Le Baromètre (CLOSED)

This is one of Time Out's 100 best bars in Paris. Click here to see the full list.

This unpretentious little bistro in the heart of the Marais is a good place for bacchanalian carousing. The chalkboard menu lists the sort of dishes a country French grandmother might have cooked, made with top quality products and accompanied by sophisticated local vintages. A glass of Montagne Saint-Emilion or Morgon Vieilles Vignes goes well with a gratin of andouillette (a strong-smelling intestine sausage), the house special of a hot streaky bacon tart, or deliciously tender faux-filet of beef from Salers. The fish is super fresh, with a choice of vegetables that varies with the daily deliveries. When they’re on the menu, we recommend the moist and savoury scallops, matched with a Pouilly Fumé. If you’re on a budget, a very respectable daily set menu is on offer at €13. If your lunch gets a bit debauched, make sure you still hold out for a digestif, a Grand Champagne cognac or a well oaked calvados from the Pays d’Auge area of Normandy. A great place that doesn’t mess with tradition.