Perched high on a hill overlooking the city, Montmartre was once the artistic enclave of Paris where the likes of Van Gogh, Toulouse-Letrec, Degas, and Renoir lived la vie bohème – not that the impressionists could afford to live here now. Today, the formerly quaint village is a very trendy neighborhood with rent to match.
But with the maddening crowds come the foodies. Popularity has kept historic haunts and family-owned shops in business for decades, making Montmartre a must-eat destination for epicureans in Paris. Here are a few of the highlights.
Restaurants
In the shadow of the Sacre Couer sits this gem of a restaurant with its quaint dining room overlooking the neighborhood below. About a dozen tables, a few red bar stools, and a white piano take up the majority of the small space but the effect is homey rather than claustrophobic. While there are a few additional tables on the awning-covered sidewalk, the cramped quarters call for making reservations in advance if you want to dine at a decent hour.
The dining room features a seasonally rotating array of classic French fare served tapas-style. Your waitress will present the charming chalkboard menu in either French or English, depending on your preference, before delivering a bread basket small enough to whet your appetite. You won’t want to fill up on bread here, with plates like warm Camembert with honey, rich ox cheek stew, and hearty duck a l’orange with butternut squash puree waiting to tickle your tastebuds.
Open until 1 a.m., LouLou Montmartre is a great late-night dinner spot. Night owls can even indulge in a weekend brunch that runs until 5 p.m.
A few doors down from LouLou Montmartre, Hardware Société is a Parisian outpost of a popular Melbourne brunch spot. The industrial-chic space feels more like a friend’s downtown loft than a Parisian restaurant, with mid-century modern fixtures, rattan chairs, funky pink cabinetry, and even a few thoughtfully placed indoor plants.
In a world stuffed full of super-sweet brunch dishes, the Australian import stands out for its delightfully savory plates like pork belly and fried eggs or soy-glazed tuna millefeuille. The kitchen is also special diet-friendly with a selection of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options clearly marked on the menu.
Thanks to its location towards the top of the hill, Hardware Societe makes an ideal starting point for a day exploring Montmartre. Plus, you’ll get your steps in before you even sit down to brunch.
If you’re craving classic French cuisine, but your language skills are rusty (or nonexistent), head for this cozy spot with the red awning off Rue des Trois Frères. The owner is a friendly English ex-pat who will kindly explain the menu in either French or English.
Standards feature rabbit, quail, and duck while a rotating menu of specials might include tender lamb chops with roasted fresh veggies. Whatever you do, don’t skip dessert – the Madagascar vanilla creme brulee and profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce are must-tries.
With just 10 tables and a bar, the restaurant is cozy even by French standards, so you’ll want to make a reservation or, at the very least, call ahead to secure your spot.
Shops
One of the only confectionary shops in Paris producing its own chocolate on-site, Chocolat Illèné is a gem of a patisserie tucked away from the crowded bistros along Montmartre’s main drag. When we visited, the store window was adorned with intricately molded chocolate Easter eggs dusted with gold that looked almost (almost) too beautiful to eat.
The owner hails from South Korea and artfully infuses her heritage into classic Parisian treats. Savor petite chocolates in flavors like Chinese five spice and try mouthwatering macarons infused with green tea, passion fruit and caramel, and sesame.
Perched along the popular Rue des Abbesses (Montmartre’s main drag), this classic boucherie typically sees a line of locals waiting to place their daily order of freshly butchered cuts, cured meats, and even heat-and-eat entrees.
The family-run shop is a hit with Montmartre residents and for good reason. As explained by our guide on our neighborhood food tour, you can tell the quality of a boucherie by the way it displays its chicken: If the necks and feet are still attached, you can guarantee that the poultry is fresh. Why? The extremities are the first bits to go bad.
Sophie Cormerais knows her cheese, and with 1,250 varieties produced in France alone, that’s no small feat. The owner of this tiny fromagerie on Rue des Abbesses carefully curates her shop’s collection of dairy products, championing local producers with whom she’s cultivated personal relationships.
If the extent of your cheese knowledge is picking out the fanciest-looking label at Trader Joe’s, then this is a great first stop for you. From classic Compte to ash-rolled goat cheeses and complex bleus, the expert staff can easily help you find a cheese to suit your palate and the delightful accompaniments to match.
More food stall than shop, La Crêperie Mon Ami might actually be the smallest crepe spot in all of Paris. But trust me when I say what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in flavor. Tender, paper-thin crepes are served up to order filled with everything from a light dusting of sugar to jam, Nutella, and speculoos cookie butter.
Not only are the freshly cooked crepes some of the city’s best, but they’re also some of the most reasonably priced. The lack of overhead means you get more bang for your buck.
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