Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [148]
CAFÉS AND SALONS DE THÉ
Along with air, water, and wine (Parisians eat fewer and fewer three-course meals), the café remains one of the basic necessities of life in Paris; following is a small selection of cafés and salons de thé (tearooms) to whet your appetite. Brasserie Lipp (151 bd. St-Germain, St-Germain-des-Prés, 6e | 75006 | 01–45–48–53–91 | Station: St-Germain-des-Prés), with its turn-of-the-20th-century decor, was a favorite spot of Hemingway’s; today television celebrities, journalists, and politicians come here for coffee—but not the mediocre food—on the small glassed-in terrace off the main restaurant. Café Marly (Cour Napoléon du Louvre, 93 rue de Rivoli, Louvre/Tuileries, 1er | 75001 | 01–49–26–06–60 | Station: Palais-Royal), overlooking the main courtyard of the Louvre, is perfect for an afternoon break or a nightcap. Note that ordinary café service shuts down during meal hours, when overpriced, mediocre food is served.
La Charlotte en I’lle (24 rue St-Louis-en-l’Ile, Ile St-Louis, 4e | 75004 | 01–43–54–25–83 | Station: Pont-Marie) would be fancied by the witch who baked gingerbread children in Hansel and Gretel—set with fairy lights, carnival masques, and decoupaged detritus, it’s a tiny, storybook spot that offers more than 30 varieties of tea along with a sinfully good hot chocolate. Le Progrès (7 rue Trois , Montmartre, 18e | 75018 | 01–42–64–07–37 | Station: Abbesses) draws a quirky mix, from retirees sipping espresso at the counter to hipsters, artists, and discriminating tourists. les éditeurs (4 carrefour de l’Odéon, St-Germain-des-Prés, 6e | 01–43–26–67–76 | Station: St-Germain-des-Prés) makes for a perfect setting to sip a kir (white wine with black currant syrup) alongside the Parisian publishing set, either from a perch on the skinny sidewalk or at an inside table shadowed by book-lined walls. Le Flore en l’Ile (42 quai d’Orléans, Ile St-Louis, 4e | 75004 | 01–43–29–88–27 | Station: Pont-Marie) is on the Ile St-Louis and has a magnificent view of the Seine. Ladurée (16 rue Royale, Opéra/Grands Boulevards, 8e | 75008 | 01–42–60–21–79 | www.laduree.fr | Station: Madeleine | 75 av. des Champs-Élysées, Champs-Élysées, 8e | 75008 | 01–40–75–08–75 | Station: Georges V) is pretty enough to bring a tear to Proust’s eye—these salons de thé have barely changed since 1862 (there’s another outpost on the Left Bank at 21 rue Bonaparte). For sheer Traviata opulence, the one on the Champs-Élysées can’t be beat: wait until you see the pâtisserie counter or the super-sumptuous Salon Paéva. You can dote on the signature lemon-and-caramel macaroons, or try them in a dazzling array of other flavors including hazelnut praline, rose petal, pistachio, blackcurrant violet, or salted butter caramel. Oooooh! Ma Bourgogne (19 pl. des Vosges, Le Marais, 4e | 75004 | 01–42–78–44–64 | Station: St-Paul), on magical Place des Vosges, is a calm oasis for a coffee or a light lunch away from the noisy streets. Mariage Frères (30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, Le Marais, 4e | 75004 | 01–42–72–28–11 | Station: Hôtel-de-Ville) is an outstanding tea shop serving 500 kinds of tea, along with delicious tarts. La Palette (43 rue de Seine, St-Germain-des-Prés7e | 75006 | 01–43–26–68–15 | St-Germain-des-Prés) is a favorite haunt of local gallery owners and Beaux Arts students. Come at sunset—or later—when the scene gets lively.
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