Bol Porridge Bar

Paris is full of restaurants specializing in one dish- hamburgers, meatballs, crepes, and empanadas- but Bol tops the list of the most unusual: They only serve porridge.

Bol Poridge Bar recently opened in the 10th arrondissement on the rue du Faubourg Poissonniere, a street chock full of trendy and eclectic ethnic restaurants and take out shops. Combining the recent trend of healthy and comfort food cafes, Bol not only has breakfast porridge but offers a lunch menu with savory choices.

I ventured to Bol last week with my friend Cheryl Matzker from St. Louis, who usually makes her annual pilgrimage to Paris in February. There were three choices for lunch porridges and Cheryl chose the vegetarian option of barley porridge with beets, feta cheese and thyme and I got the whole wheat porridge with sesame chicken, coconut and carrots. (The third choice was spelt porridge with smoked haddock and leeks).

I was extra hungry so I also had the menu with soup, dessert, and a drink.

I hadn’t had porridge in the longest time and the version I remember from my youth was loaded with milk and sugar with a mushy, not very appealing consistency. The porridge at Bol was a very different and more positive experience, with the consistency more like risotto or brown rice. The portion was quite generous for only 9€  and by the time I had the soup and my oatmeal cookie for dessert, I was stuffed. I had a taste of Cheryl’s porridge and the combo of feta and beets worked well.

The long, narrow dining area has communal blond wood tables and banquets with comfy throw pillows.

The amiable owners and chefs Audrey and Maaike (she is half Dutch) are BFFs from grade school and decided to go into business together, sharing their love of porridge.

Bol also serves traditional breakfast porridge with untraditional toppings such as salted butter with cinnamon, banana, chocolate and pecan, and orange, spice bread, and thyme. Three varieties of granola are also on the menu.

76 rue du Faubourg Poissonniere, 75010
Metro: Poissonniere
Open Monday to Friday 7:30AM-5:30PM
Sunday 10:30AM-5:30PM
Closed Saturday

Porridge Girls- Maaike on the left, Audrey on the right

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

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Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
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