Arnaud Nicolas

"Open for: Lunch and dinnerPrice range: $$$With excellent handmade pates, sausages, and terrines, award-winning charcutier and chef Arnaud Nicolas has revived an ancient branch of French gastronomy. The space, on a leafy avenue in the silk-stocking 7th arrondissement, is decorated with exposed stone walls, a beamed ceiling, and battleship-gray moldings. Roasts and meat pies, Gallic pleasures that date back at least to the Middle Ages, figure as first courses, before an evolving menu filled with seasonal produce. Nicolas shows off his style with turbot cooked with cep mushrooms, salmon coulibiac for two, beef cheek braised with carrots in red wine, veal sweetbreads with girolles mushrooms, and a luscious chocolate soufflé. Located in the 7th arrondissement.Must-try dish: Nicolas serves the best pate en croute in Paris." - Alexander Lobrano

"If you believe radish flowers and grape clusters are charcuterie board distractions, turn to Arnaud Nicolas. At the upscale French restaurant, the sausages, terrines, and pâtés are the true stars. They welcome you from their case by the entrance; head past them to the airy dining room where diners enjoy, in reverent near-silence, the privacy offered by the ample elbow room between tables. Sip a complimentary splash of white wine as you consider the ten-ish options on the charcuterie-dominant starters list, like savory poultry pâté baked in buttery golden pastry or rillettes that are so rich in pork fat. Can’t choose? The discovery plate is the obvious choice, with three surprise options like foie gras-laced terrine paired with apple compote or the espelette pepper-seasoned pâté. " - emily monaco, sophie friedman, sara lieberman

"If you believe radish flowers and grape clusters are charcuterie board distractions, turn to Arnaud Nicolas. At the upscale French restaurant, the sausages, terrines, and pâtés are the true stars. They welcome you from their case by the entrance; head past them to find the airy dining room where couples enjoy, in reverent near-silence, the privacy offered by the ample elbow room between tables. Sip a complimentary splash of white wine as you consider the ten-ish options on the charcuterie-dominant starters list, like savory poultry pâté baked in buttery golden pastry or a baseball-sized mound of rillettes so rich in pork fat. Can’t choose? The discovery plate is the obvious choice, with three surprise options like foie gras-laced terrine paired with apple compote or Espelette pepper-seasoned pâté served with pickled red onion. Save room for the luscious boudin noir, face-sized raviolo stuffed with beef, and the fine dining version of a Snickers for dessert." - Emily Monaco

"Pork butchers who can cook don't grow on trees, especially not in this residential part of the 7th arrondissement (a stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower, no less). The chef-patron appropriates pâté en croûte and terrine to create his "haute couture charcuterie". The interior is unadorned and elegant. The small shop at the restaurant entrance means you can take a piece of this culinary experience home." - Michelin Inspector