A little canteen snuggled up against the Montmartre steps, Soul Kitchen is a delightful café-restaurant overseen by three charming, inspired lady chefs – just the sort of place you’d want as your local. You’d come and drink a creamy coffee and read the news of a morning in the company of the local retirees, and come at midday to eat lunch in great company, choosing from excellent ever-changing menu of homemade recipes made with organic local produce. In the afternoon, you’d hang out with your laptop and a pastry, or just sip a good glass of red before heading on elsewhere.
There’s a birdcage from which dozens of paper butterflies are escaping, an old typewriter, a big bay window, trays groaning with food, pretty coloured furniture and a huge chalkboard menu. When we visited at lunchtime, we started with a comforting winter squash soup full of happily wallowing croutons, scattered with fried onions and accompanied by a sandwich of potted goose. There was also a fabulous ‘Granny’s pichade’, a thick pissaladière French pizza with tomatoes and pesto. Then two bowls of a beautiful, colourful pasta salad, followed by tarte tatin and fromage blanc with plum jam. All in gorgeous surroundings for €13.90 – it would be tough not to fall in love with Soul Kitchen.