Louis XV

The Louis XV jewel-box dining room looks more like a gilded Versailles salon, from the settings of crystal and gold flatware to the embroidered stools placed next to the tables for ladies’ handbags. But Alain Ducasse’s three-Michelin-starred landmark is not all show: the food is superb (sublime vegetables, perfectly cooked fish) and the service consistently friendly, making the bill less painful to pay. The cuisine transcends Mediterranean to create what Ducasse describes as “a contemporary update of southern French and Ligurian peasant food.” Leave room for the very grand desserts, like the mouthwatering praline croustillant pastry topped with an edible gold leaf.