5 Fabulous Spots for Sampling the Best Snails in Paris

Adventurous eaters journeying to Paris often have a few famous dishes on their must-try lists: frogs’ legs, calf’s brains…and snails.  

The traditional preparation of escargots à la bourguignonne sees the snails dressed in their shells and baked with an herbed garlic butter which forms the perfect sauce for a crusty baguette.

And while the recipe originally hails from Burgundy, today, you’ll encounter it in nearly every bistro in Paris. Here are some of the very best spots to sample snails in Paris during your stay.

plate of famous paris food with bread and wine in the background
This list of best snails in Paris will satisfy your curiosity. Photo credit: lmnop88a

L’Ami Louis

L’Ami Louis (Rue du Vertbois, 32) is an old-school Paris bistro that’s wildly divisive. Vanity Fair’s profile of the restaurant showed how exclusive (and expensive) it can be, but for escargots, it’s hard to beat.

Here, a dozen massive snails are served in a rich butter sauce by bow-tied, aproned waiters that look as though they stepped right out of the 20s for a truly Parisian experience.

wine and escargots in Paris
You can’t beat classic escargots.

Le Café des Musées

Bistro Le Café des Musées deviates a bit from tradition by broiling its snails not in their shells but rather in button mushroom caps.

This not only allows diners to pick the snails up whole but also allows the mushroom cap to soak up all that extra garlic butter. No bread required.

mushroom caps in buttery sauce.
Snails baked in mushroom caps instead of their shells is a decadence you won’t want to miss out on. Photo credit: Mark Mitchell

L’Escargot Montorgueil

The aptly named L’Escargot Montorgueil has been serving snails on the Rue Montorgueil since the mid-19th century, and by now, they’ve got it down pat.

Here, not only can diners enjoy the traditional butter and garlic snail, but they can also dip into a variety of other sauces, including Roquefort, foie gras, truffle, and curry. Order a half-dozen of each for a crowd, or opt for a sampler platter to help you narrow down your favorite.

Snails in buttery sauce
Snails in a butter and garlic sauce are irresistible. Photo credit: Lou Stejskal

Le Petit Gris

At Le Petit Gris, the eponymous petit gris snails—smaller than the Burgundian variety —are a staple feature on the menu, albeit not always in the same way.

Sometimes the little snails are folded into a buttery fougasse bread; other times, they’re baked en cocotte with fresh parsley. However they’re served, one thing is for sure: they’re going to be delicious.

burgundy style escargot
You can’t go wrong with either option of snails baked with parsley or folded into a buttery fougasse bread. Photo credit: T.Tseng

Chez Janou

Escargots are usually served as an appetizer, but at Provençal bistro Chez Janou, they’re elevated to a main course. Here, the snails are tossed with tagliatelle pasta, and the herbed, buttery sauce coats every last strand for a delicious main dish indeed.

platter of snails
Once you get a taste of these escargots you won’t want to share. Photo credit: Armand

Update Notice: This post was updated on January 26, 2024. 

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