Breakfast in paris

[silverbrow]

I'm looking for somewhere great for breakfast in Paris.

I don't mind where in the city it is - have metro, will travel - but I'd like a great breakfast that will see me through until at least a mid-morning snack. I'm not staying in Paris, I'm just there for the day and will be flying into CdG. I'm more interested in focusing on great croissant or similar, rather than a cooked breakfast (which I understand isn't very French anyway??) and somewhere where I can sit down, rather where I'm forced to take it away.

[Luna Calvados]

I adore Ladurée-Champs-Elysées, a tea salon located at 75, avenue des Champs-Elysées, for a sit-down continental breakfast.

They are open at this location from 7:30 a.m. until midnite, but there are other locations throughout the city, which can be viewed at: http://www.laduree.fr/univers_va.htm

Ladurée serves a wide range of viennoiseries, which can be seen on their website at this link: http://www.laduree.fr/b_viennoiseries2_va.htm

They also make delicious omelets, but because the French do not generally eat eggs for breakfast, I believe that the omelets do not appear on the menu until luncheon time.

Enjoy!!

[touaregsand]

I'm more interested in focusing on great croissant or similar, rather than a cooked breakfast (which I understand isn't very French anyway??) and somewhere where I can sit down, rather where I'm forced to take it away.

If you crave a cooked breakfast a few places serve English Breakfasts.

If you're looking for really casual sit down breakfast there is a chain called brioche something.

[Luna Calvados]

Yes, for a more casual atmosphere, there are the chain boulangeries/patisseries,

such as:

La Brioche Doreé

Le Pain Quotidien: http://www.painquotidien.com/

PAUL: http://www.paul.fr/

Good luck and happy eating!

[menton1]

A couple of blocks from the Place des Vosges is the Bagel Store, an American-style bagel place with some Parisian touches. Outdoor seating, and they have salads as well.

Bagel Store

31, rue de Turenne

Paris 75003

[little ms foodie]

I love Le Pain Quotidien! It's a new thing in Europe to have this type of establishment and my friends who live there love it. The one in Paris has a huge communal table downstairs with jars of amazing chocolate spread, honey, etc. that you can try on your bread. Very fun and popular with the locals.

[follonica2]

I'm looking for somewhere great for breakfast in Paris. 

I don't mind where in the city it is - have metro, will travel - but I'd like a great breakfast that will see me through until at least a mid-morning snack.  I'm not staying in Paris, I'm just there for the day and will be flying into CdG.  I'm more interested in focusing on great croissant or similar, rather than a cooked breakfast (which I understand isn't very French anyway??) and somewhere where I can sit down, rather where I'm forced to take it away.

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and then there is http://www.breakfast-in-america.com/

I've directed some traveling companions to it, those who just cannot start the day without protein. I've heard it's good but since my time in the land of croissants, breakfast tartines, and pain chocolate is usually limited, I see no reason to try it.

[Ptipois]

For a good-quality French breakfast, nothing beats going to a good hotel. I recommend the Bristol on rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré. Yes, the French do eat eggs for breakfast - when they have time, so mostly on weekends. Generally it's soft-boiled eggs or French-style scrambled eggs.

Edited May 7, 2005 by Ptipois (log)

[Bux]

For a good-quality French breakfast, nothing beats going to a good hotel.  . . . .

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I've had too many breakfasts of mediocre croissants and bad coffee to ever suggest one take breakfast at anything less than a good hotel. The problem with good hotels, and especially with one with a good buffet, is that it's several hours before I'm out on the street seeing Paris and it's hard working up an appetite for lunch, which means I'm then looking for some sort of snack late in the afternoon and ruining my appetite for dinner. A cafe with a good espresso and good croissants near my hotel is always a joy to find quickly. More often than not, my preference is for the bar rather than a table.

[grace3]

For a good-quality French breakfast, nothing beats going to a good hotel.  . . . .

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I've had too many breakfasts of mediocre croissants and bad coffee to ever suggest one take breakfast at anything less than a good hotel. The problem with good hotels, and especially with one with a good buffet, is that it's several hours before I'm out on the street seeing Paris and it's hard working up an appetite for lunch, which means I'm then looking for some sort of snack late in the afternoon and ruining my appetite for dinner. A cafe with a good espresso and good croissants near my hotel is always a joy to find quickly. More often than not, my preference is for the bar rather than a table.

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I enjoy Le Meurice..the ambience of the lovely dining room could hardly be better. Your selection choice....enjoy

[menton1]

"When in Rome..."

For me, I like to do what the French mostly do, find a nice bar/cafe with outdoor tables, and get their "breakfast special" (!!) of juice, a Tartine buerre and a great large (it's VERY large) "Crème". (Something like a cafe au lait in the US, but much better). This usually runs about 4-5Euros, and you can just sit and get your caffeine rush and people watch while you are planning your day. Love it!!

[Ptipois]

For me, I like to do what the French mostly do, find a nice bar/cafe with outdoor tables, and get their "breakfast special" (!!) of juice, a Tartine buerre and a great large (it's VERY large) "Crème".

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This sounds so "American in Paris"... Typically, the French have breakfast at home, and then they go to work. Or if they are the "I can't eat anything when I get up" type (very common in France), they usually get out with an empty stomach then grab a cup of coffee outside and perhaps a croissant, standing up at a counter. Sitting down outside of home for breakfast is fairly rare amongst the active population — except for top businessmen, politicians and VIPs who like to meet at big hotels for substantial breakfasts (a mark of power), which is why I mentioned hotels as a plausible answer to the initial question ("somewhere great for breakfast in Paris"). I sensed that "great" was the important word, otherwise I'd have mentioned the café-croissant/tartine like everyone else.

Edited May 8, 2005 by Ptipois (log)

[chefzadi]

I suppose when locals eat brunch in Paris they are acting like "Americans in Paris" as well.

I can't eat anything in the morning. Coffee is it, maybe a brioche or croissant on rare occassions. My friend's from Normandy really like a buttered baguette, they dip it into coffee.

I think the only time I've had a 'French breakfast' was at home on a weekend. I didn't even notice it was served outside the home untill I went back to France to visit and stayed in a hotel.

[Ptipois]

I suppose when locals eat brunch in Paris they are acting like "Americans in Paris" as well.

No, I rather think they're acting like some Americans in America, or rather like a certain category of Parisians. After all, brunch has been adopted here a long time ago, back in the 60's.

I can't eat anything in the morning. Coffee is it, maybe a brioche or croissant on rare occassions.  My friend's from Normandy really like a buttered baguette, they dip it into coffee.

I've noticed many people in France, especially Parisians, can't eat anything in the morning. Not a crumb. As the day goes on, they will probably nibble something once they get to work, but not generally. The same people may occasionally eat breakfast on weekends. But breakfast is no longer considered an essential meal in urban France, or it's more associated with days when you have time to sit down to it.

[menton1]

This sounds so "American in Paris"... Typically, the French have breakfast at home, and then they go to work.

I disagree. Sure, many French have a very quick cafe and croissant at the "Zinc". As far as breakfast, the French do not eat breakfast for the most part, they might have their coffee at home. When I do have coffee at an outdoor cafe, the other patrons seem to be all French, though! And yes, they spend a lot less time there than I do, but also French on vacation in Paris will typically have this type of Tartine "breakfast" rather than the hotel breakfast which can be both expensive and poor quality. That's why I feel this is what a lot of the French do. Americans prefer a large meal at breakfast, and they probably would be unhappy with a small juice, coffee and a piece of bread...

[Ptipois]

I disagree.

Well, not that I wish to offend anyone but, being French, I think I should be reliable about what the French do. And they do not usually have breakfast at cafés, except the quick cup of black coffee and the odd croissant on their way to work. Many of those who do breakfast do so at home.

Sure, many French have a very quick cafe and croissant at the "Zinc".  As far as breakfast, the French do not eat breakfast for the most part, they might have their coffee at home.

Yes, sometimes just black coffee (and sometimes you will hear them whining around 10 PM: "Ooh, my stomach hurts, I should have eaten something with my coffee this morning!"), sometimes they eat something too if they have time.

Just look at the biscottes, juice and jam sections in department stores. Also watch the commercials on TV and count how many refer to home breakfasting.

When I do have coffee at an outdoor cafe, the other patrons seem to be all French, though!

Do you mean "coffee" or "breakfast"? That the French have coffee at cafés is no big news. If you meant "breakfast", I'm not saying that the French *never* have breakfast at cafés, just that it isn't as common as you're saying.

And yes, they spend a lot less time there than I do, but also French on vacation in Paris will typically have this type of Tartine "breakfast" rather than the hotel breakfast which can be both expensive and poor quality.

Hmm, the few French vacationing in Paris who won't have breakfast at the hotel most probably do so because they want to rise early and see a museum or do some sightseeing. So they leave the hotel without breakfasting because many of them are not able to eat anything early in the morning. Then around 9 or 10 they get hungry, and stop somewhere for breakfast, so that's when you see them. However this cannot be considered a "typically French" way of breakfasting : they're on vacation in Paris, as you wrote. As a rule the French don't trust a café to give them proper breakfast; hotel breakfasts are often better. And sometimes included in the room rate.

[Comfort Me]

"When in Rome..." 

For me, I like to do what the French mostly do, find a nice bar/cafe with outdoor tables, and get their "breakfast special" (!!) of juice, a Tartine buerre and a great large (it's VERY large) "Crème".  (Something like a cafe au lait in the US, but much better).  This usually runs about 4-5Euros, and you can just sit and get your caffeine rush and people watch while you are planning your day.  Love it!!

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I love this breakfast above all others. When I am in Paris I like to rise early and retire late -- not wanting to miss a minute of the sounds and sights and smells and tastes of Paris. As a rule, I try to be Hobbit when in France -- I never limit myself to one breakfast or one lunch. I've never been able to eat a second dinner, but I have had a second dessert on occasion.

Mornings for me usually start with a map of boulangeries of note in a particular part of town. I taxi to the first I want to explore. There I will have a tartine or a croissant or a demi bagguette. I love cafe au lait with all my heart. And if I'm near a market I will stop for a pear or plum or those delicious wild strawberries. And when I finish one, I go to the next and start all over again! C'est la vie!

[Bux]

I would say my most frequent breakfast in Paris these days is an espresso accompanied by a couple of croissants at the bar. That's assuming I've risen early enough to grab a cup of espresso while the bar still has croissants. I've been known to sit at a table as well, inside or out. Invariably, if standing at the bar, I'm surrounded by locals. That's not always so at the tables, especially outdoor tables. The "real Paris" is sitting at an outdoor cafe, but tourism is one of Paris' major industries. The real Paris is a city of tourists as much as anything else. When in Paris, act like a tourist perhaps.

If I am going to take a table and linger longer than it takes to down a small espresso, and it's cold enough to choose an indoor location where the doors are closed, I might well opt for a salon du thé where there are by custom, fewer people smoking and the coffee is often better as are the croissants -- usually. I don't ever recall seeing no smoking signs in salons du thé, but I rarely see people smoking in them.

[Louisa Chu]

Go to the organic Maison Kayser on rue Monge - a few doors down from Eric Kayser's original boulangerie - both in the 5th, line 10/Maubert-Mutualite. He has some of the best vienoisserie in Paris. Bite into a croissant au buerre and you'll see what I mean - beautifully golden appearance, exceptionally buttery aroma, crisp light crust, chewy and intricately layered interior. You can also get coffee, juice, yogurt, etc. to eat in at the small countertop with stools - or outside at tables.

Edited May 12, 2005 by LKL Chu (log)

[bleudauvergne]

Go to the organic Maison Kayser on rue Monge - a few doors down from Eric Kayser's original boulangerie - both in the 5th, line 10/Maubert-Mutualite. He has some of the best vienoisserie in Paris. Bite into a croissant au buerre and you'll see what I mean - beautifully golden appearance, exceptionally buttery aroma, crisp light crust, chewy and intricately layered interior. You can also get coffee, juice, yogurt, etc. to eat in at the small countertop with stools - or outside at tables.

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Now this looks like good advice for Breakfast in Paris. Thank you.

I enjoy eating breakfast even if there is a contingency of Parisians who cannot bear the idea. The places that serve the best quality in a nice atmosphere is what I'd like to add to my list of places to try next time I'm in Paris. That is, unless someone who lives there wants to invite me to their house for a taste of the famous home breakfasting of Paris.

[Michael Laiskonis]

Reading all this I feel I've learned a bit more than I needed to know about the sociology of breakfast, but I can recommend Coquelicot, at 24 rue des Abbesses (take a right out of the Abbesses metro). It's a boulangerie with both tables on the sidewalk and a cozy room upstairs. It is Montmartre, but it didn't have a tourist feel. On a Saturday morning, it looked to be full of folks from the neighborhood, in fact a Parisian had invited me there for a 'working' breakfast. Basic fare- coffee, croissants, tartines, etc.

And if you are taking the train in or out to CDG, Gare du Nord is quite close.

Edited May 18, 2005 by Michael Laiskonis (log)

[silverbrow]

LKL many thanks for the Maison Kayser rec which I went to. I had a great pain au raisin and brioche and a cafe au lait. My one comment is that I expected both the pain and the brioche to be richer than they were. That's not to say they weren't great.

[Franci]

Typically, the French have breakfast at home, and then they go to work. Or if they are the "I can't eat anything when I get up" type (very common in France), they usually get out with an empty stomach then grab a cup of coffee outside and perhaps a croissant, standing up at a counter

That's exactly how Italians do So I don't mind eating my croissant with a good espresso (not burnt) at the counter

Does anybody have a good place around Luxemburg gardens?

Thank you

[John Talbott]

Does anybody have a good place around Luxemburg gardens?

Thank you

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Oh yes. The Dalloyau Luxembourg doesn't open til 9 but it's worth the wait. See here.

[Franci]

Oh yes.  The Dalloyau Luxembourg doesn't open til 9 but it's worth the wait.  See here.

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Thanks! Will be perfect for coffee on Saturday morning.