There’s a quiet, magnetic pull to the bar seat. I’ve been answering it for years, in cities far away and just down the street, ever since that first time over a decade ago when my heart raced at the strange thrill and intimidation of dining alone.
I’ve felt it while traveling solo, as an observer looking in from the outside. I felt it back in New York, waking up early to claim a coffee shop window seat before work. And I felt it often this summer in Paris, with months of unstructured time stretching ahead of me, leaving me alone at the bar at midday, while my friends were anchored to their desks.
There’s something uncanny about being solo in a public space built for company—alone but never lonely.
Just last weekend, my friend Shawne and I lingered on this exact topic, swapping notes on our favorite bar seating in Paris—the perches where we love to have a glass of wine and a few dishes alone at the bar.
I have a rule, a holdover from my journalism days, that if a conversation lasts more than three minutes, it’s probably worth writing down. This one—about bar seats, solo meals, and Paris as a city that lets you disappear in plain sight—was bound to end up in this newsletter.
What I love about bar seating is the warm murmur of conversation just behind me, and the theater of the frenetic yet controlled choreography of a kitchen at full tilt. The way the staff greets a solo diner with a mix of pride and something close to tenderness, a touch more attentive while I drift in and out of a book. Other bar-sitters and the staff tend to talk with me more when I’m alone, my handbag strap dangling over my knee when there are no hooks for it.
Shawne and I traded stories about the places we love to do this—spots in Paris where you’re rarely rushed and can decide whether to chat with other patrons or retreat inward into your own company.
Below, you’ll find the map and a list of the bar seats we mentioned in our conversation. It’s by no means exhaustive, and please forgive my rudimentary design skills. The map isn’t quite to scale, but it should still lead you to the right places.
There are plenty more bar seats worth seeking out in Paris, and I hope you’ll add your own favorites in the comments!
Who knows? Maybe this map will find someone who’s looking for a quiet-loud night to themselves, playing the main character in their own Paris story.
Bar seats on the map above
Soces (75019). Convivial neighborhood spot with a solid wine list and fantastic fish dishes.
Paloma (75020). A cozy spot where you can sit in the window and people-watch. The lunchtime set menu changes daily, offering one entrée, plat, and dessert for just 16 euros—a rare steal for Paris!
Dandelion (75020). Way out in the 20th, tucked into a cozy corner of a plaza. Warm lighting, creative small plates.
Taverna (75011). Greek flavors through a Parisian wine bar lens. Don’t miss the spicy feta dip.
Comer (75010). One of the few places where I love being a regular. Seasonal Mexican menu, eschewing tacos for enfrijoladas, huaraches, and even the occasional birria.
Stéréo (75009). A cozy listening bar near Pigalle, with records spinning and funky natural wines.
La Cale (75019). Styled like a boat inside, with small plates and plenty of wine.
19 Saint Roch (75001). A sleek, minimalist bar with a direct view into the kitchen, letting you watch every dish prep before they hit the pass and the seamless ballet of the team.
Sanukiya (75001). One of my favorite udon spots in the city—virtually no line on a weeknight.
Doki Doki (75002). Sushi set menu with hand rolls served at a sleek marble and wood bar.
L’Avant Comptoir du Marche (75006). Boisterous and open on Sundays. Hardcore meat dishes—blood soups, fresh sausages—of varying sizes ranging from snack to full meal, with a communal butter mound and bottomless helpings of cornichons.
Pantobaguette (75018). A Japanese-French fusion spot, low-key and beloved in the 18th. One of Kyle’s favorites.
Monaco (75013). Far out in the 13th, with vintage furniture from casinos and arcades. Open day and night, serving inventive small plates (still dreaming of the braised leeks, stracciatella, and bottarga) and wines. Friendly, welcoming staff.
L’Orillon (75011). One of the buzziest spots in the 11th, with highly seasonal small plates (the haricots coco with labneh and chili oil was memorable) and long hours from lunch through dinner.
Honorable mentions that didn’t fit on the map
Goûte (75002). A casual, unfussy wine bar in an area that’s usually pressed for space.
La Boissonnerie (75006). A reliable go-to in the 6th with a thoughtfully crafted fish menu.
Hando (75006 and 75001). Handroll joint with a polished hinoki wood bar and pastels in the 6th and the 1st.
Colchide (75009). The Pigalle outpost of this beloved Georgian food restaurant. It’s one of mine and Matt’s back pocket picks for date night.
Les Enfants du Marche (75003). Tucked inside Marché des Enfants Rouges. A modern classic, and rightly so.
Leave your favorites in the comments!
Bar seats I loved in other cities in recent memory
S&P (New York). Pure soda fountain nostalgia. I’ll always make time for a tuna melt on rye and a lime rickey.
Harju 8 (Helsinki). A free-form natural wine bar with substantive dishes and no assigned seating or table service, giving the place an organic feel. On the night I was there, there was live jazz and chatty bar-sitters.
Way Bakery (Helsinki). Part wine bar, part pasta-bakery, with a chic crowd all day. The window perch wraps around the entry area, making it perfect for a solo outing.
Saru Handroll (SF). Set menu handroll restaurants can be ideal for grabbing a solo meal if, say, you’re trying to decompress from a conference and have an hour or two to yourself.
Coffee Movement (outdoor area) (SF). Leftover from the COVID days, the not-so-temporary patio at the Nob Hill Coffee Movement gathers regulars in the morning crowd. They chat with each other and read the paper, and grabbing a perch seat means you and an excellent cup of coffee can too.
Mattina (SF). The spacious bar by the open kitchen is ideal for a solo pasta lunch, with a great view of the friendly cooks at work.
El Cisne Azul (Madrid). Gruff barman, oozy egg over sautéed mushrooms, wine crafted to pair with said mushrooms, and a crowd that doesn’t care about your existence—in the best possible way.
I would also add L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon! intimate but great for people-watching
and don’t get me started on the food…
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