Mary AnneI’ve listed here a few of the restaurants in France serving dishes that many foreign visitors would describe as ‘awful offal’. In fact the French have a genius touch when it comes to producing delicacies, turning all those bits of animals and birds that the rest of us reject into unique dishes.
Find out more about these ‘awful offal’ dishes.
Many of the listed restaurants are local, traditional bistros and brasseries. And as such, their menus contain enough classic dishes that have no offal anywhere near them.
Being bistros and brasseries, many have extended opening hours, and some are open every day of the year from early to late, so well worth making a note on these.
Quick Guide to Paris for some helpful information on the City of Light.
‘Awful Offal’ Restaurants in Paris
1st Arrondissement (Louvre)
Au Pied de Cochon
6 Rue Coquillière
75001 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 40 13 77 00
Website
I first came across this legendary brasserie when my brother got married in Paris many years ago and it’s been on my radar ever since. Located near Les Halles it’s open nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so if you feel like a snack in the wee hours of the night, or an early breakfast, either try the restaurant, or take away. It’s known for its fish and shellfish, but go for the atmosphere, the history and its fabulous Burgundy snails, frog legs, and pig’s trotters which are particularly known in Périgord. And you can buy a souvenir of the restaurant in the gift shop – which is not as naff as it appears to be.
Menus €19.90-€26.
Daily 8am-5am
Comptoir de la Gastronomie
34 rue Montmartre
Paris 750011
Tel: +33 (0) 1 42 33 31 32
Restaurant website
Charcuterie/Traiteur website
Since 1894 savvy Parisians have been shopping in the charcuterie/traiteur for delicacies from the south west of France and eating at the restaurant. It’s a magnet for foie gras lovers. The range is astonishing – either fresh or in jars and tins. In fact the range of all things glorious is astonishing from jars of confit de canard and cassoulet to sausages with lentils.
And the restaurant? Classics include snails, frog legs and of course foie gras.
Tues-Sat noon-10pm. Book 15 days in advance.
Chez Gladines Les Halles
11 bis Rue des Halles
75001 Paris
Tel: + 33 (0) 1 42 21 07 00
Website
The two excellent restaurants in this group combine funky décor with traditional generous portions of their Basque-style dishes. And they are all very good value. Try a salade de gésiers for €9; a dozen snails served different ways (€9.50); or a very elusive dish of tripe with Basquaise sauce and potatoes (€12).
Open Mon-Thurs & Sun noon-11pm; Fri, Sat noon-11.45pm.
Also in the 5th Arrondissement: Chez Gladines Saint Germain (see below).
La Poule au Pot
9 rue Vauvilliers
75001 Paris
+33 (0)1 42 36 32 96
Website
Top chef Jean-François Piège follows tradition – but with a master’s modern touch. It’s hardly surprising: the young chef trained with Alain Ducasse and has followed in his master’s footsteps both in his cooking skills and in opening restaurants – he currently has 10. La Poule au Pot is expensive but worth it for classic snails, frog legs, and tête et langue de veau (head and tongue of veal). Or just go for what this restaurant is famous for – chicken.
Tues-Sat lunch & dinner.
2nd Arondissement (Bourse)
Aux Lyonnais
32 rue Saint-Marc
75002 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 42 96 65 04
Website
Experience a Lyon bouchon without travelling there. Since 1890, Aux Lyonnais has been serving the rich cooking of the second gastronomic city of France to Parisians. The Belle Epoque décor is all you could wish for: plush, gold, red, with mirrors, linen cloths and old posters. Enjoy the likes of juicy fat Burgundy snails; boudin noir and andouillette done in the manner of Paul Bocuse with Dijon sauce, baby new potatoes and a sharp mesclun salad. Lunch menu €28.
Tues-Sat lunch & dinner.
Chez Georges
1 Rue du Mail
75002 Paris
+33 9001 42 60 07 11
Website
Since 1964 this classic Parisian bistro has championed offal dishes. From the long, hand-written menu choose crisp veal sweetbreads, andouillette and tête de veau. Make sure you book at popular times.
Open Mon-Fri lunch and dinner.
Le Mesturet
77 rue de Richelieu
75002 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 42 97 40 68
Website
Conveniently near the Opera, Le Mesturet champions traditional family cooking, so there’s enough offal on the menu – along with a whole lot of popular dishes. The restaurant is open every day from noon to 11pm (last orders), and the bar from 7.30am-11pm during the week and 9am to 11pm at the weekend. Go for snails, frog legs, veal brains, tête de veau and sweetbreads. Menus €30-€36.
5th Arrondissement (Latin Quarter)
Au Moulin à Vent
20 Rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard
75005 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 43 5499 37
Website
Another of those great, popular bistros barely changed since opening in 1946. Banquettes line the room, mirrors and old advertising posters grace the walls and good old-fashioned dishes appear on the menus: snails, frog legs, bone marrow, veal’s head carpaccio, veal sweetbreads. Lunch menus €20-€24. It’s moderately expensive, and frogs’ legs at €38 seemed a bit steep.
Tues-Sat lunch & dinner.
Chez Gladines Saint Germain
44 Boulevard Saint-Germain
75005 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 46 33 93 88
Website
Also in the 1st Arrondissement: Chez Gladines Les Halles (see above).
The two excellent restaurants in this group combine funky décor with traditional generous portions of their Basque-style dishes. And they are all very good value. Try a salade de gésiers for €9; a dozen snails served different ways (€9.50); or a very elusive dish of tripe with Basquaise sauce and potatoes (€12).
Open Mon-Thurs & Sun noon-11pm; Fri, Sat noon-11.45pm.
6th Arrondissement (Saint-Germain-des-Prés)
Bouillon Chartier
The restaurants in the Bouillon Chartier group are favourites of mine. The first one opened in 1896 and others followed, all with beautiful Belle Epoque interiors which are a surprise as these are some of the best-value restaurants in Paris. But don’t expect great food: this is honest, down-to-earth cooking without pretentions: snails to start, andouillette as a main dish. With prices from €1 to €7.8 for starters and mains at €7 to €12.80, you can afford to try something different. While not scoring very highly in the gastronomic stakes, all the Bouillon Chartier restaurants win hands down on decor and fun.
You queue outside while waiting for a table; waiters, who are always rushed, write your order on the paper tablecloth and if you’re two you’ll be seated at a table for four with others which can be great if you’re a sociable sort. Not for everyone, but I urge you to try one of the restaurants at least once.
Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse
59, boulevard du Montparnasse
75006 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 45 49 19 00
Website
Daily 11.30am-midnight.
Also in the 9th and 10th arrondissements (see below)
Roger La Grenouille
28 Rue des Grands Augustins
75006 Paris
Tel:+33 (0)1 56 24 24 34
Website
This esteemed iconic Latin Quarter restaurant is, not surprisingly, famous for its frog legs. They appear straight and fried with a great sauce for a starter, but they are also fashioned into a burger with tartare sauce and frites (€29), and a Caesar salad. Or go for their starter pig’s trotter (€12) or main andouillette (€28). The restaurant opened in 1930 and was a favorite of the likes of Picasso (who lived nearby at no 7 rue des Grands Augustins and painted Guernica here in 1937), Balthus, Saint-Exupéry, Mistinguett, François Truffaut, Pope Jean XXIII and the Queen Mother. Today’s clients are allowed a little more secrecy. It all takes place in a splendid restaurant with an equally splendid décor.
Tues-Sat lunch; Mon-Sat dinner.
9th Arrondissement (Opéra)
Bouillon Chartier Grands Boulevards
7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre
75009 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 47 70 86 29
Website
See 6th arrondissement for full description.
Open daily 11.30am-midnight.
10th Arrondissement (Canal Saint-Martin)
Bouillon Chartier Gare de l’Est
5 rue du 8 mai 1945
75010 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 42 05 20 02
Website
See 6th arrondissement for full description.
Daily 11.30am-midnight.
11th Arrondissement (République)
Le Bistrot Paul Bert
18 rue Paul Bert
75011 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 43 72 24 01
Website
Le Bistrot Paul Bert might be best known for its steak au poivre and frites, but for something different, try the raw carpaccio of tête de veau, served with a vinaigrette with anchovies.
Reserve by telephone only.
Tues-Sat lunch & dinner.
Clown Bar
114 Rue Amelot
75011 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 43 55 87 35
Website
A very smart restaurant in a historic monument building, the Clown Bar is well known for its gastronomic sophistication. Start with pig’s head with cabbage and Granny Smith apples, then move on to sweetbreads cooked with stuffed morilles mushrooms, asparagus and a foam of vin jaune (Jura wine with a distinctive taste). Mon-Fri lunch menu €32.
Daily lunch & dinner (to 11.30pm).
12th Arrondissement (Reuilly)
Amarante
4 Rue Biscornet
75012 Paris
Tel: +33 0767332125
Website
This simply decorated bistro between Bastille and Lyon railway station is a real find, particularly for offal lovers. Run with charm by Christophe Philippe, it serves snails with salad (€17), calves’ brains (€15), pigs’ trotters (€15) and more, all cooked with verve.
L’Aubergeade
17 Rue Chaligny
75012 Paris
Tel: + 33 (0)1 43 44 33 66
Website
Known for its bone marrow and ris de veau, this local bistro is a real delight. Menus €35.80 to €41.80. Wed-Sun Lunch & Dinner.
18th Arrondissement (Montmartre)
Le Bouclard
1 rue Cavallotti
75018 Paris
Tel: +33: (0)1 45 22 60 01
Website
Le Bouclard is a good bet if you’re in Montmartre. A five-minute walk from Le Moulin Rouge will reward you with seasonal cooking. Try their take on snails for starters (€28), then follow up with braised heart of veal sweetbreads (€52). Menus Tues-Fri €31.
Tues-Fri lunch; Tues-Sat dinner.
Le Relais Gascon
6 rue des Abbesses
75018 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 42 58 58 22
Website
Le Relais Gascon
13, rue Joseph de Maistre
75018 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 42 52 11 11
Website
Go for snails as starters (€9.50) and andouillette (€15.90) as a main course in one of these two good value Montmartre bistros, frequented mainly by local Parisians. Or try one of their famous salads if offal is too much. Menus Mon-Fri €22.50 – €33.50.
Both restaurants daily noon-midnight.
Puteaux Hauts-de-Seine
L’Andouille
6 rue Collin
Puteaux, 92800
Tel: +33 (0)1 45 06 45 20
Website
Jean-Pierre and Jarlene Vasseur own and run you this welcoming neighbourhood restaurant in Puteaux just outside central Paris in the western area of Hauts-de-Seine. Featuring hearty bistro cooking with some nods to Brittany, try the andouille de Guémené sur Scorff. Menus €36 and €42.
Tues-Sat lunch & dinner; Sun lunch.
‘Awful Offal’ Restaurants outside Paris
GRENOBLE, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
La Marmite Dauphinoise
1 Place Hubert Dubedout (opposite 2 Blvd Gambetta)
38000 Grenoble
Tel: +33 (0) 4 76 53 09 01
Website
For something completely different, La Marmite Dauphinoise serves frog legs with a whiskey cream and potato dauphinoise as a main dish on its €36 menu. Menus €26- €42.
Open Tues-Sat lunch & dinner.
LILLE, Hauts-de-France
Le Passe-Porc
155 rue Solférino
59000 Lille
Tel: +33 (0)3 20 42 83 93
Website
This noisy, bustling brasserie is a real offal delight. Apart from snails, frog legs and andouillette, Le Passe-Porc is strong on tripe, grilling it for a starter then offering it as a main dish in three different ways. And it has horse dishes as well.
Sun, Mon lunch; Tues-Sat lunch & Dinner.
LYON, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Lyon is France’s greatest gastronomic city. It’s the city of Paul Bocus, les Mères Lyonnaise (female chefs without any official training), those famous bouchons, and an amazing collection of food markets.
But note: the dish called cervelle de canut (silk maker’s brains) is vegetarian and the brains are cheese.
Here are a few restaurants where you can find and eat great offal in Lyon.
Le Bouchon des Cordeliers
15 Rue Claudia
69002 Lyon
Tel: +33 (0)4 78 03 33 53
Website
This comfortable, old-fashioned restaurant has everything you would hope for. Its €33 menu includes snails and veal andouillette.
Tues-Sat lunch & Dinner.
Le Bouchon Les Lyonnais
19 Rue de la Bombarde
69005 Lyon
Tel: +33 (0)4 78 37 64 82
Website
Le Bouchon Les Lyonnais, highly regarded by locals, offers a great deal for ‘awful offal’ lovers. Try veal sweetbreads andouillettes (€25.50), or tête de veau in a home made gribiche sauce (€24). Mon-Sat lunch & dinner, Sun lunch.
Brasserie Georges
30, Cours de Verdun
69002 Lyon Perrache
+33 (0)4 72 56 54 54
Website
One of Lyon’s great institutions, Brasserie Georges fulfils all the criteria for a classic brasserie. And it’s a great place for offal, with juicy snails, boudin, andouillette, tête de veau. Menus €25, €28. Brasserie Georges is a real Lyon institution so book ahead at popular times.
Mon-Thurs: 11:30am to 11:00pm (continuous service); Fri, Sat and days before bank holidays: 11:30am to 00:15am.
Le Café des Fédérations
10 Rue Major Martin 8-9
69001 Lyon
Tel: +33 (0)4 78 28 26 00
Website
This was the first bouchon I ate in the first time I visited Lyon and it remains one of my favorites. I was on my own and the staff could not have been more welcoming – all through the long evening. It’s been serving the good burgers of Lyon since 1872 so it knows a thing or two about running a good restaurant. There’s an awful lot of awful offal on offer here: andouillette, tête de veau, ris de veau and a dish called tablier de sapeur or sapeur’s apron which is veal tripe marinated in white wine and fried (I didn’t try it). The 5-course menu is an astonishingly good value €34.
Daily lunch & dinner, Sat lunch, Sun noon-9pm.
Le Carnegie Hall
253 Rue Marcel Merieux
69007 Lyon
Tel: +33 (0)4 78 58 85 79
Website
This restaurant specializes in meat and particularly Charolais and Limousine beef. But it also specializes in cheval. You can try your horse in a number of different ways: tartare with different sauces; tournedos, and hanger or skirt steaks. Also in Corbas (see below).
Mon-Sat lunch & dinner to 11pm.
La Meunière
11 rue Neuve
69001 Lyon
Tel: +33 (0)4 78 28 62 91
Website
A classic Lyonnaise bouchon that opened in 1916, known for its tablier de sapeur (breaded and fried tripe not always on the menu), and tête de veau in a sauce gribiche. Menus €35 and €38.
Tues-Sat lunch & dinner.
Le Garet, Lyon
7 Rue du Garet
69001 Lyon
Tel: +33 (0)4 78 28 16 94
No website
Go to this Lyon institution for the excellent calf’s head, tripe, dumplings and andouillette sausages. It’s served in a convivial atmosphere in a typical Lyon ‘bouchon’ style setting.
Mon-Fri lunch & dinner.
OUTSIDE LYON
CORBAS
Le Carnegie Hall Corbas
4 Rue du Mont Blanc
69960 Corbas
Tel: + 33 (0)4 78 21 81 10
Website
Located just 10km south east of Lyon, Corbas is famous for its aerodrome dedicated to leisure and skydiving school. Take a lesson then take some well-earned offal at this excellent offshoot of its Lyonnais cousin.
Mon-Sat lunch & dinner to 11pm.
DARDILLY
L’Auberge du Village
7 Place de l’Église
69570 Dardilly
Tel: +33 (0) 4 78 35 77 50
Website
Just north of Lyon, L’Auberge du Village in Dardilly is a local favourite. The typical bouchon serves boudin, andouillettes, cerveau d’agneau and caters for all occasions. Menus change daily according to what is in season and available.
Mon 8am-4pm; Tues-Sat 8am-11pm.
MARSEILLES, Provence
Marseille is famous for pieds paquets – first eaten here in the 1880s.
Chez Madie Les Galinettes
138 Quai du Port
13002 Marseille
Tel: +33 (4) 91 90 40 87
Website
One of my favourite restaurants on the ever popular port, this is the place to sit on the terrace and watch the world go by. The restaurant serves authentic pieds paquets (€28) well worth a visit alone. But rest assured; they serve excellent seafood as well as other meats.
Mon-Sat lunch & dinner, Sun lunch.
Paule & Kopa
37 Rue Saint-Saëns
13001 Marseille
Tel: +33 (0)4 91 33 26 03
Website
Located by the Place aux Huiles, this bustling local is another restaurant for Pieds et paquets Marseillais (€29).
Mon-Sat lunch & dinner.
SARLAT-LA-CANEDA, Dordogne
Les Chevaliers de la Tour
15, rue Alberic Cahuet
24200 Sarlat-la-Canéda
Tel: +33 (0)5 53 31 37 90
Website
This delightful traditional restaurant in an old building in Sarlat, centre of duck, geese and all things rich, serves an excellent Perigord salad of foie gras de canard, gésiers, magrets séchés and walnuts on its €24.90 menu.
Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun lunch & dinner; Wed lunch, Thurs dinner.
TROYES, Champagne
Troyes is famous for andouillette, so this is the city to make for if you want to taste the rich dish.
Chez Félix
5 Rle des chats
100000 Troyes
Tel: +33 (0)3 10 94 03 03
Website
You’ll find Chez Félix inside an old half-timbered house. ‘Industrial chic’ has transformed the interior into an airy, light restaurant. This is another of those great Troyes places to try andouillette (€20).
Mon-Sat lunch & dinner.
Octave
23 rue des Quinze Vingts
10000 Troyes
Tel: +33 (0) 3 25 73 59 94
Website
Charming, popular very local restaurant in lovely Troyes. Book outside on a good day and enjoy excellent andouillette. Menus €20 to €23.
Mon-Sat lunch & dinner.
More Foodie Tips
The Food of France – An Intriguing Story
The Food of Provence
The Food in Burgundy
Food of North France
The Best Regional French Food
The Art of Cuisine of Toulouse-Lautrec, cook and artist
Visit the Champagne Houses in Reims
And French Christmas Food, a real feast
