Tu vas sortir ce soir? Ouais. Of course you’re going out tonight! Why? Because Paris. But before you do…do me a favor and fire up this bad boy as you continue reading. A little something to get us in the mood.
That’s better. Now on to the goods. Cocktails, specifically. The French may have some amazing wines, but they’ve also thrown a serious amount of weight behind their cocktail culture. Not different than many major cities, Paris has its fair share of hidden gems, mixology masters, tiki bars, speakeasies — you name it. I have a few suggestions in mind – mostly in Le Marais, save for one wildcard suggestion in the 2nd. Of course, there are tons elsewhere, including yummy SoPi, but we’ll stick to these for now. Bombs away, kittens!
Candelaria
It’s been around the Haut Marais since 2011, so Candelaria is technically ye olde news, but it’s still serving up delicious cocktails in a relatively cool environment, very much evoking La Esquina in NYC. They’re not at all related, but one of Candelaria’s owners is from New York. They both serve Mexican fare (and for Paris standards, pretty legit at that). And in order to get to the cocktail bar, you have to walk through a “secret” door. In Candelaria’s case, just head for the white door at the back of the taqueria and you’ll enter their very dimly lit cocktail lounge. Reservations are recommended, not mandatory – but they’re easy enough to make right on their website. So, get on it.
Little Red Door
Little Red Door is also not a Parisian newcomer — and that’s a good thing. It has stamina. It’s been serving up fancy cocktails in a speakeasy style environment since 2012 and it’s a mere block away from Candelaria. Yes there’s a little red door. No, you don’t walk through it. The actual door is to the left. Don’t be a noob. Walk in. Hop on one of the velvet bar stools. And cozy up to something special. No rezzies accepted – so saddle up early!
Sherry Butt
Sherry. Butt. What a name. It refers to the size of a traditional cask used to mature sherry. It’s also the name of a snazzy cocktail bar in Paris closer to the Seine that opened back in 2012. They have fancy, fun cocktails up on their chalkboard behind the bar, DJs on the weekends, and even tasty bar nibbles like jambon et fromage. Need some more encouragement? Thumb through their Instagram and check out their skillzzzzz.
Experimental Cocktail Club
Compared to the other spots listed here, Experimental Cocktail Club is like the Grand Dame in Paris. Opened way back in 2007, this spot set the bar for mixology in Paris and really helped kickstart the trend. If you’re looking for inventive cocktails from one of the originals, you’re going to have to hop over to the 2nd. But hey, it’s only about a 20 minute walk from the Haut Marais, so lace up and get going. You won’t be disappointed.Â
