Foreign savors, the Top 10 of Italian tables in Paris

1. Emporio Armani Caffè

Massimo Mori searches all over Italy with the utmost care to find the very best products. More trendy than ever, his Left Bank restaurant features two formulas: bistro or gastro. Surrounded by celebs who are regulars, you can choose between a vitello tonnato with capers, risotto Langhe with cèpes mushrooms or peaches poached with pistacchio ice cream. A la carte : 60 €. 149, boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris. Open 7/7, service until midnight. Tel : 01 45 48 62 15 and www.massimomori.net

Excellent Italian taste has made this restaurant into one of the most handsome venues in the capital. © DR

2. Non Solo Cucina

This kind of address, like a postcard of eternal Italy, no longer exists, the mold is broken. It is the backdrop for chef Giuseppe Messina, who prepares here pasta maturated during 4 days with a wood burning cooking technique, enriched with 100 % Sicilian ingredients, and his deep fry of squids and sardines is a crispy delight. A terrific result ! A la carte : 50 €. 135, rue du Ranelagh 75016 Paris. Closed on Sunday, service until 10pm. Tel : 01 45 27 99 93 and www.nonsolo.fr

In the dining room, the voyage begins in Sicily with its sunfilled savors. © DR

3. Le George, at the Four Seasons Paris Hotel

Galvanized by his Michelin star, Simone Zanoni, former protégé of Gordon Ramsay, constrains himself to permanent rigor while aiming at excellence. The chef with a charming smile dedicates himself entirely to creation while dynamiting culinary codes and serving truffled squail raviolis, a crudo of seabass escorted by balsamic powder and roasted langoustines with mustard from Cremona. Good job ! A la carte : 80 €. 31, avenue George V 75008 Paris. Tel : 01 49 52 72 09 and legeorge.com

In the superb palace setting, the chef revisits the great recipes of the Boot. © DR

4. Noto

On the 1st floor of Salle Pleyel, this elegant place draws its inspiration from the Baroque palaces of the Sicilian town of Noto. And in the kitchen, Patrick Charvet successfully combines Mediterranean and Arab cuisines. Start with the eggplant caponata, then taste the mackerel marinated in chermoula before enjoying the fish couscous. A delicious melting-pot ! Menus : 37 €, 45 € and 75 €. 252 bis, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris. Closed Sunday, service until 11:30pm. Tel : 01 86 95 96 60 and www.noto-paris.com

The Moma Group has taken over one of the most deluxe restaurants in Paris. © DR

5. Mori Venice Bar

Near the Bourse, this table sets forth the savory traditions of Venice. A low-key ambiance, a delightful antipasti bar, this deluxe setting hosts all the Parisian gourmets. Settle at your table and listen carefully to Massimo Mori. Him again ! The in-house maestro will unveil for you all the secrets of Italian caviar and his favorite Venetian recipes. Menus : 40 €, 60 €, à la carte : 100 €. 2, rue du 4 Septembre, 75002 Paris. Closed on Sunday, service until 11:30pm. Tel : 01 44 55 51 55 and www.mori-venicebar.com

Discover high gastronomy as it exists in the City of Doges, with the added excellence of the best regional products. © DR

6. Mamo

Pépino Mammoliti has impressed the Arc de Triomphe district by opening a very high-end gilded gourmet venue. Used to receiving all the stars in his Antibes trattoria, the pope of pasta duplicates here his sunfilled cuisine: burrata di Andria from the Puglia region, whole grilled fish and even a burger with a local accent. A la carte : 70 €. 2, rue de la Pérouse, 75016 Paris. Closed Sunday and Monday, service until 10:30pm. Tel : 01 42 89 64 75 and www.mamoparis.com

Freestone walls, painted beams, crisp white tablecloths, there is a lot to say for tradition. © DR

7. Penati al Baretto

Alberico Penati is a role model when it comes to Italian gastronomy. His star-studded career leaves one dreamy, his plates are bewitching and his menu is served along with excellent made in Italy vintage wines. His carpaccio of Piedmont beef, raw tartare or tuna with pressed anchovies from Amalfi, saffron risotto and fish from Livorno are truly delightful. Menu : 39 €, à la carte : 65 €. 9, rue Balzac, 75008 Paris. Closed Saturday and Sunday, service until 10pm. Tel : 01 42 99 80 80 and www.penatialbarretto.eu

The star chef proudly flies the colors of Italy through its culinary history. © DR

8. Ida by Denny Imbroisi

Seen on TV, in the Top Chef show ! Behind Montparnasse, this Calabrian native runs his pocket-sized restaurant in the lines of a New York trattoria. After working with William Ledœuil, Alain Ducasse then Mauro Colagreco, he has perfectly mastered typical dishes : heart of beef tomatoes with buratta or a nest of spaghetti carbonara, all very desirable, even when it comes to his most jaded peers. Carte : 50 €. 117, rue de Vaugirard, 75015 Paris. Closed Sunday, service until 11pm. Tel : 01 56 58 00 02 et www.restaurant-ida.com

Careful, talent is ubiquitous here and this address might very well be awarded a star in the next Michelin guide ! © DR

9. Nolita

On the upper level of Motor Vilage, dear to the Fiat group, showcasing here its new models, this bright space lives to the rhythm of Bel Paese gastronomy. And of course, it's the friendly Vittorio Beltramelli who lords over the kitchens conveying a touch of gourmet Italy opening onto the savors of the world. A la carte : 50 €. 2, Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées, 75008 Paris. Open 7/7, service until 11pm. Tel : 01 53 75 78 78 and www.motorvillage.fr

 In keeping with its Golden Triangle location, the dining room features handsome decorative touches. © DR

10. Pratolina

This trattoria dusts off the image of the Grands Boulevards with its Tuscany touch. Featuring Florentine wallpaper and dominated by a wood burning oven, it is showcased by the friendly chanting accent of a team wearing goodlooking leather aprons. The risotto with langoustines, tempura Versilia, stuffed calamari or fillet of beef with Colonnata lard are all sinfully good. A la carte : 40 €. 11, boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle 75002 Paris . Open 7/7, service until 10:30pm. Tel : 01 42 36 01 30 and www.pratolina.paris

Beautfully decorated, this dining room is a wonderful place to taste specialties worthy of the Dolce Vita. © DR