An afternoon with an old friend Paris...

[adanzig]

I'd greatly appreciate recommendations for a bar/restaurant where I can linger with a very old, very good friend for a very long time whilst consuming a few (or more!) good glasses of wine. Looking for something fairly dark, fairly romantic but decidedly un-seedy. What comes to mind?

[bleudauvergne]

Hello, a few weeks ago I was engaged in a serious discussion with a friend for several hours as we sipped on glass after glass of wine. I live in Lyon, but it should not be any different in Paris. My advice to you is to go to a rather upscale cafe and all should be fine. Most have an area near the bar where they seat people in for drinks only. I say upscale because this is the type of establishment more likely to have good wines by the glass and the service will be more attentive. You can take the opportunity to try several different wines that way. Hope you have a nice afternoon.

[John Talbott]

There is a Paris Wine Bar thread now running that gives some excellent wine bars; but I agree with Lucy, almost any place is glad to have you linger and talk.

[Busboy]

In fact, my -- admittedly slim -- experience with Paris eating and drinking establishments is that it's much harder to get out quickly than it is to linger for a while. It's a very different pacing over there, one that can take an American a couple of days to get used to (and that I am convinced is at the root of many "rude French service" perceptions).

[bethesdabakers]

Last year whilst staggering from boulangerie to boulangerie we happened into Le Rubis, a wine bar at 10 rue du Marche-Saint-Honore in the late afternoon (Max Polane's shop was just closing).

Patricia Wells describes it as "A classic, happy sort of bustling wine bar where lunch is a free-for-all as clients stand five and six deep at the bar dodging waiters and nudging neighbors." Maybe that's just lunch time because in the afternoon I would have said it met all your requirements. I certainly wouldn't have minded lingering with an old friend sipping wine there anyway.

Says "closed for two weeks at Christmas".

Best wishes,

Mick

[Bux]

You mention bar/restaurant. I would suggest that most restaurants, with the exception of brasseries that have distinct and separate bar or cafe areas, may expect you to eat if you occupy a table at mealtimes. Otherwise lingering is the custom. I think the focus is on the quality and choice you're looking to find in the wines and on location and atmosphere. Is any particular neighborhood preferable?

[adanzig]

Thanks, all, for your thoughts. You've allayed my fears that its not acceptable to linger in one spot for hours on end...certainly not in the U.S. but this is Paris, after all. :) Appreciate the guidance!