Mexican Restaurants in Paris

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rice & beans, paris

People are surprised that there is a craving amongst a certain crowd (namely transplanted Californians…but with a growing number of Parisian locals) seeking Mexican food in Paris. Like any city with an international population, a variety of ethnic food and places are welcome.

Parisians, notably the younger set, are becoming more adventurous about Latin American foods and the quality of Mexican places is getting better, including a few joints that are rolling out their own tortillas. Even Chipotle has opened in Paris.

Here’s a list of places that I’ve been to, or were recommended to me, or that others have written about. I haven’t visited them all and where applicable, I’ve linked to people who have. You can also find reviews of Paris Mexican places on Paris by Mouth and Yelp.fr.

tomatilla salsa, rice & beans

Café Chilango
82, rue de la Folie Méricourt (11th)
Tél: 01 47 00 78 95

Market-fresh ingredients find their way into dishes at Café Chilango, which features tostadas, tacos and salads. Great cocktails, too.

 

El Nopal
3, Eugène Varlin (10th)
Tél: 07 86 39 63 46

Lunch is nearly impossible in this tiny spot with just two seats; most people take their meal out and eat by the nearby canal, in good weather. Homemade tortillas and friendly service. The hot sauce is quite good!

El Nopal (Barbra Austin)

El Nopal, Mexican taqueria in Paris (Adrian Moore)

El Nopal (Just Another American in Paris)

El Nopal (Meg Zimbeck)

Mexi and Co.
10, rue Dante
Tél: 01 46 34 14 12

Mexi & Co (About.com)

Fajitas
15, rue Dauphine (6th)
Tél: 01 46 34 44 69

La Perla
26, rue François Miron (4th)
Tél: 01 42 77 59 40

I wasn’t wowed by this place, which is popular with a younger set because of their central Marais location, who come mostly for the Mojitos.

La Perla (Meg Zimbeck)

La Perla (The Puff List)

Candelaria
52, rue de Saintonge (3rd)

The tacos and tostadas are excellent; I recommend the soft tacos with spicy sausage filling. Mexican beers available and the plain white door in the back leads to a crowded, popular cocktail lounge.

El Sol y La Luna
31, rue Saint Jacques (5th)
Tél: 01 43 54 41 56

Considered Latin American, it’s on this list because it features the flavors of Mexico and its neighbors. This friendly place is near Notre Dame and has specially priced lunch platters.

Beef Tacos and Chicken Quesadillas (Chocolate & Zucchini)

Susan’s Place
9, rue Annonciation (16th)
Tél: 01 45 20 88 16

Boca Mexa
127, rue Mouffetard (5th)
Tél: 01.73.77.28.22
Check website for other addresses.

Boca Mexa (Croque-Camille)

Anahuacalli
30, rue des Bernadins (5th)
Tél: 01 43 26 10 20

Anahuacalli (Paris Missives)

Hacienda del Sol
157, boulevard du Montparnasse (6th)
Tél: 01 43 26 26 53

The sister restaurant to Anahuacalli, listed above.

Cactus
48, rue Lafitte (9th)
Tél: 01 42 81 02 30
CLOSED

This lunch-only place is located near the business center of Paris. The energetic, friendly staff serves plump, respectable burritos, as well as soft tacos and salads, all available with various add-ins. (See photo, above.) Vegetarian options, too.

A Cactus in the Middle of Paris? (Jenni Does Dessert)

Cafe Mexico
73, rue Crozatier (12th)
Tél: 01 43 47 26 69

Restaurant and épicerie selling Mexican products, including salsas and fresh corn tortillas.

O’Mexico
20, rue du Père Guérin (13th)
Tél: 01 45 88 56

O’Mexico (Life en franglais)

Casa Palenque
22, rue Arrivée (15th)
Tél: 01 43 38 12 27

I haven’t been since their move but the last meal I had here featured standard Mexican fare. We did manage to empty their margarita machine by ten pm, so let’s hope they got a bigger one in their new place.

tacos

Tacos & Tortas
94, rue Saint Honoré (1st)
Tél: 01 42 33 39 87

Respectable tacos with pork, chorizo, chicken, vegetables, and cactus (shown) on offer. They could dial up the spices, and give a few more chips with the guacamole, but the pleasant staff and sunny outdoor seating make this a good spot of Mexican in the center of Paris.

Chaak
3, boulevard Saint Denis (3rd)

la taqueria in Paris

La Taqueria
20, rue du Générale Guilhem (11th)
TéL: 01 56 98 05 18

Tacos, quesadillas, and even margaritas are featured at this taco spot on a scenic park. You can’t mix ‘n match, so go with a friend if you want to try an assortment.

tacos at El Guacamolé in Paris

El Guacamolé
37, rue Yves Toudic (10th)
Tél: 01 42 41 09 09

Tacos are the specialty here and you can mix and match everything, from carne asada to puerco al pastor (pork with chiles and pineapple). Friendly service and outside seating.

Luz Verde
24, rue Henry Monnier (9th)
Tél: 01 74 64 29 04

The latest addition to the authentic Mexican cuisine line-up in Paris, Luz Verde is open for lunch and dinner, and includes a Mexican cocktail bar.

Café Chilango
82, rue de la Folie Méricourt (11th)
Tél: 01 47 00 78 95

Luis Rendon whips up Mexican dishes in this café, featuring homemade tortillas, frijoles rancheros, tacos, tostadas, and even brunch.

Casamex: Mail-order Mexican products in France.

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Where to Find a Great Hamburger in Paris

Paris Ice Cream Shops

Paris Favorites

Ten Insanely Delicious Things You Shouldn’t Miss in Paris

Restaurant Write-Up Policy

Carnitas

Atole

Chocolate Mole

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87 comments

    • Sheila

    As much as I love Paris, it would be too hard for this former California girl to go without Mexican food. Glad to know there are so many choices now.

    • annie

    What does a Parisian burrito look like? I can’t imagine that the giant Chipotle-sized ones would really make the transition…

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    annie: They’re a bit slimmer than their San Francisco-sized counterparts. I wonder if Chipotle will really open here or not. I don’t know if there’s all that much demand for burritos here, although the French have certain taken to other American foods and restaurants (the good, and the not-so-good…) so it remains to be seen.

    • Elodie

    Chipotle here would be awesooooooome. Honestly, I’d even take a taco bell (they’d have to serve “real” meat in france, right? :P)

    I have to mention, I went to El Sol y La Luna and personally found it kinda gross and overpriced… the overpriced I was expecting, but it really wasn’t very yummy to me. I can’t really say WHY, which makes this a useless review, lol… I just remember finding it completely dissapointing. El Nopal is not bad but so tiny (both the place and portions). I guess something in me believes it’s not mexican/tex-mex food unless you can eat it till you feel like you’re gonna explode! hahaha

    • angelainprovence

    I knew there was a reason I needed to go to Paris!

    • Curry

    I do miss Mexican food, although I haven’t been able to bring myself to try any in Paris. Perhaps I just haven’t been here long enough! Thanks for the list.

    • ron shapley

    Hi Dave……… The hoards flocking into Eataly in NYC are tourists…not locals…who have generally pooed pooed it as a “tourist trap”.. The tourists are mesmerized by the Mario, Lydia thing..

    • Marie

    OMG I love you sooo much for that!

    I fell in love with Mexican food when I was doing my exchange program in Florida and I have been craving for burritos ever since – but all the ones i’ve tried in Paris were so disapointing I kind of gave up on them.

    thanks to you, I’m going to rediscover the joy of frijoles (i’ve been doing my own for a few months but it’s just not the same!)

    Thank youuuuu

    • ParisGrrl

    Cactus has downright decent burritos (in size and taste), and that’s coming from someone who’s lived in Texas and California. I was also pleasantly surprised by their “American brownies.” I barely restrained my laughter though when the girl who handed me my burrito included instructions on how to eat it–clearly this is new turf for Parisians!

    • Michelle

    I’m a California-transplant myself and have done some hunting myself as well. I tried out El Nopal with super high hopes and was sorely disappointed. For how fresh everything looked and for how nice the man who owns the place was, not to mention the fact that he comes from Mexico, I found their food to be incredibly bland. Even the hotter hot sauce was just spicy, but had no other discernible flavor. I think I’ll have to try out some other spots…Rice and Beans sounds good. I soooo wish there was a Chipotle here though!

    • Vanessa

    Wish I knew about these when I was on study abroad – the only mexican restaurant I knew of was Indiana (not the best!)

    • Anne

    Thanks so much for this listing. El Nopal is a winner..just wish it had real seating. And Chipotle is definitely coming — May or June in the Grands Boulevards area with all French sourced ingredients.

    • Cooking in Mexico

    To learn of Mexican restaurants in Paris is a hopeful sign — perhaps the ingredients will now be more easily available for home cooks in France. I wonder if they are buying Maseca (corn tortillas flour) from Mexico to make their tortillas. Surely not making them from French grown corn, as tortillas call for a certain corn variety.

    Kathleen

    • Chocolate Freckles

    Unfortunately Chipotle and those Burrito places are not real Mexican food, they are Tex Mex which is very different. Good Mexican food is really hard to find and it is very elaborate and rich, it is a shame that some of those places like taco bell, chipotle, etc call themselves Mexican food when in fact they aren’t at all, in Mexico we would never eat tacos with hard shells for example, and burritos are not a staple dish either. I hope you have in there a place that can really share with you the mexican cuisine which is so unique and full of flavour.

    • Vanessa

    Wow. I’m a little jealous that you have that many options in Paris. When my husband and I decided to move to Tuscany from L.A. the lack of Mexican food was actually a major discussion point. Could we live without salsa, fish tacos, guacamole??? Sushi is another whole issue. I ended up growing my own cilantro and making EVERYTHING from scratch – which is fine. But man what I would pay for some fish tacos and a cold Corona with salt and lime!!

    • La Rêveuse

    There’s also O Mexico in the 13th. (http://www.restoaparis.com/fiche-restaurant-paris/omexico.html) Haven’t been there in years. But, when in the 13th, I’d prefer to spend my time at L’Oisive-Thé…

    And I hear you, David. Upon our return to the US, the first meal we wanted was Mexican. Midwesterners love Mex, too–especially places that are run by real Mexican expats/immigrants. We were thrilled when one opened here in Pennsylvania, and it did not take long for word to get around, even without a liquor license!

    • Mario

    I disagree with the posting that only tourists go to Eataly. I am a local and I go often because their produce selection is excellent. It is the only place in the city where I saw pink onions from Brittany, Oignons de Roscoff, for instance.

    • noëlle {simmer down!}

    This post brings me back to the time I made Mexican food for all my French friends in Toulouse, way back in 1998… it was très exotique! Due to lack of proper ingredients, I didn’t think it was all that great, but they were impressed enough.

    • Kate

    Okay, so as Houstonian, I have great access to Tex-Mex, however being married to a Mexican I have seen the light. I prefer truly authentic Mexican dishes and as mi suegra (mother-in-law) is a fantastic cook, I get the benefit of her expertise and patience as I learn this new kitchen craft. There are lots of specialty ingredients in Mexican cooking, it must be a real hunt to find all the needed ingrediants..as you frequently say that “Paris has everything, but what you are looking for.” I remember you mentioning that you like to make Mole. Would you mind posting your recipe as I am sure that your recipe, is out of this world!! Every recipe I’ve tried thus far, has been stellar! Thanks again for all your hard work and yummy delights!

    • Julia

    The burritos as Chipotle are HUGE! Usually my husband and I split one and we are plenty full.

    • Kari

    I love it! I hope quality gets better and you can sometime soon be enjoying the real thing…or the closest.

    • Ella

    I have been craving something Mexican too lately. I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s this damn Canadian weather. So, I came up with a soup recipe using green Mexican salsa (the Herdez brand) which I just love. It’s so good.

    It’s called Spicy Lentil-Bean Soup with a Kiss From Mexico.

    And I thoroughly recommend using Cambodian black pepper in it. It makes everything taste better. And thanks to your posting on Epices-Roellinger I now know where I can order it online.

    Thanks for that David.

    • Caroline

    I know Rice & Beans has received some criticism, but I actually like the burritos there. Very filling and pretty reasonably priced. However, El Nopal is the best I’ve tasted so far.

    However, I stumbled on this place recently: http://www.cafemexico.fr/ Haven’t had time to try it out yet, but apparently they sell hot peppers !

    • aga

    david, surely you mean “hordes” and not “hoards” ?

    • Sharon

    It’s great that good ethnic restaurants are popping up there to give a taste of authentic Mexican cooking to the locals. And I can imagine that if I were there long-term or as an ex-pat that I’d be tempted to check them out. But on my all-too-infrequent trips to Paris I want to fill my tummy and tickle my tastebuds with what I can’t get at home – good Parisian/French cooking!

    • Randy de Paris

    I discovered purely by accident a Latin grocery store in the 15eme. I believe it’s called Latino Market at 55, Bd Lefébvre 75015 Paris. They have masa etc., As a result of finding this, and other ethnic stores, a bunch of us Californian ex-pats have started making our own “Mexican meals”. I recommend starting your own “cooking” club. Although it’s getting better, Mexican food in Paris is just not quite the same as you would get at e.g., a taco truck in the Mission district of SF n’est-ce pas?

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    La Réveuse and Caroline: Thanks, I added those to the list. I was sort of collecting addresses people have been giving me on my desktop and this seemed like a better place to store (and share) them. Appreciate the addition.

    Randy: I’ve passed a few places by chance that have Latin products so it’s nice to have an address for one as well. (I usually bring things back from the states.) Someone told me of a taco truck out near the Porte de Versailles, which I find hard to believe, but they insisted it’s out there.

    Kate: I like both, Tex-Mex and real Mexican. Living here there’s not really much of a distinction (nor is there often in the US). But I’m happy to have these places to try, regardless of what they’re called! : )

    noëlle: I’ve made Mexican food for French friends and they really like it. The problem is often they’ve not had well-made Mexican food and (like American food) it gets a bad rap.

    Mario: That’s interesting they sell French red onions there, since they don’t really have anything to do with Italy. I was talking to someone about the Eataly concept and said that it would be great if the French did something like that, having a large store that showcased the best and most interesting products from France. But I don’t think that’s going to happen, for a variety of reasons. But how great would that be to be able to have access to some of the great stuff from France, too?

    • The Quest For Zest

    It sounds like Mexican food is seen as something wildly exotic, hip and trendy. I can’t even imagine that sort of enthusiasm for it, but I think it’s great. Paris is lucky to be getting a mostly authentic experience. Mexican and Tex-Mex are so ubiquitous in my corner of Indiana that people don’t get excited about it anymore, but how can you blame them. It’s almost entirely your standard, cheese soaked Tex-Mex mega-burritos and sugary, slushy margaritas.

    We’re slowly making the switch to more authentic restaurants though as more immigrants arrive though. Taqueria style shops are opening up all the time, and the Mexican groceries are full of authentic Mexican ingredients. Do you think the raw ingredients might ever show up in stores there?

    • AlanaD

    Thanx David this will come in handy as I plan to go to Paris later this yr.

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    A lot of the ingredients are already here; spices and herbs, cilantro, avocados, dried beans, meats, fresh and dried chiles (in Arabic and Asian markets), etc. Some aren’t exactly the same, and Mexican cuisine is pretty culturally rich, but it’s possible to approximate it closely.

    When I moved here, most Japanese restaurants were not very good (think fast-food sushi, which still dominate the city), but some very good, authentic Japanese places opened and they’re doing a bang-up business. A lot of the younger folks like them, some because the cuisine is lowfat and many of them are on le régime (diet).

    • Linda

    I’ve seen a place near Rue de Buci called El Chuncho (I thought it said El Cruncho for years, a neat name, si?) But haven’t eaten there. I guess I’m spoiled but a little bowl of salsa, about 10 tortilla chips and a 10 Euro margarita just don’t excite me. And why do you need mustard on the table for Mexican food? I see it all of the time. I usually just have to save my cravings for trips to the States. El Sol y La Luna wasn’t too bad if you have to feed your addiction.

    • Nancy/SpicieFoodie

    I used to live in Paris up to 3 years ago, and as a Mexican girl I was not impressed with the “Mexican” food in Paris. I love Paris, it’s the best city in the world, and Europe but when it comes to Mexican food they loose out to the states- big time. The so called Mexican food here in Europe is more of an interpretation of Tex-Mex, as I know you are aware, very different than real Mexican cuisine. I just gave up on finding decent Mexican restaurants and started making my own at home. Now finding authentic ingredients is another problem. Next time I’m visiting Paris I will look up some of your recommendations and give them try but if Chipotle is coming that would be muy bueno:) Gracias David!

    • Jennie

    What about Fajitas in the 6th? I can vouch for their fajitas and margaritas – pretty good! Although I might be biased since my last visit ended with a dessert of free tequila, complements of the owner, who saw this expat nearly weeping with joy over truly spicy salsa…

    • Cowigrl Chef

    David’s right – there are lots of ingredients that are easily sourced in Paris (cilantro/limes/avocados/black beans/etc), but alas, no fresh jalapenos or tomatillos — yet. I bring back lots of dried chiles on my trips to Texas, plus things like chipotle powder and ancho powder, which are impossible to find.

    • Camille

    I cannot wait for that torta place to open! Thanks so much for sharing your list!

    • Diana

    Thank you so much for this post!! I absolutely love Rice & Beans and knew I’d found a winner when the server was wearing a Cal shirt and then said that the co-owner was from San Jose, California.

    I also like Fajitas in the 6th, though my friends and I made a mistake assuming the chips were ‘all you can eat’ when the server kept asking if we wanted a 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc basket. Please let us know if you find a place that has endless bowls of chips and salsa!

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Diana: Ouch! on the no free refills of chips–although I guess when the bread is always unlimited, it’s natural to think the chips might be as well.

    Camille: Am thinking we need to organize a Mexi-crawl in Paris! (With a few stops of margaritas…)

    Cowgirl Chef: I bought some red chiles on the rue de Belleville that are shown in my Cold noodles with peanut sauce post which a few friends identified as jalapeños. They were red, and pretty lively. But yes, I bring ancho chile powder back from the states. I love that stuff.

    • Katia

    Ooooh, thanks for this list David – I’ve discovered a few I didn’t know about.
    I’ve also brought back tomatillo seeds from Australia – VERY excited to try to grow some this year :)
    Put me down for a margarita crawl… ;)

    • Sarah

    I second Jennie – Fajitas in the 6th is a must-try! They have delicious mole enchiladas, chile con carne and enchiladas verdes. The owners are an American/Mexican couple and the fresh chips and super hot salsa (in big bowls, not in tiny dime-size ones) confirm that their fare is the real deal.

    • Jennifer

    Oh, how I miss the taquerias in S.F.! When we were home this summer, we ate an embarrassing number of burritos, up to two per day. I love the idea of a taco truck in Paris, though it’s really hard to imagine that catching on. Either way, I’m glad to hear Mexican food is gradually making its way here. Europe doesn’t know what it’s missing!

    • Caroline

    No problem, glad I could contribute to the list… I hope that earns me a spot in this alleged margarita/mexi crawl :P

    • Sion @ paris (im)perfect

    Oh, thank you for this post! Mexican is always the first meal I have when I’m back in the States. Maybe there’s hope yet that I can satisfy my cravings here!

    • John Golden

    Hi, David–I love your books, especially the ice cream book, from which I’ve made many of the recipes. I love the hazelnut milk chocolate ice cream the best.
    I recently made the butterscoth pecan ice cream and had a strange experience with it. I’m able to get raw milk and very heavy raw cream, which I use exclusively when I make ice cream. While I was preparing the custard it started to coagulate–not curdle–, with white lumps forming. I mentioned this to my friend Sandy Gluck at Martha Stewart and she had no idea why, thinking perhaps that it was from the acid in the brown sugar.

    I thought my milk and cream were good but when I tasted each again they seemed off. I threw the whole thing out and started all over again with fresh cream and milk, thinking perhaps that the spoiled milks were the cause. But now using the fresh creams the same thing happened again. The custard mixture was not very warm yet, just sort of at the steam rising stage, or about 140 degrees on my thermometer.
    I stopped cooking it, whisked the mixture very hard and then poured in through a fine strainer 3 times. That seemed to work. I chilled the ice cream overnight and made it the next day. It was delicious–smooth and creamy. But the lumping was very strange. Is that normal for this ice cream or can you think of another reason?

    • Susan

    Thanks for the info, David! We’re moving to Paris in April so I’ve been wondering what pantry items I need to bring with me (on the plane because by law or moving company restriction we can’t ship them). I grew up in the Southwest and currently live in LA so Mexican/Tex-Mex is a must for me, although I just recently learned to cook my own (it’s too easy to just go out and it’s can be a very time-intensive cuisine for fast food!) Can’t wait to bust out my tortilla maker and chipotles in adobo in Paris but it’s good to know that there are some dining out options. When I moved to NYC in the mid-90’s, Mexican food was not all that popular or always that great, but now there are great taco places in NYC so maybe there is hope for great Mexican in Paris once it becomes more popular.

    • Dave Webb

    Thanks for the list of Mexican restaurants in Paris.

    I have searched for them since 1960 when I was introduced to Tex-Mex in a little hole-in-the-wall place in Ohio (of all places). There is something about the food, or maybe the hot sauce that is addicting.

    As an ex-pat living on a boat in France, I am always on the lookout for the elusive enchilada, taco and plate of nacho chips.

    One of my favorite places in Paris is El Chihuahua. Located above the Arsenal at 36 Boulevard de Bastille, and run by “real” Mexicans. The food is as close as you will get to Tex-Mex in all of Europe. So many times, Mexican food in other places of the world just doesn’t cut it. Either the spices are not right and the substitutions used are lacking or the preparation is not authentic. A very good Margarita can be had there as well. They even have the beloved jalapenos that come from a jar…

    I like the place, YMMV

    • Stella

    Californians?!

    Texans, more like.

    • Lucie

    I’ve got to agree about Fajitas–I live next door and their mole and enchiladas verdes are consistently good. Only problem is the chips and salsa which I always have a problem paying for, and the insane price of their margarita!

    Also, I had enchiladas at Anahuacali which I thought were good. I have a Mexican friend who goes there whenever she needs her fix.

    Haven’t tried Rice&beans yet, but the simple thought of a Chipotle crossing the Ocean is making me crave a burrito…

    • nazli

    Thanks for the post David.! I am madly in love with mexican dishes. And I like tthe beans with sour cream. Yummyy :) Thanks again..

    • adrian

    Thanks for the mention!

    • Maureen@toutsweetparis.com

    Great post. I had no idea there were so many Mexican/Latin American places here now.

    I will have to try some of them asap as eating those grocery store shelf stable tortillas is making me depressed. I always run out too quickly of my tortilla/salsa stash from SF.

    No one beats Anahuacali for margaritas. Those glasses they serve you are bigger than your head. Food is excellent too. Not to mention Ms Khalo who runs the place : )

    • Jean Marie

    I went to Eataly last week with my son who lives in NYC and it was indeed a magnificent scrum. There were lots of local folks there along with the tourists. I’d love to go back on, say, a Weds. morning in a few months when things settle down. The variety was incredible.

    • Jess Labz

    I’ve had some some experiences with Mexican food in Budapest and Berlin that were interesting to say the least (or at least for someone who lives is San Francisco). The Chipotle knockoff in Budapest was hands down the best burrito I had in Europe, even if the rice was undercooked sometimes. Pretty funny what gets passed off as Mexican on that side of the world.

    • lori

    When I lived in Japan, I would literally dream about Mexican food. I’d have my father send me taco sauce, which we’d put on plain white rice–a pathetic substitute for the real thing.

    • Kathy

    Oh Mex is always the first meal I have to have when I return home after a lot of traveling. It’s something I crave when I can’t get it and have gone on extended searches with friends in London to mixed success. My craving was so bad during a long trip through Thailand recently that I made the poor decision to order a chimichanga on a small island. Ugh. Really regretted that but what are you going to do? Thanks for the list; I’m sure it will come in handy!

    • Alison

    I took a Malagasy French friend to Chipotle in Colorado a few months ago. He took a picture of his meal and posted it to Facebook and we went back the next day — he was in heaven!

    On the flip side the weather in Paris and Mexican food do not quite meet up in my personal world view, but then Indian food is prolific in London, so I suppose Mexican or Tex-Mex or Cal-Mex might do just fine in France.

    • susan schwartz

    fine post on mexican foods.
    you’re amazing on food: on grammar, not so much.
    i think you mean “that others have written about” – and not “that others have wrote about.”

    • chuck

    On our first trip to Paris 10 years ago, the restaurant in our hotel (Mr. Bed City) was a Mexican restaurant. It was an interesting take on Mexican food, not what we were accustomed to but good none the less. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant.

    • Elizabeth Mackey

    Wow, so many have popped up since we were living there back in 2002/2004…..We use to try and make our own Mexican food while we were there, but alas, there were not enough good corn products to do so.
    My favorite laughable “Mexican” restaurant was the chain “El Rancho.”
    We did go to El Sol y la Luna. It was so spicy we were on fire!!
    Glad to see there are so many more opening in Paris. I’ll seek them out on my next trip there.

    • Jason

    thanks fore this post, i love to go paris to taste these fabulous foods in mexico.

    • Heather

    I was surprised to see that Fajitas in the 6th didn’t make the recommendation list…until I got to Jennie’s post. David, can you please add it to the list in your post, in case people don’t read all of the comments here? Though I’ve been tempted to try some of the other places you listed, on the rare occasions that we get a babysitter and get out of the house, Fajitas is the first place on the list (Baan Boran, for Thai, is a close second on our list by the way). We love Fajitas! Amy & Miguel (the owners) are absolutely fantastic as well, always making my husband’s food as spicy as it can get. The margaritas are insanely priced though, I will agree with that. I just saw recently that Thanksgiving is selling margarita mix in a bottle now, so we might be making margaritas at home first in the future, in order to cut down on the cost a little (but we will still have a pitcher at Fajitas because they ARE really good there, no matter the price!).

    That said, I’d love to have a Chipotle here in Paris, and if they really are going to be on the Grands Boulevard–which is right near my husband’s office–I think that we’d be having a lunch date there pretty frequently. Chipotle might not be true Mexican food, but it’s fast, fresh, and delicious all the same!

    • Suzanne

    Hi David,
    Great list, thanks. Count Reggie and me in on the Mexican crawl. Wanted to mention Susan’s Place for Tex-Mex for those on the west side of Paris.
    Susan’s Place
    9 rue Annonciation
    75016 Paris
    Neighborhood: 16ème arr.

    • Laurel Evans

    It’s funny, as a Texan in Italy, I haven’t explored the Mexican restaurants in Milan quite enough. Most Texans will tell you they have never eaten good Mexican food outside of Texas, so I’ve been quite dubious about trying it on the other side of the ocean. I have experimented a couple times and been appalled when presented with creamy white sauces and swordfish. Perhaps Paris has it’s Mexican food act together a bit more than Milan, but nonetheless you’ve inspired me to give it another shot.

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Suzanne: It’s a deal! Although I think we’ll have to call a few places in advance to make sure they top-off their margarita machines in preparation for our arrival : )

    John: I don’t have much experience with raw milk but if it’s not homogenized, I would imagine that’s why your mixtures are breaking.

    Heather: Thanks (and to the others who mentioned the place)-these aren’t necessarily recommendations, but places that either I’ve been to or that are on my radar. I’ve added Fajitas since a number of you out there commented on it, so thanks for bringing it to my attention!

    Kathy and Lori: It’s funny how we just crave those flavors and spices, and even if the food isn’t quite up to par with what we’re used to, we have to have it anyways.

    Susan: I don’t mind if people point out typos; since this is a blog, it’s not always going to be error-free because of the nature of blogging. Similarly, comments such as yours and others often have grammatical and spelling errors as well, which I sometimes tidy up (especially if English is not their first language, although I find them charming)—or just chalk up to the nature of people wanting to leave a quick message or note.

    (Btw: This is what my screen looks like when I write a blog post, such as this one.)

    I do appreciate it when people point them out so I can fix them.

    • Rose

    It’s not just Californians, all of the American expats I know list Mexican food somewhere near the top of their ”things I miss the most from home” lists. Unfortunately the Mexican options in Frankfurt are pretty bad and it took me a while to convince my German husband that the reason he thought he didn’t like Mexican food was because he hadn’t had any of the good stuff. But I finally converted him!

    • Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite

    Great roundup David. Interesting to see La Perla still around – when I lived in Paris in the mid 1990s it was very popular (but for the reasons you describe, rather than the food!). Looking forward to trying Rice and Beans this summer when I will be staying just around the corner :-)

    • Paola

    David, so nice to see a post about Mexican food in Paris, go figure my favorite food in my favorite place. I was also glad to see Anahuacalli included and surprised (somewhat) that they have one more place, always good to see fellow “beaners” doing well. Which reminds me I have yet to try your carnitas recipe, shame on me!!!
    One last thing, please stay away from Chipotle, that place is owned by MacDonalds. If you are having Mexican have the real deal.

    • Carrie

    Ok, normally I can sit here in Casablanca, totally depraved of Mexican food and general foodie culture and I can tolerate, love, try not to compare myself too much to your colorful, well-thought out, beautiful posts about food and paris…but this one has gone too far. you have hurt me.

    signed,
    Missing Mexican food in Morocco

    • jtkeifer

    My wife and I enjoyed the Alice Waters’ restaurant my time when we were living in SF, also we were fans of the greatest Chocoltier in SF, we had a farm in Sonoma where they had the greatest Mexican food, now in Southern California and no really good Mexican food, maybe Pollo Loco/fascinated with your blog.

    Thank you

    • Madeleines and Marathons

    Chipotle in Paris? Wow, that sounds amazing.

    I think Parisians would make great Mexican food…Just swap some of that butter for lard, a squeeze of lime, and add some guacamole!

    • Paula

    when I`ll be in Paris I go to one of them :) Thanks for sharing!

    • Akila

    Because we’re permanent vagabonds, Mexican food is one of the foods we miss the very most abroad. We’ve been brave enough to try Mexican restaurants in Cambodia and Thailand . . . neither were very good, unsurprisingly. The ones in Paris look much better than the ones we’ve tried in Asia!

    • Suze

    The last time we had Mexican food in Paris, we laughed about how it was served with baguettes on the table instead of tortillas. Everything had mole sauce with it, but did satisfy that craving.

    • Claire

    Mexican restaurants in Paris! I lived there eons ago, and when we were tired of French food (hardly ever), we ate Moroccan or Chinese. Because I’m from California, I probably wouldn’t seek out Mexican food in Paris during a visit now, unless an irresistible craving overcame me. Still, it’s good to know these restaurants exist–just in case.

    I grew up an Air Force brat and was exposed to many cuisines. I recall living in Boston, again eons ago (guess I’m dating myself) and was so excited when a Mexican restaurant open. My husband emeritus and I immediately headed there. What a disappointment. I always referred to that food as New England boiled Mexican food. I haven’t been back to Boston in many years, but I suspect it sports some respectable Mexican establishments now.

    • Lynn

    I’m surprised no one has mentioned The Studio, on Rue du Temple in the Marais. They have nachos, fajitas, quesadillas, and brownies… so clearly it’s Tex Mex. http://www.the-studio.fr/ I’m embarrassed to say I was living practically across the street from it for 3 months and never tried it – I was willing to live without Mexican for 3 months but inhaled a Papalote burrito as soon as I got home to San Francisco.

    • Jenni

    I’m happy to see so many Mexican/tex mex restaurant options in Paris. It is the one type of food I miss the most living here in Paris. Thank you for the comprehensive list. I live not too far from Cactus and wrote a blogpost about it and now I’m sort of a celebrity there. It’s not quite the same level of chipotle, but the sauces are actually spicy and the waitstaff is very nice and friendly!

    • Katie

    Zicatela Resto Café!

    8 Rue Geoffroy Marie, M° Grands Boulevards / M° Cadet

    Although I have yet to try any of the others, this one has satisfied my craving for Mexican food. (Much better than the tex-mex restaurant I tried where they served nacho cheese sauce and played lil jon’s ‘get low’) Friendly staff, good food and margaritas!

    • Maya

    David, would it be possible for you to add the “arrondissement” ? that would make it easy for those living in Paris to figure out rapidly where the place is located. Same comment for the addresses given in your fantastic “Sweet life in Paris”

    thanks !

    • Maya

    ha – I wrote my comment just after I started reading the list and hadn’t noticed that you did include the arrondissements from ‘Fajitas’ on ….

    • Will

    Only 2 hours from Paris, on the German side, and the Mexican restaurants around here are nothing to solve any cravings. If the Chipotle does open will defiantly have to make a train trip for the day up to Paris but am kind of scared to see what they change.

    • emily

    this post could not have come at a better time! i’ve followed your blog for a while now in anticipation of my study abroad program in paris. after a few weeks away from the u.s., i really started to crave mexican food, and voilà! some friends and i tried out rice & beans this weekend, and the food was great and also very affordable. thanks for the recommendation!

    • Peggy

    Once again, your post brings back memories of our time in Geneva some 25 years ago. Being native Californians, we craved Mexican food so badly and were lucky when a couple of California transplants opened the only Mexican restaurant we ever saw in Europe at that time right near the train station . . . and the food was delicious to boot. Glad to see more are opening. Mexican food is just too good to live without.

    • The Mistress of Spices

    I love this post! As a Texas girl in Paris, I sorely miss good Mexican and Tex-Mex food and have mostly resigned myself to making it on my own, toting jalapenos, masa harina, cotija cheese, chipotles and canned black beans (which until recently could be found but at like 5-6 euros a pop…now I found them at 99 centimes at a Sri Lankan store, go figure!) across the Atlantic. Restaurant-wise, I think that Hacienda del Sol and Zicatela (near Grands Boulevards) are decent but overpriced. But now I’m so excited that there are options like El Nopal, Cactus and Rice & Beans and can’t wait to try them all! And I am totally with you on the margarita crawl…count me in!

    • randulo

    In my early years in Paris, in 19.., I was happy to see Café Pacifico open its doors on the Blvd Montparnasse (IIRC). A lot of things went down in that place, many unrelated to the food, but it was great to get a dose of what we were missing, coming from California. In those days you couldn’t buy tortillas in the supermarket.

    I don’t see anything odd about craving foods from around the world. I recall spending some days in the lake region of Italy, and the was only one choice besides the local restaurants: mediocre Chinese. Speaking of Asian food in France, one of the most respected tables in Bordeaux is Tommy Shan’s “Au Bonheur du Palais”. Seems only natural to eat a wide variety of styles of cuisine. Spice of life and all that.

    /r

    • David

    randulo: I’ve heard, “How can you eat anything other than French food…you’re in France!” And I’m not sure where that comes from. Sure, if you’re visiting a country, you should probably focus on the local cuisine or things you can’t get at home. But on the other hand, I’ve had amazing Lebanese food in Mexico, awesome Persian food in Dubai, and great Italian food in San Francisco.

    Mexican food is still underrepresented in France and it’s not a cuisine that’s well-known at all. So it’s nice to see places making inroads here and people starting to appreciate it. I was at Cactus the other day and it was packed at lunchtime, and the clientele was mostly French. So I agree completely.

    • samantha

    I know this blog post was awhile ago, but each time I’ve been fortunate to travel to Europe, I CRAVE Mexican food. Seriously have dropped 30 euros on a meal that would have cost me 5 bucks here in California. I have taco cravings…

A

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