BEST CRAFT BEER IN PARIS
Looking for the best craft beer in Paris? Here are the best microbreweries that will make any craft beer enthusiast right at home. From traditional to more hipster inspired Paris has plenty to choose from and since the French are famously creative, expect to find some unique beers worth sampling. The craft beer movement continues to grow in Paris with more breweries launching in Paris and all over France but we have cherry picked the ones where you can actually sit down and enjoy the beer (rather than visit where they brew it). So here are our top picks!
1) PANAME BREWING COMPANY
Located in the trendy La Villette area in the northeast of Paris (Laumiere or Ourcq metro stops), Paname Brewing Company is the undisputed champion. It’s located right on the water at Bassin de la Villette (a large canal) and is spacious with both indoor and outdoor seating. Paname offers a great selection including their famous Barge Dun Canal IPA and their Oeil du Biche (Deer’s eye), which is named after the tattoo that distinguished members of Les Apaches, a gang that ruled the streets Paris during the Belle Époque. To top it all off, staff are always helpful and the ambiance is excellent. The only downside is that there is only one in Paris!
Paname Brewing Company website
2) MICROBRASSERIE BALTHAZAR
Located in the east of Paris near the Pere Lachaise cemetery, this microbrewery has outdoor seating and is a fun spot to chill with friends. They brew tons of different craft beers and manage to pull off some delicious blends which could definitely win awards, such as a lovely crisp Pilsner and an Apricot infused Belgian style brew. If you’re not sure which one to drink, you can order a sampler (or two).
3) BAR DEMORY + L’INTREPIDE
Bar Demory is the official bar for Demory Paris beers, an excellent brand of beer proudly brewed in Paris. While Bar Demory is large and located in Les Halles, its sister bar, L’Intrepide, is located in the SoPi area (near Montmartre) and is more of a dive bar so you have two good options by the same owners to choose from. We prefer Demory since there is more seating. While they don’t do flavoured beers, they have a good variety of classics like IPA (the Intrepide IPA) as well as a refreshing Pilsner called Astroblonde.
Bar Demory and taproom website
4) BRASSERIE DE LA GOUTTE D’OR
This microbrewery in the north of Paris ( 18th) in the Goutte d’Or neighborhood and brews a variety of quality craft beer. They brew some uniquely flavoured beers like one with jasmin tea and another with lemon that tastes like a lemon-meringue pie! Many beers are seasonal but they always have a nice variety on tap. The venue itself is super minimalist with simple tables and lighting but makes for a good time once people start pouring in.
5) FROG PUBS
Frog pubs are comfortable, spacious and offer their own quality brews. There are 8 Frog pubs around Paris and most have “Frog” plus the name of location in the title. They offer a great selection of all core varieties of beer: nothing too outlandish, just quality ale, stout, lager and IPAs. Frog pubs are all classic British style pubs with a French twist, and each one is fairly well-managed. You can also catch football (soccer) and other sports here since most have TV screens.
6) LBF
Founded by two friends, Marc and Martin, Le Bar Fondamental (LBF) is tucked away just from the main avenue in Pigalle, just south of Montmartre and a stone’s throw from Le Moulin Rouge. They have a huge selection of home brewed craft beer to choose from: 15 awesome varieties on tap just waiting for you to sample. Their Pale Ale and Hefeweizen are excellent!
7) BBP PIGALLE
Located in the trendy SoPi (Southern Pigalle) area, Belgian Beer Project (BBP) is a microbrewery which brews all the classics from IPAs to Belgian style craft beer. Their Passion fruit and Mango brew is delicious! Food-wise, things get a bit confusing since they serve tacos, hot dogs, French fries and all kinds of American bar food. That said, their food isn’t bad so no complaints on that front. We recommend the tacos with the mango beer.
Belgian Beer Project Pigalle (BBP) website
There are all kinds of beer bars you can visit in Paris. Besides the excellent microbreweries list above, we also recommend the Parisian-style gastro pubs where you food is meant to be washed down with excellent beer. They mainly serve craft beer, both tap and bottles, and cook up excellent yet simple food that creates an beer-oriented, gastronomical experience. Or you can go for a good ole fashioned British or Irish pub. Paris has many excellent pubs that have been around for decades and are still staffed by expats.
Finally, if you’re looking for a good deal, you can purchase the Paris City Card which includes a cruise along the seine via Bateaux Parisiens, Louvre museum access plus access to the Eiffel Tower and an audio guide (app). And if you have a kids or just looking for something a bit more relaxed, the Paris Family Fun Pass, which includes access to the Paris Zoo (world class and not to be missed!), Gallerie D’Evolution at the Natural History Museum (skip the line) and the Grevin Wax museum. Click below for more details!