Top 10 brunches in Paris
Coming to Paris and want to enjoy good cuisine that doesn’t break the bank? Fancy a lie-in but can’t wait until lunch? This article is just for you!
Brunch, a hybrid of breakfast and lunch, is a 19th-Century English creation that has gradually spread across the world. It usually consists of a meal – sweet and/or savory – that’s served in the mid-morning, but often consumed well into the afternoon.
Despite the enduring force of Parisian gastronomy, brunch has become a regular feature of cafes and restaurants across the French capital. Here are 5 of the best places to start:
Frenchie To Go
A few steps from the buzzing Rue Montorgueil, hidden down a quiet side street, is Grégory Marchand’s Anglo-inspired Frenchie To Go. Fresh food is served here all day but be prepared to wait for a table! We recommend their homemade granola and silky cappuccino. If you’re feeling greedy, try their eggs benedict with pastrami or trout!
Address: 9 rue du Nil, 75002 (2nd)
Metro: Sentier, Strasbourg-Saint-Denis
Hours: 08.30-16.30 (Monday-Friday), 09.30-17.30 (Weekends)
Reservations not accepted
Prices: €10-15
Holybelly
This “New York-style” diner, just off the Boulevard de Magenta, is neatly furnished with painted wooden booths and a large room at the back with a vintage leather sofa and pinball machine. The menu changes monthly but you’ll find that variations on the favorites are always available. The pancakes are to die for and make sure you ask about the “weekend special”. Get there early to avoid queuing!
Address: 19 rue Lucien Sampaix (10th)
Metro: Jacques Bonsergent, Château d’Eau
Hours: 09.00-19.00 (Mondays), 09.00-17.00 (Thursday-Friday), 10.00-17.00 (Saturday-Sunday)
Reservations not accepted
Prices: €15-20
Breakfast in America
Fancy a break from croissants aux amandes and cafe gourmand? Look no further than Breakfast in America. This is an unpretentious American diner founded by a screenwriter from Connecticut, which now boasts three branches across Paris. Here you can choose from 3 different set brunch menus. If you fancy treating yourself, opt for “CC’s Big Mess” (eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, avocado, cheese, hash browns…) and a “Bottomless Mug O’ Joe”
Address: (1) 17 rue des Ecoles, 75005; (2) 4 rue Malheur, 75004; (3) 41 rue des jeuneurs, 75002
Metro: (1) Cardinal LeMoine or Jussieu; (2) Saint Paul; (3) Grands Boulevards or Bourse
Hours: Open 7 days a week, 08.30-23.00
Reservations not accepted
Prices: €15-20
La Chambre aux Oiseaux
This “gem just off the Canal Saint-Martin” has grown popular for its brunches, served from 11.00-15.00 at weekends. Sit down in this cozy little room to enjoy a selection of fresh pastries, eggs cooked to perfection, cold cuts, salads and sumptuous desserts. You won’t be disappointed!
Address: 48 rue Bichat, 75010 (10th)
Metro: Jacques Bonsergent
Hours: 10.00-18.30 (Tuesday-Sunday)
Reservations strongly recommended (Tel: +33 (0) 1 40 18 98 49)
Prices: €15-25
Le Poutch
Another hotspot in the trendy neighborhood of the Canal Saint-Martin, Le Poutch is a small and intimate cafe where the crunchy homemade granola is bursting with flavor and the coffee puts Starbucks to shame. If you’re feeling indulgent, get the Formule Brunch Complet: 1 main dish, scones/granola, 1 hot drink and freshly squeezed juice of your choice.
Address: 13 rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010 (10th)
Metro: Jacques Bonsergent, République, Château d’eau
Hours: 09.00-18.00 (Monday-Friday), 10.30-18.00 (Sundays)
Reservations not accepted
Prices: €10-20
Rose Bakery
This Anglo-French creation doesn’t just offer mouthwatering patisseries (the carrot cake is particularly good), it also serves organic salads, tarts and eggs. If you find yourself in Paris at Christmas time, they also do delicious mince pies – a rare find in the French capital.
Address: 46 rue des Martyrs, 75009 (18th)
Metro: Saint-Georges
Hours: 09.00-18.00 (Tuesday-Sunday)
Reservations not accepted (food served from noon- to eat in)
Prices: €10-15
Bululu Arepera
This tiny Venezuelan cafe specializes in «arepas» a kind of corn flour that they use to make gluten-free flatbreads that can be filled with an array of South American delights. Make your way up to the top of Montmartre on a Sunday for their hearty «Caracas Brunch» and tuck into some pulled pork, fresh avocado, black beans and a cold drink to wash it down.
Address: 20 rue de la fontaine du But, 75018 (18th)
Metro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt
Hours: 12.00-16.00 (Tuesday-Sunday), Open until 23.00 (Thursday-Friday)
Reservations accepted (Tel: +33 1 42 54 96 25)
Prices: €15-20
Twinkie breakfasts
New York meets Scandinavia in this tiny restaurant that’s situated half-way up Rue Saint Denis in the 2nd. Specializing in non-stop brunch, Twinkie Breakfasts certainly gives you plenty to choose from with English, American, Greek and Scandinavian menus. From “English crumpets” to Mediterranean salads, you can have your cake and eat it too (well sort of)!
Address: 167 rue Saint Denis, 75002 (2nd)
Metro: Réamur-Sébastapol
Hours: 10.00-17.00, Open daily
Reservations not accepted
Prices: €15-20
Liberté Ménilmontant
This boulangerie, formerly managed by a winner of the “Meilleur Ouvrier de France”, was taken over by the prestigious pastry chef, Benoit Castel. In a large, convivial room in the 20th, you can enjoy a sophisticated weekend buffet brunch with prices to match. It includes just about everything from delicious charcuterie to freshly baked quiche and exotic crepes. The chocolate mousse is a particular favorite.
Address: 150 rue de Ménilmontant, 75010 (20th)
Metro: Pelleport, Jourdain, Gambetta
Hours: 07.30-20.30 (Tuesday-Friday), 08.00-20.30 (Saturdays), 08.30-15.00 (Sundays)
Reservations possible for 8+ persons (Tel: 01 46 36 13 82)
Prices: €25-30
Nolita
If you’re prepared to splash out for a lavish brunch experience, then this famous Italian restaurant just off the Champs-Elysées is the place for you. The “brunch à l’italienne”, which can be enjoyed with views of the Eiffel Tower, is an exquisite buffet that words cannot do justice. Pastries, pancakes, eggs, fish, pizza, charcuterie, salads… the list goes on! Don’t let the slick, corporate interior put you off what’s on your plate!
Address: 2 rond-point des Champs Elysées, 75008 (8th)
Metro: Franklin-Roosevelt
Hours: Brunch served on Sundays, 11.00-16.00
Reservations via Tel: 01 53 75 78 78 or contact@nolitaparis.fr
Prices: €40
As ever, this list is by no means exhaustive as the Paris brunch scene is rapidly evolving and expanding. But these addresses should keep you busy for a little while at least!
