Monaco

Forget about the very ostentatious Principality, this Monaco has everything you need, right where you need it – without going overboard! Thirteen years after waking up a chic corner of the Invalides quartier with his Café de Mars, Pierre Marfaing has taken over an aging corner bistro to bring a little flair to the quiet Croulebarbe neighborhood. The result? A bistro 2.0 (original terrazzo floors, Scandinavian chairs, a vintage pinball machine and oak tables), run by his partners Matthew Ong and Ulysse Molinet, the magicians behind the now-defunct restaurant Albion. And when we visited it this summer, their simple but delicious lunch menu featured all of the following: elegant Andalusian gazpacho served with some small ricotta and tomato crostini; unbeatable fish & chips made with pollack and fat fries for dipping into the classic tartare sauce; before some perfect gariguette strawberries sprinkled with tonka bean crumble and paired with a thick scoop of whipped cream for dessert… FYI: they offer up a really good breakfast deal, featuring focaccia (made by the great Thierry Breton) topped with Iberian ham, plus fresh-pressed juices, granola and even cookies. // Lester Grossmann

FEELING THIRSTY? : A lovely selection of organic wines, including a gamay-grolleau blend produced by Laurent Saillard (€7.50 a glass), a Burgundy pinot noir from the Domaine Arlaud (€45 a bottle), or a mâcon-villages from Bret Brothers (€40)… And unfiltered apple juice from Les Vergers du Chouquet (€5 a glass).
PRICE: : Dish of the day €20 (lunch), appetizers €11-17, mains €18-25, desserts €9-11, snacks €4-8 (sweet and savory), brunch plates €10-24 (Sunday).