Bouillabaisse (pronounced bwee-a-bess), the humble fisherman’s stew from Marseille is a grand classic of French cuisine and one of my favourite dishes to eat when I’m in the south of the country. An authentic Bouillabaisse uses rock fish only found in the Mediterranean – especially around the Calanques of Marseille. It’s a fantastic, flavourful stew and it’s a must try if you’re in the south of France. But what if you’re only visiting Paris? Fear not, there are plenty of restaurants that serve the hallowed dish in the capital and I know the best spots to try it out.
Do be warned however that restaurants need a large of variety of fresh rock fish and due to this, it becomes quite an expensive dish despite its humble origins. To cover all budgets I’ve included a few restaurants that serve soupe de poisson – a fish soup that doesn’t include any fillets of fish. For me, it’s just as good and instantly brings me back to the French Riviera.
Visiting Marseille? Check out my guide on where to the find the best Bouillabaisse in Marseille.
My Favourite Spots to Eat Bouillabaisse in Paris
This list includes the best spots to get Bouillabaisse or Fish Soup in Paris. Note that it’s not the same dish but if you’re offered the latter, you’ll be able to eat at least try a really good soup! Restaurants are in no particular order.
Le Dauphin
Le Dauphin is a fantastic modern Parisian restaurant in the trendy 11th arrondissement. The modern, mirror and marble interior doesn’t scream traditional French food but they make some awesome dishes.
I’ll preface this by saying that they only serve rockfish soup on Friday afternoons (which I know is very specific) but it’s incredible. It packs tons of deep, rich flavour and doesn’t just come alone. Their seasonal ‘side dishes’ include fresh prawns from San Remo, insanely tender, sautéd squid with garlic and courgette flower tempura. It’s pure eating joy.
They also other classic French dishes such as steak frites which comes with a Béarnaise sauce and a beef, red wine jus. Their wine list is awesome as well!
What to know before you visit
- Their fish soup is only served on Friday afternoons. I’d advise to call ahead to confirm to avoid disappointment
- You can reserve online
Address: 131 Ave Parmentier, 75011
Tel: 01 55 28 78 88
Website: https://www.restaurantledauphin.net
La Méditerranée
The first truly traditional Bouillabaisse in this list comes from an historical seafood restaurant in the 6th arrondissement. La Méditerranée is steeped in history and has welcomed many famous literary figures over the years. The cooking is very good and they’ve even been awarded a Bib by the Michelin guide.
La Méditerranée’s Bouillabaisse comes with poached fish fillets (red mullet, conger eel, rascasse) and potatoes. The broth is rich and deep in flavour and has a beautiful aniseed perfume. The fish fillets were very well cooked but naturally as they sit in the hot broth, they will over cook (I like to sit them on the edge of the bowl to avoid this). I’d argue it’s one of the best Bouillabaisse’s that you’ll find in the city.
The rest of the menu is very solid and will give you a great taste of some French seafood and fish classics. It is a bit pricy but then the 6th isn’t the cheapest district in the city!
What to know before you visit
- Open every day for lunch and dinner
- You can reserve a table online
Address: 2 Pl. de l’Odéon, 75006
Tel: 01 43 26 02 30
Website: http://www.la-mediterranee.com
Le Dôme
To the south of the 6th is the Montparnasse district and this is where you’ll find the charming art deco bistro, Le Dôme. One of the bigger terraces on the place of Montparnasse, it’s difficult to miss.
Le Dôme is a temple of seafood in the area, serving up seafood platters and traditional French fish dishes. They have both the traditional Bouillabaisse stew and a rockfish stew on their menus. It isn’t the cheapest but it’s traditional and done very well. It is a traditional and so is the presentation but it does taste exceptional.
If you’re just wanting a taste of their fish soup then I’d suggest their €50 entree & main set menu. The fish soup is the entree and you can choose from 1 of 3 fish main courses.
What to know before you visit
- No need to reserve
- Open every day
Address: 108 Bd du Montparnasse, 75014
Tel: 01 43 35 25 81
Website: https://www.restaurant-ledome.com
Huguette
Next on the list is Huguette – a small fish & seafood bistro just off the Rue de Buci in the 6th arrondissement.
Hugette don’t do a traditional Bouillabaisse but they do a very good rockfish soup as an which comes with slices of grilled baguette and the traditional Rouille aioli. It’s rich and very well seasoned – a solid option if you’re in the area and want a taste of the South of France!
They also have a lot of oyster options and a damn good fritto misto (mixed fried seafood vegetables) on offer!
What to know before you visit
- They have a mid-week lunch menu with 3 courses for €24
- Open every day
- Food served non stop
Address: 81 Rue de Seine, 75006
Tel: 01 43 25 00 28
Website: https://www.huguette-bistro.com
