The quays of the Vieux Port are lined with cafés — pleasant for an afternoon glass of wine but not always the place for a serious drink. For better atmosphere, walk into the old town. La Boucherie de la Renaissance, an old butcher's shop converted into a wine bar on the Rue Saint-Sauveur, has the best wine list in town. The Cave de la Guignette on Rue Saint-Nicolas does a long list of local Charentais ciders and the eponymous Guignette wine cocktail.
Late-night drinking happens around Cours des Dames and the Rue du Beurre. In summer, the Francofolies festival nights bring outdoor stages and pop-up bars across the Vieux Port. The Café de la Paix, on Place de Verdun, is the classic place for an early-evening apéritif and a plate of olives.