The Parisian cafe is one of the great institutions of European urban life. At its best it is not just a place to drink coffee but a space to read, argue, think, and watch the city pass outside. Saint-Germain-des-Prés has the most celebrated literary cafes — Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots — though their fame means higher prices and more tourists than locals these days.
The most interesting bar scene has shifted east over the past decade. The 11th arrondissement around Oberkampf, Parmentier, and Bastille has the highest concentration of lively, unpretentious bars in Paris, catering to a young local crowd. The Canal Saint-Martin area in the 10th is good for afternoon drinks in the sun. Montmartre still has scattered authentic neighbourhood bars alongside the tourist cafes.
Wine bars (caves à vin) have multiplied in Paris and are often a better bet than restaurants for an informal evening: natural wine, charcuterie and cheese, no reservation required. The Marais and Saint-Germain have particularly good concentrations.
The Moulin Rouge and Lido de Paris offer a different kind of evening entirely — spectacular, expensive, and unabashedly theatrical.