A long weekend in Paris.
I love Paris ❤️
For all its faults it is one of my favourite places to frequent and I’ve probably visited at least once a year for the past 10 years of my life.
As a tourist hotspot, there is a lot to see & do in Paris, however, I will share will you some places I ate at in my last few visits that you must definitely check out on your next trip. For even more detail be sure to check out my Paris adventures on TikTok.
À bientôt x
Afro-Caribbean restaurant open until 4am
Great for: Late night eats, West African/Creole food, Black Paris experience
One of my all time favourite spots in Paris, I have to visit each and every time I’m in the city. Although popular with celebrities Babylone Bis is no frills, super chilled and open until 4am in the morning. I’ve tried quite a bit of the menu and my favourites are the Poulet Braise, Yassa, Maffe de Boeuf & Colombo de Poule. I always get a side of rice and alokos (plantain) for the heartiest, most amazing West African/ Creole feast.
Be careful of the cocktails as they make them super strong and you may stumble out satisfied but seeing double!
Sustainable and socially-responsible sourdough bakery & specialty coffee roaster
Great for: Coffee & a croissant, buttery pastries & viennoiserie , sourdough bakery
We stumbled across Ten Belles during a relaxed morning walk across the city. I opted for an iced latte with oat milk & the Pain Suisse - flaky croissant pastry nearly dripping with butter, rich chocolate and vanilla creme. Sprinkled with a few sea salt flakes it was a beautiful way to start the day. I’m not a big coffee drinker so the oat latte was fine for me, however, my coffee-loving girlfriends were thoroughly impressed with their caffeinated drinks.
Artisan ice cream makers
Great for: The sorbet flavours you dream about, but can never find
I live for sorbet. Sucre Glace was the perfect “little something sweet” needed after a lacklustre lunch experience. Kiwi, white peach and pineapple sorbet are not flavours I come across easily in london and they all tasted refreshingly divine. They also had some interesting ice cream flavours on offer too, but I will always opt for sorbet ❤️
Can’t guarantee that the same menu will be available by the time you get there, but the creativity is timeless (as long as they’re open!)
Great for: Beautiful patisserie & viennoiserie, fresh bread, artisan goodies
Another early morning stroll discovery we popped into Jeffrey Cagnes for a stunningly simple, classic croissant. Fantastic. I also picked up a small treat that was meant for later but didn’t last more than 10 minutes - a pistachio & white chocolate cookie.
It’s easy to want to try everything on offer, so if you feel overwhelmed with excitement start with these two.
Great for: The sorbet flavours you didn’t know you needed…yet.
More sorbet. Never enough sorbet. I am sorbet. Glaces Glazed do exceptional artisan ice creams and sorbets, some of them even contain a little booze if you’re into that. I tried the mojito which was like having a frozen cocktail, yum. Mango sorbet is my favourite flavour, but I never considered that a little chilli could make it even better and the rhubarb and juniper was like a palate cleansing gin and tonic.
They have multiple locations around the city so if you find one, try something new.
Great for: Absolutely banging fried chicken & waffles
I think about the chicken and waffles at Gumbo Yaya often, they are really THAT good! The chicken is well seasoned & cooked perfectly. Fluffy waffles served with my favourite pancake syrup from Pearl Milling Co. (formerly Aunt Jemima).
Seating is limited and they don’t take bookings so keep that in mind. I personally don’t like to queue for anything, but if you find yourself waiting for a plate, you won’t be disappointed.
Great for: Good vibes, small plates, cocktails
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t in love with the food at Bambino, but I really enjoyed the overall vibe. The menu changes often and as I’ve only been there once I am still hopeful that they offer better dishes and will pop in during my next trip to Paris.
Bambino is a wine bar inspired by Tokyo jazz bars that plays vinyl records and gets very popular in the evenings.
Great for: Amazing pancakes, breakfast or brunch
The pancakes at Holy Belly are absolutely fantastic. Delicious. Amazing. Light, fluffy, slightly salted with crispy edges. The bacon is really good too and it’s served with luscious French butter and proper maple syrup. Although popular with the locals they don’t take bookings, so get there early or you will 100% find yourself in a long queue.
Great for: West African cuisine, intimate dining or a relaxed lunch, Black Paris experience
Waly Fay feels like home to me. A warm, friendly, familiar place with food that nourishes me at my core and satisfies my soul. One of my favourite things about Paris is that it gives me an opportunity to explore different African cuisines in more depth. Waly Fay serves a range of West African dishes from places like Senegal, Cameroon and Ivory Coast. The food has a very homemade feeling, there’s an open kitchen and I’ve always been served by the friendliest staff. This is one place where you can reserve a table in advance which probably makes me love it even more.
