Top 10 favorite Charcuteries in Paris in 2023

When thinking about French food and wine, you cannot say wine pairings without charcuterie. Charcuterie, or cooked meat, began in France in the 16th. This craft initially involved only pork meat because the whole animal could be butchered and eaten from head to toe and create different preparations, such as cured hams, dried sausages, head cheese, etc. The initial idea was to preserve the meat using various techniques, such as smoking, salting, etc., when refrigeration was unknown.  

We usually take you to one of these places for a tasting in our  French Essential Food and Wine Experience and walk you through the history and how it relates to our culture. You can also stop by to pick up some goodies for your picnic at the Seine river or the Eiffel Tower, or to create your perfect date night wine and food pairing.

The neo-butchers in our list are trying to revive the craft and make it modern and appealing in the same way that a new generation of patissiers has renewed the art of pastry in Paris.

Contrary to the general belief,  French charcuterie has also suffered from industrialization; luckily, These craftsmen represent the top quality in France and would never display their products in a French supermarket; having said that, we hope you enjoy this list. 

A Charcutier and traiteur: You can buy ready-to-eat food preparations for lunch or dinner, such as the raspberry vinaigrette beetroot salad or a seasonal changing dishes.

Gill Verot revamped our favorite charcuterie shop in Paris, a three-generation family since 1930. The staff is super friendly, and everything is sourced from the best independent artisans in France.

We highly recommend the “Jambon de Bourgogne” – parsley ham but all the pies and their variations according to the seasons are extraordinarily savory and delicious. Try this with a local French wine for a top Parisian food and wine experience.

The Parisian boiled ham is a staple, the “galette au poivre”, cured saucisson rolled on white and black peppercorns, and the traditional quiche Lorraine are just some of the many delightful food options here.

PRO tip: if you see something called l”oreiller de la belle aurore”, do not miss it; you will be lucky to taste “the king of paté in a crust” they only make it four times per year, and it is delightful, the garnish is made up of the finest feathered and furred game, poultry, pork stuffing, morels or truffles when in season plus duck foie gras. A serious decadent delicacy rarely found in Paris, but also a staple of authentic French cuisine.

A unique shop close to the trendy Marché des Enfants rouges in Paris, Caractère de Cochon or pig’s headed.

The owner Solo, originally from Madagascar, moved to France about 35 years ago to study. He realized that other countries, such as neighboring Spain and Italy, had shops that specialized and highlighted all the regional hams, but there weren’t any in Paris. So he decided to do something about it and created this emporium devoted entirely to ham.

The tiny space is jam-packed with hams hanging in the window, and from the rafters, you can find every kind of cooked and cured hams from various artisans in different countries you can imagine and almost every region in France.

All the curated, hand-picked items here are of outstanding quality.

PRO tip: Stop by at noon and taste his excellent Parisian staples “jambon-beurre” sandwiches (a baguette sliced in half, generously buttered, with the ham of our choice in between), then head to Square du Temple to enjoy it while watching Parisian life go by.

The chef charcuterie and cook Arnaud Nicolas achieved the title of the Best craftsman in France (MOF) – at only 24 years old. He launched a Charcuterie Haute-Couture revolution with his concept of an elegant restaurant-boutique located in a residential part of the discreetly chic 7th arrondissement.

His idea is to showcase the fantastic French art of charcuterie and seduce Parisians to want to eat it again.

We delighted ourselves with a delicious “pâté en croûte”, the best head cheese in town, the pork terrine made with various cuts, and a good glass of red wine to wash it all down. One of the greatest French food and wine pairings we found.

The chef also cooks mains based on pork, beef, lobster, lamb, etc. The perfect address for meat lovers.

PRO tip: We’d like to suggest having lunch at this place after you visit the Eiffel Tower. It is no secret for savvy travelers that lunching or dining near any major tourist attraction is a no no.

This charming, small cave of Ali Baba’s delicatessen, established in the 1920s, sells a variety of meats, cheeses, and products from the Aveyron region of France. These Aveyronnaise delicacies are hard to find somewhere else in Paris; this is why we love this place and included it in our list.

We love the 15-month-old Laguioles and Salers cheeses. You can also find cured meats, pâtés, fresh sausage, blood pudding with chestnuts, stuffed cabbage, and foie gras.

PRO tip: If you are looking for a French gift to take home, you can buy beautiful traditional French knives from the Forge de Laguiole at this shop.

LACM is not a charcuterie shop but a casual restaurant owned by famous bistronomy chef Yves Camdeborde, an ambassador of French charcuterie. 

The shop is next to Saint-Germain des près indoor market. This place is a love letter to pork; there are pigs on the walls, a flying pig hanging from the ceiling, a ham bone, and small dishes choices are suspended from hooks. Classic French charcuterie is in the air here, literally.

We love this place for the outstanding selection of low-intervention wines, the small plates of pork-based artisanal delicacies, and the mountain of salted butter we spread liberally in the crusty cornbread served at the bar.

We love the sweet and savory blood pudding macaron, the high-quality charcuterie mix, and the sautée pork ears with their unique texture.

They also have a daily fresh food lunch menu that changes every day. Make sure to stop here for lunch on your luxury food and wine tour in Paris.

Pro tip: If you prefer fish and shellfish-based tapas, head to his nearby address L’Avant Comptoir de la Mer or the la Terre, any of them are a lot of fun, casual, and easy to meet people and chat.

Located in the indoor gourmet market Halle Beauvau in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, an unmissable charcuterie shop classified as a historical monument. With nearly 40 years of practicing his craft, Mr. Patrick Hayée offers high-quality products from head to toe. A unique place where locals shop and visitors can explore the culinary culture of Paris.

We like to take our guests to this historical artisanal shop and taste it during ourEat Your Way Through A Parisian Farmers’ Market food and wine experience and live for a day what it is like to shop as Parisians do.

Pro tip: Take advantage of walking thru the maze of stalls and contemplate French produce in this village-like atmosphere Parisian market. La Graneterie du Marché is one of the oldest and most authentic shops in this market.

Cul de Cochon delicatessen exists in different neighborhoods in Paris. They specialize in charcuterie, cheese, and lunch sandwiches. The window displays lots of French produce from our region and big hams hanging from the ceiling, each more tempting than the last.

They work with high-quality local products, top raw-milk farmhouse French cheeses, charcuterie without preservatives (nitrite-free cold cuts), and organic wines. Explore their menu to experience an amazing wine and food pairing guide.

Cul de cochon is one of our favorite shops to grab cold cuts, cheese, charcuterie, artisanal dessert, and a bottle of sparkling crémant, then walk to the Seine river and enjoy a delicious picnic with a magic view.

Pro Tip: we love the Noir de Bigorre (black ham from the Bigorre region) and the tasty Cul noir from Limousin, do not miss it!

We love and support this new generation butchery inside the oldest market in Paris le marché des enfants rouges since 1605. It is the best hybrid charcutier-restaurant-wine bar discovered in 2023.

Louis-Marie, ex-owner of a wine shop, and Robin néo-butcher, the two friends, founded the “Meat Revolution” movement, bringing new meaning to French charcuterie. This association brings together committed butchers united by high-quality principles, guaranteeing sustainable animal selection, good breeding conditions, and fair remuneration for breeders.

They traveled around France for eight months to source the best lamb, meat, veal, pork, native chicken breeds, etc.from small independent French producers.

These guys are super passionate about their craft, the service is friendly and professional, and the meats served here, plus the market atmosphere, is the cherry on top.

Pro Tip: I suggest you stop by for an early lunch at 11:45 am to grab one of the two big tables so you can be soaked in the ambiance of this extraordinary market.

Maison Thielen in the ultra gourmet rue des Martyr in the 9th arrondissement.

Stéphane, another néo butcher-charcuterie-traiteur, is a passionate craftsman, always in a good mood. One of his mentors was Gill Vérot from Maison Verot, who is also on this list.

You can find a magnificent selection of charcuterie and homemade French dishes.

All charcuterie is made with care and according to the rules of the art. The head cheese is  very delicious here, and the more mature cheeses are perfect for wine and cheese pairings.

Pro Tip:  You can stop by and pick up some delicacies. This street has anything you might want for your picnic at the top of the Sacre Coeur church, with one of the top views of Paris.

Alexander, an ex-banker, decided to change careers, signed up for a pro certificate to become a butcher, and trained with some of the best artisans in Paris before opening this small shop in the trendy rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud.

Three words to describe this place:  beautifully decorated, excellent service, and delicious. Another outstanding location to taste the best possible cuts of French meat.

The beef is sourced from the exquisite Limousin breed with delicious tenderness and

its characteristic marbling, making it super juicy and tasty, perfect for natural carnivores.

The poultry (chickens, guinea fowl, ducklings, etc.) come from the best free-range farms providing superior taste quality. Same for lamb, pork, and veal.

Wesuggest you come to this small, nicely decorated restaurant for lunch. The concept is simple. Choose your favorite cut from the window display with garnish and sauce; then, you start a friendly conversation with the butcher, who will clarify your questions. A privilege is rarely seen in Paris, bon apetit!