocks down
at #40 serves quiche and pizza (open until 20:00, closed Sun-Mon).
Ice-Cream Dessert
(See “Marais Restaurants” map,
here
.)
HalfthepeoplestrollingIleSt.Louisarelickinganice-creamcone,becausethisisthehome
of
lesglacesBerthillon
(nowsoldthroughoutParis).Theoriginal
Berthillon
shop,at31Rue
St.Louis-en-l'Ile,ismarkedbythelineofsalivatingcustomers(closedMon-Tue).Foraless
famousbutatleastassatisfyingtreat,thehomemadeItaliangelatoablockawayat
Amorino
Gelati
isgivingBerthilloncompetition(noline,biggerportions,easiertoseewhatyouwant,
and they offer little tastes—Berthillon doesn't need to, 47 Rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile, tel. 01 44
07 48 08). Having some of each is not a bad thing.