The New Yorkification of Paris is in full effect.
All across the French capital, Brooklyn Brewery signs lure you in to local pubs, I <3 Paris shirts are hawked and, in 2015, a Park Slope Coop is even slated to open in the city’s 18th arrondissement.
For New Yorkers looking for a home away from home in the winding streets of Paris, there are plenty of venues that are doppelgängers to some of our city’s best offerings (“croinut,” anyone?) but with a fun French flare. Paris’ Métro may close at 2 a.m., but the City of Light is plenty inspired by the city that never sleeps.
Paris’ answer to: THE BRUNCH HOT SPOT
Right off the hip Canal Saint-Martin is Holybelly, a chill coffee shop and restaurant that serves steaming mugs of locally roasted American java (and cold brew!). Brunch highlights include skillet eggs with side dishes including crisp bacon, sautéed mushrooms and hash browns as well as the famed pancake, bacon, fried egg and bourbon-butter stack. Like most NYC brunch destinations, it’s popular, so expect to wait your turn for a seat at the communal table. 19 Rue Lucien Sampaix, holybel.ly
Paris’ answer to: THE MEATBALL SHOP
Beef, lamb, chicken, pork and veggie meatballs are all available at Paris’ Balls Restaurant, along with sides like risotto, salad and polenta. Just like at The Meatball Shop, you choose your balls, sauce and side, but don’t expect any of TMS’ famed homemade ice cream. Servers bring out your food in black shirts reading “eat my balls,” which is probably funnier to nonnative English speakers. 47 Rue Saint-Maur, ballsrestaurant.com
Paris’ answer to: THE CRONUT
If you’ve woken up early to wait in line for the trademarked pastry, then a pilgrimage to The Hot Dog Corner may be in order. Its “croinut” — a mi-croissant, mi-doughnut hybrid — is readily available at the American-inspired food stand, which also offers your fix of 100% beef, New York-style franks. Multiple locations, facebook.com/hotdogcornerparis
Paris’ answer to: THE RAMEN BURGER
It didn’t take long for the ramen burger craze to cross the Atlantic. Fusion Asian eatery W for Wok (which, unlike here, is not a pop-up stand at a food festival) serves a version of the fried noodle sandwich called, of course, Le Ramen Burger. In it, the steak patty is slathered in sweet-and-sour sauce before being covered in greens and tucked in the ramen buns. In true NYC fashion, up to 20 are available per day, so reserve ahead. 12 Rue des Petites Ecurie; w4wok.com
Paris’ answer to: BROOKLYN BREWERY
Microbrewery French Beer Factory creates four of its own beers in-house. You can sample them on tap alongside a seasonal bistro menu including a foie gras-topped burger, a “Brooklyn” burger with salmon and a spinach salad with tomatoes confit. Guests can take a tour of the basement brewing facilities or even take a class to learn to homebrew. 176 Rue Montmartre, www.frenchbeerfactory.fr
Paris’ answer to: BEACON’S CLOSET
Go thrifting at Kilo Shop, an enormous bi-level boutique that organizes clothes by item. Hawaiian shirts? Striped mariners? Patterned old-ladyish skirts? Mom jeans? They’re all here. The shop’s main draw, though, is its pricing structure: Pay by the kilo! So the less fabric, the lower the price. Why should a crop top cost as much as a sweater dress, anyway? 69-71 Rue de la Verrerie, kilo-shop.fr
Parlez-vous français?
To walk the walk in Paris’ New York-y establishments, you’ll also have to talk the talk:
Borough — arrondissement
Locally-sourced — d’origine locale
Artisanal — artisanale
Organic — organique
Free-range — libre-gamme
Vintage — classique
Microbrew — microbrasserie
Hip — Três Brooklyn!
