Elegant Oasis
Elegantly rustic, Café l’Arrosoir is a sophisticated oasis in the midst of a quarter famed for its devotion to downmarket hip.
The name is 100 per cent rustic but the setting is all class –l’Arrosoir (literally “the watering can”) is the sophisticated flipside to the 12th arrondissement’s generally grungier vibe. Spilling out of the brick archways of the Viaduc des Arts, the upmarket café is all country elegance with its soaring ceilings, exposed timber floorboards and selection of farm implements that apparently serve as pieces of ironic art. Of course you won’t bump in to too many farmers, nor many of the quartier’s struggling student types: the clientele runs more to sophisticated art lovers, attracted by the Viaduc’s pricey antique shops and über cool ateliers. Follow their lead and order the cote de boeuf for two or – with the sun shining – a killer smoked salmon salad. Berthillon ice cream is the de rigueur grand finale. The ideal spot to indulge the grown-up in you.
Details:
Official site for viaduct-des-arts.com (in French): http://www.viaduc-des-arts.com/fr/artisan/larrosoir.htm