I Prefer Paris

Café of the Month November 2023: Café La Rose de France

I recently rediscovered the lovely Place Dauphine, located on the western edge of Ile de Cité. Place Dauphine was built in the same period as Place des Vosges, from 1607 to 1610, under the reign of King Henri IV. It was named for his son the Dauphin of France, who eventually became King Louis XIII. The facades of the buildings, a combination of brick and limestone, are similar to Place des Vosges but today only two original facades still exist.

It was such a brilliant, sunny day and the tree-lined square (although it’s a rectangular shape) creating shade was an invitation for me to stop for a coffee at Café La Rose de France. Even though there are about a half dozen cafes on the square, Café La Rose de France most appealed to me. The forest green, canvas awnings and umbrellas, the green and beige wicker café chairs, and the decorative roses climbing up the front clinched my choice.

I had a café noisette and it was fine, although it was quite pricey, 4.60€, as it’s usually no more than 3€ at this type of café. The food menu looked appealing with choices such as foie gras, quiche, duck confit, croque monsieur, and a charcuterie plate.  

Café La Rose de France

24 Pl. Dauphine, 75001

 Experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens, and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Shopping Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, Emily in Paris tours, and Chocolate and pastry tours.

Tours start at 250 euros for up to 3 people, and 85 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you, my insiders, Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

Café of the Month, October 2023: Les Deux Palais

The lovely Les Deux Palais is nestled in a plaza perpendicular to the Marche aux Fleurs and across the street from the Palais de Justice on the Ile de Cite. Rich in La Belle Epoque architectural details inside, Les Deux Palais has intricate, geometric-shaped, mosaic floors, shiny dark red banquettes, moldings with beautiful details, small murals, and high ceilings. The fabulous, rounded bar has handsome, dark wood and a zinc top, and is lined with vivid-colored bottles of aperitifs, spirits, and liqueurs Outside on the extended terrace are mint green, striped umbrellas and awnings, and classic, green and cream color rattan chairs and benches embellishing the plaza.  

The food menu offers typical, French café fare including onion soup, escargots, croque monsieur, steak tartare, goat cheese salad, and omelets. More non-traditional dishes include Caesar salad, a vegetarian bowl, ravioli with tomatoes and mozzarella, and burrata with hazelnuts, tomatoes, and olive oil. I had salmon gravlax with lentils, which was tasty, but the portion was kind of stingy for 22€.

Les Deux Palais

3 Boulevard du Palais, 75001

https://brasserielesdeuxpalais.fr/fr

 Experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens, and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Shopping Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, Emily in Paris tours, and Chocolate and pastry tours.

Tours start at 250 euros for up to 3 people, and 85 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you, my insiders, Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

Café of the Month, September 2023: La Palette

One of my favorites in Saint Germain des Pres, La Palette is the quintessential Paris café. It has everything a classic Parisian café you would imagine: a zinc bar, dark wood paneling, waiters wearing starched white aprons from the waist down, classic rattan café chairs, dark leather banquettes, extended white canvas awnings, chalkboard menus, and worn-out wood tabletops.

Opened in 1902, it attracted artists including Cezanne, Picasso, and Braque and art students from the nearby Beaux-Arts school, hence the name and palettes used in the inside décor, and Hemingway, Jim Morrison, and even Julia Roberts have been clients. In the book Invisible by Paul Auster, the main character frequently goes to La Palette, and it was designated a historical landmark in 1984.

I sat inside in the dining area and ordered a café noisette. It wasn’t the best I ever had but soaking up the rich atmosphere of the dark walls, the cool, 19th-century style paintings, the waiters running to and fro, and the tarnished mirrors, made up for the mediocre coffee. 

La Palette serves an extensive drink menu with coffee, tea, soft drinks, cocktails, mocktails, beers, and shots. The limited food menu offers eggs, large salads, charcuterie and cheese boards, steak tartare, duck confit, and croque Monsieur.

La Palette 43 Rue de Seine, 75006

 

Café of the Month: Le Sully

I am excited to launch my new monthly series, Café of the Month. Every month I will visit a typical Paris café and work my way through every arrondissement. 

I was inspired to start this series when reading the book Café Society by Joanie Osburn, which richly explores and illustrates the essence of the Paris café with entertaining history and glorious photos. (CLICK HERE to know more about Café Society). 

For the debut of Café of the Month, I’ve chosen Le Sully, located on the corner of Boulevard Henri IV and Boulevard Morland, in the 4^th arrondissement by Pont Sully, which crosses over to Ile Saint Louis. 

Although Le Sully is a brasserie, from the outside it appears to be a café.  It opened in 1917 as Le Celestin, a simple tabac and café, owned by Emile, and later renamed Le Sully. After WWII, the café was taken over by Emile’s son in-law, and expanded by buying the storefronts on each side and converting it to a brasserie. In the 1990s, Le Sully was redesigned to enhance the original Art Deco design, and the architect was inspired by the old-time brasseries of the period. Today, Le Sully is maintained by the fourth generation of the original owner.  

The menu features traditional French dishes including eggs Mimosa, leeks vinaigrette, charcuterie platters, beef tartare, and foie de veau. 

It was a warm day, and I had been walking non-stop for hours, and finally parked myself on a rattan, café chair outside. I ordered a scoop of dark chocolate, Berthillon sorbet, which was perfect to cool off from the heat. Funnily enough, my waiter recognized me from years ago when he worked at another café on my corner.

Le Sully

6 Boulevard Henri IV, 75004

Open every day

https://www.lesully.com/