Favorite spots for an apéro?

[mzimbeck]

While this thread isn't technically about food, the before-dinner (or after-work, blending into dinner) drink is a critical component of life in Paris.

With friends (and self) who are constantly running late, meeting for a pre-dinner apéritif is an easy/fun way to avoid missing a nearby restaurant reservation. I can slack with my book and a glass of white, for example, while my friend is trapped underground in a stalled Métro car.

I'm hoping to expand my list by arrondissement with the help of eGulleteers. Suggestions with a terrace win extra points in my book.

I can add these two for now:

1) Déli-cieux, the rooftop terrace of the Printemps department store on boulevard Haussman in the 9th. On Thursday nights (only) the store and this restaurant/bar/terrace are open late until 10, and the views over Paris rooftops are astonishing. The drinks themselves are nothing special, but you can drink your 3.50 glass of red of 6 euro flute of champagne while gazing upon the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, etc.

2) Banks of the Canal St. Martin in the 10th. In the summer there are hundreds of people hanging out here with picnics, books, and drinks. Beer can be bought in plastic cups from le Jemmapes on the eastern side of the canal, and bottles of wine can be taken away from le Verre Volé where the canal intersects with rue de Lancry on the western side.

What are your favorites?

[Felice]

Great topic, thanks mzimbeck. I will definitely add some more as I am going out for an apero on Wednesday with friends and need to pick a place.

I will add one for now. Do you know the Point Éphémère along the canal near metro Jaures? The wine isn`t great, but it`s a cool place for a drink on a summer night. It along a pretty deserted part of the Canal so there`s a lot of space, but even all the tables are full you can take your drinks down by the water. It`s also an artistic center that has all sorts of cutural events.

[mzimbeck]

Great topic, thanks mzimbeck.  I will definitely add some more as I am going out for an apero on Wednesday with friends and need to pick a place.

I will add one for now.  Do you know the Point Éphémère along the canal near metro Jaures?  The wine isn`t great, but it`s a cool place for a drink on a summer night.  It along a pretty deserted part of the Canal so there`s a lot of space, but even all the tables are full you can take your drinks down by the water.  It`s also an artistic center that has all sorts of cutural events.

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Great suggestion! Keep 'em coming.

Edited July 31, 2006 by mzimbeck (log)

[fresh_a]

La Pointe Ephemere is great. Just down the road from Prune is le "50", a small, diner-like bar that has good cocktails, cheap beer and music on weekends. Eclectic and laidback.

[mzimbeck]

Another one, because it's close to where I work, is the little cafe in the Jardin du Luxembourg. If you enter from the gates near the RER stop, the cafe is to your right, just south east of the Senate building.

There are 50-some tables under shade trees with a view on the central pool, and often there's some kind of music being performed nearby.

Vin de table is 2.50, an Amstel is 3.50 and Heineken/Pelforth Brune are 5 euros.

A very sweet little spot.

[Felice]

I have a great place to add to the list. I went to Andy Whaloo the other night and just LOVED it. They have a really lovely garden in the back, with bamboo trees and Moroccan-style furnishings. They have nice cocktails (half-price until 8) and start a BBQ around 8 for plates of grilled lamb, chicken, and merguez. The crowd is branchée. When we arrived at 7pm there were plenty of tables but people reserve it seems, so it might be a good idea to reserve. I took some photos, but am having some camera problems and can`t download for now.

Andy Whaloo

69, Rue des Gravilliers

Paris, 3rd.

[Ptipois]

I love Andy Wahloo, by far the nicest of Momo's places. Great décor, and nice food too.

[mzimbeck]

Here's a photo from the Point Ephémère that I visited on recommendations from Felice and Adrian.

I love this place, but to be clear, it's a dive-y kind of scene: young and tattooed with a few trendoids thrown in. If dingy graffiti bathrooms are not your thing, then neither is the Point Ephémère.

Having warned thus, it's completely buzzing with a porch that looks great for good weather. The food was OK but beyond the price nothing to rave about.

This is the far northern end of the canal (near me), and, as Felice said, the collective also offers artists' residences, dance lessons, concerts, expos, all sorts of good stuff. It's kind of hard to notice from the road (I ride my bike past every day and never saw it!) but you can find map on their website below. They have some pages in English.

Their website is http://www.pointephemere.org/index.html

Thanks for the suggestion!

[mzimbeck]

Last days:

There is a quirky little bar called Le Sale Verre de la Peur (the dirty glass of fear) on the 1st level balcony of the Grand Palais that overlooks the current expo "Le Grand Répertoire - Machines de Spectacle."

You can sip your kir or drink a cheap demi while looking directly down on the crowd of people being surprised/soaked by the Canon à Niege (snow cannon).

The bar itself is run by a bunch of hipster hoodlums playing rockabilly records and getting sauced behind the bar. Something tells me this isn't a regular feature at the Grand Palais (anyone know?) and won't outlast the expo, which runs only through this Sunday, August 13. It may be temporary, but it's totally delightful.

[Felice]

The bar itself is run by a bunch of hipster hoodlums playing rockabilly records and getting sauced behind the bar. Something tells me this isn't a regular feature at the Grand Palais (anyone know?) and won't outlast the expo, which runs only through this Sunday, August 13. It may be temporary, but it's totally delightful.

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Thanks Mzimbeck for info on the Grand Palais, it looks great. Last month they had a restaurant éphémère in the same space during the expo La Force de l'Art. Hopefully they will keep using the space for each expo. I will try to go this weekend at somepoint.

If you scroll down to the bottom of this thread you can see photos and a bit of discussion about the restaurant they had. I ended up going to several of the guest chef appearences and loved it.

And I'm glad you liked Point Ephémère; true it's not for everyone.