Keepsake's Guide to Paris
Paris Dispatch #03
Boo-hoo, I’m home from Paris. While the reality of that sentence is still making me teary-eyed and croissantless it’s actually a wonderful thing for all of you, because it means I finally have time to consolidate all my favorites into a list. Here is a comprehensive guide to everything I ate, bought, and saw in Paris:
Restaurants:
I don’t think I had a single bad meal, but if you’re looking for the best ones why don’t you start with these?
Chez Janou : As good as they say. Essentially dinner and a show because the staff is so entertaining. I went twice and stayed late both times. Don’t tell anyone but I also stole a shot glass after being served three free drinks from an especially friendly waiter. You should order the entrecôte, you must order the mousse.
Brasserie Lipp: Delicious and iconic. Like it’s a 135 years old iconic. Kate Moss stood on a table here once if that drives it home further.
Carette: The softest eggs I’ve ever eaten, apricot lavender jam, and of course the iconic chocolat chaud with whipped cream. I had a lot of hot chocolate (hello Paris in November) but this was by far the best. There’s a few locations, but I recommend the one linked here in Le Marais as it’s the perfect starting point to an afternoon shopping in the neighborhood, plus you get the scenic view of the Place des Vosges.
La Boîte aux Lettres: My unexpected favorite meal of the trip. The food was so good and the perfect blend of classic French flavors with a modern twist. It’s to the side of the crazy tourism of Monmarte, so you get to rub shoulders with a few more locals than the above recommendations.
Café Charlot: This is more of a vibe recommendation than a food recommendation, but the beef tartare is insanely good. This is great spot for people watching and sustenance before a night out in the area.
Le Clown Bar: This is a very particular fine dining experience, but also a very unpretentious and cool one. Everything on the menu is a special and they have such creative combinations. I was lucky enough to be seated by the kitchen so I got to watch them prepare everything, but if you’re seated up front you get an amazing view of the namesake clown tiled bar.
La Renommée: Extra special location of my birthday dinner, which was absolutely everything I wanted it to be and more. When choosing a restaurant for this I really wanted an old world, classic Parisian feel, but with an elevated experience from the usual Bistrot. The food, service, decor, even the bathroom was above and beyond. If you’re planning something special you must come by, even just for a drink at the bar downstairs.
Bars:
The best spots are places I don’t have the names of, places I just wandered into because the crowd smoking on the sidewalk seemed they were having an excellent time and I wanted to have an excellent time too. You can find those in any neighborhood, but here are some cocktail and wine bars you’ll love around Le Marais.
Bisou: A bar with a gimmick to be sure, but a cute gimmick, and a cute name that makes me want to say ‘let’s go to Bisou’. They don’t have a traditional menu, you just tell them what spirits and flavors you like and let them surprise you. Sweet staff, fun music, successful guesses for cocktails I’d love.
Bar Nouveau: A small spot with a creative menu and the nicest people in Paris. Say hi to Sarah for me and order the Ramos if you want to be confused yet delighted.
Harry's New York Bar: The oldest cocktail bar in Europe, and where they invented many classic cocktails like the Bloody Mary and the French 75. There’s music downstairs and a fun environment that blends New York and Paris into one fun cocktail.
Shopping:
They say Paris has incredible shopping, but I didn’t really understand it until I saw it for myself. You should absolutely arrive with room in your suitcase.
Merci: Things for you, gifts for others, a bookstore cafe combo, yeah this place has it all. It kind of feels like an Anthropologie mingled with an Urban Outfitters Home but then also both of those things were Parisian and had a five foot tower filled with candles shaped like hyper-realistic food.
Marin Montagut: Another good stop for mementos! Adorable little painted plates and also where I purchased a tiny matchbox shaped like a house and you know I live and die for those kinds of things.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann: ‘Grand, century-old department store’ and in the holiday season an absolute sight to be seen. I loved the window displays and the giant interior Christmas tree, plus this is where I bought my first little trip present. Lots of couture brands, but also a very cool vintage and resell floor I had fun perusing.
L'Ecritoire Paris: I adore a stationary store, and this one has so many cute things. I had trouble finding it, so if you don’t see it on the street take not that’s down a little alleyway.
Bourgine: Such a cool shop with beautiful clothes and a station behind the counter where they cut and sew the garments. I bought a little hooded and collared rain bonnet and absolutely adored the staff. They have their own ‘Bourgine’ map of Paris recommendations, and I highly suggest grabbing one from them because their picks are perfect!
La Grande Épicerie de Paris: Heaven for foodies. You need to go multiple times because you need to browse and have a little lunch one day, then have a serious shopping day the next. This is also where you can buy butter and get it vacuum sealed for ease of transport on the plane! All my butter made it safely back to Brooklyn plus a bunch of other yummy pantry items too.
Officine Universelle Buly 1803: So specialized and gorgeously curated. I bought perfume here and they have a calligraphist in house handwriting the labels to order. You can also get cute monogrammed lip balms here, though the machine was broken when I visited, and lots of other body care items all with an old world feel.
Boulangeries:
My mother taught me that you can tell a real croissant from a fake croissant by the curve. The crescent of iconic croissants like say, the croissant emoji, indicates a bake that combines butter and margarine. A straight croissant is made with 100% butter, and if you’ve had French butter you’ll understand why they prefer it that way.
Mamiche: I waited in line for this, but the hype was real. Parisians are funny about waiting in line it seems like they’re kind of new to the concept. I mentioned I was going to walk in to a restaurant and a man looked at me horrified and said I’d be waiting as long as 5-10 minutes for that. This was in that window and perfectly acceptable to my American sensibilities.
Boulangerie La Parisienne: Conveniently right next to Marin Montagut. This was the absolute best baguette I had the entire trip. I can’t explain how delicious.
Le Pain Retrouvé: If you’re in the Pigalle area you should stop by, even after you hit Mamiche you can complete the bakery tour. This is the neighborhood I stayed in and it’s impossible not to hit a perfect boulangerie every ten feet.
Places to Romanticize Your Life:
Obviously there are so many things to see and do, but where are the places you can truly lose yourself in the concept of Paris and longing?
Musée d'Orsay: I’m sure this museum is already on your list, I’m just here to confirm that you will appreciate your time here. I did a mini scavenger hunt and took note of every cat I saw in a painting. Highly recommend similar games.
Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu: I escaped a massive rainstorm here and ended up having the time of my life sitting in the research room, writing out a story and taking in the beautiful architecture.
Jardin du Luxembourg: I went in November and I was inspired, I can only imagine how it is in the spring and summer!
Musée Rodin: The gardens are so beautiful, and it’s great to see so many examples of his work throughout his career. I dare you not to romanticize your life while staring at The Thinker.
For every single thing I saved check out my map of 190+ locations! I went to so many amazing places it was hard to condense it all down to a list. If you have other suggestions feel free to sound off in the comments below.
xo,
Julianna
Thank you so much for these recommendations! I recently fell in love with Paris and am hoping to come back soon this year! Thank you 💖
We love so many of the same spots! I’m hoping to go back in May, and I’ll definitely be using these recs - thanks!