Paris is not often associated with the world’s most popular beverage. France is understandably overshadowed by its neighbors, Belgium (the rest of the world is also catching up to this prolific beer-producing country) and Germany.
But if you know where to look, you’ll find breweries and craft beer bars tucked away in between the classic French bistros and romantic wine bars. From American-style IPAs to traditional Belgian beers, there’s a nice selection of establishments to try brews from across the globe and even a few produced within the confines of the City of Light.
If you’re planning on drinking your way through Paris’s underrated craft beer establishments, you might not want to be lugging the bags around. With locations near buzzy neighborhoods and dining hotspots, Bounce offers travelers a secure and convenient way to store your bags in Paris for a few hours (or more).
Here are the best places in Paris for drinking beer:
The Best Breweries in Paris
Maison BAPBAP – 11th Arrondissement
This small-ish operation’s reputation is one of the best in Paris, evidenced by the popularity of its beers on draft at bars and bottles on shelves around the city.
BAPBAP’s Originale Pale Ale is one of the more ubiquitous local craft beers, and you’ll have an easy time ordering two or three when you pop by this cozy corner brewpub. The other selections?
Perhaps not as approachable, there are heavy IPAs and inky stouts packing punches you’ll have a hard time forgetting. Like what you tasted? Head next door to Hop Malt Market to buy a few bottles to bring home.
Paname Brewing Company – La Villette
One of the most popular corners of Paris is the 19th Arrondissement, which is situated further from the tourist-heavy city center while still being accessible via metro. It’s where actual Parisians live, which makes sense given the walkable streets and wonderful canals that link up with the magnificent La Villette Park.
Trendy restaurants and stylish cocktail bars are everywhere, but one of the better spots to drink is this friendly (but cool) brewery taproom just off the Canal de l’Ourcq. You’ll find flavorful but approachable options on their tap list, as Paname focuses on the styles that just about anyone could enjoy. Still, there are coffee stouts and aggressively-hopped IPAs on offer for the heads.
La Brasserie Fondamentale – Pigalle
Head to any upscale grocery store or bodega and you’ll find the sleek LBF logos on bottles and cans, but this brewery actually has bars across France. Their outpost in the intriguing Pigalle neighborhood encapsulates the vibe and brand of the brewery perfectly, with an approachable but elegant space serving more than a dozen selections from their impressive lineup of American and European-style beers.
It’s not massive, and the comfortable space is well-suited for a fun date night or afternoon beer after shopping through Pigalle’s boutiques. The food offerings are more geared towards nibbling rather than a full meal.
Microbrasserie Balthazar – 20th Arrondissement
Tucked away in the 20th near Cimetière du Père-Lachaise (where tourists flock to admire the grave of Jim Morrison), this classic craft brewery has set time a sidewalk patio and small bar at their brewing facility where they serve their hay IPAs alongside some wood-fired pizzas.
Best beer bars in Paris
- Le Bouillon Belge: If you want a place to have a few pints on the cheap, you’ll be able to find a pub serving the mass-produced Kronenbourg 1664. If you want a comfortable and inviting place to try delicious European beers for a couple of euros each, Le Bouillon Belge has bargain prices for top-quality European beers. The bar also frequently hosts live music, trivia, and beer-tasting events and has a neighborhood vibe that’s hard to find in other parts of Paris.
- La Fine Mousse: Bringing together the coziness of a French wine bar and the unbridled beer-nerd enthusiasm, this is the ideal place for trying cutting-edge beers from Europe’s top breweries alongside a few timeless classics from Belgium. There are 20 selections on tap, but the list of bottles and cans runs incredibly deep and can be paired with food at the upscale sister restaurant next door.
- Le Supercoin: Tucked away in the 18th just north of Gare du Nord Station, this no frills pub is clearly not expecting any tourists. The proprietors of this zany establishment have combined their passion for craft beer with their love of pop culture. Whether it’s the punk music blaring from the speakers or the constant movie references, Supercoin is a quirky place to dig through France and Europe’s top craft offerings.
- Hoppy Corner: Your quintessential craft beer bar, this OG spot in the 2nd Arrondissement has been slinging pints of specialty beer for well over a decade, which explains their expertly-curated list that keeps up with the times while honoring the traditional European styles with the reverence they deserve. It’s about a 15-minute walk from the Louvre. So if you’d rather spend three hours drinking craft beer than standing in line, you know where to head.
- Brewberry Bar: Walking around the Latin Quarter and Left Bank, you’d be surprised to find a craft beer bar nestled between chic bistros and designer stores, but Brewberry Bar is here to serve thirsty travelers leaving the Luxembourg Gardens or Montparnasse. This approachable, if geeky, beer bar focuses on curating a “greatest hits” beer menu from French and European producers. You’ll find trendy IPAs and wonderful Belgian-style classics and even something more drinkable for post-sightseeing refreshment.
- Mikkeller Bar Paris: While Mikkeller couldn’t be more Danish, their sleek pub in Paris has taken its Scandi-minimal aesthetics and adapted it to Parisian aesthetics to present one of the most stylish drinking establishments in the city. With a wide catalog of inventive American-style craft beers at their disposal, Mikkeller Paris carefully curates 20 taps for its Parisian customers. Enjoy the vibe? There are dozens of other Mikkeller locations around the world to check out on your next trip.
