Fodor's Expert Review Rue Montorgueil
Rue Montorgueil was once the gritty oyster hub of Les Halles, but now lined with food shops and cafés, the cobbled street—whose name translates to Mount Pride—is the heart of one of the city's most culinary neighborhoods. History runs deep here. Monet captured the scene in 1878, when Montorgueil was ablaze with tricolor flags during the World's Fair (see the painting in the Musée d'Orsay). Honoré de Balzac and his 19th-century band of scribes frequented Au Rocher de Cancale at No. 78, whose famously crumbling facade has been painstakingly restored with gilt panache. Other addresses have been around for centuries: Stohrer at No. 51 has been baking elaborate pastries since 1730, and L'Escargot Montorgueil at No. 38, a favorite of Charlie Chaplin, is still graced by a giant golden snail evoking its most popular menu item. Relative newcomers include the luxury Nuxe spa at Nos. 32–34 and the Fou de Pâtisseries pastry shop at No. 45. The street extends onto Rue des Petits-Carreaux... READ MORE
Rue Montorgueil was once the gritty oyster hub of Les Halles, but now lined with food shops and cafés, the cobbled street—whose name translates to Mount Pride—is the heart of one of the city's most culinary neighborhoods. History runs deep here. Monet captured the scene in 1878, when Montorgueil was ablaze with tricolor flags during the World's Fair (see the painting in the Musée d'Orsay). Honoré de Balzac and his 19th-century band of scribes frequented Au Rocher de Cancale at No. 78, whose famously crumbling facade has been painstakingly restored with gilt panache. Other addresses have been around for centuries: Stohrer at No. 51 has been baking elaborate pastries since 1730, and L'Escargot Montorgueil at No. 38, a favorite of Charlie Chaplin, is still graced by a giant golden snail evoking its most popular menu item. Relative newcomers include the luxury Nuxe spa at Nos. 32–34 and the Fou de Pâtisseries pastry shop at No. 45. The street extends onto Rue des Petits-Carreaux just before Sentier métro, home to an outpost of excellent Breton crêperie Breizh Café at No. 14. Browse the boutiques on Rue Montmartre, which runs parallel, or shop for cookware at Julia Child's old haunt, E. Dehillerin, still in business at 18–20 rue Coquillière. Rue Tiquetonne is rife with bistros, and once sleepy Rue St-Sauveur became a destination when the Experimental Cocktail Club (No. 37) moved in, joined by other trendy eating and drinking spots. The diminutive Rue du Nil is a foodie haven, home to Frenchie restaurant (No. 5) and wine bar (No. 6) as well as Terroirs d'Avenir's locavore shops and Plaq (No. 4), known for bean-to-bar chocolate. Even the area around Rue d'Aboukir, once far scruffier, is now a hipster fave thanks to the arrival of American-style baked goods like Boneshaker's doughnuts (No. 86) and Cookie Love's cookies (No. 84), as well as brunch spots Echo (No. 95) and Maafim ( 5 rue des Forges).
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