For one of the first Paris editions of favourite finds, a selection of local discoveries stumbled across and sought out while getting to know the 9th arrondissment, where I’m living.
Shine Garden
Very handily located round the corner from my apartment, there’s always a queue outside the door of this little Pret-style lunch place, serving a small but varied selection of main dishes, alongside smaller starter and dessert places. The French love their lunchtime ‘formules’, and Shine Garden offers some very reasonable prices, whatever combination you go for. More of a to-go working lunch place, it’s not an absolute favourite, but a handy option!
Rose Bakery
Another convenient location on the Rue des Martyrs (see below - a foodie paradise), this adorable little ‘English’ bakery is obviously done in French style. I think they usually have a cute little tearoom serving their delicious-looking array of cakes, but for the moment the set up is like a huge salad bar, although it feels more like walking into a kitchen getting ready for a big dinner, with bowls of foodie combinations spread across two counters. Veg-heavy if not entirely vegetarian, there were plenty of options for vegans too, and with a pay-by-weight system, you can mix and match the salads as you like. (Caution advised for anyone who finds interesting salad combos incredibly exciting, this can get expensive pretty quickly).
Popote cantine respectueuse
Another one just on my doorstep, this handy little health-bowl cantine is clearly popular, and with good reason - quality ingredients, daily changing specials, friendly service and a good range of choice, it’s one to return to. (Photographed here in my own to-go container - they’re more than happy to oblige environmentally-friendly efforts)
Loyal
Three doors down from my apartment, this place was potentially the very first which made it onto my list to try, but it took me a week or so to get round to it. Another one which regularly has a constant queue between the hours of 12 and 2pm, it’s a little hit and miss whether their daily vegetarian option will also be vegan, but my lentil gratin was well worth the ethical sacrifice, and every time I walk past the chalkboard just outside the door, I’m intrigued by the creative and tasty-sounding dishes on offer that day. Definitely a favourite favourite find, and looking at their sweets selection and chai lattes, I’ll be back for a brunch sometime soon.
Place d’Anvers
Just on the boundary of the 9th arrondissement and Montmartre, almost directly below the Sacre Coeur, you’ll find a little square with a park, called Place d’Anvers. If you’re coming at it from the South (walking up from the Seine), you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the perfect view of the white beauty as you approach on a steep hill. Don’t worry, your climb will be rewarded, that is if you find yourself there on a Friday afternoon, where you’ll be able to do your grocery shopping with the locals, and maybe even grab a late lunch, with stalls mostly selling organic fruit and veg, but also some meat, fish, cheese (of course), olives and dips. Perfect for a local Parisian-style fresh shop, and a much more enjoyable (and environmentally-friendly) shopping experience than Paris’s slightly dingy express supermarkets. It’s already become a weekly routine!
Jus
Described as a ‘boulangerie végétalienne’, I was drawn to Jus’s bright orange sign straight away, and every subsequent time that I passed it on my bi-daily walk between my apartment and the family’s. My first try, with a caramelised onion and roasted turnip rye bread sandwich with truffle butter, was an absolute winner, and what I saw of the bread selection, plus extraordinarily convenient location, plus emphasis on sustainability, ticks all the boxes for a my local boulangerie.
Michèle
Not far from the family’s apartment on the lively Rue du Faubourg Poissonière, this is the perfect stop for a Parisian style lunch on the go. Offering a daily hot dish, sandwiches and bowls, the emphasis is on local, seasonal, high-quality ingredients, in interesting and well-thought-out combinations. Reasonably priced for the quality, and super friendly service, an all-round pleasant experience.
Martyrs
Already on my list of things to visit in the 9ème arrondissement, I was pleasantly surprised on my first trip to see the family to find that their apartment is just off this well-known street. Named after the religious devotees who climbed these steep hills on their pilgramage to the Sacre Coeur, it’s now a foodie paradise of boutique delis, fresh markets, clothes shops and specialist ‘traiteurs’. From fruit to fish, chinese to truffles, florists, patisseries, boulangeries, cafes and delis, it’s always bustling with what really feels like the vie de quartier, the nearby streets being mostly residential, with lots of schools and families, and Parisians living their Parisian lives.
Silo Lafayette
Right on the bustling Rue Lafayette, this little coffee shop had very cosy vibes, and I remember thinking that it would be a great location to sit in. Other than coffee and a selection of cakes, they serve a small range of hot dishes and salads, which proved to be very tasty. I get the impression it would be a great place to spend a morning reading or working, but for now the bol à emporter had to suffice.
La Compagnie de café
Mostly a coffee shop with an impressive selection of cakes, this seems like a top notch brunch option, but also has an impressive lunch range, featuring a vegan buddha bowl which was to die for. They offer not just traditional coffees but matcha and chai latte variations, and are handily located just off Notre Dame de Lorette, in the centre of the infamous (but really quite nice) Pigalle district.
Barak
Describing itself as a ‘sunshine kitchen’, the bowls and sandwiches from this place are colorful and tasty. Only a select variety of veggie and vegan options, but enough to satisfy, and not too expensive either. Healthy and wholesome Mediterranean vibes with friendly service, great for a quick weekday lunch.
kB coffee roasters
Something of an institution at the top of Rue des Martyrs, this place always has a queue, and I can see why. Their carrot cake (sadly not vegan) was to die for, and the rest of their selection of homemade goods looked very tasty, and made a perfect brunch alongside a chai latte. Not the ideal vegan experience, and probably won’t become a regular, but worth the occasional exception I’d say.
Açai and You
Not quite the traditional French cafe model, this acai bowl and salad bar is going for slightly more modern, trendy healthfood vibes. That usually comes at a price, and the food wasn’t cheap, but to be fair to them the quality was good, the presentation was beautiful, and it was more filling than many of the worst examples of overpriced salads I’ve had. Very near the family’s apartment, it’s a handy one for a superfood treat.
SoNat
I liked the look of this place just from walking past, and was pleasantly surprised to find that they’re also entirely veggie. Located just next to the Eglise de Notre Dame de Lorette from which the quartier gets its name, it’s a top location with some really great food. The only inconvenient thing was the long queue, but I guess that’s a good sign!
Roche
A cute little coffee shop minutes from the family’s apartment, and recommended to me by the owner of a vegan cafe in the 12th who it turns out is the girlfriend of the owner of Roche, their selection of vegan lattes was impressive, and although not entirely plant-based, their selection of cakes was enough to please anyone. I was especially impressed by the chocolate bomb, the friendly service, and the cosy atmosphere.
Dandine
A real classic yet conscious French kitchen - quite traditional in its focus on meat, and cheese as a veggie alternative, but more modern in the selection of amazingly tasty veggie side dishes, and their focus on quality, local and organic produce. Simple, hearty, delicious food done well, if not a vegan paradise, this place is definitely one for foodies.
Gallika
A quick option geared at working lunches, this Greek wrap and bowl bar had a good choice when it came to composing your own, and wasn’t too pricey. Like Shine Garden, not an absolute favourite, and not the frenchest of the French, but handy for on the go!
Babka Zana
Last but certainly not least, this inconspicuous little bakery is well-known, and attracts attention on weekend morning with the queues out of the door. Serving a range of flavoured rolls and even sandwiches, their speciality is the Babka, a Jewish dessert like a plaited cinnamon roll. We shared one cinnamon and one pistachio, allowing us to definitively conclude that they have absolutely nailed the classics. They clearly know what they’re doing, the place itself is run like a Babka production factory, and they quite literally sell like hot cakes. The non-vegan exception was worth every bite.
Sucré Cœur
Just off Rue des Martyrs, the play on words works because you’re 2 minutes away from seeing the Sacré Cœur at this quaint local bakery which has a gorgeous selection of delicate tarts, as well as a gluten free and vegan offering. I opted for a brioche, which was quite like a Babka - a simple classic which didn‘t disappoint.
Pink Mamma
One of my absolute favourite things is pizza - but done right, and I’d say Pink Mamma (my local branch of a group of edgy Italian restaurants spread over Paris) more than meets the criteria. Going beyond your standard topping options with creative combinations (often quite meaty but also adaptable), they key is the base and they’ve nailed it. Cooked in the traditional stone pizza oven, with fluffy, pillowy, not too doughy nor too crunchy, and packed with flavour, it’s just everything pizza should be. I walk past this place every evening on my way back from work and since they opened their terrace I’ve been dying to try it. The restaurant itself is colourful and lively, and made for a great weeknight dinner.
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