le cafe lomi

3ter rue Marcadet, Paris.

If you're around the north of Paris and looking for a small cafe to take a breather, then this is the place. It is located in the 18th, tucked away far from the tourist trap of the sacré coeur , near metro Marcadet Poissonniers. Inside, it has a really nice, chilled out vibe, the music is really good and plenty of people making use of the free wifi on laptops. It can get quite busy, but I think it adds to the atmosphere of the place as it encourages table sharing, something which I love in a cafe as it feels so open and communal. Also a great way to listen in to french conversations and pick out what you can! The cafe is renowned for its great coffee, sadly i'm not a coffee fan, but I can say that the hot chocolate is a great alternative; they also offer a range of freshly squeezed juices and a selection of teas. The chocolate cake was also divine. They offer lunch between 12 and 3 which varies daily, with a choice of salad, tart or quiche.. they also looked amazing. 

Keep an eye out for... its got to be the chocolate cake. 

http://www.cafelomi.com/

merci.

111 boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris.

Merci has been on my to-do list for ages, so I was so happy to finally go in not so long ago. It cannot be defined as a 'shop', as I think it is more of an experience, with so many parts to explore. The entrance to the shop itself is wedged between two of its three cafes, and walking through the archway you find yourself in a delightful courtyard, with their iconic red fiat 500 in front of you. Continuing through the door there is a wonderful mix of clothing, jewellerey, home and beauty products, all of which are completely different to what you might see on the high street. They have three cafes for you to choose between after your shop - the used book cafe; the merci canteen; and the cinema cafe. I visited the used book cafe and I was not disappointed - the staff were so helpful and the food and drinks were delicious. 

Keep an eye out for... the beauty department - they have plenty of testers which all smell amazing and look so sleek lined up on the shelves. 

http://www.merci-merci.com/fr/

cafe pinson.

6 rue de Forez, Paris

This is a wonderful cafe, in the north Marais, a walk away from Temple metro, offering a perfect break from exploring the Marais. Everything served here is organic, vegetarian, and a lot of it vegan and or gluten free - even the hot drinks, such as hot chocolate, are made with almond milk. From the outside, the cafe invites you into its warm and cosy space; there are comfy sofas and armchairs for you to sink into whilst enjoying your food and reading a book - if you forget to bring your own, they have plenty dotted around on shelves, and some magazines in piles on the side too. The menu itself changes regularly, as well as the cake selection. I enjoyed a quinoa salad on my visit, and other options included a very tempting quiche. The pricing is very reasonable too, at 9 euros for the lunch meal and for those who fancy a bit more, they do a 3 course lunch menu for 17 euros. As if this wasn't enough already, they have started to open on late on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays for evening meals (booking is recommended). The staff are so friendly and happy to help as well... this cafe is such a breath of fresh air and a relaxing (need I say healthy?!) place to stop, if you fancy a refreshing lunch then head here!

Keep an eye out for... The delicious juice of the day - freshly made smoothie!

http://www.cafepinson.fr/

a week on the rue des martyrs - sunday

Kooka Boora (KB Cafeshop)

This amazing little cafe is located towards the north of rue des martyrs, at the junction with avenue trudaine, and I love it! The atmosphere inside is perfect - there are cosy window seats, and cushioned wooden seats, which are so comfy. It is a very bustling place, which adds to the great ambiance and general feel. They offer a great variety of hot drinks, including a great choice of teas and coffees and also offering fresh fruit juice. As well as this, their cake selection is all too tempting! But try the cookies, they are worth every penny! The staff (who speak english) are so friendly and happy to chat too. All this is happening to a great music playlist.... could it get any better?! 

53, avenue Trudaine, 75009

a week on the rue des martyrs - friday.

Rose Bakery.

This is such an unassuming cafe, it is really easy to just walk past it... but you have to stop! It is such a lovely place. Inside, they have long communal tables to eat at, as well as some lovely cooking and food products to buy too, not to mention their display of amazing cakes and lunch options. They have amazing scones, carrot cakes and sticky toffee puddings, but then also amazing salads, soups and other very tempting options!! It has a great contemporary feel to it, but its also very warming and welcoming. Avoid peak lunchtime hours if you don't want to wait, but having said that, the food is worth waiting for!! 

46 rue des martyrs 75009

30 rue debelleyme 75003

10 boulevard de la bastille 75012

a week on the rue des martyrs.

Hi everyone! be sure to keep an eye on my blog this coming week as I am going to be doing a 'feature' called a week on the rue des martyrs and so every day I will be doing a small blog about a different shop/cafe on this lovely street. It is my favourite road in Paris so far, and there is always so much going on including a flea market which comes twice a year, and the majority of the shops are open on sundays, which is a bonus. It is located in the 9th arrondissement, just south of montmartre, near metro pigalle and st georges, so perfect if you are taking a trip to the right bank. more to come this week so stay tuned!