Looking for brunch in Paris?

Let’s help narrow that brunch search down. An important part of everyone’s Paris food planning should include a good brunch spot (if you are of the brunching persuasion).

Sunday is the most popular day for brunch, so lines can be astronomically long. Since it’s the day for all brunching Parisians, you should take advantage of a leisurely Tuesday or Thursday brunch if you are in Paris during the week.

That way, you can avoid some long, long waits. 

Without further ado (did anyone know that this is how you spell that phrase), I present to you, my top picks for the best brunches in Paris:

HolyBelly

No surprise here. HolyBelly has long reigned supreme as queen of the brunch game. Here are my brief points regarding HolyBelly, my number-one favorite brunch spot in Paris:

1. It meets all your breakfast and brunching needs – eggs, bacon, pancakes, lunch-y things, all done supremely well.
2. Excellent coffee – check
3. Fun, buzzy atmosphere – check
4. Friendly service -check
5. Usually a line. Because it’s good. And they don’t take reservations. The line on the weekends will of course be the worst, and yet still worth it. If you can go on a weekday, then go on a weekday.
6. The Savory Stack: Pancakes with two fried eggs, bacon, maple syrup, and bourbon butter. My favorite breakfast dish of all time, not to build it up too much. Mama. 
7. The softest, creamiest scrambled eggs of all time. The stuff dreams are made of.

There’s not a lot more I can say that I haven’t already said here and here. HolyBelly is my all-time favorite brunch spot in Paris. I cannot fault them except for that they are so popular, you’ll have to wait in line. (Otherwise, I’d go more often). 

Whether you’re craving pancakes, eggs, salad, or all of the above, they’ve got something delicious for you. HolyBelly is the Queen of Paris Brunch. Bow down. 

I mean, go, wait in line, and then bow down. 

Note from HolyBelly’s website about rush hour and wait time:

During the week (except for school holidays and bank holidays), the rush hour tends to be between 11am and 2:30pm. If you come outside of that window, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting a table. Even if there’s a small queue out front, it’ll move super fast. On weekends, school holidays and bank holidays, the wait time can reach 45 minutes between 11am and 2:30pm. There is often spare tables after 3pm and the kitchen is open until 4pm! The smaller the group, the shorter the wait.

Open daily 9am-5pm (Last order 4pm)

Breakfast and Lunch served all day. Check website for summer and winter closures.

Zia 

Zia is a beautiful, bright little space just down the way from the Eiffel Tower, where they serve things like Dutch baby pancakes with fried eggs, bacon, and Comté, an enormous breakfast burrito (a rare find in Paris) with spicy Santa Fe enchilada sauce, or avocado toast with a poached or fried egg, cucumber, chili flakes, sorrel, and sesame seeds.

Let’s go back to the Dutch baby pancakes. This is the same thing as a Yorkshire pudding in the UK, yet it is neither a pancake as you’d normally think of it, nor a pudding (unless you’re British).

Dutch baby pancakes are made of pancake batter placed in a thin layer into a searing hot cast iron pan so that they puff up. They are then baked to a soft and crispy texture and topped with a variety of deliciousness.

At Zia, you can get them with bacon, cheese and a fried egg; or cherry tomatoes, red onion and goat cheese with an egg; or a sweet version with crème fraiche, homemade jam, fruit and maple syrup.

They also serve good coffee, craft beers, and natural wines.

Season (Two Locations)

Bright healthy salads, avo toast, eggs, pancakes, bacon, latte with coconut milk…Chef’s kiss. Could go daily. Great lunch options as well.

SEASON MARAIS

• ADDRESS: 1 rue Charles François Dupuis 75003 Paris
• PHONE: 01 42 71 52 97
• METRO: Temple ou République
• OPEN: Daily, 7/7 de 8:30am – 7pm
• No reservations

SEASON AMELOT

• ADDRESS: 67 rue saint Sabin 75011 Paris
• PHONE: 01 48 06 10 97
• METRO: Saint Sebastien Froissart
• OPEN: Mon-Fri 8:00am – 3:30pm
  Sat & Sun 9am-5pm
• No reservations

Paperboy

Speaking of breakfast sandwiches, that is my favorite thing to get at Paper Boy. If you are in a breakfast sandwich mood, then head to Paper Boy.

Paper Boy is busy on the weekends and calm on weekdays. I ordered the breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese, and pepperoni. And while I normally don’t go for pepperoni in the morning, I was feeling something meaty.

The egg was perfectly cooked so that the egg yolk poured out in loving tribute when cut, the bread was clearly griddled on each side to give it that crisp buttery goodness, and the whole thing melded together to hit the spot. I also appreciate that they serve this with a side of fresh greens to brighten things up. Quick, easy, hit-the-spot brunching. 

Where Else to Eat a Great Paris Brunch…

I’ll admit this is a hard category because it doesn’t even touch on the epic brunches you can have in Paris. Fancy hotel brunches, for example, which needs its own list. I’ll throw a few more in that are especially popular:

Cali Uptown – Palm Springs-inspired café offering brunch staples like avocado toast and homemade granola​

B.O.U.L.O.M – Known for its extensive all-you-can-eat buffet with a variety of dishes and desserts

Café Méricourt – Popular for its mix of international flavors, including full English breakfasts and spicy shakshuka​

Les Bariolés de Maud – Famous for its colorful grilled sandwiches and nearly seven-day brunch menu​

Echo – Offers L.A.-style brunch dishes, including gluten-free and dairy-free options​

Why all these Cali inspired spots when we’re in Paris? The truth is, Parisians tend to do a quick coffee and croissant, or a bit of baguette with butter & jam. Voilà. These more substantial brunch spots tend to come from other corners of the world.

Knock yourself out, and remember: Savory Stack with bourbon butter. 

Still looking for more? Additional details on some of these, pluse additional restaurants on this other list of best Paris brunch spots.