Raise your spirits at these top drinking dens that do more than the standard pour.

The bars in Paris are as chic and varied as the city itself, centring on relaxation and taking one’s time in trendy speakeasies, elevated cocktail lounges and charming bistros.

From an Art Nouveau-inspired saloon to a Space-Age-style hotel bar with sweeping views, these are, in our experience, the best Paris bars that pour excellent drinks, paired with warm hospitality and spirited vibes.

In short

If you only visit one bar in Paris, make it Bar Nouveau for its elegant and sophisticated cocktails and design-led interiors.

Le Syndicat

Le Syndicat’s burgundy and cream checkered poster facade is a telling sign that this bar is seriously cool. A speakeasy that celebrates French drinks and hip hop, inside is moodily lit and with a menu championing French spirits and liqueurs exclusively. Slick drinks like the ‘Ultra Chill’ with Calvados, brandy, mint and absinthe and the ‘Wet White Shirt’ with vodka, herb-infused ghee, pear and Rancio sec are inventive and make for a night out unlike anything you’ve experienced before.

Address: 51 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris

Bar Nouveau

One for the cocktail aficionados, Bar Nouveau is a small cocktail bar that packs a big design and drinks punch. Spread across two floors, the ground floor transports guests back to the Art Nouveau period with intricately carved timber detailing, colourful ceramic tiles, floral motifs, stained glass, Bimini glassware and Art Nouveau typography. The downstairs basement takes on a more Berlin aesthetic with concrete, exposed brick and hanging vines. The drinks menu is tight and finessed, with six cocktails dedicated to each floor. Sip tipples such as the ‘Ramos Whiskey Fizz’, a whiskey adaptation of the classic Ramos Gin Fizz, and the blackcurrant liqueur-laced ‘The Parisien’.

Address: 5 Rue des Haudriettes, 75003 Paris

Little Red Door

NYC speakeasy vibes meet French technique at this alluring drinking den in Le Marais. Little Red Door is pushing the bar scene in Paris forward, collaborating with local farmers on a drinks menu that centres on using ingredients grown via eco-friendly agricultural methods. Take the ‘Carbone’ cocktail with beetroot, black garlic, gin and Dartigalongue; it’s inspired by the agricultural method of carbon farming, where plants that pull carbon dioxide from the air are grown. The space itself is intimate and lounge-like with velvet-covered seating that makes lingering all too easy.

Address: 60 Rue Charlot, 75003 Paris

Classique

Trendy yet unpretentious, Classique is the place to go for an unrushed afternoon in Montmartre. Housed within a former decades-old French pharmacy, the staff are relaxed and friendly, ready to pour natural wines, Champagne and modern cocktails paired with elevated bites like octopus carpaccio and crab rolls. If you’re heading to Paris during a heatwave, it’s worth noting this is a venue with air conditioning.

Address: 1bis Rue Lallier, 75009 Paris

Les Amoureuses

Approachable and thoughtful, Les Amoureuses is a must-visit for oenophiles or those looking to learn more about French wine. Sit at the sleek yet cosy bar and sip your way through any of the nearly 400 bottles on offer, the menu paying particular attention to drops from the Burgundy wine region like pinot noir and chardonnay. Tasty snacks are also on offer to keep you going, including ceviche, burrata and peach and vanilla crumble.

Address: 3 Rue des Tournelles, 75004 Paris

Helios bar à vins

The bright yellow facade perfectly matches the joy this newly opened natural wine bar and shop brings to the 20th arrondissement. Greek wine merchant and owner Estelle Thalassinos is an expert at picking the perfect drop, but you’re guaranteed a great time if you park yourself outside on a sunny day for a crisp glass of chenin blanc and a side of 36-month-aged comté.

Address: 1 Rue Sorbier, 75020 Paris

Comptoir Club

A new neighbourhood favourite, Comptoir Club is a Mediterranean-leaning venue that transforms from a charming cafe and canteen by day into a convivial wine bar by night. Perch yourself at the central bar (comptoir), where friendly staff are happy to chat and offer recommendations from the menu which features classic cocktails, natural and conventional wines, and artisanal beers, alongside delicious bites like gildas and crab rolls.

Address: 56 Rue Amelot, 75011 Paris

Bonnie Paris – The Bar

Sitting at the top of the chic SO/Parisl, The Bar at Bonnie has one of my favourite bar designs in the city. The Space-Age aesthetic embraces Yves Klein Blue carpet, polished silver tables and chubby bouclé seating, while floor-to-ceiling windows reveal sweeping views of the Right Bank. Drinks-wise, expect ‘60s and 70s classics alongside inventive tipples and plenty of Champagne.

Address: 10 Rue Agrippa d’Aubigné, 75004 Paris

Dirty Lemon

Women-led, LGBT-friendly cocktail bar Dirty Lemon is all about inclusivity and feel-good vibes. Punchy drinks like the aromatic ‘Tan Line’ with mezcal, ras el hanout, apricot liqueur and Campari are designed to be paired with Palestinian-Mediterranean snacks such as grilled artichoke with za’atar, honey and lemon vinaigrette. Keep an eye out to join one of their themed boozy brunches and artistic showcases.

Address: 24 Rue de la Folie Méricourt, 75011 Paris

Le Petit Bazar

Hidden away in Le Grand Mazarin hotel, this theatrical bar transports you straight into a Wes Anderson film with its punchy, colourful patterns and unique soft furnishings. The drinks menu is genuinely unique, taking inspiration from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights in tipples like ‘The Man of Upper Egypt and His Frankish Wife’, a delicious concoction of rum, Yeni Raki Ala, watermelon, hibiscus, rhubarb, jasmine and honey. Or the ‘The Fisherman and the Jinni’, a blend of vodka, Persian hogweed, white grape, Gevorkian apricot wine and sea lettuce.

Address: 6 Rue des Archives, 75004 Paris

CRAVAN Paris 6e

You’ll likely want to set aside a few hours to make the most of this Saint-Germain-des-Prés cocktail destination. Housed within a historic 17th-century building and featuring three bars, a Rizzoli bookshop and a rooftop cinema kiosk, CRAVAN Paris 6e features Belle Époque style, “drugstore" aesthetic and cosy, lounge vibes. The all-cocktail menu showcases refined drinks like the ‘C++’ with cognac, blackcurrant leaf, Burgundy blackcurrant and blackcurrant bud. Food-wise, expect bistronomic small plates with a Japanese twist, like chicken karaage with yuzu and egg sandos. The original and sister venue, CRAVAN 16e, can be found in the 16th arrondissement.

Address: 165 Bd Saint-Germain, 75007 Paris