The Most “Saint-Germain Summer” Terrace: Fellows Saint-Germain-des-Prés

The terrace. Right alongside the Marché Saint-Germain—which is to say, right in the heart of the neighbourhood—a generous collection of tables competes for shade beneath the arcades and sunshine in the second row. The slightly cheeky stainless-steel tables gleam in the sunlight, the crowd is effortlessly young and friendly, and as the day draws to a close, the legendary Ali Akbar turns up to sell his newspapers, calling out the headlines to passers-by.

The food. True to the spirit of summer—no need to overthink things here—the menu revolves around generous portions of handmade, vegetarian pasta, with no shortage of bold ingredients and rebellious sauces. The standout? The Cacio e Zaatar, a Levantine, sesame-infused take on the classic Cacio e Pepe.

Full sunshine: Homemade lemonade and iced tea, prices that won’t break the bank, and the Clear Mai Tai—made with rum, orgeat syrup, lime and pastis—which packs quite the punch. Plus, the energetic service.

Shady spot: The supposedly legendary iced chocolate-and-almond rock dessert, which had mysteriously disappeared from the menu that evening. Judging by the thing itself, perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Fellows Saint-Germain-des-Prés
2 Rue Félibien, 75006 Paris
No phone reservations. Open daily.
Average spend: €25–30

The Most “Sunshine in Your Pocket”: Le Pont Traversé

The terrace. Emily in Paris could easily make this one of its next favourite spots—and, for once, we wouldn’t blame her for claiming a tiny corner of it and turning it into the next big thing. The charming old-fashioned façade, sitting at the intersection of two streets, spills a handful of little tables onto the Left Bank.

The food. This one is worth keeping an eye on for its coffee-shop spirit, serving breakfast and light lunches built around clean, straightforward and vegetarian recipes, all designed for leisurely grazing: green salad omelette, avocado and egg with vinegared rice, a quiche that’s not quite a quiche, and savoury tarts that aren’t quite tarts either. Desserts are inevitably gluten-free, but certainly not lacking in indulgence.

Full sunshine: The listed “historic monument” façade; a charming Saint-Germain neighbour who reminds us that the building was once a butcher’s shop and later a bookshop; and the Jardin du Luxembourg, just a stone’s throw away for when you take your lunch to go.

Shady spot: We would have loved to see this place in full summer-evening mode, but sadly, it’s closed by then!

Le Pont Traversé
62 Rue de Vaugirard, 75006 Paris
Tel.: +33 (0)1 45 44 60 15
Open daily, 9:00 am–7:00 pm
Average spend: €20–30