I’ve been to an awful lot of Paris restaurants this year, some new, others just new to me. Here are a few of my favorites.

Among new openings, Septime made a big impact on me and on Paris (I made a second reservation before my first visit was over). This new address in the 11th arrondissement, part of the Passardien diaspora (chef Bertrand Grébaut, along with several other noteworthy young talents, worked under Alain Passard at L’Arpège), is, for me, the most satisfying embodiment of what’s happening in Paris now. There are beautiful ingredients and a seamless incorporation of both ultramodern and classic technique that all ends up feeling perfectly natural. Unpretentious, professional service doesn’t hurt.

My other favorite newcomer is Vivant, Pierre Jancou’s latest showcase for his lusty, unfussy cooking of assiduously sourced products and his collection of expressive natural wines. Vivant stands out for another reason: Every contemporary bistro that opened this year seemed to be outfitted with exposed brick and industrial lighting—a cool, if bland, any-city aesthetic—but Jancou sources his locations as carefully as his products, and this onetime bird shop, elaborately tiled in glowing green and yellow, is gorgeous.

There are two old-but-new-to-me addresses that stand out from the past year. First, Chez Casimir, the delightful sibling and neighbor to Chez Michel, with a bustling, old-fashioned room; the happy, mostly neighborhood crowd; and, above all, the generous, blissfully unaffected, seasonal bistro cooking. And there’s the cheese tray. All comes with a price that feels almost retro.

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