Bars and cafés

 

Bar des Ferrailleurs 18 rue de Lappe, 11e. Mº Bastille. Daily 5pm-2am.
Dark and stylishly sinister bar, with rusting metal decor, an eccentric owner and fun wig-wearing staff. Relaxed, friendly crowd.

Café de l'Industrie 16 rue St-Sabin, 11e. Mº Bastille. Noon-2am; closed Sat.
Rugs on the floor around solid old wooden tables, miscellaneous objects on the walls, and a young, unpretentious crowd enjoying the comfortable lack of minimalism. One of the best Bastille addresses. Plats du jour from ¬7.32.

Café des Phares 7 place de la Bastille, west side, 4e. Mº Bastille. Daily 7am-4am. Every Sunday at 11am, a public philosophy debate is held in the back room here, run by the somewhat controversial Nietzsche specialist Marc Sautet. During the rest of the week, the sunny and relaxed terrace is the perfect spot for coffee.

Fouquet's 130 rue de Lyon, 12e. Mº Bastille. Mon-Fri till midnight; closed Sat & Sun midday. Sister establishment to the Champs-Élysées Fouquet's .
A smart, expensive café-restaurant underneath the new Opéra. With perfect French courtesy they will leave you undisturbed for hours with a ¬2.29 coffee. Menu, including wine, at ¬25.91.

Grand Appetit 9 rue de la Cerisaie, 4e. Mº Bastille. Mon-Thurs noon-7pm, Fri & Sun noon-2pm.
Vegetarian meals served by dedicated eco-veggies at the back of an unassuming shop.

Havanita Café 11 rue de Lappe, 11e. Mº Bastille. Daily 5pm-2am; happy hour 5-8pm.
Large, comfortable, Cuban-style bar with battered old leather sofa. Cocktails from ¬7.32.

Iguana 15 rue de la Roquette, cnr rue Daval, 11e. Mº Bastille. Daily 10am-2am.
A place to be seen in. Decor of trellises, colonial fans and a brushed bronze bar. The clientele studies recherché art reviews, and the coffee is excellent.

Le Temps des Cerises 31 rue de la Cerisaie, 4e. Mº Bastille. Mon-Fri till 8pm; food atmidday only; closed Aug.
It is hard to say what is so appealing about this café, with its dirty yellow decor, old posters and prints of vieux Paris , save that the patronne knows most of the clientele, who are young, relaxed and not the dreaded branchés . ¬10.37 menu.

Restaurants

Blue Elephant 43-45 rue de la Roquette, 11e tel 01.47.00.42.00. Mº Bastille & Mº Richard-Lenoir. Daily except Sat lunchtime till midnight. Superb Thai restaurant, with a tropical-forest decor. ¬22.87 midday menu, otherwise over ¬41.16.

Boca Chica 58 rue de Charonne, 11e. Mº Ledru-Rollin. Daily 8am-2am.
Popular tapas bar/bodega, with colourful arty decor. It's heaving by night and restful in the morning, when you can get coffee and croissant for ¬1.52, and a newspaper for an extra ¬0.76. Tapas are ¬4.27-11.89.

Bofinger 7 rue de la Bastille, 3e tel 01.42.72.87.82. Mº Bastille. Daily until 1am.
A popular fin-de-siècle brasserie with its original decor, serving sauerkraut and seafood. Weekday lunchtime menu at ¬18.14, evening ¬27.13, both including wine; otherwise over ¬30.49.

La Canaille 4 rue Crillon, 4e tel 01.42.78.09.71. Mº Sully-Morland & Mº Bastille. Daily till midnight; closed Sat & Sun lunchtime.
Bar in front, restaurant behind. Simple, traditional and well-cooked food in a friendly atmosphere. There are ¬12.04 and ¬13.56 lunch menus - ¬19.82 in the evening - and à la carte at ¬21.34.

SanZSanS 49 rue du Faubourg-St-Antoine, 11e. Mº Bastille. Daily 9am-2am.
Features a Gothic decor of red velvet, oil paintings and chandeliers, with a young clientele in the evening. Drinks reasonably priced; main courses for around ¬7.32-9.91, and there's always a vegetarian dish on offer.