A trip to Marché Poncelet is a staple on Parisian itineraries aiming to capture the local essence of the City of Light. Open throughout the week except on Mondays, the famous outdoor market is located within stumbling distance of the Arc de Triomphe. It is lined with stalls selling local specialties, fresh produce, fruits, vegetables, seafood, artisan cheese and bread. Begin your day with breakfast at the street boulangerie where the aroma of freshly-baked baguettes, pastries and confectionery engulfs your senses. Sample freshly-shucked oysters, relish gourmet chocolates, witness chicken roasting in the open, rummage through artifacts, buy unique souvenirs and mingle with the locals at one of the best food markets in Paris.

With a palimpsestuous menu that comes and goes from a small chalkboard at the front of the restaurant, Caïus is definitively French, harnessing the creative energies of talented chefs wrestling with daily produce deliveries. What you'll receive is anyone's guess, even the chefs. Each day the ingredients are received, the menu conceived, and the full set list scrawled in chalk by 11am. There's no a la carte at Caïus, but that's for the best. Dishes are designed to mingle with one another, appetizers seguing to bold entrees that make the most out of the daily ingredients. 

Just steps from the hotel, this pocket-size bar with an alternative touch will take you into a submarine-like world. Enjoy the vintage furniture and tailor-made cocktails made by Anaïs, the award-winning barmaid. In the basement there is a smoking room that looks like a private library.

Môm is a trendy restaurant and lounge in the 17th arrondissement. Owner Etienne Lefebvre creates an eclectic ambiance with pop art walls, an abstract false ceiling, plush furniture, quirky lamps and colorful decor. At the helm of its kitchen, chef Nicolas Guillard's contemporary cuisine includes specialties such as seared steak of swordfish and Thai basil, fillet of beef in blue cheese sauce, and veal sautéed with mushrooms and potatoes. Save room for a classic tiramisu or crème carambar with caramelized pineapple.