1. Le Progrès
The whole neighborhood’s here on a perfect summer night. And a chilly fall night. And the dead of winter. The terrace is the place to see and be seen, but don’t sleep on the warm, buzzy, convivial interior. 1 rue de Bretagne
2. Mmmozza
Peerless mozzarella-centric sandwiches — I dream of this place when I’m away. Look for the line out the door at lunchtime, and consider going early if you (like I) get nervous that they’ll run out of baguette (it happens). Also the cannolis!!! 57 rue de Bretagne
3. Bouillon Pigalle
A newish outpost of this stylish reinvention of the cantine concept: cheap, good food, for the masses. The original is, as the name suggests, in Pigalle, but this one is just as large, stylish, and fast. Come here for the Frenchest of French foods, at killer prices: œufs mayonnaise (€2.50!), magret de canard with sauce à l’orange and pommes paysannes (€12.80), steak frites with sauce au poivre (€12.60) — I couldn’t love this place more. Delivery available to heat-up-at-home via Deliveroo. 39 boulevard du Temple
4. Breizh
An exceptionally popular crêpe place — I love it so much. This is where I eat the night before I leave, always ordering the same thing: a Vendangeur (with fourme d’Ambert, raisin, pignons de pin, miel de sapin, salade verte et vinaigrette au cidre), followed by a salted caramel crêpe with ice cream and whipped cream. (All the creams, basically.) 109 rue Vieille du Temple
5. Bar Nouveau
This two-level bar is absolutely tiny (“No reservations because it’s trop petit”), so I look to go right after it opens, at 4 p.m., to grab one of the few stools. The decor is gorgeous; the menu leans toward the highly crafted, like a Ramos with vanilla yogurt, peat and St-Germain liqueur, served with a bespoke oyster-shell spoon. It’s notable that when the bar hires staff, it rates “niceness” as a top qualification, and the bartenders here are notably more personable, including to anglophones, than similar spots. 5 Rue des Haudriettes
6. Café Charlot
This is the sister restaurant to my favorite restaurant in Paris, the St-Regis, on the Ile Saint-Louis — it’s stylish, not incredibly expensive, and has excellent people watching, especially during Fashion Week. Expect plats like salmon tartare with avocado, a variety of burgers (though there are better places to get burgers nearby), entrecôte, etc etc. Come for the crowd more than the food, but the food is decent as well (though better at the St-Regis). 38 rue de Bretagne
7. Marché des Enfants Rouges
The oldest covered market in Paris! A neighborhood institution, this covered market is home to a variety of fruit and veg stalls, a cheeserie, a fishmonger, a couple florists, and a number of sit-down food counters, including Caribbean, Moroccan, burgers, and more. 39 rue de Bretagne
8. La Perle
An infamous neighborhood institution, La Perle is similar in vibe to Café Charlot, though more in the mix of the shopping of rue Vieille du Temple — same fashion-y, late-night style and more tourists, though the terrace is better at Café Charlot since rue de Bretagne/rue Charlot is a cuter and calmer intersection than rue Vieille du Temple/rue du Parc Royal. The food — well, you’re here for the vibes, which are usually good. I only go early in the morning, when it’s quiet. Note it’s cash only unless your bill is over €16, which is very well might not be if you’re following my advice and sticking to drinks. 78 rue Vieille du Temple
9. Cambridge Public House
If you’d like to try the craft cocktail spirit of Bar Nouveau but in a safely anglophone-sounding and -looking spot, voilà: Cambridge Public House, which its owners baptized as a “cocktail pub” when it opened in 2019. Comfy sofas and a selection of anglo “snacks,” like hummus, olives, sausage rolls, and meat pies. 8 rue de Poitou
10. Pierre Hermé
The neighborhood’s ultimate grab ‘n’ go. It wasn’t that long ago that rue de Bretagne had hardware stores and other hallmarks of neighborhoods where people actually live, rather than just visit, and I remember being very annoyed at all these high-end-ish, corporate macaron shops replacing useful stores. That said: I do like the pastries, like the Paris-Brest and the “2000 Feuilles,” as well as those macarons. 4 rue de Bretagne
11. Le Ruisseau
There’s no shortage of fancy burger places in Paris — I like this one, even though it’s absolutely tiny and the bathroom is not literally but almost literally in a different time zone. It’s €16.50 for a burger, fries, and a drink — I like the Blue Burger, with blue cheese, onion confit, and honey mustard. 22 rue Rambuteau