Beer

  • Paris Beer Club maintains a map of microbreweries.
  • Bar Gallia (35 Rue Méhul, 93500 Pantin) has microbrews and a large outdoor patio, live music indoors on weekends.
  • Paname Brewing Company (41 bis Quai de la Loire, 75019 Paris) on the Canal d’Ourcq (intersection Crimée) has microbrews and a nice outdoor patio.
  • Delaville Café (34-36 Bd de Bonne Nouvelle, 75010 Paris) has 4 microbrews on self-serve tap in the back.
  • We Are Brewers (16 Bd Jules Ferry, 75011 Paris) has microbrews and live music on the canal.

Restaurants

  • Chez Gladines (30 Rue des cinq Diamants, 75013 Paris) is the original location of this south-west restaurant which now has several other copies around Paris. Huge plates, not expensive, super delicious. Must try “Escalope de Veau Montagnarde.” Fete du Canard: if you go early (7-8:30pm) on Mon-Weds, two duck dishes are 50% off!!
  • Café Parisien (111 Rue Monge, 75005 Paris) is a French restaurant I always used to go to during my PHD (good but not expensive).
  • Vaudésir (41 Rue Dareau, 75014 Paris) is a small restaurant which only has one item on the dinner menu, and it is super inexpensive (8.90 euros in Summer 2025), so often packed. They only accept payment in cash (no cards). Better call ahead to verify if they can seat you, and if you like the dinner menu 0143220393.
  • Bistrot des Plantes (34 Rue des Plantes, 75014 Paris) has a large outdoor patio in summer.
  • Faste (52 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, 75010 Paris) is a croque monsieur restaurant.
  • Verre volé (67 Rue de Lancry, 75010 Paris) is a bistrot next to the canal.
  • Ground Control (81 Rue du Charolais, 75012 Paris) has a good pizza oven and a fun patio ambiance.
  • Fromagerie means cheese shop, often with a selection of cheeses from all over France, 90% of which you would not be able to find outside of France. Boulangerie means bakery, awesome French bread for super cheap (baguette de tradition is always a good choice). Buy your cheese and bread in these small establishments, instead of at the super market (where they are available but not as good). There are many in every neighborhood, and almost all of them are great. My favorite bakery was Le Temps d’un Délice (14 Av. Jean Moulin, 75014 Paris), pretty ordinary cakes but great whole grain baguette (le boucheron), and 50% off if you get there at 7pm on Fridays.

Live Music

  • Disquaires
  • Studio de l’Ermitage
  • AERI (57 Rue Etienne Marcel, 93100 Montreuil) in Montreuil has cultural activities the first sunday of every month.
  • Alimentation Générale (64 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011 Paris)
  • Lou Pascalou
  • La Nouvelle Seine (Port de Montebello, 75005 Paris) burlesque every weekend.
  • Echangeur de Bagnolet (90 Rue Victor Hugo, 93170 Bagnolet)
  • Le Sample (18 Av. de la République, 93170 Bagnolet) is a cultural center where my band practices every Monday evening, and sometimes concerts on the weekend.
  • Villa Mais d’Ici (77 Rue des Cités, 93300 Aubervilliers) is an artist workshop where some of my friends work, and they have shows sometimes on the weekends.
  • Flèche d’Or
  • Peniche Antipode

Museums

  • Tour St Jacques, historical visit every hour, only in French, great view of the middle of Paris from the top of the tower.
  • Hôtel de Ville, this is city hall and there is a free museum attached.
  • Pavillon de l’Arsenal is a free museum about the architecture and urban design of Paris. It was closed for renovation in 2025 but they had a free expo underground right near Notre Dame.
  • Musée Rodin, sculpture garden is great if weather is nice.
  • Grand Palais, there is always something new and interesting.

Walking around

These are fun neighborhoods to walk around.

  • Butte Aux Cailles
  • Métro 14 Bibliothèque
  • Parc Montsouris
  • Parc Buttes Chaumont
  • Canal de l’Ourcq