places we ❤️ in paris

the city of light! the city of love! the city of baked goods so good they will make you cry! even now with tour groups of emily in paris fans wearing red berets, it’s a city whose magic is never lost and can’t be captured anywhere else. our most recent parisian trip this past october was a longer one that gave us time to go back to old haunts and try new spots, with long walks to take it all in. we bought baggy jeans and loafers to blend in with those french girls, watched painters on the hill of parc buttes chaumont, drank natural wine out of plastic cups on the seine, and spent most of our time manger beaucoup. (eating. a lot.)

hardly a paris guide, this is a short list of not fancy places we like, mostly food related, that we’ve collected from trips over the past 15 years and from friends. put on some carla bruni and read on for spots with good vibes in the most romantic city in the world.

bisous x,

katie & erin

restos

vivant- almost too good to share, the best spot with the best playlist in paris. tiny, with only a few seats, all on the bar to watch the chefs in action. have a drink at deviant next door pre dinner. (the food there is just as good!)

le verre vole- tiny wine bar by the canal st. martin

early june- small plates and natural wine, also near canal st. martin

clamato- cool, rustic-chic seafood restaurant in the 11th

le saint sebastian- natural wines & small plates

le cadoret- classic french bistro on a bustling corner

le collier de la reine- tapas-style counter seat dining from a group of chefs we love

hotel amour- the first placed katie ever stayed in paris! a cool vibe and secret courtyard

le grand bain- insanely good tapas and– what else– natural wine

bouche- minimal and cool

paul bert- a classic! get the steak frites and soufflé

kodawari ramen- who goes to paris to eat ramen? you should! this tiny spot has a long line, decor to make you feel like you’re in old world tokyo and broth worthy of a flight (& worthy of its michelin star)

racines- italian perfection. worth making the res months in advance.

richer- delish food in a pretty space on a corner to watch the world go by

bakeries + more

du pain et des idées- lives up to the hype

des gateaux et du pain- easy stop after le bon marche (and citi pharma!) and just the best pastries we’ve ever had. bring back containers of sables for gifts.

french bastards- come for the name, stay for the bread

other great bakeries for your map: gilles marchal, la patisserie cyril lignac

classique- a cool cocktail bar with cool food, too

a l'etoile d'or- half the reason we come here to buy pounds of sugar is the old time-y charm of the candy store and the pretty vintage candy wrappers

coutume cafe- go-to for siphon coffee & a lovely neighborhood to walk around

bread & roses- grab a tarte de citron and walk over to jardin de luxembourg to enjoy it with a view

folderol- ice cream and natural wine. omfg.

all the natural wine bars

delicatessen place

le cave a michel

bambino

terra (be sure to order food here, too!)

clown bar (and here!)

shopping

bastille sunday market- clothes, trinkets, and everything you’d want in a sunday french vintage stroll

dehillerin- a cook’s paradise, since 1820

saint-sébastien - froissart

take the metro here when you are ready to shop:

zespa (cool french sneakers), boutique general, R.S.V.P. bags, french trotters, merci, isabel (needs-no-last-name), soeur, apc, and more

haute marais- have a drink at candelaria and then just wander

laurance bras

a parisian brand with casual style: classic peasant blouses, great blazers and they even spray their signature scent on the tissue when you check out

if you want efficiency, le bon marche and galleries lafayette have lots of french brands in one place, and now gl has a big section of vintage vendors. do not miss the gourmet food hall and get all your souvenirs here.

vintage

kiliwatch- big and edited well– gears towards a more youthful look but is full of on trend vintage.

celia darling- we always find something special here and the neighborhood is nice to walk around

thx god i’m a vip- prob our favorite. can get pricey but full of finds.

chinemachine- when you’re in montmartre, this corner shop is a fun one to search for treasure. if you get hungry, pigalle is full of places that fit the bill (buvette is a fave and frenchie at the hotel grand pigalle is a cozy stop when it’s cold).

stay

we have yet to find the place to check every box without shelling out too much (reply if you have a winner!) but we do love la pavillon de la reine. you can’t beat the location in the place de vosges and it’s charming inside, although rooms are teeny. next on our list to try is château voltaire.

other fun things

musee carnavalet: the paris history museum is fun to wander, in a beautiful building near the palace de vosges

a beer at rosa bonheur in parc des buttes chaumont

wandering near canal st. martin in the evening

picnic on the seine, and bouncing from kiosk to kiosk

bring back

french sneakers

food gifts from the galleries lafayette food hall: from gourmet to grocery, and regional specialty foods from all over france

pastries. sables. macarons. caramels.

anything you find in monoprix: it’s like french super target

perfume from buly 1803