What hasn’t already been written about the legendary Verre Volé, one of the very first cave à manger, run by Cyril Bordarier and Thomas Vincente for almost 20 years now? Featured in the pantheon of cool, international city guides, this Rue de Lancry mainstay (mismatched tables and chairs, shelves filled to the brim with bottles of wine) continues drawing in loyal customers with its highly natural wines and well-crafted eats. For us, the night we went: lamb (lungs, liver, spleen, heart) from the Mayrinhac farm, prepared as a sort of chic kebab with cheeky kohlrabi and a sweet mango chutney; sizzling slices of flame-charred beef with anchoiade and purslane; heady roasted skate from Quiberon, lounging on a bed of caper butter; before a comforting Mirabelle plum clafoutis served with fennel-scented crème anglaise. // T.V.X. 

FEELING THIRSTY? Enough options to make your head spin: a Gard white from Alain Allier (€6.50 a glass), an Ardèche red from Jérôme Jouret (€38 a bottle), a 2017 Mâcon-Villages from Philippe Valette (€45), a 2017 Arbois white from the Domaine de la Tournelle (€48)… 
PRICEL: Set menu €17-22 (weekday lunch), à la carte €37-51.