Recommendations for Christmas dining in Paris

Question: I'm thinking of going to Paris for Christmas. I went once before, and finding Christmas dinner was a challenge. Any ideas for Christmas lunch or dinner there? —Geoff Russell, Houston

Answer: Getting reliable dining recommendations in Paris is always valuable, but especially so when your options are limited.

The following list of restaurants available for Christmas dining comes from The New York Times' Paris bureau, including Elaine Sciolino, a frequent Travel section contributor. Her articles on the Paris destination guide of nytimes.com/travel include "Hidden Gardens of Paris" (June 29, 2008) and "Paris Chic, on the Cheap" (April 22, 2007). Thanks to Chine Labbe in the bureau for compiling this selection.

On the high end, they recommend the Restaurant le Meurice, in the hotel of the same name (228, rue de Rivoli; 33-1-44-58-10-55; www.meuricehotel.com), which is offering a special menu for 260 euros a person (about $330 at $1.28 to the euro). Or you can try La Table de Joel Robuchon (16, avenue Bugeaud; 33-1-56-28-16-16; www.joel-robuchon.com) or its slightly less expensive sister, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (5, rue de Montalembert; 33-1-42-22-56-56), though neither offers Christmas menus.

More affordable are brasseries, including Bofinger (5-7, rue de la Bastille; 33-1-42-72-87-82; www.bofingerparis.com), next to the Bastille, which is planning a special Christmas menu; Terminus Nord (23, rue de Dunkerque; 33-1-42-85-05-15; www.terminusnord.com), with a menu featuring "fruits de mer," a seafood combination; and Chez Jenny (39, boulevard du Temple; 33-1-44-54-39-00; www.chez-jenny.com), with Alsatian cuisine and a special holiday menu for 48 euros. Labbe's personal favorite is Restaurant Chartier (7, rue du Faubourg Montmarte; 33-1-47-70-86-29; www.restaurant-chartier.com.restaurant-chartier.com), a "very Parisian brasserie, with a noisy atmosphere, offering very basic and cheap dishes," she wrote in an e-mail message. Another option, though not holiday-themed, is Restaurant Georges (19, rue Beaubourg; 33-1-44-78-47-99; www.centrepompidou.fr), with a great view from the top of the Centre Pompidou museum.