favorite cocktails & bars in Paris
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Last June, my husband and I went on our honeymoon to Scotland and France, with a day trip to Bruges. It was amazing to get away from it all and spend time exploring cities, talking to strangers, and of course - drinking cocktails. I’ve shared some of our favorite spots to booze it up in Edinburgh, to learn about whisky in Speyside, and now I get to share all the places we sipped spritzes and other delicious beverages in Paris!
Best cocktail bars in Paris
I have been obsessed with Paris since I watched Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman fall in love in seedy Montmartre as a twelve year old. My love of the movie inspired me to seek out memoirs from writers who spent time in Paris, like Anais Nin and Hemingway, and it basically completely consumed me. When I was twenty-three I couchsurfed in Paris with absolutely no money and it remains one of my favorite things I have ever done. I mean, I am listening to Parisian cafe music as I write this - I am still not over it. And I don’t mind.
Shop my travel must-haves
One of my favorite things about Paris is how wonderful it is to walk everywhere. Something we really like to do when we travel is take at least one day to walk as much as we can. It can be easy to fall into the trap of feeling that you have to see everything on your list and do everything as efficiently as possible. But it is worth it to take the time to explore unscheduled. And when you choose to take the long way you see different neighborhoods and run into beautiful things you might never see otherwise. Plus, rushing is very American, and this week I was not haha. One of the best things to happen upon while wandering is a perfect cafe. I don’t know that there is any experience I love more than sitting outside a cafe in Paris with a coffee or Aperol Spritz. It’s a cliche for a reason, and it is seriously my happy place. Speaking of Aperol Spritzes, we had many.
Another thing you happen upon are markets! Parisian markets are a fundamental part of the city's culture and history, and you can find them selling everything from fresh produce to artisanal cheeses and meats to vintage clothing and home goods. So you know I enjoyed scouring the vintage glassware when we ran into this market on our journeys!
Favorite Spots for Cocktails in Paris
Alright to the good stuff - here are our favorite spots we had cocktails when we were in Paris!
The Little Red Door
Despite being named The Little Red Door and the very red door in front of you as you walk through this little alley, you’ll want to make your way inside through the blue and white door on the left. Once inside, you will find super friendly bartenders and a really welcoming atmosphere to enjoy their creative and delicious drinks. It makes sense this is one of the World’s 50 Best Bars! Their 2022 menu was Flourish, and it was centered around the local producers who grow the ingredients they use to make their drinks, The producers and farmers are featured heavily in the decor, and they are clearly central to the story. There were ten cocktails total, and we tried a few! Our favorites were the carrot cocktail and the walnut cocktail. I especially loved the ceramic round cup made by Corentin Brison that the carrot cocktail is in - it reminds me of the gorgeous local Las Vegas pottery by Mist Art Studio (also available at Akin Cooperative!).
Wilde’s Lounge
Wildes at L’Hotel is a cozy and chic cocktail bar located in the heart of Paris, where the incomparable Oscar Wilde spent his last days. The famous Irish playwright and poet, has strong ties to Paris. I can’t ever resist a bar that is named after a famous writer, so this was high on our list. Maybe one day I will even stay in the Oscar Wilde suite! It’s nice to have dreams haha. The bar is located within the L'Hotel, a boutique hotel in the Latin Quarter, and the beautiful courtyard garden is perfect for enjoying a cocktail. We tried the mezcal negroni and serafin, made with tequila, pear, lime, and ginger beer. Both were excellent!
Lulu White Drinking Club
Lulu White is located in the Pigalle neighborhood of Paris, the red light district with neon lights that were reminiscent of home. Named after a famed brothel madam from New Orleans, Lulu White was a can’t miss for me. I enjoyed the Absinthe sampler and the bartender was excited to share information about the many types of absinthe they had. It definitely gave the impression that it is pretty lively later at night, but we were there early in the evening and enjoyed it quite a lot.
Combat
This woman-owned bar in the Belleville neighborhood was really great. The owners named it Combat to represent the uphill battle they had to fight in order to get funding as women business owners. I had the Frais Maison, which has been on the menu since the owner worked at Lexperimental Cocktail Club Paris in 2016. It was delicious! My husband had the Combat margarita, made with chamomile tequila, sake, dry curacao, and CBD. Delicious!
Where we stayed
Hotel Monsieur Arstide
For the first part of our trip, we stated in the center of Montmartre, the bohemian neighborhood known for its artistic culture, as it was once home to artists like Picasso, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec. We stayed in the Hotel Monsieur Aristide which was just lovely. The decor was unique and inviting, the bartender was fantastic, and there was the absolute perfect tiny garden. We walked to local markets to grab fresh fruit and pastries to enjoy back in the hotel garden more than once.
Babel Belleville
We then moved to Belleville, a neighborhood in Paris known for being home to Paris’ second Chinatown, amazing street art, and delicious food. It’s also the birthplace of tortured french singer Edith Piaf. This is where you will find the Combat Cocktail Bar as well as some of the best restaurants we went to. We stayed at the Babel Belleville, a boutique hotel that we absolutely loved. I mean - I was in for the cool elevator ride illustration alone, but they also had gorgeous rooms and a cocktail bar downtstairs where I tried a cocktail with mah, India’s oldest indigenous alcohol.
Other places we loved
Natural wine, a seat by the window, and abolutely unreal ambiance.
right in the heart of Belleville, this was our last dinner in Paris and we lingered outside reveling in its energy for a long time. It was probably our favorite meal of the trip.
French-style teppanyaki and natural wine.
Remember that teenage obsession with Paris? Before Sunset solidifed it within me and I have been waiting twenty damn years to sit at the cafe where Jesse and Celine sat. It was absolutely idyllic, and really had a neighborhood feel. I ordered a pastis because Celine did, naturally.
Le Cave de Belleville
Incredible wine shop in the Belleville neighborhood. A wide selection of natural wines and small plates, and a charming and laid-back atmosphere that made for amazing recommendations. We filled up the room we had in our wine luggage with great wines we have had for special occasions.
The Seine
I mean look, this is hardly a surprise, but the Seine really is just a joy to walk down. It is gorgeous and lively. There are bars by the waterside and you can sit on the side of the river and have a little picnic. We walked around one evening after dinner and chatted with a young couple from Italy who were on their first ever trip together. We hobbled together the french and Italian we knew with their very good english and had a wonderful conversation. I really love being able to have moments like this with strangers, when you’re each outside your regular context and environment and are able to connect on the things that are, in some ways, universal. Like, for example, the philosophy we learned from the gracious Italian couple - sharing makes better. And let me tell you, if you are sitting by a river in a beautiful European city eating chips and drinking champagne, that is true!
I could go on forever honestly. There is no city I love more, and it was really magical to share it with my husband. Have you been to Paris? What did you think?
