Bistros transport us into the Paris of our collective memory, of our youthful imagination, of literary legend. Here are the haunts of Henry Miller, the hangouts for Hemingway and Fitzgerald, the watering spots for Richard Wright and James Baldwin. In Paris by Bistro, you enter the neighborhoods of the tiny narrow streets, pass the smoky clubs and steamy little restaurants. You learn the character of each district and encounter a Paris that you might think no longer existed.

On the way to becoming better acquainted with the city, you'll find yourself in a cafe-chantant in Edith Piaf's neighborhood, where the often raucous entertainment is part of the modest price. You'll try a bistro where a former U.S. President is sometimes glimpsed among the diners. You'll sample the fare at an all-night restaurant that's an institution in Les Halles, and you may find yourself next to an official of the Cordon Bleu in his favorite bistro, a little-known gem in the 15th district.