Hometown: London, England
Occupation: Chef and Co-owner, Le Grand Bain and Co-owner, Le Petit Grain
Years lived in Paris: 6
Years in the kitchen: 16
Click here for Chef Edward’s shortlist
The Best Thing About Paris’s Food Scene
It’s accessible for everyone—most places aren’t that expensive for very good food.
Must-Visit Standout Restaurants
Clown Bar. This is one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever seen. It still has all the original fixtures of clowns performing stunts on the tiled walls. It’s next to a circus in the middle of Paris, hence the name. Added to this is the fact that it does some of the best food here. The veal brains are incredible!!!
Deux Fois Plus de Piment. This is a Szechwan restaurant that doesn’t pull any punches! You chose the spice level, 1 to 5. 5 is an emotional experience! The cold noodles are a must.
Jones. Used to be called Bones but it had a facelift and a new chef called Harry Vidler who is really, really excellent. All market produce done very simply but very beautifully. Menu regularly changes which means you can go twice a week or more and have completely different meals.
Miznon, in the heart of the Marais. This is an Israeli restaurant that is super busy with great ambiance. Lunch time is best for a chicken sandwich, whole roast sweet potato, and whole roast cauliflower. Don’t be put off by the queues—they are always busy and know how to handle large amounts of customers in a quick time!
Semilla. It’s a beautiful restaurant in a beautiful area. The food is always on point. The wine list is excellent, as well.
Favorite Neighborhood to Dine Out In
Belleville in the 20th arrondissement because there is a plethora of Asian restaurants, all of which are great value for money and super tasty.
Personal Favorite Dish at Le Grand Bain
The menu changes everyday so it’s a difficult question. However, one dish that keeps coming back is a pork fillet Wellington and I really love to make and eat that.
My Perfect “Dining Out Day”
I would start with a full breakfast at Holybelly, a classic French lunch at Le Baratin, and dinner at Au Passage with many, many magnums of wine with friends.
Favorite Steak Frites Spot
La Bourse et La Vie. Why? It’s just perfect.
My Guilty Pleasure
Tai-yien in Belleville does this plate of fried quail legs that is off the hook.
The Dish That Blew Me Away
The veal brain at Clown Bar. It really is one of the best things I have ever eaten.
Favorite Budget Eats
Hoa Hung does a super good bánh mì sandwich which is very cheap, super quick, and delicious.
Favorite Watering Holes
Bar Martin, Candelaria, L’Entrée des Artistes.
Choice Hotel Bar
Bar Hemingway in the Ritz.
Must-Try Parisian Specialties
Baba au rhum at Pain de Sucre.
The One Thing Any Paris Visitor Must Do
Go visit the Musée Rodin.
Chef Edward’s Shortlist
Le Grand Bain, 14 rue Dénoyez (20th arr.); small plates, dinner only nightly.
Recommended dish: Pork fillet Wellington.
Le Petit Grain, 7 rue Dénoyez (20th arr.); bakery, open Thursday–Monday, closed Tuesday–Wednesday.
Clown Bar, 114 rue Amelot (11th arr.); French/wine bar, lunch and dinner Wednesday–Sunday, closed Monday–Tuesday.
Recommended dish: Veal brain.
Deux Fois Plus de Piment, 33 rue Saint-Sebastien (11th arr.); Chinese, lunch and dinner Thursday–Tuesday, closed Wednesday.
Recommended dish: Cold noodles.
Jones, 43 rue Godefroy Cavaignac (11th arr.); French, dinner only nightly.
Miznon, 22 rue des Ecouffes (4th arr.); Mediterranean street food, lunch Sunday–Friday, dinner Sunday–Thursday, closed Saturday.
Recommended dishes: Chicken sandwich, whole roast sweet potato, whole roast cauliflower.
Semilla, 54 rue de Seine (6th arr.); modern French, lunch and dinner daily.
Holybelly, 5 rue Lucien Sampaix (10th arr.); cafe, breakfast and lunch daily.
Recommended for breakfast.
Le Baratin, 3 rue Jouye-Rouve (20th arr.); French bistro, lunch Tuesday–Friday, dinner and late night Tuesday–Saturday, closed Sunday–Monday.
Recommended for lunch.
Au Passage, 1 bis, Passage Saint-Sébastien (11th arr.); French, dinner only Tuesday–Saturday, closed Sunday–Monday.
La Bourse et La Vie, 12 rue Vivienne (2nd arr.); French, lunch and dinner Monday–Friday.
Recommended dish: Steak frites.
Tai-yien, 5 rue de Belleville (19th arr.); Chinese, lunch and dinner daily.
Recommended dish: Fried quail legs.
Hoa Hung, 14 bis rue Louis Bonnet (11th arr.); Vietnamese, lunch and dinner daily.
Recommended dish: Bánh mì.
Bar Martin, 24 boulevard du Temple (11th arr.); bar/small plates, open nightly Tuesday–Saturday, closed Sunday–Monday.
Recommended bar.
Candelaria, 52 rue de Saintonge (3rd arr.); bar/Mexican taqueria, bar open nightly, taqueria open for lunch and dinner daily.
Recommended bar.
L’Entrée des Artistes, 30–32 rue Victor Massé (9th arr.); bar/French restaurant, open nightly Tuesday–Saturday, closed Sunday–Monday.
Recommended bar.
Bar Hemingway at Ritz Paris, 15 Place Vendôme (1st arr.); bar, open nightly.
Pain de Sucre, 14 rue Rambuteau (3rd arr.); patisserie, open Thursday–Monday, closed Tuesday–Wednesday.
Recommended dish: Baba au rhum.
Musée Rodin, 77 rue de Varenne (7th arr.); art museum, open Tuesday–Sunday, closed Monday.
About the Chef: Starting his career at 14, Edward Delling-Williams moved up the ranks, from washing dishes to eventually working at the renowned nose-to-tail St. John restaurant in London. While there, he met a friend who would invite him to Paris to work as a sous chef. Delling-Williams eventually became the head chef of Au Passage, where he met his future business partner Edouard Lax. After four years at Au Passage, the two left to start Le Grand Bain with designer Alexandre Janssens.
“Le Grand Bain really encompasses the things and the way that we like to eat if we go out,” Delling–Williams said. “I draw upon all the experiences and different kitchens that I have worked in.”
In addition to working the kitchen at Le Grand Bain (which celebrated its 1-year anniversary in early 2018), the English native also debuted a boulangerie across the road called Le Petit Grain in April 2018. The goal is to move all bread- and pastry-making operations there, as well as pushing its dessert program with a professional pastry chef.
