Lock your doors and vaccinate your children because the epidemic is here. You know the type — the kids in the thousand-dollar overalls with jobs like “artisanal chia farmer,” — they’re everywhere. The hipsters have arrived in Paris.
Yes, in a way it makes sense. Who loves boutique food shops and espresso like hipsters do, if not the French? When Brooklyn opens new organic local butcher shops, the French sniff and think, “Well we’ve been doing this for centuries.”
So here is your guide to finding the hippest of the youths in their natural habitat. Enjoy their quality drinks, and don’t forget to put the whole thing on Instagram.
Les Triplettes
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Named after a famous French animated film called “Les Triplettes de Belleville,” this Chinatown restaurant is quite a departure from the Tunisian bakeries and classic French brasseries among which it sits. The restaurant/cafe/bar could have been lifted right out of Williamsburg, with food ranging from couscous dishes to burgers. The cocktails are pricey post-happy hour, but if you’d prefer the typical watered-down mojito you’ll find anywhere else, then you should probably clear out. The dazzling mirrored interior, attractive crowd, and heated patio make it a bustling spot late into the evening. – 102 Boulevard de Belleville, 75020
Le Super Coin
What is the first tenet of hipster ideology? Well, craft beer, of course. Le Super Coin is one of the first and only craft beer joints in Paris, hidden away in Montmartre a short walk from Sacré-Cœur. The fact that the Le Super Coin refers to itself as a “Bistrot Pop Rock Garage” on its website might give you a little hint about the vibe of the place, and while it only serves three rotating beers on tap, Super Coin has an extensive selection of bottled French craft beers. – 3 rue Baudelique, 75018
Le Comptoir Général
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This is it. If there is a Mecca for French hipsters, Le Comptoir Général is the place. During the day it is part brunch spot, part pop-up shop, and at night the enormous Canal Saint-Martin hub opens into a multi-room paradise reminiscent of some of the greatest Berlin clubs (minus the crowding and a lot of the dancing). You can order a number of exotic cocktails and take your drink on top of a shipwrecked vessel, gazing out at the indoor palm trees and lush colonial-era decor. The self-described “Ghetto Museum” is a celebration of Franco-African music, film, and history, and you can find some sort of event going on just about every day of the week. – 80 Quai de Jemmapes, 75010
L’International
And how would this list be complete without a true music venue? L’International is a two-decker club and music venue in the rapidly-gentrifying 11th arrondissement. With a great mix of local bands of all genres, as well as dancier tunes in the peak hours, it’s the place to go if you’re looking to mingle and catch some French music that’s not either EDM or an old man playing the accordion. – 5/7 Rue Moret, 75011
Les Grandes Verres
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This cafe/restaurant located in the Palais de Tokyo is not your typical museum dining experience. Thanks to the work of the chic new Parisian food and beverage group Quixotic Projects, this perfectly-designed modern space fits in seamlessly with Paris’s contemporary art museum. The food is Mediterranean, the coffee is provided by the beloved microroastery Belleville Brûlerie, and the craft cocktails are on par with those of the best cocktail bars in Paris. The adjoining prêt-à-porter cafe is a common hangout for the artiest students in Paris, on quick lunch break before another round of exhibits. – 13 Avenue du Président Wilson, 75016
Also Read: The Best Free Things To Do In Paris
