The Shabby-Chic Brasseries of Paris

Don't be put off by the long line of people standing in front of 7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre. It's worth the wait, as you'll see when you take a seat at the original Bouillon Chartier, founded in 1896 by two butchers and brothers, Camille and Frédéric Chartier. The motto of this formers workers' canteen was "Offering hearty meals at reasonable prices." and it still applies today. In the huge Art Nouveau dining room ( a listed space), you can admire the frescoes donated by French painter Germont to pay off his debts, enjoy iconic dishes such as leek-vinaigrette, and watch the waiters in black waistcoats and white aprons weave their way between the tables. Deliciously retro, right down to the check - scribbled on the paper tablecloth !

This not an historic brasserie, but the atmosphere is juste the same ! In 2017, juste a stone's throw from the Moulin Rouge, the enormous Bouillon Pigalle (more than 300 covers) flung open its doors to reveal a skillfully polished retro interior. The objective was to revive the welcoming atmosphere and simple yet delicious cuisine of the old-style bouillons, a concept invented in the 19th century by Boucheries Duval. We recommend the giant profiterole !

A former Chartier establishment purchased by Martial Thoumieux in 1923, this Left Bank classic has since given its decor a chic twist, with red velvet banquettes and Lalique lamps creating a sleek, intimate atmosphere. The same goes for the menu, which features traditional cuisine jazzed up with yuzu, truffle vinaigrette, and rigatoni with morel mushrooms.

Now that's what we call Art Deco! Inaugurated in 1927, La Coupole is one of the most legendary brasseries in Paris! During the Roaring Twenties, Man Ray, Josephine Baker and Jean Cocteau could all be found there. La Coupole remained a magnet for the Parisian elite, and if its 27 ornate columns could talk, they would tell countless stories. This is where Louis Aragon met Elsa Triolet, Albert Camus celebrated his Nobel Prize, and François Mitterand ordered the house specialty, lamb curry, in 1995, which is still on the menu!

A legendary establishment in Les Halles since 1832, Le Pharamond was founded by Pierre Heutte, who was more than happy to introduce the French capital to specialties from his native Normandy, such as Tripes à la mode de Caen. These dishes are still served along with other bistro standards. Generous, feel-good cuisine, enjoyed in a superb Belle Epoque setting.

Saint-Germain-des-Près owes one of its institutions to the Franco-Prussian War, after which several Alsace natives settled in Paris. Among them Léonard Lipp, who opened the Brasserie des Bords du Rhin in 1880. In the 1920's, Verlaine and Apollinaire met there. Years later, celebrities such as Bill Clinton, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Kate Moss were regulars. This delightfully eclectic heritage can now be soaked up while sampling specialities such as cervelas remoulade and choucroute!