A Beer Tourist’s Guide To…Paris
In recent decades, beer lovers have had a challenge in France as most people there are really focused on drinking wine, but I think we can all agree that wine ultimately tastes like a small handful of grapes that have been squeezed into a cup of acid.
Fortunately, it’s 2025 and grain is making a long-awaited renaissance in what once upon a time, a couple of hundred years ago, was a thriving beer scene. Breweries in France today are dotted around the country and, you’ll be shocked to hear, located especially up near Belgium. The brewery options in the city of love itself are limited, but craft beer bars are plentiful and maintain the delight of typical Paris wine bars, just…with loads of beer. A shoutout goes to fellow beer writer Anaïs Lecoq for sending us in many a right direction for the guide below.
One crucial factor for us day-drinking Brits to be aware of is that almost every venue opens only by night, with 5-6pm being most common, so you can still enjoy eating a disgusting amount of cheese the museums first. A final note that the relative sparsity of good beer to good wine in the city means that a pint of top indie beer will set you back 9-10 Euros, whereas a glass of vintage Pinot Noir from Bordeaux will be half of that. But remember, grapes and acid – yuck! So off you go, and stick to half pints if your wallet starts to feel as tight as your shirt buttons after too much brie and baguette. Allez!
Perfect for…brewery lovers: Les Cuves de Fauve
Starting with the premiere brewery in the Paris city limits, Fauve (originally from the southern city of Montpellier) is churning out beer of all styles with aplomb and shows no sign of slowing down. This large, suave, modern brewpub has their own freshly made beer along with an extensive food menu, and brunch on weekends. It’s a fun, bright spot with space for groups, and that friend who “didn’t come to Paris for beer”.
Perfect for…canalside views: Paname Brewing Company
The other major brewery in Paris, Paname sits on the bank of the Bassin de la Villette, right at the northern tip of the stunning Canal Saint-Martin. It has a spacious inside, but the outdoor deck is the moneymaker, an absolute joy to behold on a summer’s afternoon. They have moved much of their production to a larger site on the edge of the city, but some of their beer is still brewed on site and their food menu is extensive. As scenic a spot as it gets.
Perfect for…an early tipple: La Binouze
A key beer temple of the city, La Binouze sits awkwardly between several neighbourhoods you’re unlikely to visit, though not too far from the Eurostar train station Gare du Nord. It is worth the diversion. The USP at La Binouze is that it is open from midday most days, whereas everything else on this list opens far later. It has a very healthy selection of French beer in cans and bottles to drink in or takeaway, and its taplist of 12 beers is a joy to behold. It is bigger than most of the other bars on this list, laid out with socialising in mind, and is reminiscent of a modern US craft beer bar. The vibe is always buzzing with beer aficionados consistently rolling in and out, and a very friendly, informed staff team facilitating.
Perfect for…the best beer France has to offer: Carburant
This is the epitome of a rustic, no-frills Parisien drinking hole, with none of the charm of a wine bar but all of the bustle and then some. Its slightly narrow opening hours (check Google maps for accuracy) and capacity for only around 40 people mean it is consistently busy with jovial drinkers, and that’s without mentioning the beer list. Despite featuring “only” ten taps, Carburant has the best lineup across any venue on this list, with every beer of high quality and a focus on the very best of indie French breweries. They also have a substantial Mezcal list for your friends.
Perfect for…bottles to take home: A la bière comme à la bière
Primarily a bottle shop, ALBCALB (not typing the whole thing out again sorry) is a play on words, the essence of which translates to “may as well have a beer”. It lives up to the statement, a huge selection of bottles and cans filling fridges and adorning its shelves. French options abound among the international hype imports (a bizarrely large amount of Polly’s, from Wales) and for drink-in has three taps and a cute little back area with a couple of sofas. The staff are extremely knowledgeable, so ask for recommendations and you won’t be disappointed with your Eurostar tipples for the way home.
Perfect for…chatting at the bar: La Fine Mousse
This quaint neighbourhood bar on a quiet residential street invites you to step in and be transported into pure Parisien chic. Among low ceilings and soft, ambient music you will find twenty taps (about 1/3 French) and a delightfully warm, sociable atmosphere, with the team more than happy to dish out tasters and start conversations around the different styles on offer. Sit at the bar and you could get stuck here for a while.
Perfect for…happy hour: Liquiderie BAR
Over in the up-and-coming Belleville area, Liquiderie BAR has a 12 beer taplist, though international beers can sometimes dominate the local Français offerings. It also has a very healthy array of natural wines, so again file under “you can bring your friends here”. It’s a medium sized and rustic feeling environment that is consistently busy yet somehow quite relaxed, and will have you people watching all evening long. They also have a bottle shop, Liquiderie CAVE, quite nearby.
Perfect for…hipsters: La Ruée vers l’Orge
A tale of two halves at this Marais-located establishment. Upstairs, a beer nerd gathering is sure to greet you, with cans and bottles scattered chaotically all over a small, shop-like room as local hipsters hustle and bustle to share and compare beers. Downstairs, however, lies an unexpectedly atmospheric cavern, with two low lit, romantic rooms and plenty of seating for you and the more chilled-out hipsters to sit and enjoy whatever you procure from the nerd bit up top. An unusual setup, but one that caters to everyone.
Perfect for…good beer in the tourist district: Hoppy Corner
The Paris edition of that classic grungey, kinda metal, indie beer bar that exists in almost every city worldwide these days. They have 12 taps ranging across all sorts of funky styles, and while its location near the tourist district mean it’s less of a local gem, you won’t go thirsty.
Honourable Mentions
Kilomètre Zéro
Bright and airy, though full of *those* benches with no backs, Kilometre Zero is a new kid on the block with big ambitions. They will start brewing their own beer on site in early-2025 and currently have a short but sweet tap list of harder to find French beers, with a very friendly and knowledgeable owner.
I.B.U Petites Écuries
Lower key than many of its peers here, I.B.U. is worth a visit if you are in the multicultural Château d’Eau neighbourhood. Ten taps of mostly French indie beer make it a worthwhile stop, though not somewhere to go out of your way for. Such is the quality of the Paris beer bar scene in the mid-2020’s, I.B.U. would have stood out as magnifique in 2018 but now firmly sits as ça va.
Bières Cultes Châtelet
A tiny beer shop in the heart of the tourist district, the prices reflect its location. Nevertheless, if you are around Châtelet and need something to stroll La Seine with, this will do the trick.
Know another top indie-beer focused spot in Paris? Let us know!
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