Apparently, man-about-town Mr Edouard Baer http://edouardbaer.blogspot.com/ doesn’t like to cook. So what he’s done is to take over a comfortable Bastille restaurant (ex Les Amognes) and create a relaxed bistro where he and his buddies can tuck into fresh and tasty Moroccan dishes. Malika et Fatima oversee the regularly changing menu, with set menus between 18€ and 22€, where you too could have the good fortune to sample the Pastilla of the day, a well cooked steak, slow-cooked veal with seasonal vegetables, and finish up, perhaps, with the orange-flower and fruit salad. Miam.

Located on one of Paris' most mouth-watering streets (Unico, Crus et Découvertes, Le Temps au Temps), the Bistro Paul Bert has long been a destination for locals and foodies seduced by their good value, authentic menu. Recent articles in the Anglo/American press may have compromised the charm somewhat (especially during dinner time, with braying Yanks galore), but the bistro still remains excellent value with its 18€, three-course lunchtime menu (courgette salad with parmesan, delicious steak tartar and some of the best frites in the city, followed by a decent caramel crème brulé). The 34€ menu gives a lot more choice with more creative items like Thai-style beef carpaccio, and wines are reasonable with good bottles from 20€-25€. AM

Arty Dandy could be one of those weird names celebrities choose for their kids. In fact, it’s a trendy new addition to the Paris design scene. Squashed into a little corridor inside the Magda Danysz gallery, it’s a place for experimentation with design, contemporary art and fashion. Neon pink quotes running along the wall enhance the idea of a creative process at work and get you into the mood to peruse – and of course ultimately purchase – some unique pieces, ranging from 2 to 800€, all with touches of the rare, the quirky and the fantastic. You’ll find individually-decorated Eiffel Towers, crocheted cameras, cool lamps and anti-label t-shirts. Not forgetting a not-in-your-local-library assortment of books. JL

Booking is a must at this cosy bar à vins. Happy regulars crowd in and peruse the walls lined with a great selection of small producer wines; the takeaway prices are scribbled on the front, you add an extra 7€ for drinking in. No space is wasted on a kitchen, with the chef rustling up the dishes of the day up the back. Smoke filled the room at some point during our meal, possibly caused by a magret de canard left under the grill a tad too long. The door was opened and the blunder forgotten in the gay banter of the happy eaters. Go here to soak up the cheer, enjoy the wine and the hearty portions of rustic French fare. FU

This 47-room contemporary haven created by architect Jean-Philippe Nuel has a decidedly modern feel with furniture by Philippe Starck scattered throughout. A whiff of vanilla, walls painted in punchy fuchsia, and stark white chairs make up the color scheme and mood of the hotel’s lobby and bar. The spacious rooms are decorated in soothing earthy tones and come equipped with free wi-fi and fun freebies such as a fresh granny smith on your pillow, rubber duckies, and L’Occitane toiletries. Other plusses include a state-of-the-art gym and sauna and a business center. With no in-house restaurant, they offer instead 24-hour room service with a selection of gastronomic delights from well-known restaurants around the hotel. It's hip, it's central, but it won't break the bank – what more could you ask for ? KDG

This is what you get when you mix craziness with class. In a boutique that resembles a NYC loft, fashpack owners Alexandra and David unearth incredible vintage pieces with interesting shapes, fabrics, and cuts. They also give good advice on what suits you and alteration suggestions. KDG

In a discreet street in the 11th is this 3-floor vertical marketplace. One of the favorite haunts of designers and it-girls such as Lou Doillon and Kylie Minogue, it’s a treasure trove of clothes from all eras. KDG

Since gastro heavyweights Inaki Aizpitarte (Le Transversal and ex-La Famille) and Fred Peneau (Café Burq) took over this already chic and successful bistro on rue Parmentier, tout Paris can't get enough - lunches are crowded and you'll need to book for dinner. Still, if you have to wait, you can do it in style, perched up at the bar with a good glass of white and a selection of tapas to nibble. The lunch formule (14€) is delicious, but simpler than dinner, when chef Inaki really comes into his own. His menu is contemporary with the left-of-centre flair which made La Famille famous. Changing daily you might find mackerel cerviche with litchis and green Tabasco, seared tuna with asparagus and chorizo, and for dessert sublime mint-infused chocolate. JB

Bife de Lomo served with roast potatoes, 24€

After winning this year’s Fooding award, and receiving stellar reviews in most of the Parisian food press, we wondered whether this modest new restaurant would stand up to all the hype. The concept is relatively simple: a young duo of Argentinian architects Marcelo and Enrique took over and updated a kitsch 70s butcher’s shop on the up-and-coming rue Paul Bert, filled it with Eames chairs, a Norman Foster table d’hôte, staffed it with expat Argentinians, and there propose a menu of traditional Argentinian fare, imported from their home country. This down-to-earth steak house is right on the money, and is drawing in handsome crowds of carnivorous Bastille locals. The starter of empanandas, small pies filled with beef, are among the best we’ve ever tasted, and the bife de lomo is a melt-in-the-mouth slab of charcoal-grilled beef served simply with roast potatoes and a choice of three home-made sauces (try the chimichura). If you have space for dessert, go for the dulce de leche, a flawless version of the South-American caramel dessert. AM

Located just a stone’s throw from the Marché d’Aligre and opened a little over a year ago by the same competent team who run the China Club and Le Fumoir, this charming little wine bar/ restaurant aspires to fill a hole in the local culinary culture. ‘Neither global nor local’ is their motto, and upon our first visit, the menu consisted mostly of Italian-inspired fare (pumpkin risotto, Napolitan pizzas), with nothing overly adventurous, or exciting. All that has changed though, as the kitchen has been recently taken over by Swedish chef Petter Nilsson (formerly from Les Trois Salons in Uzès), who’s now serving up a delicious, subtle, and good-value 30€ prix-fixe menu. This young wunderchef’s pure, inventive style with brut products has brought him praise from some of the greatest chefs in the world.