4 Special Places Around the Louvre to Eat, Relax, & Discover
Around the Louvre, the streets are full of surprises. Step outside the museum and you’ll find spots that feel nothing like the tourist trail: quiet, creative, and worth the detour.
1. Lunch at 19 Saint-Roch
On a quiet street near Pyramides, 19 Saint-Roch offers a sharp break from typical lunch spots. 31-year-old chef Pierre Touitou builds each dish with just three ingredients, drawing from Japanese and Mediterranean influences.
The menu changes daily. You might find line-caught sea bream with grape vinaigrette and chili oil (€23), or Béarn smoked chili and satsuma ice cream (€8).
Seats are available around the stainless steel bar facing the open kitchen, or in a more secluded room overlooking the wine cellar. It’s simple, focused, and quietly refined.
19 rue Saint-Roch, Paris 1er. Métro Pyramides (7, 14)
2. Kure Bazaar: Latte and Manicure
Directly across from Place Colette and the Comédie-Française, Kure Bazaar combines a nail salon with a café in one of the most stylish setups in central Paris.
The brand’s nail polish is 90% biosourced, made from wood pulp, corn, cotton, wheat, and potatoes, and displayed like art on a giant apothecary counter.
You can get a manicure (€42), sip a chai, matcha or turmeric latte (€7), and nibble on rose cake (€5.50) while people-watching through the tall windows.
The vibe is clean and serene, with exposed stone walls and natural light.
165 rue Saint-Honoré, Paris 1er. Métro Palais-Royal (1, 7)
3. Irasshai: Japan in the Heart of Paris
Steps from Louvre-Rivoli, Irasshai is a Japanese food haven that blends grocery store, café, and boutique.
You’ll find soba noodles, organic vegetables grown in France from Japanese seeds, artisanal sesame oil, and an eye-catching selection of Japanese whiskies, sakés, and teas.
There’s a wooden counter for casual bites and a kissaba-style bar tucked inside. If you’re looking for a gift or something unusual to take home, the Japanese ceramic steamers (€230) are both beautiful and functional.
40 rue du Louvre, Paris 1er. Métro Louvre-Rivoli (1)
4. Saint-Eustache: Dhewadi Hadjab’s Art
Near Les Halles, the towering Gothic structure of Saint-Eustache draws fewer crowds than Notre-Dame or Saint-Sulpice, but it’s just as impressive.
Now celebrating its 800th anniversary, the church continues its tradition of showcasing contemporary art. Two large canvases by Dhewadi Hadjab have recently become permanent fixtures in the northern and southern vestibules.
They depict the conversion of Saint Paul, reimagined in a hyper-realistic photo style, complete with tracksuits and everyday surroundings.
It’s unexpected, bold, and fits seamlessly into the church’s tradition of mixing old and new.
2 impasse Saint-Eustache, Paris 1er. Métro Les Halles
Final Notes
This route packs a lot into a small radius. You get inventive food, an ethical beauty spot, a deep dive into Japanese gastronomy, and striking contemporary art inside a 13th-century church. And it’s all within walking distance of the Louvre’s glass pyramid.