Chez Michel

The story

Chez Michel Paris – Michelin-Recommended Bistronomie Near Gare du Nord

Chez Michel: Paris Bistronomie with a Global Accent

Just steps from Gare du Nord, in the shadow of Saint-Vincent de Paul church, Chez Michel has been a fixture of Parisian dining since 1939. What began under chef Michel Malapris later passed through the hands of Michel Tounissoux and Thierry Breton before landing, in 2015, with Japanese chef Masahiro Kawai — known simply as Masa. The restaurant’s Michelin Recommended status confirms what regulars have long known: this is bistronomie done right.

Masa’s stated ambition is to recreate the spirit of his grandmother’s cooking in Niigata, northern Japan — but the kitchen remains squarely in the French tradition. The menu is a generous, shareable affair: creamy pumpkin soup with ham and chestnuts, Honfleur scallops with carrot purée, or a classic blanquette de veau with old-fashioned vegetables and pilaf rice. A few Breton dishes from Thierry Breton’s era stay on the carte, alongside nods to Spain and Tokyo that reflect Masa’s own training. The result is a rich, welcoming menu that feels both rooted and surprising.

The atmosphere is unpretentious and warm — the restaurant calls itself “BISTROPUNK!!!!!” — with a loyal following that fills the room at lunch and dinner. It’s the kind of place where you can order a pâté de gibiers with red cabbage compote, then finish with a grandmother-style rice pudding or pruneaux au vin rouge. Chez Michel is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, closed weekends.