As in the rest of France, Parisian cooking has art status, the top chefs are stars, and dining out is a national pastime, whether it's at the bistrot on the corner or at a famed house of haute cuisine. In recent years, prices at the top end of the market have come down – with some superb-value midday set menus on offer – while the quality at the bottom end, particularly in the tourist hotspots, has sunk. Our advice to gourmets is to snack it out for a few days, then go for a blowout (but don't forget that wine with a €35 set menu can easily send the bill to €60 or more).