15 Amazing Restaurants near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

15 Amazing Restaurants near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Updated by Vanessa M in July 2023.

The Orsay is one of Paris’ most majestic museum spaces. Situated on the banks of the Seine, the Orsay Museum falls under Paris’ 1st arrondissement; just across the water lies the famous Louvre and Tuileries Gardens. 

This is a fantastic arrondissement to dine in, be it cafes, coffee shops or vibrant restaurants.

10 Best Cafes near the Musee d’Orsay in Paris

Here are 15 not-to-be-missed eateries near the Orsay Museum to enjoy during your visit:

1. Restaurant CINQ-MARS near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Famed for their chocolate mousse and impressive wine collection, this spot is an intimate choice near the Orsay Museum, be it for lunch or a charming dinner. 

Restaurant CINQ-MARS – by Restaurant CINQ-MARS – Uploaded by them

The restaurant is just a two minute walk from the museum itself, and offers a unique, affordable and downright memorable dining experience. It’s a neighborhood favorite, and not all that overrun by tourists despite its growing popularity. 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday TO SUNDAY — 12pm to 2:30pm // 7:30pm to 10:30pm

ADDRESS: 51 Rue de Verneuil, 75007 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Solferino

2. Ferdi near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Ferdi identifies itself as a “bar gourmet”. The menu is all over the place but in the best possible way.

The space is perpetually booked out, it’s impossible to eat here without booking in advance. I did manage to slide in late one evening to taste their house waffle — worth it!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY TO SUNDAY — 6:30PM TO 11:30PM

ADDRESS: 32 RUE DU MONT THABOR, 75001 PARIS, FRANCE

METRO STATION: TUILERIES

3. Le Basilic near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Le Basilic is, in my opinion, one of the best places for dinner in all of Paris. The outdoor garden setting is simply unmatched, and when it comes to traditional delicacies, their menu far exceeds expectations. 

Le Basilic – by Le Basilic – Uploaded by them

Great value for money and a spot that keeps satisfied customers coming back for a lifetime. 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY TO SUNDAY — 12pm to 2am

ADDRESS: 2 Rue Casimir Périer, 75007 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Solferino 

4. Buddha-Bar near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Buddha-Bar is incredibly swanky; dinner almost always starts with an ostentatious cocktail or two, followed by their array of Asian inspired appetizers and mains.

Buddha-Bar – by Buddha-Bar – Uploaded by them

Buddha-Bar has been part of the dining scene in the 1st arrondissement for 13 years now, so it knows its vibe and clientele like that back of its hand. Diners come to splurge, and splurge you will.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY TO SUNDAY — 6PM TO 2AM

ADDRESS: 8-12 RUE BOISSY D’ANGLAS, 75008 PARIS, FRANCE

METRO STATION: TUILERIES

5. La Société near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Elegant dining spaces are not in short supply in the 1st arrondissement, but la Societe is something out of a fairytale. The terrace is where you want to end up if you’re booking here for lunch or dinner (provided the weather isn’t up to no good). 

This restaurant may just have the best steak frites and seafood this side of the Seine! 

Best Steak Frites in All of Paris

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY TO SUNDAY — 12pm to 11pm

ADDRESS: 4 Pl. Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Mabillon

6. Sanukiya near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Sanukiya is a tiny Japanese dream spot not too far from the Orsay Museum.

Don’t even ask if they have sushi, this is where you come to eat all the other fabulous dishes that constitute traditional Japanese cooking. Udon is the star of the show, and there are few places in Paris that can make it quite like this.

Sanukiya – by Sanukiya – Uploaded by them

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY TO SUNDAY — 11:30AM TO 10:30PM

ADDRESS: 9 RUE D’ARGENTEUIL, 75001 PARIS, FRANCE

METRO STATION: TUILERIES

7. Cocorico near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

You’ve not understood the meaning of ‘idyllic’, until you’ve walked up Rue du Bac in the rain, and nestled into Cocorico for a hot cup of something and a side of something else. 

Cocorico – by Cocorico – Uploaded by them

This rustic bistro-meets-cafe is all one actually needs when dining out in Paris. It’s ambient, heart-warming, and more-wine inducing (as in, “yes, bring another bottle”). 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY TO Sunday — 11am to 11pm

ADDRESS: 5 Rue du Bac, 75007 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Musee d’Orsay   

8. Mon Square Restaurant near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

This stylish spot is somehow always full and vibey. It’s a chic setting where the small plated dishes are intended to be shared amongst friends. 

Mon Square Restaurant – by Mon Square Restaurant – Uploaded by them

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By night, the cocktails start flowing, the lights get dimmer, and you’ll want to book your table in the cozy part of the salon for the full ambient experience. 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Contact for hours

ADDRESS: 31 Rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Solefrino

9. Aux Ducs de Bourgogne near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

No Parisian restaurant roundup is complete without the mention of at least one creperie. This one is near the Orsay Museum, and I can’t get enough of it. 

They do buckwheat batter for some of their dishes, and the flavors are utterly sensational. Add a half bottle of wine to your meal and you’ve got a quaint, hearty lunch or dinner right before your very eyes.  

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY TO Friday — 11:30am to 3pm // 7pm to 10pm

ADDRESS: 30 Rue de Bourgogne, 75007 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Varenne

10. Restaurant Gaya near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

It’s not always easy to find phenomenal seafood in Paris, but somehow restaurant Gaya seems to have made a deal with the sea-gods and is getting ingredients of a quality that no others have been able to secure. 

Restaurant Gaya – by Restaurant Gaya – Uploaded by them

Think lobster, grilled fish and sea urchin to boot. Allow the chef to take you on a taste sensation like not other; fully surrender to the journey — you won’t regret it. 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Tuesday TO Saturday — 12pm to 3pm // 7pm to 11pm

ADDRESS: 6 Rue de Saint-Simon, 75007 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Rue du Bac

11. Le Comptoir du Relais near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

This Saint-Germain-des-Près institution embodies the bistro atmosphere that everyone likes when visiting Paris. It was founded in 2004 by Yves Camdeborde and exudes warmth and kindness. Its delectable cuisine and all-natural wines are particularly noteworthy, which are cooked using flavorful fruit sourced by the chef.

Photo by Rajesh TP from Pexels

You may enjoy a meal that embraces local and market cuisine and absolutely respects quality produce at the modest restaurant with tightly packed outdoor tables or on the heated terrace looking over the Carrefour de l’Odéon.

For beginnings, choose from oeuf mayonnaise, foie gras, or escargots, and for mains, choose from entrecôte de veau (veal rib steak), pied de cochon (pig’s feet), or brandade de morue (whipped salt cod gratin). You will not be disappointed with any of the classic French dishes you choose.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday TO Sunday — 12 to 11 pm

ADDRESS: 9 Carr de l’Odéon, 75006 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Odéon

12. Le Petit Cler near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

This adorable tiny cafe spills out into the pedestrian market strip rue Cler and serves high-quality but basic dishes at extremely reasonable costs. Though this is a simple and evidently popular neighborhood bistro, the quality of the vegetables here is exceptional, which is not surprising given that everything is sourced from the same suppliers.

Photo by Valeria Boltneva from Pexels

Main courses are equally plentiful and delicious, including the day special of roasted chicken with potato puree, a fantastic cote de boeuf for one, steak tartare, and a generously well-served planche complet. This restaurant is conveniently located near the Eiffel Tower and there is both indoor and outdoor seating available.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday TO Sunday — 8 am to 1 pm

ADDRESS: 29 Rue Cler, 75007 Paris, France

METRO STATION: La Tour-Maubourg

13. Au Petit Tonneau near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Every day, aficionados of traditional and generous French food go to this inviting institution in the heart of Paris’s 7th arrondissement on the famed street Surcouf just a stone’s throw from the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower.

Photo by Cook Eat from Pexels

This is an original Parisian simple bistro that has been around for almost 80 years, with a welcoming ambiance accented by charming white tablecloths and antique tiling covered with fleur-de-lys, with only one motto: have fun!

Au Petit Tonneau owns a terrace which is ideal for enjoying a comfortable outside supper. Don’t miss it. While here you can order perfectly cooked monkfish, veal chops, or escargots. 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday TO Tuesday — 12 to 2:30 pm/Wednesday to Sunday -12 to 2:30 pm,7 to 10:15 pm

ADDRESS: 20 Rue Surcouf, 75007 Paris, France

METRO STATION: La Tour-Maubourg

14. Le Grand Véfour near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

This is one of the oldest restaurants in Paris with a one-of-a-kind experience: two enormous Directoire rooms open onto the courtyard through arches adorned with mirrors, crystal chandeliers, gilding, and glass-protected antiquity-inspired paintings.

Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This iconic restaurant is open 24 hours a day from breakfast to dinner. Guy Martin the chef offers refined elegant fine dining in this exquisite bistro in Paris.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Tuesday to Saturday — 12:15 to 2 pm, 7:15 to 9:30 pm

ADDRESS: 17 Rue de Beaujolais, 75001 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Pyramides

15. Chez L’Ami Jean near the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Chef Stéphane Jego was an early pioneer of the bistronomie movement, enhancing classic bistro food with fine-dining techniques and an emphasis on quality ingredients. Despite the fact that his simple, bright dining room at Chez l’Ami Jean is packed with visitors expressing delight in foreign tongues, the dining room’s quality has not dipped.

Photo by Valeria Boltneva from Pexels

In his enormous plates, he combines tradition and innovation: the terrine de champagne comes in a wide wedge studded with pistachio, and veal and Jerusalem artichoke hide beneath a quilt of truffle shavings. Come prepared because the atmosphere may be as hearty as the cuisine.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Tuesday to Friday — 12 to 2 pm, 7 to 11 pm/Saturday- 12-2 pm

ADDRESS: 27 Rue Malar, 75007 Paris, France

METRO STATION: La Tour-Maubourg