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It may be Europe’s foodie capital, but from cocktails to craft beer, the drinking possibilities here are endless
We all know Paris has a decent rep when it comes to food. You might even say it’s Europe’s gastronomic capital – just walk down any road off the Place de la Bastille and that should become quite clear.
But you’re probably also aware that this is one of the coolest places to drink in the world too. That’s thanks to the dozens of speciality wine bars, craft beer dens and cocktail temples, everywhere from Pigalle to Strasbourg Saint-Denis. From expert mixologists to the best oenologists around, here are the best bars in the city worth your dough. Thank us later.
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Antoine Besse is the food and drink editor at Time Out Paris. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
Bar Nouveau was created by Rémy Savage and his team, offering up a meticulously crafted menu with twists on classics. We vibe with the neo-Art Nouveau decor upstairs and the more industrial look downstairs, and the warm welcome from the Moudoulaud duo is the cherry on the top of this great little bar.
Wine rebel Oliver Lomeli, a Mexican expatriate and serial wine bar opener, has struck again. His latest headquarters Chambre Noire, perched on the heights of Ménilmontant, ticks all the cool boxes; raw, unpolished decor, a host with a heart of gold (Fabrice Mansouri, previously seen at La Cave à Michel), a selection of natural German wines never seen before, and a vinyl turntable at your disposal. Brilliant!
Hidden within the lavish five-star Grand Mazarin, Bar du Boubalé (‘little darling’ in Yiddish) is well worth seeking out. Two former bartenders from Moonshiner, Maxime Caillet and Virgile Texier, have crafted a menu in harmony with the restaurant Boubalé’s cuisine and its Ashkenazi specialities by Assaf Granit. Truly remarkable stuff.
Pierre Forest, Benoît Baud, and Clément Vezat, three friends in their thirties who met behind a bar, have taken over the former coffee shop Capitale. The recipe for Buttes Snack Bar: casual vibes, an all-natural wine cellar, and some seriously good snacks (obviously).
After Cocktails paired with Motown and reggae? You’re in the right place. If you’re a music fan and don’t mind a drink, there are few better places than Fréquence. The sound here is excellent, the bar’s lined with perusable soul and reggae vinyls, and come the evening dancing feels almost obligatory. Gregory Isaacs deep cuts and smoky mezcal make for an intoxicating mix.
This small venue, created by the trio Julien Pham, Ismaël Jmili and Ramy Ndione (of La Chope des Artistes fame) exemplifies the mystery of a successful spot. It’s a wine bar with just a handful of bottles, a restaurant without a chef, and a kitchenette the size of a shoebox; yet Chop Chop attracts a young, arty, multicultural crowd in a constant gallery opening kind of vibe. We love it.
Whether you’re more in the mood for coffee or a cocktail, you’ll get a good taste of old Paris here. The main reason drinkers come to Cravan isn’t for the booze, but the surroundings – a listed Art Nouveau building that recalls a bygone age when the city was synonymous with cutting-edge artistry and lots and lots of drinking. There’s a handful of good speakeasies in this city, but to get a real sense of vieux Paris (where, uh, Prohibition wasn’t a thing), this is where to head.
This small room with its minimal white tiles and red neon, reminiscent of a Berlin antechamber, is always bustling. Even on a Monday night! It’s the go-to spot for all the thirty-somethings in the neighbourhood who come to recap their weekend nights over a bottle of natural wine. From Thursday onwards, space is cleared on the stainless steel sideboard to set up two turntables and a DJ behind them. Around Mishmish’s central island, the party goes strong until 12.30am.
In the Gainsbourg Land of Rue de Verneuil, Gainsbarre captures the convincing ambiance of a hotel bar dear to the French icon Serge Gainsbarre. In the spacious asphalt-coloured room inspired by the living room of the house on Rue de Verneuil, you can sip creations inspired by the composer’s repertoire or refreshed classics. In the evening, a pianist plays until closing time in a charmingly dishevelled atmosphere, missing only the smoke of Gitanes.
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