La Main Noire

After concocting various nice infusions and teas for Parisian cafés, Ludovic, Quentin and Ryan opened up La Main Noire, just a stone’s throw from Montmartre cemetery. A coffee shop for anyone dying of hunger (unfinished walls, waxed concrete, greenery), where you can savor dishes that change daily, including a vegetarian-friendly option – eg.: smashed chickpeas with sautéed shiitakes and oyster mushrooms, pickled red onion, za’atar and powdered hummus. The day we went for lunch, we had slow-roasted pork that melted like butter in the mouth, chorizo oil, cauliflower purée, roasted carrots and an œuf parfait; a delicious bowl combining marinated quinoa, flash-seared trout, chorizo, goat’s milk feta and carrot chips; plus a vegan “egg” as the outstanding side, made from potato purée with a breaded shell plus a runny yolk made from “feta” (with secret ingredients) and a magical turmeric paste… And it’s all homemade, of course! For dessert? Carrot cake, sweet potato cake or peanut butter cookies, provided by the artisanal pastry shop Wone – until they set up their own baked goods operation. On the weekends, brunch takes over: fried eggs and marinated bacon, brioche French toast, butternut squash whipped cream, grilled clementines, etc. // Gaëlle Vieillefon

FEELING THIRSTY? Just wait and see: excellent coffees from a micro-roaster (€2.50 for an espresso, €3.80 for an oat milk latte), an incredible “sticky chai” that’s been cooked in honey to preserve the flavor, and golden paste milk … (€4 for an infusion, €5 for a latte).

PRICE: Mains €10-14, sides and desserts €2.50 to €4.50. Brunch for around €25.