August is a famously quiet time in Paris due to the mass exodus of Parisians who go on summer vacation, leaving mostly tourists behind to enjoy the city and its many sights and attractions all for themselves.

Lots of restaurants and cafés close during the month, which can make it tricky to find somewhere to eat and drink if you’re visiting the city, or one of the few locals (like me) to remain.  

An overhead shot of food at Petit Bao, including bao buns, chao mian, wontons and more.
Top: Yaya. Above: Petit Bao

As someone who celebrates a birthday in August and who seems to always find themselves in Paris at this time of the year, I’ve made it my mission to hunt down some of the best restaurants and cafés that will be open this month in the city:

Left: A person holds a sandwich, stuffed with vegetables, from Back in Black, Right: A coffee sits next to a bowl of food, which a person is cutting into, at Back in Black. The bowl contains beans, a fried egg and bacon.
Back in Black

RESTAURANTS

Le Chardenoux

Cyril Lignac’s beautiful restaurant, Le Chardenoux, will be open this August. Try his famous crab and avocado galette, and other tempting dishes such as the langoustine ravioli, lobster roll, or the delicious organic beef burger.

The interior of Le Chardenoux restaurant, decorated with beautiful gold chandeliers and green detailing on the walls and ceiling.
Le Chardenoux

Le Mary Celeste

Le Mary Celeste is a popular cocktail and wine bar in the Marais that also serves lovely share plates. Their cocktail menu features quotes from famous artists such as Van Gogh and Picasso, with names like the Gryffindor or Le Monet Shot.  

Left: The front of Le Mary Celeste bar, Right: A bartender makes a cocktail at Le Mary Celeste bar.
Le Mary Celeste

Freddy’s

This cute little wine bar in the 6ème offers tasty share plates such as braised Angus beef, fish ‘no’ chips, sea bream ceviche, and sweet potato fritters.

Left: Three friends share food and drinks a Freddy's wine bar, Right: A plate of sweet potato fritters at Freddy's wine bar.
Freddy’s

Brasserie Bellanger

Brasserie Bellanger opened last year as part of the recent revival of bouillons and brasseries in Paris serving up affordable French classics. Think onion soup, croque monsieur, beef tartare, steak frites, and millefeuille, and Paris-Brest for dessert.

The exterior of Brasserie Bellanger restaurant. The restaurant is painted green and has a red awning, with plenty of seating on the outdoor terrace.
Brasserie Bellanger

Yaya

After the huge success of their first restaurant in Saint-Ouen, a suburb north of Paris, this modern Greek restaurant now has two more locations, one in the 19th arrondissement and one in La Défense. The menu features mouth-watering dishes like loukoumades, spanakopita, pita, souvlaki, and moussaka. 

An overhead shot of a plate of food at Yaya restaurant, including a pan of fish and a salmon salad.
Yaya

El Nopal

The best tacos in Paris will be available to you all summer long. El Nopal has two locations, a takeaway joint perfect for a picnic along Canal St-Martin, as well as a petit restaurant with a terrasse in Pigalle. 

Iovine’s Pizzeria

Dishing up Neapolitan pizzas using high-quality products imported directly from Italy, you can find Iovine’s Pizzeria in the 1st and 3rd arrondissements. 

Left: A waiter carries two freshly cooked pizzas to a table at Iovine's restaurant, Right: The interior of Grand Bao, with posters on the wall and white chairs lining a long table.
Iovine’s / Grand Bao

Petit Bao and Grand Bao

Get your Chinese fix at Petit Bao or its newly opened big brother restaurant, Grand Bao. Their signature dish is their handmade xiao long bao (otherwise known as soup dumplings), but there’s also baozi (steamed buns), Taiwanese-style fried chicken, wontons, noodles, sweet and sour chicken, and the special Peking duck.

Left: A person holds a sandwich stuffed with vegetables from Back in Black, Right: The exterior of Grand Bao, which sits just next to the Canal St. Martin.
Back in Black / Grand Bao

CAFÉS

Treize au Jardin

A self-proclaimed “boozy tea-room” just across from Jardin du Luxembourg, Treize au Jardin offers 100% homemade, organic, free-range, seasonal food and drinks all day long.

Food, including a boiled egg, cup of coffee, ham and a salad sits on a table at Holybelly 19.
Holybelly

Holybelly

This is the time to visit Holybelly if you want to beat the queue. Holybelly 5 serves up your typical brunch (pancakes, eggs and sides, specialty coffee), while their new location Holybelly 19 offers seasonal breakfast share plates, lunch plats du jour, and natural wines. (Please note Holybelly will close August 10-21.)

The interior of Yaya restaurant.
Yaya

Papilles Coffeehouse & Restaurant

One of my favorite brunch spots Papilles is open Thursday – Monday throughout August. The Fresh To Death Salad with grilled watermelon, roasted aubergine with zaatar, goat cheese, pickled red onion, and basil and rosemary pesto sounds like the perfect summer dish.

Back in Black's breakfast roll, topped with cheddar, mustard, ham and a fried egg.
Back in Black

Back in Black

This new location by the team behind KB Caféshop dishes up a homemade brunch menu including free-range eggs, pancakes, breakfast rolls, brioche perdue, granola, toasties, scones, banana bread, and sticky-date pudding (my fave), as well as specialty coffee roasted on site. 

Delicious Greek octopus from Yaya restaurant, served only in the fall and winter.
Yaya

Addresses

Le Chardenoux – 1 Rue Jules Vallès, 75011

Le Mary Celeste – 1 Rue Commines, 75003

Freddy’s – 54 Rue de Seine, 75006

Brasserie Bellanger – 140 Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 75010

Yaya – 8 rue de l’Hippodrome, 93400 Saint-Ouen; 33 Avenue Secrétan, 75019 Paris; 15 parvis de La Défense, C.C. Westfield les 4 temps, 92800 Puteaux

El Nopal – 5 Rue Duperré, 75009; 3 Rue Eugène Varlin, 75010

Iovine’s Pizzeria – 7Bis Rue du Colonel Driant, 75001; 27 Rue de Bretagne, 75003

Petit Bao – 116 Rue Saint-Denis, 75002

Grand Bao – 72 Quai de Jemmapes, 75010

Treize au Jardin – 5 Rue de Médicis, 75006

Holybelly 5 – 5 Rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010

Holybelly 19 – 19 Rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010

Papilles Coffeehouse & Restaurant – 77 Rue Marguerite de Rochechouart, 75009

Back in Black – 25 Rue Amelot, 75011

Related Links

Written by Ali Postma for HiP Paris. Looking to travel? Check out Haven In for a  fabulous vacation rental in Paris, France or Italy. Looking to rent long-term or buy in France or Italy? Ask us! We can connect you to our trusted providers for amazing service and rates. 

WRITTEN BY

Ali Postma

Ali is from Melbourne, Australia, where she studied Art History and Art Curatorship at Monash and The University of Melbourn. She has worked in various art galleries. Passionate about all things arts and culture, she has a particular interest French film, Nordic noir, photography, street art and architecture. Ali has lived in Paris since 2016 and has written extensively on art, food, beauty and more. Her work has in publications including BW Confidential, Oh My Mag, and HIP Paris.

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