My 9-Day Paris Food Obsession

I traveled to Paris and immersed in nearly 30 brilliant restaurants, cafes, and bars on a 9-day whirlwind trip that was completely focused eating and drinking. With a like-minded friend, we camped out in Oberkampf. Each day, we ventured out with the goal of squeezing-in 4-5 Paris food venues for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and interim snacks and libations.

Upon returning home, I was about to post my Paris food experiences, when the world suddenly went on lockdown. No one was thinking about travel. At that juncture, it seemed a little tone-deaf to publish a blog post on food travel – let alone not knowing how things might settle out. The past year, I’ve waited with bated breath hoping that so many vulnerable establishments will survive. Happily, most of the places I visited on my last Paris food trip appear to have endured. Although, they may currently have limited service and hours – or are temporarily closed. Accordingly, check for evolving status.

The world is starting to slowly open up again. So, with much pent-up wander lust, I share these terrific Paris food spots – both old favorites and new discoveries. Reliving this Paris food trek is a both cathartic and inspirational in the hope of traveling again soon. 

I’ve previously shared some favorite Paris wine bars and cafes. And while this post focuses on the new Paris food places I loved, this slideshow features some perennial favorites that I got to relive on this trip as well.

I was blown away by some new spots that will expand my already vast Paris Journal. And as always, my Paris restaurant recommendations are vegetarian and pescatarian friendly. There are a few unexpected recommendations for this Paris list – some planned and some not.

The recommendations below are categorized by type of venue, and my easy-to-access Google map at the end of this post organizes all of my 9-Day Paris Food Obsession recommendations geographically.

 BISTRO / CAFE                                                    

Breizh Cafe – 2^nd/ Montorgueil  MO: Sentier

On my many previous trips to Paris, the acclaimed Breizh Cafe, an upscale Creperie, always managed to slip through the cracks of limited time. Opening days never seemed to synch with my travel schedule. But now with the fairly recent expansion to the Montorgueil branch, my crepe dining opportunities expanded. 

Fantastic crisp Cider paired beautifully with a satisfying savory Mushroom Galette followed by a decadent Apple Crepe.

Not only is this Breizh off-shoot in one of my favorite Paris neighborhoods, but it also has a cozy basement bar.

We did a walk-in, but to be safe, reserve at least a day ahead.

IBRIK – 9^th  MO: Le Peletier; Cadet

A casual bakery and café featuring Balkan food, IBRIK Coffee is a pleasant and tasty spot to grab a casual lunch if you’re in this area of the 9^th – but worth going out of your way to abscond with a slice of this Pistachio Cake with Lemon-Rose Glaze for an afternoon snack.

There is also the IBRIK Kitchen in the 2^nd and IBRIK Deli soon to open in the 10^th. Reserve a couple days ahead, unless just grabbing to-go from the bakery.

Mokonuts – 11^th MO: Ledru-Rollin

I cannot rave enough about Mokonuts, a small and friendly family-run bistro in Eastern Paris. It is well-worth the trek wherever you may be based in Paris.

The food is simple, innovative, and executed to perfection with a French-Middle Eastern spin.

Selected bottles of wines opened for the day were poured by-the-glass at the table. The proprietress circulated amongst the tables in the small, intimate dining room. I planned well in advance to secure a lunch-time reservation and was glad that I did. Mokonuts has no dinner option but opens early and has a bakery component. A memorable experience.

Double Dragon – 11^th/Oberkampf  MO: Rue Saint-Maur

Double Dragon is a casual bistro in the Oberkampf that turns Chinese food on its head with comfort dishes like Comté filled Bao, Crunchy Lettuce with Peanut Sauce, and a phenomenal Salted Caramel Crunch.

Double Dragon has a fun nightlife ambience that would feel at home in NYC. It has a changing menu and interesting wine list. Reservation recommended a couple of days in advance – maybe more for the weekend. For a full nightlife experience in the area, consider a glass of wine beforehand at La Buvette (small plate order required with your glass of wine) and end your evening at Bar la Fine Mousse with a craft beer.

 BAR à VINS                                                            

L’Avant Comptoir de la Mer – 6^th/St. Germain  MO: Mabillon

A part of the L’Avant Comptoir empire, L’Avant Comptoir de la Mer was a delightful experience. I typically find myself enthralled by the emerging cuisine and wine bar scene on Paris’ Right Bank, but I would gladly trek across the Seine to this narrow hole-in-the wall Seafood joint again and again.

I may have been at first mesmerized by that giant and delicious ball of butter displayed on the bar with its layers of crunchy salt crystals.

But it was the pristinely fresh seafood and beautiful glasses of crisp white wine that made L’Avant Comptoir de la Mer an outstanding experience.

One of my more satisfying Paris lunches. No reservations.

Freddy’s – 6^th/St. Germain  MO: Saint-Germain-des-Prés

I love Freddy’s buzzy, low-lit ambience where you can choose from numerous wine-by-the-glass options and nosh on small plates of cheese and tapenade.

 BISTROT à VINS                                                     

Les Enfants du Marché  – 3^rd/Marais MO: Filles du Calvaire

Simply brilliant. This casual but refined dining spot is situated in the heart of the Marché des Enfants Rouges. Les Enfants du Marché is in a league all its own, and dripping with farmers market ambience.

Les Enfants du Marché focuses on seasonal fare and natural wine. You can enjoy a full meal, share a plate, or linger over a few glasses of wine.

Open continuously all day. No reservations.

Le Saint Sebastien – 3^rd/Marais  MO: Richard Lenoir, Saint-Sébastien-Froissart

Le Saint Sebastien is a friendly modern French bistro that serves creative dishes with a terrific and interesting wine list.

While traditional French bistros can be challenging for the vegetarian, I really appreciate this new trend in modern French cuisine which has a casual but refined sensibility that is often vegetable forward.

For me, this is when new Paris food trends are at their best. Reserve a few days in advance.

Le Grand Bain – 20^th/Belleville  MO: Belleville

Ambience, ambience, ambience.

Le Grand Bain has it all. Edgy ‘hood, cool space, great wine list, and tasty veg-forward dishes.

Reserve a few days in advance, maybe more for the weekend.

 CRAFT BEER                                                        

Who ever thought I would be tracking down Artisanal Beer bars in Paris? But just like everywhere else in the world, Craft Beer is hot. These are just a couple of the many craft beer spots that have popped up in Paris.

Bar La Fine Mousse – 11^th/Oberkampf  MO: Rue Saint-Maur

I am in love with La Fine Mousse and its modern austere interior, friendly service, and numerous interesting artisanal beers on tap.

This is the kind of hip, low-key venue that would be my kind of neighborhood hang-out to meet up with friends at home.

Les Trois 8 – 20^th/Belleville  MO: Ménilmontant

Les Trois 8 is well-worth an outing to Eastern Paris for some vibrant, laid-back nightlife at this cool Belleville bar. It has a handful of interesting rotating craft beer taps, which were far more interesting than their natural wine options – or at least on my visit.

This late-night hot spot has a buzzy local vibe that is exactly the type of cool place I like to head to when I want to get off the beaten path. Coordinate it with dinner nearby – such as Le Grand Bain – to optimize the outing.

 CAFES                                                                  

And finally… Paris Cafes – the life blood of Paris. I covet good ones and like to have a few go-tos in every arrondissement. Because you never know when you’re going to need an espresso, a glass of wine, or just want to sit and people-watch.

Fringe – 3^rd/Marais – MO: Filles du Calvaire

Fringe is a modern café whose décor showcases photography and whose menu features healthy fare. A friendly place to unwind with a coffee and a pastry when you need a sightseeing break – or if you just want to hang out for a couple of hours and work on a blog post. 😊

Ten Belles Bread & Café – 11^th/Bastille – MO: Richard Lenoir; 10^th/Canal Saint-Martin MO: Jacque Bonsergent

This café recommendation is a bonus two-fer with two Ten Belles locations with the same great bread that feeds its raison d’etre. The mothership bakery is in the Bastille where the bread is crafted.

Adjacent to the bakery where the magic happens, Ten Belles’ dining room has a modern industrial vibe, not unlike a school cafeteria. It also has a pleasant outdoor patio.

At the other end of the spectrum, Ten Belles’ Canal Saint-Martin location is more cozy-coffeehouse with an upstairs loft.

You can’t miss with either one – or visit both!

La Fregate – 7^th along Quai Voltaire  MO: Tuileries or RER/Musée d’Orsay

This addition to my Paris Café list is all due to fate. The one day it rained, it was a several hour down-pour. It was relentless. When we could take it no longer, we took refuge in a random café just across the river from the Louvre.

With its stupendous view over the Louvre and the Seine, the delicious Wine, Frites, and my beloved Salade Chevre Chaud were all icing on the cake.

Café Martin – 20^th/Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise  MO: Gambetta

As we emerged from trekking through the stunning Pere Lachaise, we stumbled upon Café Martin.

This typical and cozy Paris café met all my café criteria: a nice glass of French wine and a superb Assiette des Frites. And a little cheese plate with Brie is always appreciated.

Amazingly, it is possible to eat this much Paris food if you just walk everywhere between all the eating and drinking opportunities. You would think, though, that one could squeeze-in a lot of eating and drinking establishments in nine days with optimal pre-planning. Yet there were inevitably some places on our list that we just couldn’t make work.

I guess I’ll just have to go back to Paris.

See the map below for where to find all of the Paris food and drink spots I visited on this trip. And visit my Paris Journal page for other worthy recommendations.