Our Adopted Cafe in Paris...Cafe L'Atelier

In April, I took my wife and kids on our first European vacation. Our first stop was Paris, and I was determined to explore Paris' cafe culture. We decided not to stay in a part of the city overrun by tourists, and instead opted for one of the historical centers of the cafe scene, Montparnasse.

Le Select, Le Dome, La Rotonde and La Coupole are probably the most famous cafes in the area. Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Pablo Picasso frequented these establishments decades ago. We ended up adopting a cafe right next to Le Select called Cafe L'Atelier as our neighborhood cafe of choice during our week-long stay. It pulled us in with it's bright red exterior and less stuffy atmosphere than the more historical cafes nearby, and the good food and free wi-fi connection kept us going back daily for either a meal or simply an espresso and a croissant.

We had our first lunch in Paris at Cafe L'Atelier, and I opted for their signature sandwich. It's a delicious combination of sliced beef, aioli and crusty baguette served with pommes frites (that's what they call fries). I'm not sure if it was the sandwich itself or because I was enjoying it during my first lunch in Paris, but that was one of the most satisfying sandwiches I've ever eaten.

My wife went the salad route, with a mixed green salad served with a vinaigrette and poached eggs served on little toasts cut to be perfect little beds for the eggs. It was also delicious.

Want to do it like the locals do? Save money by bypassing the tables and standing at the bar. Everything is a little cheaper at the bar.

Cafe L'Atelier is located on the north side of Boulevard du Montparnasse, just west of Boulevard Raspail and is open 24 hours.  Oh, and they make a pretty awesome omelette for breakfast, too.

Cheers!
Druu