3 nights in the 10th Paris

[SusanSeattle]

In June 2018, I'll have 3 nights in the 10th, staying at Soft Hotel. This is the start of a 3 week trip to Europe. After Paris, we'll spend a couple of nights in Reims and then meet up with Kathy Wood for her tour in Alsace. I've been to Paris several times and wanted to explore a different area of Paris & decided on the Soft Hotel. The reviews looked good for a budget hotel & it's a reasonable walking distance from Gare du Nord and Gare d'le Est, both of which we'll use.

We have a couple of restaurants closer to the Seine that we want to return to, but I'd love to get some recommendations for places to eat in the area that we're staying. I do have the Patisserie Liberte marked on my map. We are mainly interested in casual French food, for dinner looking to spend no more than 100 euros, with wine, for 2. For example, on our last trip we loved Juveniles wine bar and L'Orange on ile Saint Louis.

I've also never seen the Canal Saint-Martin & would like to explore it. The Square des Recoletts looks interesting with its bridges and locks. Is there another stretch of the canal that is worth exploring or is this a good area to get a feel for the canal?

 

[aap519]

We've been to the 10th arrondissement a few times, but haven't spent a lot of time there. Walking along the canal was enjoyable. There was one restaurant we really like called La Marine http://www.lamarinecanalsaintmartin.com/ I really like their nordique smoked salmon salad. Their menu is located here: http://www.lamarinecanalsaintmartin...ds/2017/06/MENU_LA-MARINE_CAFE_RESTAURANT.pdf Here's a few pictures I took:

 

[SusanSeattle]

Thank you! I am looking forward to having a new area of Paris to explore.

 

[Reporter]

La Pharmacie is about a 15-minute walk to the south. A converted pharmacy, as you might guess, it is run by a young staff with a commitment to refreshened bistro cooking. I think the menu changes fairly often. Small, so a reservation is a good idea. http://www.restaurant-lapharmacie.fr/en/
(That walk, by the way, is mostly along the canal, a bonus.)

 

[Cameron]

I've not stayed in that neighborhood, but have wandered around a bit.

HolyBelly at 19 rue Lucien Sampaix, is a great little spot for breakfast/brunch or lunch.

 

[SusanSeattle]

Both of these places look like fun. Thank you for the recommendations

 

[Parigi]

Excellent choice the 10th, especially around rue Vinaigrier.

All around you are great cafés and bars and boutiques with hip vibes. The area is no less charmging than the Seine area, but rue de Vinaigrier and the surrounding streets are more authentic and much less touristy.

Rue Vinaigriers, rue de Lancry, rue Beaurepaire, the 3 streets are near each other. They, and all their side streets, have many low-key hip boutiques and bars. The shopping is ace.
It's a great area to have breakfast or pre- or post-dinner drink.
Food-wise I'd go to the other side of the 10th, west of the two train stations Nord and Est. That side of the 10th has an insane concentration of good eateries.
My favorite casual good eats there are:
- Le Bel Ordinaire. Beautiful place. Small plates, excelent and light. But no reservation. I'd go at "non-French" hours to avoid the crowd.
- Mamagoto
- Le Comptoir Iodé.
Bistro Paradis and Le Mordant are good too. Except for Le Bel Ordinaire, these places should be reserved.

Don't forget you're just on the north side of the Place Répubique, so don't rule out Upper Marais, a much nicer and less touristy part of the Marais. Lunch at thge Enfants Rouges market is a wonderful experience. It has many stands. Get there around 12, not much later, to check out the vibes and choose your favorite stand. I like the couscous there.

Actually the 10th has my favorite market: Marché St Quentin. You may consider getting a heavenly roast pulet fermier and roast potato roasted in chicken drippings from Marcel devineau's stand. He also sells excellent farm foie gras. Then you take your picnic food back to Canal St Martin and picnic by the water.
Or you can eat (lunch) at the marché St Quentin. You can go to a fishmonger and ask him to open half a dozen or a dozen oysters for you (for a slight fee for the opening), and eat them at the tables and chairs set up there.
Marché St Martin is closer to you. The quality is slightly less than St Quentin. But you're talking to a very spoiled Parisian who si comparing A+ and A.
Paris market hours: closed Sunday afternoon and Monday all day. and everyday closed for lunchtime from 1pm to 4pm.

It may sound strange to recommend Vietnamese food in Paris, but don't let's forget Vietnam was a former French colony. Vietnamese food has its own vibrant scene in France. The Répu area has 2 Vietnamese food landmarks:
- Angéla's Banh Mi on rue Turbigo
- Song Heng for Pho, on rue Volta.

You'll have agreat time in the 10th, an up-and-coming gem of a 'hood.

Oops I forgot the Canal St Martin. Yes, beautiful, hip, wonderful shops and bars on both sides.

 

[SusanSeattle]

thank you Parigi, so looking forward to my time in this area.

 

[nukesafe]

I second La Marine on the Canal. We ate there often two years ago while staying in a nearby apartment, and found it a friendly spot with quite good food. Not fancy at all, but solid bistro fare. Also quite close to you is Le Verre Vole, just off the Canal, which gets very good reviews. We were less than thrilled because the night we were there they were slammed, and service suffered. Good food, though.

 

[nukesafe]

Whoops, Susan, I have to take it back. I just looked at the recent reviews for Le Verre Vole, and it does not look good. Paris by Mouth has taken it off of their recommended list (not something they would do lightly), and 20% of the reviews on TripAdvisor fall into the "Poor" or "Terrible" category. It is close to you, though, and might do for a late night glass of wine and a snack.