What should I drink? A pint.
At the heart of the Château Rouge quartier, L’Olympic Café is a cultural magnet, partly because of the cosy concerts in the basement. In partnership with the Lavoir Moderne Parisien, the tiny theatre on the same street, you can see concerts and plays for just €5 if you live locally.
The programming is quite experimental and crosses a broad range of styles. If you want to try before you buy, the show is projected on giant screens upstairs (on silent). The walls are often adorned with photo exhibitions and the Olympic Café’s Senegalese fare is inimitable: yassa chicken, plantain bananas, braised chicken and the mafé, which is free on Wednesdays. We’re big fans.