Le Grand Bain is a small plates restaurant on the narrow rue Dénoyez, a Belleville destination for street artists. Helmed by chef Edward Delling-Williams (ex-Au Passage), this restaurant boasts an ever-changing chalkboard menu of small plates and natural wine. Expect loads of choice and loads of vegetables.
A simple spot where you can taste bottles of excellent natural wines alongside a few small plates from proprietor Camille Fourmont, formerly the bar manager at Le Dauphin. Not to be confused with the other Buvette, this off-the-beaten path bar (that is technically a shop where you can buy bottles) was selected as the Best Cave à Manger by Le Fooding.
Fresh off Paris’ greatest resto reboot of recent years - transforming the defunct destination Restaurant Bones into the beloved seven-day mainstay Restaurant Jones - chef-restaurateur Florent Ciccoli doubled down on the Voltaire neighborhood in late 2017, opening Café du Coin with the aid of frequent collaborator Greg Back (L’Orillon, Les Pères Populaires).
For the wine-indifferent, Café de la Nouvelle Mairie is merely a timeless, picturesque terraced café on a shady lane beside the Panthéon. But for alert wine geeks, it might as well be the Panthéon itself, as pertains to natural wine.
A truly mixed crowd packs this Oberkampf wine bar, for natural wine and small plates.
Address: 54 Rue de Paradis, 75010
Hours: Open for lunch & dinner Tuesday-Saturday. Closed Sunday & Monday.
Telephone: +33 1 46 27 46 67
Online Booking /Website / Facebook / Instagram
Address: 60, rue du Cherche Midi, 75006
Hours: Open Monday-Saturday for lunch & dinner. Closed Sunday.
Telephone: +33 1 45 48 86 79
Facebook / Instagram
In Other Words
Time Out (2016) “As soon as you enter this well-presented cave-cum-restaurant on the Rue du Cherche-Midi, you get an inkling you’re going to eat well. There’s something about all those interesting wine bottles stacked on the walls, the friendly intimacy of the main room (just 15 tables) and the small kitchen nestled at the back that immediately gives a good, homey impression.”
Address: 34 rue de Richelieu, 75001
Hours: Open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday.
Telephone: +33 1 42 60 59 66
Website / Book Online / Facebook / Instagram
Our Most Recent Visit
Following their success with Verjus, where the more elaborate formula of dégustation + wine pairings has drawn a loyal following of happy locals and visiting celebrities, Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian have decided to open something more casual. Let’s call it “serious casual” because at Ellsworth (named for Perkins’ grandfather), foods that you might see at a county fair are elevated through careful sourcing and a sincere spirit of DIY. The fried chicken from Verjus Bar à Vins has moved over to Ellsworth, leaving the former as more of a place for drinks and snacks before or after dinner at Verjus.
If you want a taste of Gregory Marchand's cooking without the challenge of scoring a reservation at Frenchie, this is where to go.
This tiny space near the Palais Royal functions functions both as a neighborhood wine bar and as a holding tank for those waiting for their table at the restaurant upstairs. The printed wine list is filled with so many interesting bottles, and the ever-changing chalkboard list has plenty of options by the glass. The food options have changed several times over the years. Their famous fried chicken is no longer available here, having moved over to Ellsworth, but you can still order small plates to nibble with your wine. Options on the menu right now include veal tartare, house-made pork and duck terrine with pistachios, and warm Mont d’Or cheese with pickled mushrooms. Groups of more than two will have a hard time squeezing in, but the intimate space is perfect for an apéro before dinner upstairs or elsewhere in the neighborhood.
Practical information
Address: 2 rue Auguste Vacquerie, 75016
Nearest transport: Kléber (6), George V (1)
Hours: Closed Saturday & Sunday; Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinner
Reservations: Book a day or two in advance for dinner only; Reservations not accepted for lunch
Telephone: 01 47 20 10 45
Average price for lunch: 20-39€
Average price for dinner: 20-39€
Style of cuisine: Small plates & tapas, Japanese
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Reviews of interest
Le Figaro (2015) “Cuisine foisonnante misant sur la braise (poulpe, poulette et ventrèche de porc en brochettes, grillés au barbecue japonais) et la malice: burger de bœuf wagyu, blé façon risotto, calamars en tempura…”
Le Fooding (2015) “Lorsque Le 116 ranime les braises rougeoyantes du sumibiyaki (barbecue) au rare charbon Binchotan, et envoie sur céramiques Mami un tentacule de poulpe grillé à la chair attendrie, un calamar saisi à point, trait de citron et feuilles de persil, une ventrèche de saumon d’Ecosse ou de porc ibérique, une poulette du Pâtis, et de très belles pièces de bœuf wagyu Ozaki servies avec légumes grillés et « frites maison » – de gros quartiers de bintje cuits à l’eau, farinés et mis en friture.”
Photo via Le 116’s Facebook page
Avant Comptoir de la Mer is bistronomy chef Yves Camdeborde’s seafood variation on his successful adjacent pork-themed pintxo bar.
Small plates and natural wine from Florent Ciccoli, the owner of Café du Coin and Cheval d'Or. Formerly known as Bones, Ciccoli changed the name when chef James Henry departed and the offer became more simple and casual. The wine bar up front is a great place to gather and nibble with friends.
On a busy street lined with touristy pubs near Saint Sulpice, Tiger is a cocktail-focused breath of fresh air. Gin & tonics are the specialty here, with more than six variations on the standard available, all made with Tiger’s homemade tonic. Other gin-based cocktails make up a strong part of the menu (think French 75 or martinez), and, as one might expect, the selections for individual gins are excellent, including a version from noted calvados producer Christian Drouin. Those seeking a little variety have other options in the form of a short classic cocktails menu, too. Vaguely Southeast Asian small plates are available, too, if you’re hungry, but the laidback atmosphere and fun cocktails are the true draw.
Helmed by the gregarious Stanislas Jouenne, formerly at La Maison du Whisky, Tiger is a relaxed alternative to the other more serious (and more uptight) cocktail destination nearby, Prescription Club.
Practical information
Address: 16 rue Paul Bert, 75011
Nearest transport: Rue des Boulets (9), Charonne (9), Faidherbe-Chaligny (8)
Hours: Open every day
Reservations: Reservations not accepted
Telephone: 01 58 53 50 92
Average price for lunch: 10-19€
Average price for dinner: 10-19€
Style of cuisine: Small plates
Reviews of interest
Le Figaro (2016) “À la Cave Paul Bert, les coudes contemporains trouvent à lever les classiques et les inattendus de cette vigne dite dynamique (même si parfois carrément éteinte) tout en scrutant le jour le jour d’une petite cuisine d’ardoise, vive, percutante, pertinente, un peu courte dans l’assiette mais généreuse à rappeler que le nouveau comptoir parisien balance aussi bien que les tapas ibères, izakaya nippons et autres cicchetti italiens.”
Le Fooding (2016) “Des charcu-tueries et bien plus, car le chef montréalais, Louis-Philippe Riel, ancien du 6 Paul Bert, fait mieux qu’éponger l’apéro: œuf mayo aux truffes ; dinguerie de ris de veau aux coques et rattes; épaule de cerf braisée aux carottes et aïoli ; génial pressé de queue de bœuf, vinaigrette aux anchois et navets marinés…”
We have not yet reviewed this wine bar, but you’ll find practical information about location and hours on this page, along with links to other reviews. Feel free to share your own opinion in the comments.
Practical information
Address: 43 rue des Vinaigriers, 75010
Nearest transport: Jacques Bonsergent (5)
Hours: Closed Sunday & Monday
Reservations: Not Accepted
Telephone: 06 11 84 21 76
Average price for a cocktail:12€
Average price for dinner:10-19€
Style of cuisine: Small plates
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Reviews of interest
Le Figaro (2016) “Un comptoir arrondi derrière lequel des barmen à casquette s’affairent à préparer des mixtures bien dosées, à base de gentiane notamment (12€ le verre). La clientèle de jeunes barbus et belles bohèmes apprécient l’ambiance un rien scandinave.”
Le Fooding (2015) “Le Gravity, bar à manger du frais, exerce déjà son pouvoir d’attraction: c’est plein à craquer, extérieur compris.”
52 Martinis (2015) “The selection is packed with ingredients that won’t be immediately recognizable to the average drinker: Gentiane Salers, Maurin Kina, Galliana Ristretto, etc. These kinds of non-mainstream ingredients (well known in the craft cocktail world, less so outside of it) can either elevate or crush a menu. And it takes a skilled professional to pull this off with aplomb. Fortunately, that’s exactly what they have with Michael Mas behind the bar.”
Time Out (2015) “Les assiettes à partager finissent de nous séduire. De la vraie cuisine, imaginative et goûteuse, pour l’apéritif. Bonbons de saumon à l’érable et cacahuète, tataki de canard figue et pistache… Nos papilles frétillent et notre carte bleue se porte bien : toutes les assiettes sont à moins de 10 €. On mange bien, on boit bien et c’est beau.”
It should come as no surprise that the Parisian craft beer pioneers behind La Fine Mousse bar would be the first to open a restaurant dedicated to beer and food pairings. Slightly more surprising is just how refined, inventive, and delicious the food here is. Knowledgeable beer sommeliers work closely with the talented chef to present an intelligent set of seasonal small plates, paired with beers from one of the 10 taps or the extensive bottle collection.
We have not yet reviewed this wine bar, but you’ll find practical information about location and hours on this page, along with links to other reviews. Feel free to share your own opinion in the comments.
Address: 1 bis passage de Saint Sébastien, 75011
Hours: Open Monday-Saturday for dinner. Closed Sunday.
Telephone: +33 1 43 55 07 52
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COVID-19 UPDATE:
Au Passage has reopened with a temporary terrace across the way.
Our Most Recent Visit
It’s so nice when a restaurant delivers more than they need to, more than you expect to receive. When looking at a chalkboard menu filled with cheap small plates, one rarely hopes for anything more than simple products. But here at Au Passage, your 8€ octopus dish has undergone three days of preparation. There’s a quiet ethos at work beneath the blaring bustle of the dining room: staples are homemade (butter, bread, stock, charcuterie), vegetables and fish receive priority attention, and meat is served in a nose-to-tail spirit with every last offaly bit turning up on the menu. So much heart and creativity for so little money. Au Passage is not for everyone, nor is it trying to be. If the loud music, frenzied service, and worn-out interior turn some people away, that leaves more space for me.
Maybe there’s a right way to do Dersou, one that involves sharing a sixty-day aged steak and a bottle of Crozes-Hermitage, as the happy couple next to us was doing at 11pm. We who had signed up from the tasting menu – offered for 90€ from 7:30-9pm, were less pleased. Chef Taku Sekine’s food – a series of five inventive, generous and mostly delicious plates, each paired by with a cocktail from barman Amaury Guyot, is not well-enough supported by an adolescent staff that seems to be more enthralled with their own vibe than with the banality of service.
Address: 68, rue des Dames, 75017
Hours: Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinner. Closed Saturday & Sunday.
Telephone: +33 1 42 94 24 02 (not answered during service)
Book Online / Website / Instagram
COVID-19 UPDATE:
Gare au Gorille has reopened with some outdoor tables.
Our Most Recent Visit
Just steps from the train tracks leading to and from the Saint-Lazare train station, this is the new project from two Septime alums, Marc Cordonnier (Grébaut’s former sous-chef) and his front-of-house partner Louis Langevin. With a hip hop soundtrack and aspirations no grander than to be a good bistro, the quality of food they are putting out will nonetheless attract the sort of globetrotting gastronome crowd that they are fleeing from at Septime.
There is no real “Michel” behind La Cave à Michel – the name of this lively, standing-room-only Belleville wine bar uses the name in its French sense of “everyman.” And indeed, the bar is as welcoming and informal as its product standards are rigorous and precise. The product of a friendly collaboration between caviste Fabrice Mansouri and Romain and Maxime Tischenko, the brothers behind next door tasting-menu restaurant Le Galopin, La Cave à Michel rivals the Left Bank’s L’Avant Comptoir for the best Parisian cuisine you’ll eat standing up. Romain Tischenko reins in his more maximalist impulses in the bar’s tiny kitchen, and turns out small plates of jewel-like delicacy: beef tartare beneath ricotta salata, bass céviche, or mozzarella with salmon roe. Mansouri’s selection of natural wines is well-considered and well-priced. If service can become a little sluggish at times, it’s because the bar is reliably packed with restaurant industry regulars and Mansouri has a gift for banter. Serious cuisine is rarely this fun.
— Aaron Ayscough, January 2016
Practical information
Address: 4 bis rue du 4 Septembre, 75002
Nearest transport: Bourse (3)
Hours: Open every day
Reservations: Reservations not accepted for the tapas bar, but book a few weeks in advance for the upstairs restaurant
Telephone: 01 47 03 91 91
Average price for lunch: 10-19€ at the tapas bar and 20-39€ in the restaurant
Average price for dinner: 20-39€ at the tapas bar or 60-100€ in the restaurant
Style of cuisine: Basque, small plates & tapas
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Reviews of interest
David Lebovitz (2014) “We were pleasantly surprised when the waiter brought over our Tortilla de pommes de terre confites à l’ail doux… instead of the classic, thick, dense potato and egg cake that’d been baked a few hours ago, and served in wedges (which isn’t bad at all…), at A Noste, it’s served hot from the skillet and loaded with plenty of sautéed garlic. Garlic is often presented in Paris restaurants in doses that are barely perceptible. So – wow – it was quite a hit to get something with a lot of sweet, stewed garlic in it.”
Le Figaro (2014) “Sur le principe d’un menu unique, le programme y prévoit une petite rafale de plats créatifs et un instant carnassier, articulé autour de plusieurs viandes rôties. Du bœuf, du veau, du porc, le tout saisi à la broche et servi à discrétion. Emballant sur le papier… frustrant à l’arrivée. À mettre, on l’espère, sur le compte d’une malédiction d’un soir: deux malheureux morceaux coupés dans le bout d’un rumsteak, pas très goûteux et trop cuits ; une tranche de foie de veau ultra-fine et elle aussi trop cuite ; de l’échine de porc marinée au chorizo, rattrapant péniblement l’ensemble.”
Paris Bouge (2014) “C’est un ancien pub-usine de 300 mètres carrés revu en version loft XXL. Julien voulait créer trois ambiances. En bas, des tables hautes en bois où on partage des tapas entre amis les uns en face des autres. Au milieu, l’estafette à taloas rouge écarlate, sorte de food truck qui propose des galettes traditionnelles basques de maïs salées et sucrées. À l’étage, une table plus gastro. Sans oublier la terrasse au soleil.”
Table à Découvert (2014) “De la cuisine des Landes savoureuse, relevée, acide, pimentée, des textures frites, moelleuses, fondantes, une addition de 22€ par personne pour quatre copieuses assiettes de tapas, moi ça me va.”
John Talbott (2014) “Upstairs or downstairs, you will not be disappointed.”
Le Figaro (2014) “Inventif et solide dans ses propositions…”
Table à Découvert (2014) “A l’étage, c’est différent. Dès qu’on a monté l’escalier, le calme prend le dessus, les fenêtres sur la rue du Quatre Septembre donne un côté salle à manger. Une quarantaine de places assises se partagent, avec des banquettes confortables, des orchidées et une cuisine un peu ouverte où l’on aperçoit une rôtissoire, le thème de la Table. Menu unique au déjeuner (38 €) et au dîner (60 €) avec en plat principal des viandes rôties servies à volonté…”
Les Grands Ducs (2014) “Un service d’une absolue gentillesse, une assiette franche, généreuse et sans artifices, un décor contemporain bien fichu et un choix adapté à la dimension de son appétit et de son portefeuille: il n’en faut pas plus pour faire de A.Noste l’un de nos chouchous de cette rentrée. Courez-y!”
John Talbott (2014) “I have rarely had such a satisfying meal… here they slice up fabulous beef, veal with a bacon/ham taste and pork with a spicy rub to your liking (portion and cooking wise) from a rolling cart with some terrific raw vegetables and rough cut fried potatoes (this guy has really got the touch.)”
L’Express (2014) “Cette fougasse de maïs, pour moi l’un des musts de la carte, avec sa pâte craquante et moelleusement alvéolée et sa garniture sucrée-salée à base de fromage de brebis, de magret fumé et de raisins secs. Pour une jolie collection de tapas à partager, compter 25-30 € par personne!”
Table à Découvert (2014) “Le sandwich de Julien Duboué inspiré d’un pain du Pays Basque et qui me fait dire: ô bonheur de goûter un sandwich savoureux, roboratif et vraiment bon qui va chercher plus loin, c’est à dire dans les traditions régionales et non pas américaines! Oserais-je dire du coup que c’est l’un des meilleurs sandwichs de Paris?”
Well-appointed, informal and lightly exotic, rue Keller wine bar Aux Deux Cygnes is the answer for any casual diner looking to drink natural wine and snack on something other than the usual cheese plates and charcuterie. French-Vietnamese owner To Xuân Cuny shuttles between service and the kitchen, where she turns out a tasty array of sandwiches and small plates influenced by both her Vietnamese heritage and her experience in the Michelin-starred restaurant world. The latter means Aux Deux Cygnes is among the cleanest and most hospitable of Paris wine bars. The former finds expression in a tasty banh-mi, as well as some delicately piquant mackerel rillettes that arrive beneath a bright heap of cilantro. The natural wine selection perched amid the bar’s pretty triangular shelving is nicely curated to emphasize atypical grape varieties and marginal regions. If the overall experience at Aux Deux Cygnes can veer towards the dainty at times, it still makes for a welcome change from the mélée of beards and egos one encounters in many more traditional Paris natural wine bars.
Practical information
Address: 9 rue des Quatre-Vents, 75006
Nearest transport: Odéon (4, 10)
Hours: Closed Sunday and for Monday lunch. Open for wine sales and as a wine bar from 11am-2:30pm and from 6-10:30pm.
Reservations: Strongly recommended for dinner because the small, intimate space often fills up
Telephone: 01 43 54 99 30
Average price for lunch: 10-19€
Average price for dinner: 20-34€
Style of cuisine: classic French, small plates
Website
Reviews of interest
Le Fooding (2013) “The little bites are wonders: Albacore tuna from the île d’Yeu, little smoked trout terrine, blood sausage with onions from La Maison Galland in Touraine, authentic ham and Bordier butter sandwich. As for the nectars, glasses of red (Roussilon Tam-Tam du Domaine du Bout du Monde at €7 a glass) and white (Touraine Petit Buisson du Clos du Tue-Boeuf at €7 a glass).”
Practical information
Address: 14 rue Boutebrie, 75005
Nearest transport: Cluny – La Sorbonne (10), Saint-Michel (RER B&C)
Hours: Closed Sunday & Monday; Open Tuesday-Saturday 6.30pm-2am
Reservations: Walk-Ins Welcome
Telephone: 01 43 25 24 24
Average price for dinner: 20-34€
Style of cuisine: Wine bar, small plates
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Reviews of interest
The Guardian (2010) “There’s an old-fashioned zinc bar, and an ancient vaulted cellar transformed into a dining room…The cuisine is a mix between exotic fusion – imagine whelks with wasabi mayonnaise – and traditional rural food…”
Le Figaro (2008) “…cinquantaine de vins plutôt nature mais sans excès…de simples assiettes bistrotières et des tartines généreuses à partir de bons produits…”
L’Express (2008) “…la maison cueille ses fromages, sa cochonnaille, son andouille fumée au lard ou ses sardines millésimées chez quelques pointures d’artisans. Aucun danger non plus côté cave, bio-naturo-dynamique.”
Photo courtesy of Le Porte Pot’s website
Yves Camdeborde's audacious, standing-room-only French pintxo bar is a jostling, jolly spot in Saint-Germain.
Manhattanite Jody Williams has brought her well-loved “gastrotheque” back to the city that inspired the original rustic-chic café. The appealing drinks menu includes artisanal cider, organic beer, a tight selection of wines, and pages of cocktail and apéritif options. Small plates range from 5-10€ and include plenty of vegetarian options (salads with fennel or beets, ratatouille, a croque with wild mushrooms and tangy cheese) alongside satisfying miniature versions of coq au vin, os à moelle, and hachis parmentier. Service is kind, the design is familiar but beautiful – all in all a great addition to the already booming neighborhood south of Pigalle.
Natural wine, snacks to soak it up, rowdy crowds and dancing bartenders. One of the original natural wine hangouts in Paris. Bottles also available for purchase to go.
– Meg Zimbeck, 2011
NOW CLOSED
Practical information
Address: 14 rue Bochart de Saron, 75009
Nearest transport: Anvers (2)
Hours: Closed Sunday & Monday
Reservations: Reservations not accepted
Telephone: 01 48 74 65 38
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Reviews of interest
David Lebovitz (2014) “A big feature of the place is the zinc cocktail bar, where you can get excellent drinks… Bijou came in a slender cocktail glass, and was a delirious blend of gin and Chartreuse… The thinly sliced Iberian ham was a nice treat alongside as was the fried mini croque monsieur, that was perhaps the best I’ve had in Paris.”
Forest Collins (2013) “While Artisan has incorporated some successful trends like small plates, large format drinks (their punch serves four) or bottled cocktails, nothing feels gimmicky or risky. It’s quite simply a well-put together cocktail program that is as nicely balances as Fred’s drinks.”
Emmanuel Rubin (2013) “Un bar de belle civilité où cocktails d’auteur (quasi gourmands) et nourritures de comptoir twistent la canaille.”
Aaron Ayscough (2013) “An appealingly under-designed space with a big broad bar, competent cocktails, decent beer, not enough wine, and an astonishingly successful menu comprising miniaturized version of French classics: roast lamb shoulder, steak tartare, etc… Artisan presents sophisticated drinks and a lively atmosphere without Asian inflections, without caricatured Cali vibes, with no silly hidden doorways, no Mexican themes, and no vile perfumes sprayed on the cocktails – and as such, it represents the inevitable but already-overdue maturation of cocktails and bar culture in Paris. The theme is there is no theme, nor is one needed.”
Timeout (2013) “Sa carte changera toutes les deux semaines, en fonction de l’humeur du barmaid et de la chef, des fruits et légumes de saison de prime qualité. Un menu mettant l'”artisanat” des boissons et des ingrédients à l’honneur… En cas de fringale, vous piocherez des plats mitonnés à partir d’ingrédients de saison, une cuisine de marché hyper fraîche. On salive devant la bruschetta de tomates confites aux fraises et parmesan de vache rousse, suivie d’une épaule d’agneau du Quercy confite, avec son caviar d’aubergine à la flamme. Les desserts sont tout aussi tentants.”
Photo courtesy of Artisan’s Facebook
Guillaume Dupré runs this wine bar in the passage des Panoramas, serving a range of small plates for snackers, a few hot items for the hungry, and vins natures for the thirsty.
A jewel box merchant in the beautiful Galerie Vivienne, Legrand specializes in the great and worthy of vinous France. Many of the shelves are taken up by wines that would be special occasion bottles for most drinkers, and safe bets for tradition-minded lovers of traditional wines. There are some surprises here and there, but this is not a funky natural wine dive. Prices aren’t exactly the lowest in the city, and the ambient temp runs a bit warm, but the space is majestic.
The store (with tables that spread out into the hallway) doubles as a wine bar/light bites restaurant, offering wine by the glass or off the shelf for a reasonable uncorking fee, and it’s worth noting that of all the many places in Paris that offer the same, Legrand has some of the nicest stemware.
Practical information
Address: 18 rue Jean-Nicot, 75007
Nearest transport: La Tour Maubourg (8)
Hours: Closed Sunday and Monday; Open Tuesday-Saturday all day
Reservations: Walk-ins Welcome
Telephone: 01 53 59 96 96
Average price for lunch: 20-39€
Average price for dinner: 20-39€
Style of cuisine: Spanish, small plates
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Additional Locations
Address: 11 rue Clément Marot, 75008
Nearest transport: Alma – Marceau (9)
Hours: Closed Sunday; Open Monday-Saturday all day
Reservations: Walk-ins Welcome
Telephone: 01 47 20 03 13
Address: 64 rue de Seine, 75006
Nearest transport: Mabillon (10)
Hours: Open every day all day
Reservations: Walk-ins Welcome
Telephone: 01 46 33 49 54
Reviews of interest
These reviews are from the rue Clément Marot location:
Le Fooding (2012) “At this small tasting bar where a few tables are squeezed between the walls lined with wine bottles and the meat in the windows, the said leg of great quality is sliced thin in little pieces, tenderly warmed by a central candle, before melting on the palate, served with crushed tomatoes and bread from Kayser or Poujauran. The other crushed dish, the mashed potatoes with bits of chorizo, is excellent, presented in a small heart-shaped plate that gives a somewhat weird romantic twist to the cocktail-dinner between friends…
These reviews are from the rue Jean-Nicot location:
David Lebovitz (2010) “The ham is sublime and goes great with the other Spanish appetizers they serve at this casual restaurant.”
Le Figaro (2009) “… le plus accueillant des points de chute en début de soirée, avec son long comptoir et ses tables hautes, ses jambons extraordinaires pour lesquels nous sommes nombreux à avoir traversé Paris, son pain de chez Poujauran, ses assiettes de chorizo…”
Chocolate & Zucchini (2005) “It is always cause for elation to discover a new source for superior sandwich indulgence…”
Photo by loran via Flickr
Septime’s Bertrand Grébaut and Théo Pourriat converted a shoe-repair shop to open this intimate, impeccably-designed wine bar just around the corner from their renowned restaurant. The well-informed staff serve a limited menu of exquisite small plates (ranging from cheeses and cured meats to foie gras stuffed with smoked eel) alongside a sizeable selection of well-priced natural wines from France and abroad.
On any given evening a mixed crowd of locals and tourists – some waiting for tables at Clamato, others just enjoying apéro-hour – perch on bar stools and repurposed grocery crates, mingling to a soundtrack of reggae and vintage jazz classics. For years more a way-station than an outright destination, Septime Cave has since summer 2015 been open for business on Sundays, rendering it all the more indispensable to the rue de Charonne neighborhood.
Wine afficionados Etienne Lucan and Sebastien Obert opened this bare-bones cave-à-manger in 2009, having put in time on the floor at Cali-transplant Kevin Blackwell’s only-slightly-less bare-bones restaurant Autour d’Un Verre. Years later, Lucan and Obert oversee one of Paris’ most surprisingly excellent and affordable wine selections. Their prices remain well-suited to the location on the sketchier side of the 9ème arrondissement, but their natural wine selection, heavy on grower Champagne and the wines of allocated cult vignerons like Jean-François Ganevat and Eric Pfifferling, would make mouths water in any tonier district. During apéro and dinner hours, the tables are reliably full of locals enjoying simple cheese and charcuterie plates, or one of the restaurant’s limited main courses (typically a choice between chicken and a sausage). Le Vin Au Vert is a discreet destination for anyone for whom food is an accompaniment to wine, not vice versa.
Practical information
Address: 16 rue Eugène Sue, 75018
Nearest transport: Marcadet-Poissonniers (4, 12)
Hours: Closed Sunday & Monday; Open Tuesday- Saturday for lunch and dinner
Reservations: Walk-Ins Welcome
Telephone: 01 42 59 43 24
Average price for lunch: 20-39€
Average price for dinner: 20-39€
Style of cuisine: Small plates & tapas
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Reviews of interest
Les Grands Ducs (2015) “Cette rallonge, c’est aussi celle sur laquelle les amateurs de cuisine gouailleuse et de vins sympathiques viennent s’attabler tous les soirs dans une ambiance bruyante et désordonnée comme seuls les bistrots avec âme savent en créer. Ils y goûtent les plaisirs d’une cuisine de petits plats de saison, servis en portions modestes favorisant le partage, la découverte, et les arrosent de vins francs du collier tarifés avec bienveillance.”
Table à Découvert (2015) “Ah les croquettes ! Je crois qu’un bar à tapas digne de ce nom se doit d’avoir des croquettes à sa carte. Une fine panure qui craque sous la dent, une béchamel intense et garnie de petits morceaux de jambon espagnol, on en fait qu’une bouchée, d’ailleurs, elles ne sont pas grosses. Optez pour 6 minimum. Avec un verre de blanc du Languedoc, moi je suis aux anges.”
John Talbott (2013) “The only exciting dish was/were the tempura’d langoustines; the quail was pathetic.”
Le Figaro (2013) “Les portions sont petites mais fines, à l’instar des ravioles de gambas au bouillon thaï, du délicieux risotto de coquillettes cèpes et huile de truffe, de la joue de bœuf au vin rouge ou, pour les becs sucrés, du riz au lait caramel beurre salé. Tarifs doux (6-8 €) qui permettent de goûter et comparer, sans affoler le portefeuille.”
Le Fooding (2013) “Des croquettes de serrano, un croustillant de canard, des ravioles de volaille au foie gras, des chipirons à la plancha, une délicieuse joue de bœuf et cappuccino de patate… Plus du pain à la soubressade de Majorque, des huîtres de Normandie et des planches de saucisson des Abruzzes, chorizo Extra Magno, cecina, épaule de pata negra, jambon de porc noir de Bigorre…De ce côté de la Butte Montmartre, c’est pain béni!”
A cheerful clone of Jeanne A for the underserved Montmartre neighborhood, this casual eatery and take-out epicerie is open seven days a week with continuous service.
Join the rest of the neighborhood here on Sunday afternoons for a post-market glass of wine (direct from the barrel), a plate of cheese or charcuterie or, in winter, a dozen oysters. Bottles to go, too.
This little Italian épicerie-à-manger, run by the former sommelier at 'Rino, has four tables -- two in and two out -- where you can eat surrounded by exquisite spices, olive oils, and stacks of wine.
The sunset over Sacré-Coeur is hard to beat from this perch. Queue early for drinks and bar snacks on the stellar roof deck with a stand-out 360° view of Paris (and packs of hipsters). Or, alternately, avoid the lines by booking a reservation for a prix-fixe dinner in the restaurant below.
This wine bar next door to (and run by) Le Chateaubriand boasts food by Inaki Aizpitarte, a smooth marble design by Rem Koolhaas and Clement Blanchet, and a great selection of affordable vins naturels.
Flora herself does the cooking at this urban inn, offering a range of shareable small plates, or a heftier menu (at higher prices).
Practical information
Address: Port des Invaldies (right next to the Pont d’Alexandre III), 75007
Nearest transport: Invalides (8, 13, RER C), Champs Elysées-Clemenceau (1)
Hours: Closed Monday & Tuesday; Open Wednesday-Saturday noon-2am; Open Sunday noon-9pm
Reservations: Rservations not accepted
Average price for lunch: 10-19€
Average price for dinner: 10-19€
Style of cuisine: Small plates & tapas
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Reviews of Interest
Time Out (2014) “Rosa est un spot parfait pour passer l’été, s’abandonner au soleil sur des coussins moelleux, travailler en wifi à l’ombre des arbres, s’asseoir en groupes à des tables conviviales. Les aficionados du Rosa Bonheur s’attendront à reprendre leurs petites habitudes en achetant des bouteilles de vins (à partir de 19 €), ou des verres à 3,50 €.”
There has been a need for less casual sit-down dining near the Canal Saint Martin and Hai Kai delivers on the food front with a delicate, minimalist menu from chef Amélie Darvas. The room, the clients and the staff are all very pretty, but service is spotty and undermines what is otherwise an elegant but unpretentious restaurant. Still, it’s a good Canal-side option for the fashion crowd.
— Catherine Down, March 2014
Practical information
Address: 9 rue d’Alger, 75001
Nearest transport: Tuileries (1)
Hours: Closed Sunday; Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinner and Saturday for dinner only
Reservations: Book a day or two in advance
Telephone: 01 40 20 72 00
Average price for lunch: 20-39€
Average price for dinner: 40-59€
Style of cuisine: Modern French, Basque & southwestern
Website Book Online
Reviews of interest
Le Figaro(2012) “… une petite salle brut de déco aux tables serrées comme la mêlée. Une carte d’envies ventile un chic vrac de recettes à partager…”
Patricia Wells (2012) “Dutournier offers a tempting trio of three significant bites of each dish, focusing on all the finest ingredients of the region: baby squid, or chipirions; foie gras; local ham…Overall, I found the food could have come with a bit more punch, brighter flavors, more focus. But I’ll be back…”
Table à Découvert (2009) “…la lecture de la carte ne vous laisse pas le choix, vous avez envie de tout goûter.”
NOW CLOSED
Former Address: 119 bis rue Monge, 75005
Reviews of interest
Hipsters in Paris (2013) “Chipirones, duck hearts, potted boudin noir, deep fried Camembert, generous charcuterie plates and crunchy croquettes are just some of the dishes you will see on the chalkboard menu. And they are far, far more generous than their pricing suggests, a welcome departure from anorexic share plates that tend to go hand in hand with ‘wine bars’. Food coma for under €25 per head.”
John Talbott (2013) “New (sort of) but great (really) menu.”
Sophie Brissaud (2012) “C’est toujours agréable de s’asseoir au zinc pour boire un petit verre (cette fois, un tursan rouge bien croquant) et grignoter les dernières nouveautés proposées par Julien. Tout est délicieux…Certaines tapas valent bien la traversée de Paris.”
Alexander Lobrano (2011) “Among its other attractions, and they’re many, Dans Les Landes is a very friendly place…deep fried chipirons (baby squid), baby clams with chick peas and avocado, the best little barbecued pork ribs I’ve ever eaten in Paris…and doubtless a dish or two that I don’t remember.”
François-Régis Gaudry for L’Express (2011) “On ne l’a pas vue venir, celle-là. On aurait même eu du mal à la prendre au sérieux, si on était tombé dessus par hasard, avec son air de néo-brasserie fêtarde pour sorbonnards en mal de sangria et son écran plat hurlant le dernier Bayonne-Stade français…. Il y a forcément un chef, un vrai, derrière cette tournée ripailleuse.”
Barbra Austin – Girls’ Guide to Paris (2011) “This place is best enjoyed with a group around one of the high communal tables. The small plates are actually fairly generous…croquettes of polenta with smoked duck, fantastic finger food. Chipirons (baby squid, also fried) were served in a wooden clog…There are plenty of wines by the glass to wash all of this down.”
Aaron Ayscough (2011) “As befits a meal consisting mostly of salty drunk food, we tore into the wine list. DansLes Landes’ is what I would classify as an eminently tolerable wine list. It’s fairly priced, with quite a few good selections, and maintains an admirable focus on wines from the southwest, an area that gets consistently overlooked on most decent wine lists.”
Patricia Wells (2011) “…full of varied tapas-style tastes from France’s southwest, including meaty grilled quail breasts; tender fried chipirions (baby squid) sprinkled with a touch of sweet pepper…Sip a glass of white Irouleguy, and enjoy!”
Sébastien Demorand (2011) “…rafale de bouchées impeccables (chipirons frits d’enfer, délicatement servis — mais oui — dans un sabot, rouleau de printemps de salade landaise et vinaigrette truffée, travers de porc confits puis laqués avec une sauce barbecue géante…), et en partant, une certitude: ce Camdeborde junior va mettre le feu au quartier.”
John Talbott (2011) “…a long chalkboard of tapas…daily specials…and an awesome list of desserts.”
Practical information
Address: 36 rue Condorcet, 75009
Nearest transport: Anvers (2)
Hours: Closed Sunday; Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinner and Saturday for dinner
Reservations: Walk-ins welcome
Telephone: 09 50 91 21 74
Average price for lunch: 20-39€
Average price for dinner: 20-39€
Style of cuisine: Modern French
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Reviews of interest
Table à Découvert (2012) “Formule à 16€ (entrée-plat ou plat-dessert) et 19€ les trois. Des portions peut-être pas pantagruelliques, ce qui est bien aussi pour sortir l’esprit et le corps légers…”
Photo courtesy of Braisenville’s Facebook page
The former construction yard turned bistro has been around Père Lachaise for years, but the arrival of chefs Shaun Kelly and Eleni Sapera, formerly of Au Passage and Bones respectively, is a breath of fresh air. Expect a lengthy list of natural wines, fresh & modern product driven small plates, and a warm welcome from owner Jane Drotter.
Practical information
Address: 30 rue Victor Massé, 75009
Nearest transport: Pigalle (2,12)
Hours: Closed Sunday & Monday
Reservations: Walk-Ins Welcome
Telephone: 09 67 27 37 44
Average price for a cocktail: 13€
Average price for dinner: 20-39€
Style of cuisine: Small plates & tapas
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Reviews of interest
Not Drinking Poison in Paris (2015) “I can’t think of another city on earth where such a polished, borderline nightclubby space would house a radical wine program like Vermynck’s. His selection remains unapologetically fringe-natural, but now the raw, untutored wines of Philippe Jambon‘s acolytes share layout space with maîtres like Pierre Overnoy… I can’t shake the feeling that the cuisine is just not yet as sharp as it was at the last location, however.”
L’Express (2015) “… des cocktails premium (mention pour le Chicharito à base de tequila, concombre et miel d’agave infusé aux épices) et des assiettes miniformat: céleri façon carbo, ravioli de shiitaké… Passé 23 heures, le son monte de plusieurs décibels et l’ambiance s’échauffe.”
52 Martinis (2015) “L’Entrée des Artistes Pigalle, delivers the same hat trick of food, wine and cocktails but in a dramatically different SoPi space… The entire menu looks more to focus on cocktail quality rather than cutting edge.”
Le Fooding (2015) “S’en dégage un parfum de polar à L.A., un pousse-à-siroter du raide sur Missin’ Persons Bureau de Womack & Womack : des trucs au rhum, vermouth et grains de café infusés (Altura negroni), au cognac, rye, bitter et liqueur de tabac (Mon vieux tabac) ou à la vodka, jus de betterave, citrons et cordial au gingembre (Fat Beets)… Pour grignoter à la bougie des assiettes de circonstance: truite mi-cuite, anchoiade, grenade et herbes; carpaccio de veau et tapenade de haddock; seiche, aubergine brûlée, sauce thaïe; poireaux vinaigrette, moules et chips de sarrasin; huîtres d’Utah Beach, foie gras ou jambon de bœuf de Galice; ricotta, poires pochées et caramel à plonger le nez dans le bol…”
Reviews from the prior location
Le Figaro (2013) “Un lieu à la croisée des genres entre bar à cocktails, cave à manger et club d’habitués, où l’on se dispute la vingtaine de places disponibles, jusque tard dans la nuit. Très beau choix de vins, cocktails pleins de style et bonne bistrote familiale.”
World’s Best Bars (2011) “The cocktails tend towards the innovative but they’re happy to dish up the classics on request – the super friendly service is part of the appeal. The food menu is compact, but the dishes are tasty (try the cheese or charcuterie plates if you’re in the mood for a snack) and you have the comfort of knowing that they’re keeping it in the family – the food is all made by the sommelier’s mum.”
Not Drinking Poison in Paris (2011) “…alongside a boldly curated natural wine list, a list of cocktails that is the equal of any in the city…”
52 Martinis (2011) “…a relaxed, low key, pint-sized cocktail bar with a significant food and wine list as well…Given the care that’s going into these drinks, L’Entrée des Artistes currently rates as one of Paris’ best values for money in cocktail options.”
Photos courtesy of Jacquelyn Rosenfeld
First there was Vivant (opened next door in 2011). Then Pierre Jancou opened this space in 2012, calling it Vivant Cave. Both spaces have since been sold, but this wine bar has retained the name Vivant (dropping the word “cave”). We suppose the confusion has kept wine lovers coming in, but we haven’t been back yet under the new ownership.
Practical information
Address: 43 rue des Petites-Ecuries, 75010
Nearest transport: Château d’Eau (4)
Hours: Closed Saturday & Sunday; Open Monday-Friday for dinner only till late
Reservations: Book a few days in advance
Telephone: 01 42 46 43 55
Average price for lunch: €20-39
Average price for dinner: €20-39
Style of cuisine: Small plates & tapas
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Reviews of Interest
These reviews date from before Vivant was sold.
Le Fooding (2014) “Vivant n’est pas mort pour autant, bien au contraire… Sa carte ? Simplissime en apparence.”
Not Drinking Poison in Paris (2014) “Forstorp’s characterful presence almost singlehandedly makes Vivant Cave a destination, paradoxically the best new restaurant of the much-fêted, meaningless rentrée without even being a new restaurant.”
Note: Pierre Jancou, the owner mentioned in the reviews below, sold the restaurant in January 2014.
Not Drinking Poison in Paris (2012) “It’s a cave-à-manger
restauranty sort of thing… the space is sort of a tricked-out pantry, the are just eleven table seats, and prices are precisely where they used to be at the old Vivant, which is to say they’re fair for what one receives, but a notch higher than the wine-bistrot norm.”
Le Mary Celeste is a venture from the people behind Candelaria and Glass. Accordingly, there’s a solid cocktail program and two Brooklyn beers on tap. Another creative and beautiful (now nautical) interior from David Rager, Cheri Messerli and Gilles Tombeur. These get a lot of attention, as do the rotating cast of mostly wild oysters sold seasonally by the piece for 2-5€.
The mood goes from picnic to party as the day progresses at this pavillion in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. Small plates, straightforward plats du jour and drinks.