After 15 years of returning to Paris and more than a dozen trips, I’m much more selective about which experiences are worth giving up an evening for. On a past visit, I booked an Eatwith Paris where I enjoyed a dinner in a local home near Île Saint-Louis, curious to see whether it would feel genuinely personal or simply like another packaged food experience.
It turned out to be one of the most memorable meals of the trip. We shared a five-course dinner with our host, Catherine, and another traveller from the UK, with as much conversation about Paris, travel and everyday life as there was about the food.
In this Eatwith review, I’ll share what the experience was actually like, what I would want to know before booking, who I think it suits best, and whether I think an Eatwith dinner is worth adding to your Paris itinerary.
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Is Eatwith Worth It?
Yes, I think an Eatwith experience is worth it if you want one meal to feel less like a restaurant reservation and more like part of your Paris experience. I would especially recommend it to repeat visitors, those travelling alone in Paris, couples, and anyone who enjoys conversation and meeting people as much as the food itself.
What made it worthwhile for me was the access. After years of eating in Paris restaurants, I was interested in an experience that might tell me something about the person who actually lives there. I wasn’t simply being served dinner. I was sitting in a Parisian home, talking with someone who lives in the city and hearing about her family, favourite places and everyday life in Paris.
That said, I wouldn’t choose Eatwith for the food alone, and definitely not in replacement of every restaurant meal. If you have a particular Paris restaurant you’ve been dreaming about, keep that reservation. These are home cooks after all. I see Eatwith as something different: one evening that gives you a more personal way into the city.
How Eatwith Works in Paris
Eatwith is a platform where you book food experiences directly with individual local hosts. In Paris, that might mean dinner in someone’s home, a cooking class, a neighbourhood food tour, a pastry tasting or a picnic. Every destination in Europe offers a little something different. The setting, menu and group size depend on the experience, so you’re not simply booking “Eatwith.” You’re choosing the host and experience that best suits how you want to spend your time in Paris.
Before booking, look closely at the practical details. Listings outline what the experience includes, the start and finish time, location or neighbourhood, and maximum number of guests. My dinner, for example, was a five-course meal near Île Saint-Louis from 7:00 to 9:30 PM with a maximum of six guests. Read the profile of your host, and choose based on fit with you.
Dietary options also vary by host. My dinner featured fish rather than meat, while one of the other Paris experiences I considered specifically offered a vegetarian option. My host accommodated my vegetarian requirements. I would always check the individual listing before booking rather than assume dietary requests can be accommodated.
My Eatwith Experience
On a rainy December night in Paris, the streets decorated for Christmas and the city buzzing with excitement from the grand reopening of Notre Dame, I found myself climbing the stairs to Catherine’s apartment near Ile Saint Louis for an Eatwith experience.
The contrast between the damp chill outside and the warm, inviting atmosphere inside was immediate and welcoming.
Catherine, our gracious host, greeted us with a radiant smile, ushering us into her cozy living room where the scent of something delicious filled the air. As we sipped on white wine and nibbled on appetizers, I couldn’t help but notice the table setting—a beautiful combination of gold and pink that seemed to perfectly match my style.
Our small group consisted of my husband, myself, and Mary, a delightful traveller from Ireland who was visiting Paris to practice her French. Throughout the evening, Mary bravely attempted to converse in French, much to Catherine’s delight.
Our host, born and raised in a small medieval village about an hour north of Paris, has lived her entire adult life in Paris. She shared stories of her love of cooking passed down by her father, her favourite places to travel and practice Buddhism, and her favourite Parisian pastimes – visiting the local markets and reading in beautiful gardens like Jardin du Luxembourg.
Now for the food. My advice: come hungry because you will be treated to a delightful 5-course dinner. Starting with a velvety cream of cauliflower soup that warmed us to our cores. For the main course, my husband, Mary and Catherine devoured crispy fried rice topped with braised leeks and seared scallops.
The cheese plate that followed, a tradition in France to be served after the main course, was a testament to France’s dairy prowess. You know what they say: live in France, and you can eat a different type of cheese every day of the year! Lastly, we finished with a rich chestnut cake that embodied the essence of winter and was a recipe Catherine enjoyed as a child.
As the night wore on, the rain outside seemed to fade away, replaced by the warmth of new friendships and the joy of shared experiences. I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner with a local experience, and will now make it my ritual travel experience to do one every trip!
Details:
- Enjoy a 5-course dinner by the River Seine, near Ile Saint-Louis and Notre Dame Cathedral
- Classic French recipes using organic ingredients (no meat, fish only)
- 7:00 – 9:30 PM | Up to 6 guests
Who I Think An Eatwith Experience Is Best For
I think this type of experience is especially well suited to slow travellers who want more than another meal out. If cultural immersion is part of how you like to travel, sitting around a table with a local host can give you a much more personal glimpse into Parisian life.
It also works well for solo travellers who would enjoy company over dinner, couples looking for something more personal than another restaurant reservation, and repeat visitors who have already done many of the usual Paris experiences.
I also like Eatwith for travellers who plan trips around their interests. If food is one of your passions, choose the experience accordingly. Some are more chef-focused, some are designed around learning to cook, while others centre on tastings or neighbourhood food culture. My dinner with Catherine felt less about culinary technique and more about cultural exchange. The food mattered, of course, but so did hearing about her life as a Parisian.
That is the real advantage of Eatwith: you can choose the kind of food experience that matches what you actually want to get out of your time in Paris.
Other Paris Eatwith Experiences I’d Consider
After having such a positive experience, I got a little curious and looked for other food experiences in Paris with Eatwith.
I’ve selected a few that I think you’re going to love! I’ve bookmarked these as my favourites for a future trip to Paris, which, if you know me, is bound to happen very soon.
A Gastronomic Dinner with a MasterChef
MasterChef France winner Jean-Yves hosts a 4-course fusion dinner in a wine cellar in the charming neighbourhood of the Marais, featuring innovative French-Asian dishes and wine pairing. Guests can expect an unforgettable evening of slow-cooked duck, creative seafood preparations, and award-winning homemade macarons.
I’d choose this for: a more elevated special-occasion dinner.
French Picnic with Wine Pairing in Paris
Patricia offers a luxe private Parisian picnic experience with gourmet French cuisine, wine pairings, and personalized local insights, allowing guests to enjoy it in a picture-perfect location of their choice.
I’d choose this for: spring or summer and travellers who want something outdoors.
Soufflé Cooking Class and Brasserie Lunch
Françoise, a French chef, offers an intimate cooking class in her Parisian home where guests learn to make a classic cheese soufflé, enjoy champagne and cheese while cooking, and savour a 3-course brasserie-style lunch, complete with recipes.
I’d choose this for: someone who wants to learn something they can recreate at home.
Would I Book an Eatwith Experience Again?
Yes. I would book Eatwith again, no matter the destination in Europe.
I really enjoyed getting a glimpse of what it might look like if I lived there and was invited over for a dinner. It’s a very different experience than simply dining at a restaurant.
For a future trip, I’d try something new but still focused on learning something about the culture. That is one of the things I like most about Eatwith: you can choose based on what you want to learn or experience.
If you travel slowly and want to connect with the local culture, I think it is worth making room for.
