Picasso and Modigliani used to hang out at this venerable brasserie on Place de Clichy, as did writer Henry Miller, who made it his headquarters. “I knew it like a book,” he wrote. “The faces of the waiters, the managers, the cashiers, the whores, the clientele, even the attendants in the lavatory, are engraved in my memory as if they were illustrations in a book which I read every day.” Today the atmosphere is quite sedate, but it’s still a wonderful place to sit and watch the world go by, and the prices are accessible enough that it is still frequented by artists and writers. The restaurant even offers an annual literary prize. The classic brasserie menu (steak tartare, shellfish platters, poached haddock in beurre blanc) has a light, gourmet touch. For a smaller meal, ask for the less expensive cafe menu, which features delicate omelets, a plat du jour, and meal-size salads served on the covered terrace.