A HEALTHY PARIS FOOD GUIDE

Paris is one of my favorite cities, as you can discern from my Paris Travel Guide. However, the most common negative I hear from friends about Paris is the heaviness of the food. Yes, you can easily get caught in an endless rotation of steak frites, baguettes and foie gras. But there is a lighter side of the city, too. Obviously, French cuisine has always emphasized fresh produce and clean eating in terms of limiting processed foods, but the organic, veggie-friendly movement has started to take off in recent years. In celebration of this, I spent a day in Paris eating my way through this very movement and wanted to share my discoveries. While it would be blasphemy to miss out on croissants and steak tartare, these spots are a great way to break up days filled with heavier foods, particularly if you’re in Paris for a more than a few days.

Shakespeare and Company Café: Start off with breakfast in this new little café next door to the legendary Shakespeare and Company, right on the Seine close to Notre-Dame. The store itself is everything you’ve heard and more—opened in 1922, it has stacks on stacks of new and used English-language books with the most amazing nooks and crannies to get lost in (I’m a sucker for nooks and crans). There’s even an extensive children’s section if you’re into that sort of thing. After you’re done exploring, the café is a great place for your almond milk and matcha latte fix if you’re all espresso’d out. For a light meal, choose from a selection of freshly made vegan items such as coconut yogurt parfaits and gluten free pastries. It’s where I imagine I’d frequent if I lived in Paris and was homesick for NYC.

Café Pinson: Walk your way across the river to spend a few hours in the shops of Le Marais, then stop at this modern, bright café to give your feet a break. Café Pinson is an organic, vegetarian spot open for lunch and dinner. While the entrees didn’t blow me away, it has a cult following and it’s nice to have a reliable vegetarian restaurant in this meat-centric city.

Wild & the Moon: Be still my heart. You may already know my long-standing obsession with Moon Juice in LA, but I have yet to find anything that even comes close to matching it in NYC. Imagine my elation to find its impossibly chic equivalent in PARIS. Follow these instructions carefully: Wait in the long line. Try every single flavor of magical superfood-packed nut milks in more shades of pastel than you knew existed. Do not forget to grab all the to-go meals, snacks and desserts that your little arms can carry. And please inquire when they are opening their NYC location then report back immediately. This is urgent.

Marche de Enfants Rouges: Snap back to reality (but like, a French version) with a walk through this charming little market, which has a very well curated selection of cheeses, jams, fresh produce, flowers and gifts to bring home or back to your hotel room. It's over 400 years old, making it the longest running market in Paris.

Compagnie Royale Des Indes Orientales: A beautiful shop with an endless supply of organic tea. The company was started in the 1600s by King Louis XIV to bring teas to Europe from the far East. Today, the formulas are developed with the help of a nutritionist and are created for different wellness goals such as detox, beauty, etc. Honestly, I haven’t tried mine yet but the packaging is very cute and it has dried rose buds in it.

Café Charlot: End your night with a salmon burger (or anything else but don’t come crying to me if your dining mate orders one and won’t let you have a bite) at Café Charlot. This is my favorite bistro in Paris that J and I return to every time we visit. Not organic or vegetarian, just an amazing local spot that’s the perfect mix of old and new school. You know, what NYC restaurants spend millions trying to nail and Paris does oh-so-effortlessly. N’importe quoi…