Great food in the 18th arrondissement in Paris (Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur)

The 18th arrondissement in Paris is a bit of an overlooked bit of the city, even though two (some would argue three) big tourist destination are right in it. This post shares our experiences with some of the wonderful restaurants, bakeries, and little stores. And as a bonus, one of the most wonderful, hole in the wall, Vietnamese food stops right next the Eiffel tower.

Just Been There Art

Look at or buy art inspired by this trip. If you like this trip, but can't go, or you too have just been there, this unique art may rekindle fond memories of your own trip. Click the image for a link to the online store. Note: you will be leaving this site and connect to the artists site.
 
Inspired by the Musee d'Orsay
 
All art copyright by: Christine Ong-Dijcks 

Sacré-Cœur, Montmartre, and the Moulin Rouge

Yes, that is why most people take the metro from the center of Paris. Clamber up the hill, sit in the famous Montmartre cafes and sometime take a quick peak at Moulin Rouge. And you should go for all of this and definitely visit the Musée de Montmartre. It has an amazing courtyard with a cafe... peace and quiet in the middle of tourist ville...
 
But, most people miss out on the diverse, multi-cultural bit just east of the hill, wedged in between de hill, the Gare du Nord on the eastand the Périférique to the north.

We stayed here as we were in Paris for the Olympics (boy, LA will have a tough act to follow!)... and we discovered that this is a true gem with some great food and stores.

Bakery

We stayed in this area in a VRBO for 5 nights, so the first thing we looked for was a bakery. And we did find one within 2 minutes of our front door. Boulangerie Merhamah has amazing Pain au Chocolate and just regular croissants, but we got hooked on the baguette and especically the rustic ones! Imagine just about a Euro for a baguette and a bit more for the croissants? And this during the olympics... great bread at amazing prices. Wonderful service as well.

Dinner in the 18th

We tried a number of local restaurants, mostly because we really wanted to support the part of Paris we were staying at. Here are the ones we actually tried. Some of these were a big surprise!

Pizza and beers at Olympic Cafe... and we didn't even go to this place because of its name. In fact we had no idea of its name, we just saw an inviting bar, with tons of old records nailed to the place and a sign that said: pizza (and open late!). Does it look like a great pizza place, nope, but it sure is. Big surprise, great pizza (we had a Margherita, Carnivore, and Diavola) for not much money served hot and fresh... and they do bands as well, but we didn't get that lucky.

Tapas at Carotte Bleue... ok, this was our back up, but it turned out to be super. We wandered by to see if we could wriggle our way into Sacrée Fleur... but that place is impossible to get into. So back we wandered, and watched the semi final of the men's soccer (France won) and then ate some nice tapas. 

Since we were at a bunch of events, those are the two places we tried. Bummer we didn't make it into Sacrée Fleur... maybe next time!

Vietnamese at the Eiffel Tower

This was a total accident, as it should be. While wandering around Paris we were of course hungry and decided to look around before going home. We wandered into the place called Ma Cantine Viet.

It is a tiny place, and we were lucky to sit outside in the wonderful warmth of a Parisian evening. The food is amazing, it is better than the 4.6 rating it has...! The Loc-Lac Riz au Boeuf is amazing. I would have finished another one just because it is so good!

Looking for a souvenir?

I'm sure there are a few souvenirs in Paris... but this little store, right down the hill from Sacré-Cœur is wonderful, as is the owner. ArtPaul - Galerie et Atelier has some wonderful jewelry and other knickknacks. Get some fun artsy stuff from a real artist!

Fruits and Meat

And lastly, the Rue Doudeauville has amazing produce, just right outside our door. Some of most wonderful colors and smells all over the street. 

Rue Doudeauville Fruits
 

Every day seemed to be market day and the fruits are out, the people are out and the color is just amazing. And oh, there are as many butchers as there are fruit and vegetable vendors.

Well that sums up some of the 18th arrondissement places to eat, shop, and just wander around. So when you are visiting the Sacré-Cœur, wander down the steps on the Rue Maurice Utrillo and feast your eyes and senses on the colors of the 18th arrondissement. As a bonus you'll get better food at better prices!




 





 


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