I have to admit, cocktails are about the last alcoholic beverage that I used to associate with Paris. Wine, absolutely. Unique and delicious cocktails, never. That all changed on my last trip to Paris when I was introduced to the wonderful world of Paris’ lesser-known cocktail bar scene.
When my husband and I planned this last trip to Paris we did not intend on sipping our way through the city. However, as you’ll discover as you learn more about each of the spots that I’m sharing with you today, visiting just one is likely to lead to visiting them all. That is because the community of up and coming themed cocktail bars is relatively small in Paris and a stop at one undoubtedly yields a recommendation for another. One cocktail in and you’re falling down the rabbit hole that is this city’s growing cocktail scene.
To save you the trouble of blindly having to sample the offerings from each of these establishments, because that just sounds like an arduous task to take on, I have put together this guide to the five best cocktail bars in Paris.
1 rue Commines
3rd Arrondissement
Let’s start with an old familiar friend, shall we? If you read my guide to the best food deals in Paris you might remember me professing my undying love for Marais-based small plates restaurant Le Mary Celeste. Well, I only told you half of the story. You see, not only is Le Mary Celeste my favorite place to grab a bite to eat in Paris, it’s also one of my favorite places to stop in for a drink.
The nautical themed restaurant’s bar has been awarded the honor of being voted one of the top 10 cocktail bars IN THE WORLD two years in a row by Tales of the Cocktail, one of the premier voices in the cocktail scene, and for good reason. The spot’s small but diverse menu is equal parts delicious and inventive. Each beverage is expertly made with an unconventional blend of ingredients that, surprisingly, manage to meld perfectly.
The bar has both a set offering of cocktails as well as one that rotates with the season and menu. Based on my husband and my extensive sampling – all in the name of research, of course – it would be impossible to go wrong with anything on the creative menu. My personal favorite is the passion fruit and grapefruit-based La vénus Stéatopyge, due to its perfect blend of sweetness and tartness.
Tip: If you find yourself drinking and dining at Le Mary Celeste, be sure to ask the bartenders which cocktail they recommend you pair your dish with. The cocktails have been created with the restaurant’s signature dishes in mind, so any pairing that they suggest is guaranteed to be perfection.
12 rue Frochot
9th Arrondissement
Lulu White came into my life on my second night in the city completely by accident. That night my husband and I ended up in an underground “club” (that’s a generous term) below the apartment we rented for the week. It was a bit of a rough scene and after an hour listening to djs and watching people throw themselves at one another we returned above ground a bit shell shocked and worse for the wear. That is when the wonderful woman working the door at neighboring Lulu White rescued us, pulling us inside the absinthe-based bar, assuring us that our evening was about to get infinitely better. She was right.
Lulu White gained her namesake from an infamous New Orleans madam, and the elegant art nouveaux decor reflects NOLA influences at every turn. The dimly lit, gorgeously appointed bar is a feast for the eyes, not to mention the mouth. The menu heavily favors absinthe, and the cocktail bar has a menu so extensive and diverse that the green fairy himself would be jealous.
It should go without saying that you should take the staff’s suggestion and order an absinthe flight. Each flight contains absinthes of remarkably different tastes, textures and strengths. Only one thing is guaranteed with these flights – you’ll be leaving Lulu White less sure on your feet than you were upon entering.
Tip: If you’re looking for a way to enjoy Lulu White without going all in, check out the live music that they feature each Tuesday. Music ranges from jazz to blues to folk, all heavily influenced by the history and culture of New Orleans.
60 rue Charlot
3rd Arrondissement
Our visit to Lulu White yielded a business card and recommendation for Little Red Door, a Marais mixology bar owned by the same hospitality group. Armed with the knowledge that the bar’s menu is a bit unconventional and the assurance that we were in for a memorable experience, we set out the following day to the next stop on our cocktail tour of the city.
Upon entering the hip and intimate cocktail spot we were seated at a candlelit table and offered a menu…of sorts. The menu is not a menu in the traditional sense. It is actually a board book comprised of works of art created by a select group of artists from around the world. These artists range from fashion designers to tattoo artists with one thing in common – they were instructed to create a unique piece of work based on the mood of one of the bar’s signature cocktails.
When ordering a drink you are therefore ordering based only on visual perception. Though a list of ingredients can be found tucked behind each work of art, it is not meant to be looked at. A visit to Little Red Door is meant to be an experience unlike any other, rooted firmly in the belief that by releasing pre-conceived notions about preferences, one might discover an entirely new world of options and opportunities.
Tip: Though the restaurant’s plush seating and intimate, low tables are hard to resist, sit at the bar for a real treat. The incredibly talented bartenders put on quite the show while creating their concoctions, all the while chatting with willing and friendly patrons.
52 rue de Saintonge
3rd Arrondissement
Much like sister restaurant Le Mary Celeste, Candelaria, also featured on my list of the best food deals in Paris, is full of surprises. When I initially shared the eatery a few weeks ago I mentioned that if you walk through the restaurant to what at first appears to be the kitchen, you’ll be in for quite the discovery. Upon opening an unmarked door in the back of the restaurant, you will find yourself in a low-lit relaxed lounge, complete with a meticulously stocked bar.
The speakeasy, in keeping with the restaurant out front’s delicious bites, offers remarkable hand crafted cocktails of the tropical-leaning variety. The ingredients the bartenders use are all of the highest quality, the majority of which are actually made in house. Those that are not made locally are imported from around the world and come from some of the most well-known names in the cocktail business.
The juxtaposition between the casual dining experience you will find up front and the seductive perfectly adorned cave-like experience waiting for you in the back could not be more prominent. Whereas the restaurant has the feel of a bustling street food stand during its busy hours, the lounge manages to feel laid back and tranquil regardless of the time of day.
Tip: While all of the drinks on the menu are absolutely delicious, the real stars of the show are the off-menu concoctions the bartenders each whip up to showcase the bar’s rare top shelf ingredients.
20 rue Beautreillis
4th Arrondissement
If you were to ask my husband what his favorite cocktail experience in Paris was he would undoubtedly start waxing poetic about Sherry Butt, specifically about a drink called the Joe Pesci. He LIVES for the gin based cocktail, in fact, he hasn’t stopped talking about it since our visit. I, on the other hand, live for the bar’s cooly elegant decor and the unique toppings the bartenders delicately place on each cocktail.
Sherry Butt is located down a narrow street in the Marais and has signage so discreet you’re likely to walk right past it. Don’t. Cocktail aficionado or not, the bar’s subtly ornate decor alone makes it worth a visit. The diverse drink menu offers something for every palette, though Sherry Butt is best known for their extensive selection of whiskey, important from all across the globe.
Tip: If you’re willing to commit your evening to Sherry Butt, be sure to order one of their infamous whiskey flights. Oh, and my husband says you should order the Joe Pesci.
If you find yourself in Paris I highly recommend checking out at least one of these fabulous cocktail bars. You definitely won’t regret a visit to any one of them, though, if you are anything like the two of us, you may very well find yourself getting willingly pulled into the divine world that is Paris’ craft cocktail scene. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you.
