Le Marais, or the 4th arrondissement, is my favorite district in Paris. It’s a great place to go out. The area is known for trendy cocktail bars, vintage stores, dive bars, and a mix of the new and old restaurants. There are some outstanding food & drink options in Le Marais.
We stayed in Le Marais in Paris and it’s truly the best district to stay for travelers. Accommodations are reasonable and you are away from the heavy crowds of tourism that the 7th arrondissement would see. On our second to last day, Brian and I decided to spend it doing our personal culinary tour through Le Marais to check out all that the neighborhood had to offer.
Crêperie Gigi
Otherwise known as Gigi Paris, we stopped by this cute café for a snack after a full day of walking around Le Marais. Brian and I ordered a carafe of white wine and a plate of cookies and cream crépes to share.
L’Eclair de Génie
Paris is the land of desserts and L’Eclair de Génie did not disappoint. Upon entering the tiny shop, we were greeted with rows of stunning éclairs. There were so many different flavors and the associates were very helpful in helping us decided what to order.
Ladurée
I’m personally not a fan of macarons, but when in Paris, amiright? You can’t help but stumble in this gorgeous store with cases of brightly lit macarons on display. These are great souvenir gifts for coworkers or loved ones.
Pain Vin Fromages
If you’re in Paris, you have to go to Pain Vin Fromages for raclette, fondue, or a cheese plate. There is almost always a line, but it moves quickly. I would try and make a reservation the day before. It’s located in Saint Germain, Paris, just a little ways from Le Marais by foot or rideshare. We ordered raclette and fondue and were so full by the time we were done. 10/10 recommend going here!
Chez Ajia
Going to a restaurant in Paris that serves Taiwanese food isn’t something you typically hear or look for. After days of eating nothing other than pizza, bread, and cheese, we were looking for some variety. Le Marais is a melting pot so I went on a whim and searched for Asian food and found Chez Ajia.
We loved Chez Ajia and found the food to be extraordinary. The food is a modern take on Taiwanese traditional dishes. The menu was hard to understand but the service was incredibly attentive. Things to order: spring rolls, gua bao, and (oh, I don’t know – just show your server this picture):
Candelaria
We came here for an afternoon snack while strolling through Marais. Something we learned while in Paris is that almost all businesses close in the middle of the afternoons for breaks. This is unheard of in the States so naturally, Brian and I didn’t really buffer that into our schedule. We made the mistake of not really eating lunch so by the time 3pm came around, we were starving and nothing was open.
Thankfully, half of Candelaria was open (the speakeasy bar in the back didn’t open until a few hours later). We sat down at the cramped, tiny bar, and ordered some tacos. The tacos were good but don’t compare to the tacos we get in LA. Next time we want to come back and experience the bar in the back!
Le Pain Quotidien
A quaint little spot in Marais for breakfast and coffee (not to be confused with the chain restaurant). The café has outdoor seating in the courtyard where you can enjoy the serenity of a calm Parisian morning. The owner of the café was also very kind and patient with our awful French.
L’As du Fallafel
Le Marais is Paris’s historic Jewish district so naturally, the best place to get falafels is here. I have to be honest, we didn’t eat here. The line to L’As du Fallafel was too long and we wanted to maximize our last day in Marais. No way in hell I was waiting in a 2-hour line for falafels (sorry). BUT, this place is highly rated on Trip Advisor and was recommended to us by various friends. So go and report back to me how it was.
Résistance
Here is a place to get expertly crafted cocktails. The menu is fun to sift through – they characterized their cocktails based on personas of men from “the Résistance”. I have a pickle to pick with their tables and seating arrangements. Everything is set so low – my elbows were on my knees pretty much the entire time there. That was my pickle. Good talk.
Little Red Door
The most hilarious part of the Little Red Door was truly how long it took Brian and me to actually get into the Little Red Door. We spent a solid 20 minutes trying to enter the bar through the center red door but it wouldn’t open! Confused and thinking the bar had not yet open, we waited and checked online to find out it was indeed open. I even knocked on the red door to see if anyone would answer. Finally, a bartender opened the door to the SIDE of the red door and looked at us with utter amusement.
Long story short, don’t open the red door. It doesn’t open. There’s a door to the left you enter from. The interior of The Red Door has huge lounge chairs and a decent sized bar. We ordered some specialty cocktails and had a great time here.
Maria Loca
A Latin American bar with a tropical flair, Maria Loca was a true gem in Marais! This bar was just less than a block away from our hotel so we frequented here at nights. They don’t have a menu – they make a custom drink for you based on your flavor preferences. Maria Loca is a place you have to go to for drinks in Paris.
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