5 excellent Japanese restaurants in Paris

The young chef Hiroki Yoshitake has succeeded in creating a graceful fusion of French and Japanese cuisine. In his restaurant Sola he juggles flavours and textures, rewriting the repertoire of cuisine with his airy, visually arresting dishes. His work was rewarded with a Michelin star soon after the opening. Whether you choose to dine in the Japanese dining room or the French dining room with its beams and stonework Sola promises a mindblowing gastronomic experience.

Ogata, which is located in a magnificent, newly renovated 17th-­century building, offers an unforgettable experience of the best that Japan has to offer. Check out the shop, art gallery, tea salon and restaurant where they serve a contemporary take on traditional Japanese home cooking.

You may be forgiven for thinking that you have stepped into a yokocho in Tokyo but no, you are still in Paris, in Saint- Germain-des-Prés to be exact. They do, however, serve delicious ramen here. This popular dish is lifted to another level by the addition of only the best French ingredients. The noodles, which are prepared in house, are made from wheat that is grown by the owners themselves.

Kunitoraya is the most popular restaurant among the many Japanese restaurants in this neighbourhood. Sit down at a long communal table, with other habitués and enjoy some of the best udon noodles in Paris. The pleasant waiting staff recommends Tempura-Udon with crispy prawns for novices and Kunitora-Udon for the more advanced.

A simple setting for the most perfect dishes! At lunch, they serve donburi, oversized bowls of meat, fish or veg served over rice. In the evening, Haikara turns into an izakaya-­style restaurant, where you can enjoy beer and cocktails with delicious sharing plates.