Cafe de Paris

This bohemian hangout can be a bit cramped with cagey artists, unkempt canines, wirey writers, and b-list beatniks - especially at night - but that's why we go there, afterall. In the afternoons you can sometimes catch an air of that infamous French snootiness, but the staff is still much friendlier than a Parisian train station ticketseller, and Cafe de Paris is a predictably popular hangout for foreigners and ex-pats. The 'scaffold bar' on the street out front is a great place to have a brew (with exactly two friends) and people watch, and there are plenty of ideal spots inside to extend that pinky finger and sip a cafe au lait, catch up with an old friend, or keep to yourself and get some reading done. The menu is limited, but the daily special is reliably tasty, as are the grilled sandwiches. Bon appetit.

In spite of being a "French" place, it has good coffee indeed. It is popular with students and the youngsters. It has character, never mind a counter consistently dirty, and I found the restroom to be a bog.