Spiraling outward from the center of the city, the twenty civic regions of Paris's numbered arrondissement system are a series of zoned administrative districts. They largely overlap with the city's organically formed neighborhoods, though some straddle arronidissement boundaries—the Marais, for instance, encompasses both the third and fourth. But the arrondissements aren’t just bureaucratic designations; each has its own identity, from the spectacle of palatial boutiques and actual palaces in the premier (first) to some of the city’s best Chinese cuisine and the unmissable Père Lachaise cemetery in the vingtième (20th).

While most tourists stick to the central arrondissements along the Seine—the 1st, 6th, and 7th in particular—the best neighborhoods for eating and exploring lie elsewhere. Every arrondissement has something to offer; it simply depends on what you're looking for from your trip. While staying in the center makes for easy access to the main tourist destinations, if you're interested in sheer proximity to good eating and even better nightlife, you're best off in the Marais, the 9th near Pigalle, the 10th near the Canal, or , the 11th—our top choice for food-focused Paris. Here's the lowdown on every neighborhood, from iconic to underrated, with quick-hit intel on the best places to eat in each.

For more info on each of the neighborhoods, check out the original publication on Eater.