Le Petit Vendôme

Clued-in locals and famous food critics swear by this tatty Auvergnate bistro de quartier right off the Place Vendôme. It's hard not to love the three-dollar kir cocktails and hearty dishes suck as grilled pig's feet, yet the lines spilling out onto the sidewalk are actually for the sandwiches, on buttered, jaw-challengingly chewy baguettes from boulengerie Julien (the "it" bread of Paris.) Make yours a classic jambon-fromage with nutty Cantal cheese and cured ham from the Auvergne. Tote your lunch to the Tuileries gardens and eat while gazing out on the Louvre.