Paris is, perhaps surprisingly, home to some good very American restaurants, serving up Italian-American classics to Texas BBQ. I’ve been living in Paris for over 9 years and I’ve listed the best spots to get quality American food with great drinks and service.
Where to Eat Great American Food in Paris
All restaurants below are tried and tested and are listed in no particular order.
Red Sauce
Until recently, Paris was missing a real Italian-American restaurant. That was until Red Sauce opened up in the super dynamic 10th district.
Mixing New York diner vibes with Parisian cool, it works really well without feeling too try-hard. Wood paneling with the leather banquettes and super shiny ceiling fans create a really cool ambiance in the day and night.
I was worried that the food would be gimmicky despite the very positive reviews but I was not disappointed – it’s very good. It’s perhaps the perfect mix of homely, delicious simple flavours but with plenty of precision and technique on show.
Starting off with the ‘greens’ – their simple salad with caesar dressing is superb. Crunchy baby gem is dressed to perfection with their caesar sauce – it’s not traditional – much lighter than the original version with plenty of minced herbs. Finally it’s covered in a deluge of parmesan and garlicky fried bread crumbs.
I also loved their veggie take on a Vitello Tonnato – instead of roast veal they steam thin slices of celeriac and top it off with the traditional tuna sauce. It’s texturally very interesting and still had a meaty flavour.
Next we went all in for the classics. The meatballs were tender and well seasoned and came covered in their incredible house marinara sauce. It has that homely, Italian-American taste – delicious. They come with 2 slices of fried brioche – an interesting take on garlic bread and it works really well. Finally they finish it off with citrusy, whipped ricotta which adds a lovely lightness to the dish.
I had to order their chicken parm and it did not disappoint. Not much to say other than that it’s exactly as it should be – it was a pure joy to eat.
I should note that I didn’t have space to try their pizza or pasta but I’ll be back very soon to try them. Finally they have a lovely wine menu with some great natural wines by the glass and bottle.
What to know before you visit
- You can reserve online
- Open every day for lunch and dinner
Address: 9 Cr des Petites Écuries, 75010
Website: https://www.redsauce.fr
Melt
Unsurprisingly, Texas BBQ isn’t really a thing in France although it’s becoming more and more popular – especially in recent years. Before Melt opened a few years back I don’t think there was a single, proper low’n’slow BBQ restaurant in the city.
Created by two Frenchmen who couldn’t get enough of barbecue in the deep South, so they brought it back home to Paris. They even flew over legendary smoker Jeffrey Howard to design the setup and train the chefs.
So it should be pretty good, right? Yup, I genuinely think it’s the best BBQ I’ve ever had – at least in Europe. I even saw a video of an American commenting that they came to France “for the best BBQ food in the world”.
They’ve got a few restaurants in the city but i’ve only tried their Oberkampf location (which has queues outside the door pretty much daily).
Their brisket is a must-try – it’s been consistently tender, flavourful and mega juicy at every visit. The bark is killer and it just falls apart in the mouth.
Probably the star item on the menu is their smoked beef cheeks. They’re smoked and then confited slow and low in beef fat. The result? Ridiculously soft and melt apart beef – I’ve genuinely never eaten slow-cooked beef like it.
Finally their ribs are killer – fall off the bone but they still retain a nice chew. My only complaint (and I know this isn’t traditional) but you can’t get fries at Melt – just French style roast potatoes.
What to know before you visit
- They have 2 delis but I’d suggest eating at their restaurants (listed below)
- Prepare to queue during peak hours for dinner
- You order at the bar and then are seated
Addresses:
74 Rue de la Folie Méricourt, 75011
83 Rue Legendre, 75017
Website: https://www.meltslowsmokedbarbecue.com
Oobatz
I have to include my favorite place to grab pizza in Paris – Oobatz. Not strictly American in terms of the style – it’s a kind of hybrid sourdough style pizza. You could say it’s vaguely similar to a NY slice pizza. Either way, their pizzas are incredible.
The base and crust are super crunchy and finished off with Maldon salt – it’s glorious. It’s not rock hard though – it’s still soft enough to fold.
The pizzas are seasonal – expect their signature courgette pizza in the summer which is so, so good. Thin slices of courgette get baked on the pie and then it’s finished off with garlic butter.
During my last visit we had a chanterelle mushroom pizza which was superb. The mushrooms still retained a lovely texture and you could actually taste them. We also had the ’chefs special’ which is a surprise – a kind of carte blanche pizza made for you by the head chef based off what you’ve previously had. We had an amatriciana style pizza with chunks of crunchy guanciale – delicious.
Yes it is expensive – €22 for most pizzas – but it is well worth it. Finally they have a fantastic natural wine selection. There’s also a great speciality beer bar just opposite (La Fine Mousse) if you want to grab a drink before your reservation.
What to know before you visit
- Open 6pm-10pm Wednesday-Sunday
- You’ll need to reserve +1 week ahead for a weekend table
- They have walk-in spaces but you’ll need to come early to have a chance
Address: 4bis Av. Jean Aicard, 75011
Website: https://oobatz.fr
Dumbo
For the best smash burger in Paris, head to Dumbo. The smash burger scene in Paris exploded a few years back and unfortunately many were more smashed burgers than real smash burgers. Their original location in the 10th arrondissement frequently sold out early on in the evening but they’ve since opened up other spots across town.
Dumbo do only one burger option – their classic 2 patty signature smash burger and boy is it good. Their patties are smashed paper thin on the flat-top, building an epic crust that’s barely holds together. Each patty is topped off with American cheese, house sauce, diced onion and lots of pickles. It’s well balanced, super beefy and very juicy.
The fries are great too. The manager at their Oberkampf location told me that they actually cover them with a light coating of starch before frying to get them really crunchy – they’re epic.
Their Marais location also does chicken nuggets which are remarkable like McDonald’s version that we all know and love. Perfect as a side if you’re really hungry.
What to know before you visit
- Open all week
- Open for lunch and dinner
- If you want to eat in go to their Oberkampf or Marais addresses
Addresses:
14 R. des Petites Écuries, 75010
64 Rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, 75009
6 Rue de Poitou, 75003
121 Rue Oberkampf, 75011
Website: https://www.dumboparis.com
Dogma
Other than the global franchised fried chicken brands, there’s only a handful of quality American-style fried chicken restaurants in the city and Dogma is one of the best.
Okay if you’re looking for bone-in chicken then keep scrolling – there’s only tenders and chicken burgers here but they’re excellent.
Their tenders are fried to order – ultra craggy, crispy and well seasoned. I would say they’re pretty juicy too, rivalling the pressure fried chicken from the big chains.
The fries deserve a mention too – they’re super crispy yet fluffy on the inside. I like their ranch dipping sauce although it’s not particularly similar to the classic Hidden Valley one. The only thing I didn’t like was their buttermilk biscuit – it was rather dry and very dense.
What to know before you visit
- Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday
- No need to reserve
- You can order takeaway
Address: 10 Rue des Petites Écuries, 75010
Website: https://www.instagram.com/dogma_paris/
Sonny’s Deli
Sonny’s Deli is a fantastic little Italian-American restaurant near the Canal Saint-Martin. It’s more of a Parisian interpretation that mixes 11th arrondissement cool, natural wine and some great homestyle cooking.
They’re mainly known for their hybrid, New York inspired pizzas which are killer. There’s some nods to the Neapolitan classics like a solid margherita but their ‘dirty’ pizzas are what I love. Jerk chicken pizza packs a punch and their buffalo chicken doused in hot honey is addictive.
I do mainly go for their pizzas but I have to recommend their spaghetti and meatballs. It’s genuinely one of the best I’ve had in a long time. Pure comfort in a bowl with a hefty kick of umami from the mound of parmesan on top.
Their wine selection is small but they have some great small batch producer natural wines – think funky but with plenty of character.
Note if you’re only after pizza they have a second location near
Strasbourg Saint-Denis.
What to know before you visit
- Open every day for lunch and dinner
- They serve food until late (11pm)
- Generally no need to reserve
Address: 4 Rue de la Fontaine au Roi, 75011
Tel: 01 48 07 07 24
Website: http://www.sonnyspizza.fr
