Wondering where to drink wine in Paris? Check out 17 of the best Paris wine bars that you won’t want to miss during your exploration of the City of Light.
Paris and wine are intertwined. Not only does wine play a role in daily life for thirsty Parisians, but visitors are welcome to Paris’ wine party too.
For many, drinking wine is a highlight of any Paris trip, right up there with visiting the iconic Eiffel Tower and world-class museums like the Louvre and Orsay. Inspired oenophiles can drink the grape elixir at all hours of the day and night when they visit the City of Light.
Drinking Wine in Paris
France’s capital is a great spot to drink wine considering the city’s culinary culture as well as the breadth of French viticulture. French wineries produced nearly 50 million hectoliters of wine in 2019 alone, trailing only Italy in terms of global wine production.
Without doubt, France is blessed with a mineral-rich terroir from the sloping hills of Burgundy to regions like fairytale Alsace in the Northeast, legendary Bordeaux to the west, Provence and Languedoc in the South and the Loire Valley in the center.
Drinking wine in France is nothing new. French vineyards have been producing world-class varietals like Chardonnay, Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Syrah for centuries or longer.
Since drinking wine is part of French culture, most Paris restaurants and cafes serve quaffable wine by the glass, carafe and bottle. But restaurants aren’t the only place to drink wine in Paris.
Read our Paris restaurant guide.
The Emergence of Paris Wine Bars
Though not a new concept, wine bars are booming in Paris. Requiring less overhead and staff compared to restaurants and cafés, these informal drinking holes serve as sociable meeting places for friends and colleagues.
But which are the best bars for drinking wine in Paris? To answer this question, we explored the City of Light’s burgeoning wine bar scene during five visits including our most recent visit in 2022.
Our liquid journey started after a Parisian chef waxed poetically about the city’s new appreciation for natural wine. Armed with her three recommendations, we visited our first Paris wine bar that night.
Three wine bars became ten and then passed a dozen. More than fifteen wine bars later, we’re fans too.
Paris Wine Bars Worth a Visit
The best wine bars in Paris serve ‘natural’ French wine along with food ranging from tasty snacks to chef-driven cuisine. They’re located in touristed areas as well as in more residential neighborhoods. Some are independent operations while others are part of successful restaurant groups.
What is Natural Wine?
The French call it biologique. We, as Americans, call it organic.
Natural wine has grown in stature throughout the oenological community in the last two decades and has become a prominent player in the Paris restaurant scene.
This type of wine is generally made with hand-picked grapes and indigenous yeast. Producers add very little, if any, sulfites to this product. Flavor profiles skew toward funky and grassy, but there are more rounded natural wines too.
Most natural wine producers are independent and their output is typically low. In other words, if a natural wine floats your boat – buy a bottle or two right away.
There’s no need to be parched in Paris whether you’re a wine connoisseur or simply in the mood for a fun night and cool vibes.
Read on to discover more than a dozen Paris wine bars fit for a pre-dinner drink, late-night sips or a sit-down meal.
1. Déviant
Jovial crowds of young French professionals vie for spots at Déviant’s horseshoe-shaped bar that opens up to quiet Rue de Petites Écuries in the 10th. And who can blame them? This marble bar provides a front-row view to culinary action that places the wine bar’s chefs center stage at this Paris gem.
Déviant is the lively, energetic sister of the dimly lit, gastronomic Vivant 2 located just down the street. The stylish Paris wine bar is a hub of activity as both locals and savvy tourists elbow to get a piece of the action.
Natural wine is available in all colors of the viniculture rainbow – white, rosé, orange and red – at this buzzing wine bar. Narrowing the options is a challenge for all who enter.
Led by Chef Pierre Touitou, Déviant’s talented chefs wield their knives, artfully preparing dishes like tongue tonatta with a luscious, creamy tuna sauce along with tender, fatty grilled octopus served with fresh favas and greens, for all to see.
Déviant’s octopus tasted as good as, if not better than, great versions of octo we’ve eaten in Portugal. Considering how great grilled octopus is in Portugal, that’s about as high a compliment that we can give.
As good as the tonatta and octopus were, our favorite bite at Deviant may have been the beignets de tartare. Those fried wontons stuffed with tartare and topped with wasabi sauce dollops were downright irresistible.
Pro Tip
Arrive early to snag a spot at the bar. Déviant does not take reservations.
Déviant is located at 39 Rue des Petites Ecuries, 75010 Paris, France.
2. Willi’s Wine Bar
Many of the best Paris wine bars are tiny and/or off the beaten path. Willi’s Wine Bar is neither of these things. Instead, the spacious stalwart has been easy to find in Paris’ first arrondissement since Mark Williamson first opened the doors in 1980.
Willi’s Wine Bar is a fine spot to tour France’s wine regions. Without leaving your chair or stool, you can sample wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhone as well as wines from the Loire Valley and Languedoc.
During our visit, we drank glasses of Pouilly Fuissé produced by Burgundy’s Domaine Barraud and Gamay produced by Domaine des Huards in the Loire Valley. Meanwhile, our drinking companion Amanda sipped flutes of champagne poured from a magnum of ‘Cuvee Vive’ by Claude Cazals.
Willi’s Wine Bar offers a full food menu for those looking to spend the evening at one spot. Considering the colorful posters that line the walls and the bottles of wine that fill the shelves, we both understand and support this approach.
Pro Tip
Treat yourself to a glass or two of wine after a day of touring Paris’ best museums. Willi’s Wine Bar is just a seven minute walk from the Louvre.
Willi’s Wine Bar is located at 13 Rue des Petits Champs, 75001 Paris, France.
3. Le Baron Rouge
Located near Marché d’Aligre in the 12th arrondissement, Le Baron Rouge is a local wine bar institution that feels like it’s been open forever. Crowds of Parisians and tourists crowd the every day of the week.
This Paris wine bar provides a raucous experience that involves a huge selection of great wines at a range of prices, briny oysters (on weekends) and convivial conversation. Those seeking more intimate experiences may want to drink elsewhere though they’ll miss out on a unique Paris experience.
At Le Baron Rouge, you can stop by for a quick drink or stay for five hours. We fit into both of these categories during our visit when one glass of wine morphed into an afternoon of day drinking debauchery with friendly strangers.
We drank wine served from barrels, bottles and on tap while slurping down oysters by the half-dozen. We also created priceless Paris memories involving an Italian named “Dave”, a friendly stranger who accidentally spilled red wine all over Daryl’s jeans and copious amounts of affordable wine that never seemed to end.
These memories were enhanced by MANY bottles of bubbly compliments of “Dave” – but that’s a story best shared in person.
Pro Tip
Plan your visit on a weekend when fresh oysters are sold outside on the sidewalk. Wine+ Oysters = Yum.
Le Baron Rouge is located at 11 Rue Théophile Roussel, 75012 Paris, France.
4. La Cave de Belleville
Sharing Good Times Around Wine
Surrounded by noodle houses and dumpling palaces in gentrifying Belleville, La Cave de Belleville is a neighborhood wine bar worthy of a metro ride. But it wasn’t always a wine bar. In a prior life, the building’s occupant was a leather equipment supply shop.
Instead of buttons and dyes, bottles of wine and craft beer now line shelves that fill the front half of the cluttered yet welcoming space. A glass case displays various cheeses and sausages available to eat on site or to takeaway.
Wine lovers will easily get distracted by the eclectic selection of wine for sale but good things wait just behind those bottles – namely, tables and chairs as well as a blackboard listing wine and food available to order.
Wines of the moment include red and white varietals sold by the bottle and glass. At the time of our visit, glass prices ranged from 5€ to 6€, with champagne priced a bit higher at 8€.
In terms of food, options include tapas dishes like hummus and artichoke salad plus boards topped with cheese and charcuterie. Nightly specials like Terrine de Cochon Basque (Basque Pig Terrine) are also available.
Pro Tip
Start your night with a Vietnamese Pho or Shanghai Noodles at one of the many Asian eateries on Rue de Belleville.
La Cave de Belleville is 51 Rue de Belleville, 75019 Paris, France.
5. Aux Deux Amis
At first glance, Aux Deux Amis looks like a nondescript neighborhood wine bar with its scruffy decor and yellow neon hue. A deeper look reveals a different picture.
True Story
We stayed in an apartment around the corner from Aux Deux Amis during one of our trips to Paris and didn’t have the wine bar on our radar until a chef confided in us that it was one of his favorite Paris wine bars. After visiting, we understood his affection.
Despite its shabby chic appearance, Aux Deux Amis quickly impressed us with a mirrored wall displaying current offerings from producers located as close as Languedoc and as far away as Italy.
We paired two glasses of Grenache with cheese and noisettes (hazelnuts) from the tapas menu. Yep, the food menu was on a mirrored wall too.
Pro Tip
Order dinner and spend the evening at Aux Deux Amis. The rotating food menu served in the rear of the wine bar included cuttlefish, cockles, duck hearts and lamb on the night of our visit.
Aux Deux Amis is located at 45 Rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris, France.
6. La Cave à Michel
It took us two full years to get to La Cave à Michel after it was recommended to us. But not for lack of trying.
Back in the early pre-pandemic days of 2020, we wandered to the edgy Belleville bar expecting to ‘wine down’ the night after enjoying dinner a few block away but, alas, La Cave was closed. And then the world shut down.
Finally, in 2022, we were successful in our mission. Wine, food and a bar filled with friendly people was our reward.
Open since 2014, La Cave à Michel has an ironic name considering that it’s owed by two brothers (Maxime and Romain Tischenko), neither of whom is named Michel. Their surname may sound familiar since Romain won France’s version of Top Chef in 2010.
However, there’s nothing ironic about the long, narrow bar that’s simply decorated with blue and white azulejo tiles. There’a also nothing ironic about the bar’s selection of natural wine or its small but mighty tapas menu featuring dishes like Oeuf Mayo and Tataki de Boeuf.
Glasses of natural red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon produced by Guilheim Barre in Languedoc for Mindi and Gamay produced by Laurence et Rémi Dufaitre in Beaujolais for Daryl) went down easily as did a bowl filled with Bulots Mayo. Described as sea snails, the whelks were fun to pull out of their shells and even more fun to eat.
Pro Tip
Arrive early if you want a seat at the bar. La Cave à Michel, the tiniest wine bar in this guide, has limited seating.
La Cave à Michel is located at 36 Rue Sainte-Marthe, 75010 Paris, France.
7. Avant Comptoir
Not everybody can afford dinner at brasserie Le Comptoir in Le Relais St. Germain. However, drinking wine at one of Chef Yves Camdeborde’s nearby wine bars is a more attainable way to start or spend a Paris evening.
Camdeborde opened Avant Comptoir de la Mer, Avant Comptoir de la Terre and Avant Comptoir du Marché in stages from 2010 to 2016. His three wine bars have unique themes – la mer (the sea), la terre (the earth) and le marché (market). Though all serve natural wine, each features a distinct food menu to match its particular theme.
With only time for one, we opted to eat and drink at Avant Comptoir du Marché, the newest of the trio. During our visit, we couldn’t stop looking up – not just because of a red pig suspended in the air but also because that’s where the menu was located.
It would be an understatement to describe Avant Comptoir de Marché’s decor as unique. Colorful animals decorate the walls and the aforementioned pig floats from the ceiling. However, wine and food are the main reasons to come to this food-focused Paris wine bar.
After squeezing into two spots at the bar, we quickly ordered glasses of red and white wine from Castelmaure, a Corbières wine cooperative founded in 1921. Perhaps inspired by the soaring swine, we ordered a unique snack of marinated pig ears to accompany our wine.
Satisfied with our wine, we skipped on drinking shots of Béarnaise pig’s blood. Daryl may try a shot during our next visit. As for Mindi, she’s sticking with wine.
Pro Tip
Don’t skip Avant Comptoir du Marché if you need a break from wine. The menu has other drinks including craft beer and G+T cocktails.
Avant Comptoir de la Mer is located at 3 Carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006 Paris, France.
L’Avant Comptoir de la Terre is located at 3 Carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006 Paris, France.
L’Avant Comptoir du Marché is located at 14 Rue Lobineau, 75006 Paris, France.
8. Frenchie Bar à Vins
A key player in Gregory Marchand’s Frenchie empire on Rue Du Nil in the 2nd arrondissement, Frenchie Bar à Vins offers the best of both worlds to all who enter.
As expected, wine flows here. The bonus is a food menu that includes meat and fish in addition to snacks, cheese and French desserts. Another bonus is that, unlike Frenchie (the restaurant), Frenchie (the wine bar) is open every day of the week.
After snagging two stools at the bar, we ordered a snack-sized Terrine de Campagne to share. Colorful pickled vegetables and pungent mustard seeds added tangy elements to the otherwise traditional dish.
French wines by the glass ranged in price from 6€ to 21€ at the time of our visit. Since we had enjoyed drinking simple white Lutèce produced by Parisian producer Les Vignerons Parisiens during our lunch at Frenchie (the restaurant) a few days earlier, we chose to enjoy it again at the wine bar.
Pro Tip
Get to the front of the queue by arriving before Frenchie Bar à Vins opens at 6:30 pm (18:30) any day of the week. Otherwise, plan to wait for a spot to open at this popular spot.
Frenchie Bar à Vins is located at 6 Rue du Nil, 75002 Paris, France.
9. Verjus Bar à Vins
If you’ve ever fantasized about drinking wine in an underground cave, sipping wine at Verjus Bar à Vins is about as close as you’ll get in Paris. Located in the cellar below Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian’s popular Verjus restaurant, the atmosphere in this wine bar feels otherworldly.
With wine glasses priced from 6€ to 12€ at the time of our visit, Verjus Bar à Vins makes for a pleasant stop if you’re in the neighborhood. Though you probably won’t meet any Parisians during your visit, there’s no denying that the intimate space is a winner.
For us, visiting the wine bar at Verjus was a bit of a homecoming since we had dined at Hidden Kitchen, the American owners’ original Paris restaurant, a week shy of a decade earlier. Ironically we celebrated Daryl’s birthday at Hidden Kitchen and kicked off our Valentine’s evening at Verjus all these years later.
Though we enjoyed glasses of a Syrah-Grenache blend from Languedoc, the tiny bowl of olives we ordered can best be described as pricey at 6€. We recommend spending a little more on dishes like burrata or duck rillettes which were just two euros more at the time of our visit.
Pro Tip
Book ahead if you want to eat at the upstairs restaurant Verjus. Advance reservations are absolutely necessary.
Verjus Bar à Vins is located at 52 Rue de Richelieu, 75001 Paris, France.
10. Septime La Cave
A perennial entry in the annual list of Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Septime is one of Paris’ most difficult reservations to secure. Getting into Septime La Cave is a much easier proposition.
That being said, you won’t be able to order Septime’s restaurant’s menu in the less formal wine bar. What you can do instead is start your evening with curated natural wines and creative aperitivos.
Pro Tip
Arrive early. Opened by Chef Bertrand Grébaut and partner Théo Pourriat as a complement to their restaurants Septime and Clamato, Septime La Cave quickly fills soon after it opens, with guests often spilling onto the sidewalk.
Similar to Déviant (see above), orange wine joins its white, red and rosé brethren at Septime Le Cave. Beyond wine, a compact menu features small plates of elevated French bar food including cheese, pâté and saucisson.
Since we took our own advice and arrived early, we easily nabbed one of the few tables to share with our French friend Reubens. For an hour or two, we drank glasses of natural wine from Burgundy and ate luscious jambon sprinkled with hazelnuts.
Then again, maybe we got lucky since our visit coincided with May Day, a day when most Parisians escape the city. Either way, these two early birds were happy to get the worm.
Pro Tip
Buy a bottle or two of natural French wine to take back to your hotel room or apartment. Note that you’ll pay a nominal corkage fee (7€ at the time of our visit) if you want to drink the wine bottles at the bar instead.
Septime La Cave is located at 3 Rue Basfroi, 75011 Paris, France.
11. La Cave du Paul Bert
La Cave du Paul Bert is yet another Paris wine bar that’s affiliated with a popular restaurant – in this case, the restaurant is Bistrot Paul Bert on the street with the same name. And just like other restaurant-adjacent Paris wine caves featured in this article, it’s worthy of a visit on its own merit.
With just a dozen or so seats, this tiny bar has a substantial natural wine selection and intriguing food menu. Diners can choose from a range of light tapas dishes or go big by sharing Côte de Boeuf.
Our first visit at La Cave du Paul Bert coincided with our dinner at the restaurant next door. Since we had a big meal ahead, we merely sipped glasses of Voignier from the Rhone valley and plotted an eventual return.
That return happened four months later when we met friends before their opera date and our dinner in the Marais. We started our evening with glasses of wine listed on the blackboard menu and a plate of Carpaccio de Courgette to share.
The line chef touted the special olive oil used from Greece to prepare the carpaccio. As promised, the simple aperitivo of mandolined zucchini with goat cheese and a liberal grinding of pepper tasted fantastic.
We plan on eating Côte de Boeuf on our third visit to La Cave du Paul Bert. Needless to say, we’ll eat a light lunch that day since the monstrous meat dish is designed for two hungry people to share.
Pro Tip
Don’t be deceived by La Cave du Paul Bert’s compact size. This Paris wine bar has a menu that’s appropriate for either a quick bite or a full meal.
La Cave du Paul Bert is located at 16 Rue Paul Bert, 75011 Paris, France.
12. Juveniles
Proving that Paris wine bars are far from a passing fad, Juveniles has been serving wine in the first arrondissement for more than three decades. Tim Johnston, a Scottsman, opened Juveniles in 1987.
Johnston’s daughter (Margaux) and son-in-law (Romain Roudeau) took over the reins in 2014. Food plays a big role in the current iteration, with many guests pairing their wine with full meals. This shouldn’t be a surprise since Roudeau’s resume includes a culinary stint at Le Comptoir (see above).
Far from trendy, Juveniles’ cozy dining room was filled with wine bottles, wine boxes and a rusty portable heater during our visit. It was also filled with people eating dinner, making advance reservations a necessity.
We shared Entrecôte de Boeuf Francais – a half kilo sized rib steak prepared for two and served rare. We paired our French steak with French red wine. It seemed like the right thing to do.
Pro Tip
If you enjoy your wine at dinner, you can buy a bottle of the same wine to enjoy later. This Paris wine bar also operates as a Paris wine shop.
Juveniles is located at 47 Rue de Richelieu, 75001 Paris, France.
13. Le Verre Volé
We’re not sure why Le Verre Volé is named after a stolen glass. The name begs the question of who stole the glass and why. However, we’re sure of one thing – we like this buzzy Paris wine bar a lot.
Le Verre Volé hit our radar while we were drinking glasses of orange wine at Loose Canon in Dublin – it was our server’s favorite wine bar from when she lived in Paris. Once we realized that noted Parisian food authority Alex Lobrano shared her sentiments, we immediately added Le Verre Volé to our Paris wine bar agenda.
Armed with reservations for a late weeknight dinner, we joined a Canal Saint-Martin neighborhood crowd of diners for an evening filled with seasonal food and natural wine. Though bottles line the walls, food rivals wine in popularity at this wine bar. But which is better?
While we thoroughly enjoyed drinking glasses of Grenache wine produced in the Rhone Valley, we equally enjoyed eating creative dishes like beef tartare ramped up with mozzarella, taramasalata and beets. If we had to choose between the food and the wine, we’d choose both.
Pro Tip
Let Le Verre Volé’s wine-astute servers recommend a wine if you’re overwhelmed by the options or not sure which varietal to pair with your meal.
Le Verre Volé is located at 67 Rue de Lancry, 75010 Paris, France.
14. Billili
Our visit to Billili was accidental. The wine bar caught our eye while we dined at Les Arlots just next door. Owner/Chef Thomas Brachet gave us a friendly hello as he welcomed us to the nightly party just after our meal.
Billili’s menu features sharable dishes like oysters, terrine de campagne and tartare. As for wine, options are both plentiful and affordable. Next time, we’re heading straight to the bar.
Pro Tip
Plan a session at Billili whether or not you score a reservation at Les Arlots. This wine bar justifies a visit either way.
Bilili is located at 136 Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 75010 Paris, France.
15. Early June
Proving that trendy Canal Saint-Martin is big enough for two wine bars, Early June serves organic wine right near Le Verre Volé (see above). This simple yet chic Paris wine bar also serves tapas-style dishes.
Less boisterous than its vinicultural neighbor, Early June has a friendly vibe that’s ideal for an intimate meal with girlfriends or a first date. The table next to us fit into the first category, with two female Canadian ex-pats sharing gossip, wine and nibbles.
During our meal, we drank unfiltered white Garganega wine produced in the Veneto and shared a few plates. Highlight dishes included a colorfully plated veal tartare and beet-marinated salmon garnished with salmon roe.
In addition to our own plates, we enjoyed tasting our neighbors’ pasta dish topped with braised duck. When we mentioned that Early June has a friendly vibe, we weren’t exaggerating.
Pro Tip
Order the sharable menu à partager if you can’t narrow down the menu choices.
Early June is located at 19 Rue Jean Poulmarch, 75010 Paris, France.
16. Buvette Paris
Since buvette literally translates to refreshment bar, it makes sense that there would be at least two Paris wine bars with buvette in their names. Although a chef recommended La Buvette in the 11th arrondissement to us, we ended up at Buvette Paris in the 9th near our Paris hotel.
Yes, going to the wrong Buvette was undoubtedly a rookie move. However, we enjoyed Buvette Paris enough that it inspired us to visit more wine bars and create this guide. So, maybe it was a lucky accident after all.
Chef Jody Williams opened Buvette Paris in 2012, a year after she opened the original Buvette in New York City. The third Buvette is across the globe in Tokyo.
In addition to a full bar menu, Buvette Paris’s nightly food program includes tartines, coq au vin, cheese plates and house charcuterie. Although we opted for eggplant tajine and bone marrow to go with our wine, we understand if you choose to eat a croque monsieur with your wine instead.
Pro Tip
Buvette Paris morphs into a brunch spot in the morning. Popular brunch dishes include eggs and waffles as well as eggs on waffles.
Buvette is located at 28 Rue Henry Monnier, 75009 Paris, France.
17. Le Mermoz
More of a typical restaurant during lunch, Le Mermoz focuses on wine and globally-inspired small plates at night. Seasonal dishes range from typical French terrines and croquettes to more exotic fish ‘keftas’ and Italian meatballs.
We can’t share a photo of the wine we drank at Le Mermoz because we didn’t drink wine here After drinking one too many glasses of wine during our Paris wine bar tour, we chose to imbibe sparkling Normandy cider instead of the various natural wines available by the glass and pitcher.
Pro Tip
You’ll want to order a few small plates if you’re hungry when you drink wine (or cider!) at Le Mermoz. Better yet, order several and share them with a friend.
Le Mermoz is located at 16 Rue Jean Mermoz, 75008 Paris, France.
Additional Paris Wine Bars
Seventeen wine bars should satisfy most travelers visiting Paris. However, if you’re an extra-achiever, you can check out the following Paris wine bars during your visit too:
Hungry for More in Paris?
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About the Authors
Daryl & Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website and YouTube. The married Food and Travel content creators live in Lisbon, Portugal.
Original Publication Date: July 22, 2020
Katherine
Sunday 3rd of April 2022
Sorry not to see my favorite wine bar in your list! Bubar has been in business for 20 years, longer than most, and its location on rue des Tournelles in the 4th makes it convenient to anyone staying in the Marais or around Bastille. Jean-Loup is a character and his ecclectic and international list is worth a detour. (Plus you can pop over to Bofinger for late-night oysters afterwards.) Cheers!
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Monday 4th of April 2022
Thanks for letting us know about Bubar. We have added it to the list of additional wine bars.