"Paris is full of traditional Lebanese restaurants, but this festive spot abutting the Cirque d’Hiver brings a contemporary flair to the genre. Trained at the Cordon Bleu in Paris, chef Rita Higgins pulls from years of cooking in Beirut and Tokyo for creative, ever-evolving meze and mains meant for sharing. Items riff on regional Lebanese dishes, including several types of hummus (for spring, order the version with cuttlefish or the one with fresh peas, pea sprouts, mint, and feta); fatteh with green asparagus, wild garlic butter, garlicky yogurt sauce, and bottarga; sea bass shish kebabs marinated with paprika and labneh; and a dense pistachio cake filled with layers of ashta cream and black cherry compote. Don’t skip the creative cocktails, house-made lemonade, or natural wines. Located in the 11th arrondissement." - Lindsey Tramuta