Below are the main drags to check out in this quarter. See our category tiles further below for more places not to miss.
Rue Faidherbe
Grab some loose leaf tea to bring home as a souvenir from Parti du Thé, gorgeous terrariums and tableware at B.Green, nice Japanese stationery at IJII. For great Moroccan food, go to Mansouria, or stop at La Belle Équipe for a French café experience. There’s even 5‑star Hôtel Boutet, which has preserved its stunning industrial facade from its former days as a wood warehouse and then a chocolate factory. It’s a shame we had to stop going to Kabane Coffee shop: But if you’re curious about what it’s like to experience the dark side of Parisian customer service, we dare you to try to get your capuccino there.
Rue Paul Bert
This street is foodie nirvana: Nomade coffee shop is a friendly, beautiful large space with plenty of inventive seating where you can linger as long as you want with great wifi, great coffee and hot chocolate and some pastries. Terroirs d’Avenir run a mini-empire on the street: a bakery (the best organic bread in the area and rustic viennoiseries), a high-quality local produce mini-market right across the street (where I’ve spotted the hipster crew of guys rock it to awesome electro-clash music during after-closing cleanup, curtain half-drawn), and a butcher shop and rotisserie. Ham’s is the spot for connoisseur—you guessed it—hams, but also for wine and high-end apéro fare to go or eat-in, seated at the chic high table in back. The list of impressive restaurants on this street goes on: Le 6 Paul Bert, L’Écaillerie Paul Bert for seafood, Cyril Lignac’s Le Chardenoux, plus his namesake chocolate shop and pâtisserie, Breizh Café (delicious crêpes and cider), Le Temps au Temps (affordable, deeply rich and buttery French food prepared by chef Denis, an adorable guy who runs his place with love and all by himself), and Único, an always-packed Argentine restaurant. For shopping, don’t miss Anna (concrete lamps and furniture), Music Avenue for records and turntables (the owner is really cool and you feel like you’re walking into his music-filled basement), and Marielle’s tiny knit shop, where you can watch her chat with neighbors as she knits her next creation.
Rue Jean Macé
L’Antichambre Persane for stylish homeware made in Iran, and curated by a lovely Iranian expat. Les Pénates for their homemade ceramic lamps, and cool tableware. At the corner of Jean Macé and rue Faidherbe is Le Pure, a casual French café with a beautiful classic bistro interior.
Rue Saint Bernard & rue de la Forge Royale
Stop by tiny, cozy Mokonuts for what are probably the most scrumptious and inventive cookies in Paris. Moko and her husband Omar also serve killer dishes that are a delicate blend of Middle-Eastern and Euro cuisine, sourcing flavorful ingredients in unexpected combinations. For cocktails, head to tasteful Bluebird: you’ll feel right at home thanks to the Italian bartenders who treat everyone like an old friend, cracking jokes and shaking cocktail after cocktail with a smile. On rue de la Forge Royale, parallel and just to the west of rue Saint Bernard, don’t miss Bodega Potxolo for killer Basque tapas and Red House for great cocktails.
Rue Trousseau
Get a home-brewed beer at Les Cuves de Fauve, get the perfect gift for anyone at Les Fleurs, and have a gourmet meal at tiny and cozy Pianovins. If the cute community garden right next to Pianovins happens to be open, go right in and have a seat to rest your weary legs, or help out by watering the plants.
Rue de Charonne
Swing by Moko and Omar’s newest addition, Mokoloco, for a rotating roster of inventive chefs. The Italian team from Bluebird also run Louie Louie Pizza at the corner of rue Saint Bernard. More not-to-be-missed restaurants: Le Septime, Septime La Cave (wine bar), Tapisserie (Septime’s pastry shop), Clamato, and Paris Hanoi. POS is a tiny food market that sells high-quality organic produce at great prices. Right next to POS is a hole-in-the-wall Japanese eatery that is very authentic and delicious, but it’s not always open.
