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When Hôtel Le Bristol unveiled its new wing, in the fall of 2009, it also unveiled a new dining option to fill the space between its three-star Michelin gourmet restaurant and famous Bar Bristol. Located on the corner of Faubourg St.-Honoré and Avenue Matignon, 114 Faubourg occupies two floors linked by an enormous spiral staircase adorned with gilt leaves. Guendalina Litta Modignani, the Italian party planner known for such lavish events as the wedding of Bernard Arnault’s daughter, helped with the decor. The orange walls glow with giant photographs of pink and white dahlias (one of owner Maja Oetker’s favorite flowers); banquettes are embellished with brocade trim; and a violet carpet adds to the warmth of the room.

The chef presiding over the open kitchen is a protégé of Eric Fréchon, chef of the gourmet Bristol restaurant, but the menu stresses seasonal simplicity. The philosophy is “as you like it.” So diners can choose from a variety of meats and fish, preparations—grilled, steamed or sautéed—and garnishes. The comfortable chic atmosphere and personalized service have made 114 Faubourg a favorite among fashionable residents, and it’s no surprise that Carla Bruni Sarkozy fits right in with the crowd. Métro: Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau.

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The airy, first-floor restaurant of concert hall Salle Pleyel is a great tip for visitors touring in the Champs-Élysées neighborhood (perhaps after a visit to the lovely Musée Jacquemart-André). You’ll dine mostly amongst Parisians who work in the many law offices and banks in this neighborhood, so the vibe is relaxed and local. The restaurant has a rotating chef program, meaning every year another maestro takes over the kitchen, but the menu is focused on seasonal French lunch fare. The restaurant is only open for lunch and for concert-goers, it’s open for dinner on nights when Salle Pleyel hosts a performance.

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For the finishing touch on the flamboyant upgrade of its flagship store, Fauchon has just unveiled an eye-poppingly glamorous new cafe. Located on the first floor of the new store on the Place de la Madeleine, Fauchon Le Café continues the company’s new black-and-white and bright pink theme. Glossy pale pink tables are paired up with silver metallic banquettes and black-and-white woven café style chairs. Mosaic tiles in black and white form a fantastical carpet of flowers beneath silver metallic ceilings, all of which are reflected in multiple mirrored surfaces and softened by pink and purple mood lighting. Okay, the ladies who frequent Angélina and Ladurée may not be switching their allegiances but for the younger, hipper crowd of shoppers who burn up the Faubourg St.-Honoré, this is definitely the new place for lunch or tea. Open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations recommended.

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I didn’t get a chance to try this restaurant, which opened in 2010 above venerable brasserie Thoumieux, on my most recent trip but the buzz was good—not surprising, since Piège hails from Le Crillon where he headed formal Les Ambassadeurs for years and earned two Michelin stars. Returning to a more down-to-earth setting, Piege now can be observed in the open kitchen of his eponymous restaurant. Diners eat in the India Madhavi–designed room, intimate and made to look like a goovy living room, with sleek couches boasting zebra-print pillows, arm chairs and contemporary light fixtures.

Piège’s style is creative, innovative French and food critic Alexander Lobrano sums it up best when he calls Piège “one of the two or three wittiest chefs working in Paris right now.” Some expressed frustration with the steep prices but overall I got the sense that for dedicated foodies, this new restaurant is worth its price tag. If you don’t want to leave post multi-course, multi-hour meal, you can book one of the fifteen small chic rooms above the restaurant. Open for dinner only, Monday through Friday.

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This lovely upscale crêperie has interiors designed by Pierre Yves Rochon (who also masterminded L’Atelier du Joël Robuchon and such grand hotels as Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat and the Georges V). Tables are set on three floors, including the sunny second floor with a massive skylight and the cavernous basement that creates a lovely ambiance at night. There are lots of nautical touches to evoke the coastal province of Brittany for which the restaurant is named. The regional specialties, of course, are lobsters, oysters and crêpes and galettes, the wheat version that is served as a main course with such savory fillings as sausage and onions, ham and egg and asparagus and egg. Modern twists include vegetarian versions like spring vegetables and herbs. Dessert crepes with caramel and salted butter or chocolate with fresh mint mousse are not to be missed.

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Christian Constant earned his first suite of Michelin stars when he was running Les Ambassadeurs at the Hotel Crillon. Since he branched out on his own in the late ‘90s, he has won others for this flagship as well as for his seafood spot, Les Fables de la Fontaine, down the street. There is no denying his incredible culinary talent, even if he has shown a clear preference for preparing great food in less formal surroundings than the Michelin judges favor. Frankly, he has changed with the times and global foodies relish savoring his exquisite creations in a refined, but unfussy dining room. He and his wife, Catherine, recently updated the narrow space on Rue St. Dominique with the help of Luis Aleluia to create what Constant calls “a fabulous deluxe brasserie.” There’s a wine wall, sleek banquettes and a long chef’s table that is always packed for lunch and dinner. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations are essential and can only be made by phone or fax. Métro: Ecole Militaire.

Tip: If you can’t get a reservation, try for a last-minute cancellation or at his other restaurants on the same street, Les Fables de la Fontaine and the less formal, Café Constant and Les Cocottes de Christian Constant. Indagare members can call us at 212-988-2611 for assistance.

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This was one of super chef Guy Savoy’s first “baby” restaurants, i.e. it’s not as expensive as his eponymous one with three Michelin stars. Food is excellent, atmosphere is unpretentious and the location on the Seine is great for walking after dinner. Closed Sunday. Métro: St.-Michel.

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A French gem that has been open for many years and still remains somewhat of an insider secret, Maison Blanche is located on the top floor of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. The building itself is an Art Deco marvel, but the spacious dining room is sleek and minimalist, with a nearly all-white color scheme accented by splashes of deep purple. The views from the floor-to-ceiling windows is spectacular, extending over the Seine towards the Left Bank. The real star here, however, is neither location nor design but the cuisine, conceived by France’s famous Pourcel brothers, the chefs who ran the acclaimed Jardin des Sens in Montpellier before making the move north to Paris. Jacques and his twin Laurent excel at innovative Mediterranean-inspired dishes, which are beautifully presented but straightforward and big in flavor. The menu changes seasonally.

The Maison Blanche is great option for lunch; it’s particularly well-situated for shoppers (right off Avenue Montaigne) and culture aficionados: it’s a nice stroll from the Musée d’Orsay (you cross the river) or the Grand Palais. At night, when the city lights up beneath you, the Maison is one of the most romantic spots, especially if you can get a table near the window.

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Opened in 2010, Rino is run by Italian chef Giovanni Passerini, who has been one of the key chefs powering the innovative movement “le fooding.” After stints in Germany and Rome, Passerini came to Paris and worked for acclaimed chef Iñaki Aizpitarte at Le Chateaubriand before launching this casual eatery that feels more like you are dining at a friend’s home. Passerini has described his cooking as “an Italian way with French products” and the menu changes often. The restaurant, hidden deep in the residential 11th arrondissement east of Place de la Bastille, is a favorite of foodie Wendy Lyn, of The Paris Kitchen. Closed Sunday and Monday.

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Chicago-born chef Daniel Rose made a splash with his original Spring restaurant, opened in 2006 to much acclaim in the Paris food scene. Now a revamped, rethought version opened in a new space and has quickly become one of the toughest reservations to score (The ideal number of diners is about twenty-two, and there is only one service). “I opened Spring in response to the Paris restaurant scene,” says Rose. There was a sense of places being overpriced, not good quality and diners felt detached from the experience.” The well-choreographed meals at Spring are unique, often brilliantly conceived, culinary explorations, and dishes changes daily, depending on what’s fresh and inspiring to the chef. Naturally, there’s no menu; as Daniel says, simply: “I make dinner.”

Tip: If you cannot get a reservation to Spring, try heading to groovy cellar space Spring Buvette instead. The food hails from Spring and the Spring Boutique and the vibe is cozy and congenial.

Read a review of Spring, written by longtime Paris aficionado Dena Kaye.

Read about Spring Boutique , a new gourmet store.

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The restaurant of the Hotel La Maison Champs-Elysées is a great spot for lunch if you are sightseeing in the area (the Grand and Petit Palais are a short walk away). The menu is seasonal (there are always daily and/or weekly specials), and all of the ingredients are super fresh. Portions are generous and refreshingly un-fussy, i.e. no heavy sauces or overly ‘creative’ plates. There are great options for vegetarians (not always a given in Paris), and the desserts are fabulous. When it’s nice weather, request to be seated in the “secret garden” out back, which is a lovely oasis from the bustling Champs-Elyssée.

The more formal dining room, located inside the fashionable hotel lobby, features modern décor with playful trompe l’oeil accents such as Martin Margiela’s floating chairs, which appear to hover several inches above the ground.

New in fall 2012: The original bar in La Table du Huit, which was tucked away in a lofted corner area, has recently been converted into a semi-private dining space. The new bar—a sleek black marble affair with a built-in fireplace—will take center stage in the main dining room this September with a new cocktail and tapas menu.

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One of Paris’ current culinary power couples, Laura Adrian and Braden Perkins, ran the city’s most buzzed about supper club, the Hidden Kitchen, before opening this lovely place. Tucked between the Palais Royal, Verjus comprises a small wine bar on the ground floor (no reservations and small-plate menu), as well as a more formal restaurant upstairs and a great private dining room on the third floor.

Perkins, who hails from New Orleans and trained in Boston, prepares nightly tasting menus, featuring what’s in season and most inspiring to him. Adrian is the mastermind behind the surprising, innovative wine list.

Verjus is often mentioned alongside other the hot spots by American or American-trained chefs (Frenchie, Spring), but this place feels totally of Paris: small, intimate, congenial and with incredible food and wine pairings. For a refined dinner in a relaxed ambiance, Verjus is not to be missed. Dinner only. Closed Saturday & Sunday.