The ‘Emily in Paris’ Cast Shares Favorite Parisian Spots to Eat and Stay

Fans of Emily in Paris may enjoy the frothy storylines, titillating romance or the over-the-top fashion, but the City of Light itself steals the spotlight. As the second half of the show’s fourth season, starring Lily Collins , debuts on Sept. 12, The Hollywood Reporter asked some of the show’s most beloved cast members and its director for their top Paris recommendations. (For good measure, we threw in some suggestions for Rome, the setting of an upcoming plotline in the Netflix series.)

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“I should start a website or app that tells people where to go, where to eat and where to stay,” series director and executive producer Andrew Fleming tells THR .

After working on the show for the past four seasons, Fleming knows the city well enough to launch a new side hustle: “I spend a significant percentage of my time giving people advice about where to eat and have actually had French people ask me where to go.”

One of the restaurants he often frequents is La Coupole . “It’s no secret and a little touristy, but locals go there too,” he says. “They have great oysters, a perfect steak tartare, fish and chips, and it’s a big place so the tables aren’t jammed up against each other.”

Fleming is a regular at the tucked away Chinese restaurant Aux Mandarins de Belleville , in the 19th arrondissement. “It’s not glamorous, there’s fluorescent lighting, but the food is so good and there is zero tourist factor,” he says. “I eat there a lot and everything I’ve ordered is fantastic.”

Fleming’s “favorite fancy restaurants in the world” is Guy Savoy , located in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the tony left-bank neighborhood where many scenes are filmed. “It’s not cheap — it’s a special occasion place and you have to book in advance but it’s homier than a lot of gastronomic restaurants in Paris, and while it’s elegant and elevated, it’s not complicated or pretentious,” he says. “One of the best things you have to get is the artichoke soup with truffles and a truffled brioche toast. It sounds fancy but it’s really like something your mom would have made if she were an amazing cook, and they’re not stingy on the truffles. Then they bring this dessert cart around that has about 27 different kinds of confections and you can take as many as you like. I love Guy Savoy. It’s worth the advance effort and the money.”

Among Fleming’s top Sunday activities in this part of town is spending an afternoon at La Grande Épicerie de Paris , where grocery food shopping is an extravaganza. “It’s the most amazing food shop and has everything you could ever want. It’s glamorous and exotic but you can get everything you need as it’s a properly functioning market,” he says. “It’s great people watching, and you’ll see a lot of locals. I love that place.” Another favorite store is E. Dehillerin . Offering what Fleming describes as a “low tourist quotient,” the nearly 200-year-old cookware emporium was frequented by Julia Child and is also a must-visit for television cook and author Ina Garten. “I love to cook, and visiting is like going to church for me,” he adds.

Home to the legendary literary hangout Café de Flore , which has made several appearances in the show, Saint-Germain-des-Prés is also dear to French actor Bruno Gouery , who plays Luc, Emily’s (Collins) associate at the fictional luxury marketing agency Grateau.

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“I love this area,” says Gouery. “You just walk, you don’t have to get into a car, and there are so many beautiful places to discover,” he says. “There’s Les Deux Magots , of course, and Brasserie Lipp is also very famous and a typical Parisian restaurant.” Arnold shares the same sentiment: “If you really want to find the gems, wander around by yourself and you will find places that become very special to you.”

Goery also shared his favorite boutique properties in the area. Situated a quick stroll from where scenes are filmed, two of the city’s preferred 5-star hotel hideaways, are ideal for industry titans seeking privacy and refinement. Sleek and discreet, Esprit Saint Germain (from $425 per night; more booking options at TripAdvisor and Expedia ) evokes an elegant residence. Tucked away on a quiet street just around the corner from the bubbly bistros, highlights include guest rooms with private terraces featuring views of Saint Sulpice Church and the fireplace studded living room and library lounge where a classic Parisian breakfast, wine, and cordials are included. A few blocks away, Relais Christine (from $525 per night; more booking options at TripAdvisor and Expedia ) is a former private mansion that houses Spa Guerlain, a swanky boudoir-styled lounge with opulent two-story suites offering views of the tree-dotted, cobbled courtyard.

Parisian that he is, Gouery nonetheless had his co-star to thank for his latest discovery. “Ashley Park [who stars as Mindy] brought me to Loulou and it’s becoming my favorite restaurant in Paris,” says Gouery . Attached to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which is part of the Palais du Louvre, and specializing in Italian cuisine. Its outdoor seating is nestled in the Tuileries Garden and offers views of the Eiffel Tower. “It’s a fantastic place, you sit outside, and the food is very good,” he tells THR .

Samuel Arnold, who plays fellow colleague Julien, may no longer be a carnivore, but his memory of Shiso Burger remains transcendent. “You have to go there,” he says. “It’s Japanese fusion burgers and when I used to eat meat that was my spot.”

Emily will travel from Paris to Rome in season four, so expect more twists and turns to ensue along with plenty of epicurean backdrops. Fleming has already scoped out some go-to addresses. One local Italian restaurant that has made quite an impression on Fleming is Hostaria da Pietro . “They have the best carbonara and steak I’ve ever had in my life,” he says.

Arnold and Gouery aren’t disclosing if we will also see their characters making appearances in the Eternal City this season. Although Arnold did reveal something about the local cuisine. “No matter where you go to eat in Rome, you will be blown away,” he tells THR . “Any random restaurant is going to be so good.”

Follow along with THR ‘s Emily in Paris season four coverage.

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