pancake sisters

3 Rue Lucien Sampaix, Paris

As a break from university final year stresses, a friend and I decided to take a break from our overheated, stuffy library and brave the fresh air to go somewhere new for lunch. This little hangout near to Republique has been on my radar for sometime and so we decided to check it out. Through the dreary wet Parisian streets, this yellow cafe was a ray of sunlight, and so we dived in, and very excitedly consulted the menu. Inside, it is very simple and cosy, and there is a lovely atmosphere, definitely the kind of place to go for lunch with girlfriends, its very cute and run by two lovely ladies, who are very friendly. As the name suggests, its all about the pancakes in here! We decided to go for the 12 euro lunch formule, which consisted of a savoury pancake sandwich, a drink and a sweet pancake dessert. I must admit, though we could have eaten a bit more, the food was absolutely delicious, in particular the pancake sandwich which was just to die for! They also do brunch which, if you have a look around on instagram, looks amazing, and they also do late night opening on a Thursday for evening meals. I will definitely be going back here again, but I won't rush back on an empty stomach.

Keep an eye out for... ask for your savoury sandwich to be toasted!

http://www.pancakesisters.com/

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/

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. 

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 - 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 - 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

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/

bagelstein.

50 rue de Miromesnil 

13 rue des Pyramides

46 rue Monsieur le Prince

8 rue Saint Lazare

16 rue Joubert

Paris.

I have walked past this bagel shop so many times, but always just after I have had lunch! I went in just recently and, my gosh, this place is definitely a keeper! Inside, the café has a really relaxed feel about it, their menu is written up on blackboards and the staff were so friendly and patient. It is such a great concept with fresh ingredients, great tasting fillings and even some quirky sweet bagel fillings and with 4 shops in Paris, there is no reason not to pop in! As with every lunch place in Paris, it does get very busy around lunchtime hours, so bear this in mind - just a credit to its good food!

Keep an eye out for... the bagels, it goes without saying! But try the cakes too, they have a great (and very tempting) selection!

http://www.bagelstein.com/