I skip the tourist spots and head straight for the boulangerie. My best days start with fresh bread and end on a terrace.
From the sidewalk, this looks like the kind of anonymous corner brasserie that has existed in Paris for decades. The interior keeps up the ruse with a curved Formica counter, a large mirror, and vintage tiled floors, but the crowd spilling out onto rue Camille Desmoulins signals something different. Founded by Florent Ciccoli, Café du coin operates with a split personality that dictates how you eat. Lunch is a disciplined, affordable set menu – entrée, main, dessert – that keeps the neighborhood fed efficiently. Once the evening shift starts, the structure dissolves into a louder, looser wine bar setup. The dinner menu switches to tapassiettes – small plates designed for covering the table – and the signature sourdough pizzettes that the kitchen sends out all day. Natural wine is the engine here, with a long list of organic and low-sulfur bottles that lean toward the funky side. It gets loud, and personal space is a luxury. Since reservations are only accepted for a brief window during lunch, evenings are strictly walk-in. You often wait for a spot, and once inside, you are likely to be elbow-to-elbow with neighbors at shared tables or eating solo at the bar while staff navigate the crush with plates of house-made bread and glass pours.
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