friendly bistro in Paris
September 12, 2011 3:17 AM   Subscribe

Help me and my group find a friendly diner in Paris?

Hi mefi! Need your help...

I'm running a day trip to Paris for 12 adults with learning disabilities on Wednesday. Most of the plans are under control, but I need somewhere to go for lunch, and also to meet back for dinner before we get the train home.

It has to be:
-near to gare du nord as we'll be taking the eurostar
-big, ideally on a pizza hut/harvester scale
-somewhere where we're unlikely to be glared at or worse thrown out. I don't know if France has a disability discrimination act, but it won't be a good time to find out.

Anyone with experience of this? Google-fu mostly brings up "small, warm, family run bistros" where we're probably not going to fit in.

Any suggestions on learning disability friendly activities in Paris more than welcome!
posted by welovelife to Travel & Transportation around Paris, France (6 answers total)
 
Best answer: Maybe Hippopotomus. It's a family-style chain restaurant, and there's one right next door to Gare de Nord.

And around Gare de Nord you'd have to do something pretty spectacular to even get a sidelong glance!
posted by bwonder2 at 3:30 AM on September 12, 2011


This link may help you (in French). Unfortunately, few restaurants have the "Tourisme et handicap" certification.
posted by elgilito at 3:44 AM on September 12, 2011


i was about to recommend Hippopotomus, but beaten to it. it's certainly on the scale you ask for, but actually the steaks aren't too bad
posted by ascullion at 6:40 AM on September 12, 2011


Pizza Marzano is the local Pizza Express.
posted by brujita at 6:43 AM on September 12, 2011


I would try emailing David Lebovitz. He is an American cook living in Paris and he regularly does restaurant reviews on his blog. His contact information is at the bottom of the linked page.
posted by calumet43 at 6:50 AM on September 12, 2011


Response by poster: Thanks for all your help, the trip went brilliantly!

Definitely found the Hippopotamus near Gare Du Nord to be very useful- it was good value and the staff were really friendly and helpful, and the portions are enormous!

For future Mefi-ites looking to do similar, also recommend the RER line to Notre Dame St Michael- from there you can take the circular route Batobus boat (14 euros for an all day ticket) on a circular route that takes in all the sights. We finished up at the Eiffel Tower and then getting back was pretty simple.

If future support workers stumble on this send me a message so I can talk you into doing it!!
posted by welovelife at 3:28 AM on September 15, 2011


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