As this goes to press, December has snuck up on us– and I find myself craving a few classic French desserts and sweet nibbles typically […]
Food
Bordeaux’s Cité du Vin: A Modern Temple to Wine (Making & Tasting)
It would take a 21st-century team of curators and wine experts for Bordeaux to get its Cité du Vin, a massive complex dedicated to wine […]
Where to Taste Delicious French Pastries in Paris: A Few Picks
The history of French pastry-making is, like almost everything else in the Gallic world, passionately disputed. Some claim it starts with the 13th-century baker Régnaut-Barbon, […]
In Paris, Café Terraces Spill Into the Streets Amid Health Crisis
The outdoor café is part of what gives Paris its charm and energy. Whether it’s occupied for breakfast and morning coffee, pre-dinner apéritifs with friends, […]
Some of the Most Beautiful Restaurants in Paris: 5 Stunning Settings
Recent trends in food have tended to de-emphasize the importance of the dining room from an aesthetic point of view– or at least pretend to. […]
The Forgotten History of Paris’ Wine Market (Halle aux Vins) & Warehouses
The area around the Quai St-Bernard at the edge of Paris’ Latin Quarter is strikingly contemporary– in contrast to most of the 5th arrondissement, where […]
Inside Le Train Bleu, One of the Most Beautiful Brasseries in Paris
During the heyday of train travel in the late nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries, rail stations in major cities were places where wealthy travelers showed off […]
History of Champagne: How the English Helped Birth Bubbly, & Other Facts
There’s something deceptively timeless about raising a toast over a glass of champagne (or some other form of sparkling white wine). It’s easy to imagine […]
Inside Maison Julien, the Bakery Awarded Best Baguette in Paris This Year
It’s an annual tradition that’s certainly not taken lightly. Every year since 1994, a panel of judges gathers in the French capital to select the […]
Why Brittany Butter is Salted (& Coveted): A Bit of History
My partner and I almost always have a block of salted Brittany butter in the fridge, and usually there’s a “backup” somewhere in the freezer, […]
Brewing Something New: Some of the Best Coffee in Paris
It’s starting to feel like a routine to note that Paris has been getting significantly better at producing things it was once mediocre at. Craft […]
In Review: Clover Green, for an Elegant but Relaxed Meal in Paris’ Saint-Germain
It can be surprisingly difficult to find a “traditional” French restaurant in the capital that offer reasonable fixed-priced menus and thoughtfully presented, delicious dishes. But this […]
Paris Cocktail Week: Sample the City’s Most Creative Drinks
Cocktails haven’t always been a strong suit in the French capital. Just a few years ago, procuring a decent mixed drink– much less a thoughtfully […]
Inside the Wine Museum in Paris (Musée du Vin)
Aside from the humble baguette, there is perhaps no other staple more common in French homes than the bottle of wine. Parisians have the luxury […]
Best Places for Brunch in Paris: Our Picks
It’s not always easy to find a decent brunch in Paris– or anywhere, for that matter. These days, brunch seems to be a bit hit-or-miss […]
Japanese Paris: The Best Restaurants & Grocers Around Rue Sainte-Anne
While most tourists with a taste for gourmet experiences come to Paris to try French food, a few know that the city harbors its fair […]
How (& Where) to Enjoy Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Tastings in Paris
The French may not celebrate Thanksgiving, but on the third Thursday of November they find something of their own to be thankful for: wine. To be […]
Parisian Legends: Interview with Patrick Roger, France’s Own Willy Wonka
As this goes to press, the Salon du Chocolat is gearing up for another run in Paris–an annual trade show devoted to the art (and […]
Inside L’Officine Universelle Buly, a 19th-Century-Style Paris Apothecary
I’ve always been a bit skeptical of the apothecary trend. It’s generally struck me as a marketing ploy to raise the perceived value or originality […]
Summery Indulgence: 4 Places I Recommend for Ice Cream & Gelato in Paris
A small confession: I’m not someone you can really trust with a pint of ice cream left in the freezer. If it’s there, it’s pretty […]