L’Eté en Pente Douce
23 rue Muller, 18th (01.42.64.02.67). M Chateau Rouge. Open daily noon-midnight. Food served all day. Beer 30cl E3. Credit AmEx, MC, V (from E16). Non-smoking section.
Long-time locals regard this haunt as something of a secret – albeit one poorly kept if the overflowing tables are any indication. The buzz here is lively and purely Parisian (not a tourist to be heard), with Sacre Coeur as a film-set backdrop to outdoor tables strewn haphazardly on a cobblestone courtyard. The interior pays homage to Montmartre’s bohemian image: Chinese lanterns cast a rosy glow over a dimly-lit interior where hip twentysomethings consume good house red alongside fork-tender veal stew, meaty roti de porc and a delicate fillet of perch. Vegetarians have their own menu – tofu lasagne, anyone? The coffee is outstanding.