My tastes in dining out in Paris tend to move in waves. One moment, I’ll be super into the classic bistro; the next, I’ll be all about small plates. One day, I only want craft beer paired with my food; the next, all I want is natural wine: and this is where I am right now.
Natural wine is wine made with minimal sulfites and with endemic yeasts; fans of natural wine find it to be a much better expression of terroir than other wines, that have been treated with sulfur and may have had other yeasts added to them. But choosing your own natural wines, especially as someone unfamiliar with them, can be a feat.
Luckily, there are some truly exceptional places to sample these wines in Paris; le Barav’ is one of them.
This wine bar’s name comes from the Parisian habit of shortening words: from le bar à vin comes le Barav’. And this isn’t the only typically Parisian thing about this bar. Doted with a gorgeous sidewalk café, le Barav’ is the perfect address to have under your belt in summertime, to sip rosé (or skin-contact natural orange wines) in the warm weather.
Food-wise, le Barav’ boasts an ever-changing menu of small plates (including an exceptional aligot), but it also has a few staples: charcuterie and cheese abound, and the baked Saint-Marcellin with honey depicted above is a real treat.
Of course, the wines are the star here: if you discover anything you like while sitting on the terrace (after, bien sûr, being counseled by the extremely knowledgeable staff), you can always pop over to the cellar right next door to buy a bottle (or two) to bring home.
Le Barav’ - 6, Rue Charles-François Dupuis, 75003