Best Belleville Restaurants (By a Local)

Belleville is rapidly rising in Paris popularity, especially for visitors looking to break away from the tourist track and explore a more local side of the city. But beyond being a hip corner of this world capital, the best restaurants in Belleville are regularly recognized as among the best in Paris, drawing crowds to dig into some of the most innovative and authentic cuisine the City of Lights has to offer.

I’ve lived in the heart of Belleville for a little over two years, and before moving to the neighborhood, it was where I spent most of my time. It’s a glorious epicurean mix of Chinese, North African, and French dining, with everything from affordable bowls to noodles to candlelit wine bars.

As a major foodie, I’ve eaten my way through the area and compiled a list of the ten best restaurants in Belleville to help anyone looking for truly delicious food in the neighborhood. At the end of this post, I’ve also included a quick list of some of my favorite bakeries, bars, and coffee spots, because after all, you can find it all in our slice of East Paris heaven.

Map of Belleville Restaurants

10 Best Restaurants in Belleville, Paris

While formerly Paris’ Chinatown, Belleville has transformed into an eclectic melting pot of cuisines from around the world. Alongside family run Asian restaurants and couscous spots, you’ll find hip, new places put on by young local chefs brimming with small plates and a queue of smoking bobos down the block. It’s a treat exploring the restaurant scene outside of hauty central Paris, especially if you’ve spent time in the city and are looking to dig deeper into what’s truly on offer.

1. Paloma

Paloma is my favorite restaurant in Belleville and though it’s well loved, it still has a cozy neighborhood vibe. Every day, there’s a prix fixe lunch menu for €17 that includes an appetizer, main, and dessert – the first time I went for lunch, the entire restaurant was eating heaping plates of chicken wings!

In the evenings, Paloma turns into a full Parisian wine bar, with dim lighting, candles, and creative small plates to share made with seasonal ingredients. The handwritten menu is scrawled on a chalkboard, which you’re encouraged to read over a glass of local wine. I recommend the duck tataki (one of their mainstays), but anything you order will be delicious.

Both lunch and dinner menus change every day, and Paloma posts them on their Instagram stories (@paloma.belleville) if you want to know what you’re in for.

dinner at paloma, one of the best restaurants in belleville paris

2. Loan (ex AsianSoup)

While Belleville is best known for Chinese food, the Vietnamese scene is just as big. I’d stake my life on the fact that Loan (formerly Asian Soup) is the best Vietnamese restaurant in Belleville, beating out mainstays like Dong Huong just down the block. I eat here pretty much every day for lunch, and after trying all the pho in Belleville, I’m 100% certain that Loan has the best flavor, the lowest price, and the top quality.

Choose between a small or large size, and fix it up however you like it. You’ll be served a plate of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and a hoisin sriracha peanut sauce that alone will make you want to come back. If you’re not huge on soup, opt for a bo bun or the grilled pork ribs, and you won’t be disappointed. Nems (spring rolls) are a must.

The family that owns it is central to our Belleville community, and I truly can’t recommend any better restaurant (or people) in the area. My go to is a small beef pho with a Vietnamese iced coffee – can’t be beat!

lunch at loan, one of the best restaurants in belleville paris

3. L’Orillon

I’ve been hesitating to include L’Orillon here, because while it’s certainly one of the best restaurants in Belleville, it’s also becoming impossible to get a seat because of how good it is. So, consider this a sincere apology to all of the homies for not gatekeeping this local hole; it’s just too delicious to keep to ourselves.

This tiny spot boasts an incredible wine selection, but the food is truly exceptional, with surprising ingredients that work incredibly well together, like smokey stracciatella with chili crisp, and French classics like paper thin saucisson accompanied by a generous serving of butter and, of course, eggs with mayo. It’s a lively spot for a delicious dinner with very fair prices, and if you’re in the area in the morning, pop in for a chilled out coffee at the bar before lunch service starts.

dinner at l'orillon, one of the best restaurants in belleville paris

4. Schmoutz

Sitting on Rue Saint Maur, on the cusp of Belleville, you’ll find people spilling out of Schmoutz, with the smell of flammekueche, or Alsatian flatbread, filling the air from the wood-fired oven. This causal neighborhood spot is affordable and well loved by locals, run by a charismatic guy slinging French pizzas left and right.

There are classic and seasonal options – don’t miss out on the traditional pie with cheese, onions, and bacon, and definitely have a side salad for a palate cleanser (the best dressing in Paris, I swear). In classic Alsatian fashion, wash everything down with a cider. It’s only right.

interior of schmoutz, one of the best restaurants in belleville paris

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5. La Fontaine

This is one of my favorite spots in Paris, and definitely one of the best restaurants in Belleville. La Fontaine faces a quiet square, and to me, is as classic French as it gets. It has a laid back bistro feel, with a sunny terrace, cozy interior, strong coffee, and good food. During the day, it’s a top contender for laptop friendly cafes in Paris, before turning into a hip hangout for after work drinks and dinner.

Coffee is served in little granny style tea cups, and the burger is among my top picks in the city (they toast the cheese onto the bun rather than the burger so it gets extra crispy – I’m drooling just thinking about it). The seasonal menu is always changing, and Sunday brunch, beginning at 11:30, is the perfect hangover cure.

lunch at la fontaine, one of the best restaurants in belleville paris

6. Lao Siam

If you’re researching restaurants in Belleville, Paris, Lao Siam crops up over and over. Open since 1985, this family-run South Asia eatery is an institution on Belleville’s main drag, with a line that stretches up the block most nights. Expect the most flavorful Thai and Lao specialties, like their incredible red curry with duck and raw beef larb.

Next door, you’ll find Ama Siam, a slightly more sophisticated sister restaurant, owned by the same family. I’m obsessed with their merch – they sell t-shirts with an entire family riding on a single motorbike. Doesn’t get any more authentic than that.

7. Mian Guan

Coming from someone who spent a year in China, Mian Guan is the closest I’ve ever had to real Chinese food outside of the country. The beef noodle soup has the exact flavors you’d expect in China, with chewy hand pulled noodles and meat that falls apart as soon as your chopsticks touch it.

If you’re not keen on soup, their dumplings always hit the spot, available both steamed and pan-fried. For an affordable meal right on the Rue de Belleville, Mian Guan is the spot to hit.

8. Cafe des Delices

Cafe des Delices is tucked away in a little alley off the Boulevard de Belleville. It’s one of my weekly haunts after a stroll through the Marche de Belleville, where I sit with my laptop, have a coffee, and answer emails.

While they once served the best bacon, egg, and cheese on an English muffin for breakfast (if you’re reading this, CDD, I beg you to bring it back), now you have your choice of a slice of cake or a tartine, with fresh-pressed juice. The lunch and dinner menus change daily to make the most of seasonal ingredients, and everything is reasonably priced. The staff are friendly, and the vibes are always top notch here with a big terrace and sun in the early afternoon.

Read More: Best Breakfast Places in Paris

plate at cafe des delices, one of the best restaurants in belleville paris

9. Le Cornichon

Le Cornichon is one of the trendiest spots in all of Paris, and one of the best restaurants in Belleville to rub elbows with the most fashionable bobos in the area. But what few visitors know, especially those who aren’t French, is that Le Cornichon is housed in an FDJ, where people traditionally go to gamble. It adds a fun retro vibe to the place, especially if you have a coffee at the counter in the morning.

While the older generation typically holds down the fort at PMU shops, Le Cornichon is a place for the young and hip to drown in pickle martinis, chow down on French fries cooked in beef fat, and dig into a côte de boeuf that’s worth the trip itself. Don’t forget their ice cream sundae!

It’s a great place to have drinks in the evenings or snag a lunch special in the afternoons, but the terrace fills up quickly, and in classic Parisian fashion, it’s run by unbothered service staff. So expect to be ignored (you often have to beg for a table or someone to take your order), unless you’re a friend of the house or a French 10.

steak at le cornichon paris, one of the best restaurants in belleville paris

10. Saigon Sandwich

There are no shortage of bahn mi places in Belleville, but the best, and the one with the longest line, is Saigon Sandwich. At this little hole in the wall, you order at the window, get a ticket with your number, and join the queue. You’ll be called when your sandwich is ready, and while there’s nowhere to eat on site, there are often locals lining the sidewalk chowing down.

There are plenty of options like beef sate, lemongrass chicken, and tofu, with two sizes: normal (half a baguette) or mega (three quarters of one). It’s the perfect quick neighborhood lunch if you’re looking for the best restaurants in Belleville.

exterior of saigon sandwich, one of the best restaurants in belleville paris

Honorable Mentions (Bakeries, Bars & Coffee in Belleville)

If you’re looking for something a bit lighter than a full meal, or just a cool place to have coffee or a drink, these are my favorite bakeries, bars, and coffee shops in Belleville.

Le Petite Grain – While this bakery is hidden in an alley, you can smell the freshly made cinnamon rolls down the block. They also have great filter coffee, sourdough, and cakes.
Gonfle – Not that we need anyone else patronizing our local bakery, but Gonfle will hit the spot every single time if you need a pastry. The filled madelines are the best and have more creative options beyond the classic boulangerie fare.
Aux Folies – My favorite place to have a coffee or drink on a terrace. There’s no food (except for croissants in the morning), but it’s cheap with incredible vibes. The outdoor tables are normally filled every night throughout the year, yes, even when it’s freezing. During the day it’s perfect for a drink and people watching.
Culture Rapide – Just up the block on Rue de Belleville is a very local spot where young Parisians congregate for cheap drinks. There’s a terrace set up right on the street; pop inside to order drinks and then snag a plastic chair and soak in the Belleville atmosphere.
La Sardine – Another fun place to drink on a big square. They have yummy snacks, reasonable prices, and a lively local ambiance.
Candle Kids Coffee – This trendy coffee shop has a gorgeous interior, hip crowd, and all of the hot and cold drinks you can dream of. The cookies are delicious, too. It’s tucked behind the Parc de Belleville, perfect to grab a drink to go and enjoy with a view of Paris.
Noa – Right off the Rue de Belleville is Noa, small but mighty and well loved in the neighborhood. Breakfast and pastries are so good, and the staff are extra friendly.
Koni Coffee Shop – A little hole in the wall for a quick coffee while exploring the neighborhood. It’s tiny inside, so you’ll often find locals sitting on the outdoor steps enjoying their drinks.

Aux Folies
Culture Rapide
Gonfle
La Sardine

Looking for more local spots? My Paris travel guide has extra restaurants, bars, cafes, and bakeries, plus plenty of tips for visiting the city. Happy eating!

10 Best Restaurants in Belleville, Paris (By a Local)