Clair / Obscur

Let there be light! Gone are the false ceilings and dark walls, as the medieval tavern look of the two beer bars that used to occupy this corner of the Châtelain neighborhood have disappeared under the white paint of the Woodpecker family (who are behind the brunch spots of the same name, a few guinguettes, and even The Tiger). In memoriam, the bar still lines up a row of 10 brushed aluminum pumps – but the spirit has certainly changed. Beer geeks in search of IPA have been replaced by cool thirty-somethings bottle-fed specialty coffees by Toulouse-native Thomas Guillochin. From dawn till dusk, this place inevitably casts a wide net: invigorating pancakes topped with fried bacon to get you going; a retro sandwich (on long “piccolo” bread from Yves Guns) stuffed with pulled pork at lunchtime; moist chocolate-crusted banana bread for a snack; and if you’re still around, sausage and mash (sourced from Spek&Bonen) as an evening meal that gets the job done right. Don’t forget to turn off the light behind you on your way out. // Salty Lychee

FEELING THIRSTY? Local drafts (Brasseries de l’Ermitage, La Source, Surréaliste… from €2.50 to €4.50 for 250 ml) and wines that don’t mess about, like Depuis le Temps, a Languedoc white from Guilhem Barré at €7.80 a glass), same goes for the cocktails (Spring Awakening with gin, mint, lime, cucumber, €12), or the excellent house bissap (€4).
PRICE: Plates €8 to €13.50 (breakfast), €13 to €15.50 (brunch Saturday and Sunday), €8-16 (lunch), €5-15 (dinner), sweets €3.50 to €6.