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/

épicerie générale.

43 rue de Verneuil, Paris.

This is a really nice little deli, which is definitely worth popping into if you are in the area (the 7th). It is hidden along a quiet back street, which somehow adds to the charm of the place. They pride themselves on their range of organic produce, including bottled fruit juices, fruit and veg, cheese and meat selection as well as salads and sandwiches - perfect for a bit of lunch or a mid-afternoon snack. They have a great variety of drinks too including some freshly made juice drinks.  

Keep an eye out for...  the really interesting own brand products, labelled with the the épicerie générale logo.

http://www.epiceriegenerale.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/

st paul falafel.

Rue des Rosiers, Paris.

This is becoming more of a well known Parisian activity, but it is still definitely worth pointing out to anyone who has not yet discovered it - the falafel takeaways in the Marais, just a walk from St Paul metro. There are quite a few to choose from, particularly along this road, and different people will recommend different places. For me, this one is my favourite - just on the corner of rue des Rosiers and rue des Ecouffes. The queue is always one of the shortest, and they have a really nice onion salsa that, if they don't put any on and if you're feeling brave enough, you can ask for. The good thing about there being so many is that the price is very similar at every place, at 5.50 and for this you get a really filling pitta with falafel and salad. For a few euros more, you can upgrade to a chicken filling if you aren't fond of the standard vegetarian option. There is the option to sit in, but I would recommend takeaway and wander around the Marais eating as you go. If you're lucky, you might stumble across a park to sit in, or wander down to the Seine to enjoy a bit of sun.

Keep an eye out for... The free falafel tasters in the bowl on the counter-top. 

brandy melville.

71 rue de Rennes,

59 rue Notre Dame des Champs,

Paris.

I discovered this shop about a year ago, and I love coming back to look at new items, and I am always tempted by something! Brandy Melville originated in Italy, and although they do have shops across America and Europe, I find that it offers a welcomed variety to H&M and Zara, which Paris is seemingly restricted to regarding high street shops. The style is quite relaxed and loose fitting, made from lovely soft material, and they have a clever concept that "one size fits all", saving you the trawl for the right size. The items are very easy to mix and match, and in relation to the Paris price tag, Brandy Melville is great value.

Keep an eye out for... their tops.

http://brandymelville.eu/

causses.

55 rue Notre Dame de Lorette, Paris.

This little shop is amazing. Just down the road from metro Pigalle, it sells pretty much anything food related - they have a small, but very nice selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. There is a fresh orange juice machine with plastic bottles that you can fill up to take away with you - perfect for a picnic! Then they have every spice you could want, some even in massive pots that you can help yourself to. The thing that makes this shop so special is the rustic, yet modern feel that it has, and the whole atmosphere it creates.. its more of an experience; every corner has something different around it. And, what's more, they have a lovely cafe next-door... this place really has it all!

Keep an eye out for..... as well as the food, their amazing attention to detail.

http://www.causses.org/

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 - saturday.

food markets.

Along the rue des martyrs, there are so many food markets, which is great for getting a feel for the local atmosphere. There is a fresh pasta shop, a cheese shop and several butchers, as well as the numerous bakeries and patisseries. All of the food shops are so lovely to look at, even if you don't want to buy; it gives so much more of a traditional shopping experience than the supermarkets. 

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 - thursday.

presse des martyrs.

This is such a lovely little newsagents - the papers are piled up on the floor and the choice of magazines is wonderful. Its a small shop, but their stock is great, and the staff are really friendly and helpful. On a Sunday morning in particular, it is full of locals buying their sunday paper which creates such a nice atmosphere. Even if you don't want to buy anything, head in and have a look around!

a week on the rue des martyrs - wednesday.

Karamell.

This is a lovely little sweet shop, perfect for stocking up on snacks for the day; with such an array of treats to choose from, its hard not to be tempted! On offer are most childhood favourites, such as cola bottles, gummy bears and even candy canes with the traditional paper pick'n'mix bags to put them in, as well as some lovely jars of sweets, perfect for gifts.

15 rue des martyrs

http://www.karamell.fr/

a week on the rue des martyrs - tuesday.

Quartino.

This little pizza place is amazing! The chef hand makes the pizzas in massive rectangular trays, then you choose the pizza you want, they cut it up into the size you want and you pay for the weight of it. They even heat it up for you too! The pizza toppings include tuna, pesto, aubergines, mozzarella, rocket... the list goes on! They do take away or eat in... be sure to head in here!

19 rue des martyrs, 75009

19 rue rambuteau, 75004

http://www.quartino.fr/1.aspx

a week on the rue des martyrs - monday.

Fresh fruit and veg markets.

Rue des Martyrs is full of fresh fruit and veg markets, all very reasonably priced. Each shop has a great variety of food (better than most Parisian supermarkets) and of great quality too. The bright colours are so pretty its quite difficult not to stop, and when you do, the people who work there are more than happy to help. Definitely head here for your weekly food shop!

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! 

espace kiliwatch.

64, rue Tiquetonne, Paris.

If you like vintage shopping then this is the place for you. Unlike a lot of other vintage shops in Paris, Espace Kiliwatch offers good clothes at reasonable prices and as the shop is so well laid out, there isn't any need for frantic routing around. 

Keep an eye out for... the selection of bags and shoes that are dotted around.

http://espacekiliwatch.fr/

twinkie.

167 rue Saint Denis, Paris.

My friend brought me to this little place and it is amazing. You could easily walk past it, it is so unassuming, but make sure you go in. They do breakfast and lunches, and although at first the menu might seem a bit pricey, the food is so worth it. They do fried breakfasts with hot chocolates and fresh fruit juice and amazing jams as well as salads for lunches and some really nice teas. The people who work there are so friendly too and were so patient with our poor French, which is such a bonus! Again, I've heard that it gets very busy around lunchtime; we went in about 2pm and we got a seat no problem.

Keep an eye out for... the breakfast deals, especially the selection of bread and 'confiture' which come too!

http://twinkie-breakfasts.com/