Explore the best hangouts, cafes, galleries and cool spaces in Paris where creatives tend to spend their time.
Bambino
Bambino on Rue Saint-Sébastien in the 11th is a listening bar, restaurant and late-night spot all rolled into one. Inspired by Tokyo jazz kissa cafes and the energy of Tel Aviv's Romano, founder Fabien Lombardi built the place around a serious hi-fi sound system, a curated vinyl collection spanning soul, funk, disco and jazz, and a menu of charcoal-grilled small plates with Argentine influences. The interior is widely considered one of the best-designed spaces in Paris. When the kitchen closes, it shifts into full club mode. No reservations, walk-in only, open from 6:30pm.
instagram.com/bambino_parisBouche
Bouche on Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud in the 11th is a natural wine bar with proper cooking, set inside a beautifully renovated former kebab shop with stone walls and a concrete bar. Chef Florent Peineau puts out inventive small plates and sharing dishes, the kind of food that actually makes you excited about what's on the plate. It draws a creative, slightly older crowd than the typical Oberkampf bar, and is the kind of place you end up staying at much longer than planned. Open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner, plus Sunday lunch.
boucheparis.comMishmish
Mishmish on Rue de la Fidélité in the 10th is a natural wine and vinyl bar that somehow manages to feel like a Berlin basement party and a Paris apéro spot at the same time. Behind a zinc counter, you'll find racks of vinyl stacked floor to ceiling, a small selection of natural wines, and cocktails keeping pace with the DJ sets that run Thursday through Saturday. It gets properly packed on weekends, with soul, hip-hop and funk on the decks and a crowd that's equal parts regulars and creative types from the neighbourhood.
mishmish.frChez Jeannette
Chez Jeannette on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis is one of those places that became iconic almost by accident. An old neighbourhood café with original formica tables, high ceilings and zinc bar, it got discovered by the creative crowd and never looked back. Drinks are cheap for Paris, the food is honest bistrot fare, and the terrace spills out onto one of the city's most energetic streets. Open from 8am until 2am, it works just as well for a morning coffee as for a late-night drink. The crowd is reliably mixed, from ad agency types and artists to long-time locals who remember when it was just a quiet troquet.
chezjeannette.comRojo
Rojo on Rue de Beauce in the 3rd, just steps from the Marché des Enfants Rouges, is one of the most visually striking new openings in Paris. A monumental wooden door framed by green columns sets the scene before you even walk in. Inside, lime-plastered walls, exposed wooden beams, antique velvet armchairs, marble tables and a rose stone bar create a theatrical, almost cinematic atmosphere. The food is simple and smart: eggs done various ways, sharing plates, reimagined street food, and creative cocktails. It's the sister spot to Sevenly Heart, and since opening in February 2025 it's become one of the most photographed interiors in the city.
instagram.com/rojoeggrojoAt Dawn
At Dawn in Le Marais is a Black-owned handpicked vintage and multi-label fashion space that's become a reference point for Paris's creative community. The selection spans rare vintage finds alongside emerging labels, with a curatorial eye that favours pieces with real character. They also offer sourcing and rentals on demand, making it a go-to spot for stylists, photographers and designers working in the city. The kind of boutique that feels like someone's very well-edited wardrobe.
atdawnparis.comFréquence
Fréquence on Rue Keller near Ledru-Rollin is one of those Paris cocktail bars that really gets it. Vinyl crates line the shelves instead of spirit bottles, and the bartenders pick the records while they mix your drinks. The cocktails lean heavily on Japanese and Asian flavours, with inventive non-alcoholic options that are actually worth ordering. The space is all scratched stone, Scandinavian furniture and exposed concrete with a Brooklyn edge to it. Warm, focused, and reliably good since it opened in 2022.
instagram.com/frequenceparis