These Paris cocktail bars are an Olympic-worthy mix

Hypothetically, if there was an Olympic category for hospitality, then Paris would certainly be favourite to win the gold medal. My complete awe and admiration for the Parisian bar scene extends back nearly 20 years now, when I first began to write professionally about spirits and cocktails. Alongside the resplendent, lavish classic bars, and vibey street corner joints, Paris has a thriving experimental and innovative sector, where pioneering bartenders are creating alchemy – often from solely French-inspired or -produced ingredients.

What’s also fascinating is that, compared to London – where you’ll find an almost definitive split between the white-coated hotel bars of the West End and the more urban hipster hangouts over to the east of the city – Paris is much more egalitarian in its geography: a city of compact complexity; deliberately diverse and proud of it.

This melting pot of styles, personalities and drinking cultures is precisely what a city should represent. Paris doesn’t do just one thing well; it covers many bases, doing each one with panache and inimitable character. It’s why it’s the perfect choice for hosting the Olympics and why you’ll find a wealth of incredible, unique, easy-to-navigate drinking spots to celebrate whichever country you’re there to support, after your visit to the Stade de France. Here’s a list of some of my current – and historical –favourites to check out.

On your marks… get set… cocktail!

The best cocktail bars in Paris, from classic to vibey

Le Syndicat

51 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris

This hidden, non-descript location in the 10th arrondissement of the city – a mixture of cool bohemian cafés and art galleries – has been at the centre of Parisian bar excellence since it opened ten years ago. Its proud theme is cocktails created using exclusively French-made ingredients: on the menu you’ll find Calvados-based ready-to-drink cans and Armagnac cocktails (the more rustic sibling to Cognac), including the alluringly sweet and complex PBJ – a combination of Armagnac, strawberry liqueur, peanut butter and ‘eau de vie Alisier – a delicious fruit brandy made from the fruit of the Alisier tree. An essential French bar to tick off the bucket list and no mistake.

Domainesyndicat.com

Copperbay

5 Rue Bouchardon, 75010 Paris

Just a few minutes’ walk away from Le Syndicat lies the exquisitely designed Copperbay: its light, beautifully wood-panelled surroundings bringing a sense of chic modernism, alongside a nautical theme. Here you’ll find an homage to natural wine from across France, as well as a fascination with one of France’s legendarily unappreciated spirits – pastis, which makes its louche appearance in a few delicious cocktails on a seasonally changing menu. Led by a trio of French bartending legends, who have graced the hallowed lists of France’s Top 50 bars, Copperbay is the perfect destination for a north Parisian tipple and a light bite before heading back to the hotel.
Copperbay.fr

The Cambridge

8 Rue de Poitou, 75003 Paris

Heading over to the Marais in the 3rd Arrondissement is always a wonderfully vibrant and typically Parisian experience. So, you’ll be as pleasantly surprised as me to find a distinctly British interloper nestled in amongst all the chic cafés and restaurants. The Cambridge, as you’ll probably guess from the name, is themed around a typically British public house – but one which offers a truly exceptional feast for the palate and the senses. Here you’ll find an incredibly crafted seasonal cocktail menu, some with a distinct focus on unusual combinations and savoury ingredients, such as beetroot, horseradish, sencha tea and curry leaf. Alongside these offerings, you’ll also find a ‘Tiny Bevs’ section, comprising smaller, but wonderfully intense cocktail recipes, in case you’re not looking to party that night. Oh, and the on-draft Guinness is by far the best in Paris. Final tip: try one of the homemade sausage rolls if you’re feeling peckish. You’ll thank me later. In short: Proper Pub, Perfectly Parisian.
thecambridge.paris

Candelaria

52 Rue de Saintonge, 75003 Paris

A short hop, skip and a jump from The Cambridge and you’ll find yourself at another Marais institution, Candelaria. This Mexican-inspired gem has been lauded as one of Paris’ best bars for a little under a decade now and it offers a wonderful insight into the delights of all things agave: the house menu is an almost exhaustive list of tequila and mezcal from across Mexico, cleverly assembled into easy-to-understand flavour groups (Earthy, Funky, Mineral, Vegetal, Sweet and Umami) and some hard-to-find alternative Mexican spirits, such as raicilla, bacanora and sotol. Throw in the prospect of Candelaria’s delicious gourmet tacos and there’s really no better place to grab a little slice of Mexican culture anywhere else outside of Mexico itself.

Candelaria-paris.com

Little Red Door

60 Rue Charlot, 75003 Paris

To not include this game-changing, now legendary bar in any list of Parisian gems would be complete sacrilege. Artistic, avant-garde and undoubtedly stylish could very well apply to any number of places in Paris, but LRD tops them all, throwing in ingenuity and a little craziness for good measure. The inventive team has redefined the approach to creating cocktails looking beyond merely bringing flavours together but also applying artistic and scientific concepts too. Not unlike Le Syndicat, the bar has pioneered a farm-to-glass model within its drinks, working with French producers to create homemade base cocktail ingredients. The list of drinks may be small – rotating around six or seven house creations as well as the usual classics (which can be tailored to your preference) – but each drink will serve as a reminder of just why Little Red Door is the bar equivalent of the Olympic 100 Metre Finals: the undisputed headline show.
LRDparis.com

Les Ambassadeurs

10 Pl. de la Concorde, 75008 Paris

A change of pace and location for this exceptional spot. Situated overlooking Place de la Concorde, Les Ambassadeurs can be found in the sumptuous Hôtel de Crillon (coincidentally, staging an exhibition of artist-designed skateboards this summer). Its majestic high ceiling and classical styling make it arguably one of the most beautiful locations in the world to order a drink – and the newly launched summer menu does not disappoint. Themed around the concept of ‘a sense of taste, summer harvest’, each of the 15 drinks pays homage to the very best of French produce, including seasonal herbs, stone fruit and fresh berries. More savoury-themed cocktails include the marvellous Bell Pepper, and Melon, which is a beguiling coming together of tequila, dry sherry, white port and olive oil.
Rosewoodhotels.com

Bar Nouveau

5 Rue des Haudriettes, 75003 Paris

Contender for the smallest cocktail bar in Paris, or for anywhere else in France for that matter, Nouveau – and all of its 16 sq m contents – can be considered a perfectly packaged slice of vintage Parisian chic. The brainchild of renowned bartender Remy Savage (who was originally one of the founders behind Little Red Door), Nouveau is beautifully appointed with a marble bar top and mirrored walls and ceiling, which give the illusion of a much bigger space. The drinks themselves are very much larger than life, with a simple and effective ‘less is more’ menu of six drinks – the undoubted highlight being a twist on the creamy, effervescent classic Ramos Gin Fizz. Sometimes the very best things do indeed come in small packages.
@ bar_nouveau_