Le Bazar Egyptien Bar / Bazaar / Restaurant

Bastille / Oberkampf - 11eme, Paris –

A captivating little spot to escape the typical French bar scene, Le Bazar Egyptien is a casual, international drinking den and restaurant with a completely authentic feel – from the food to the limestone walls right down to the costumes of the wait staff.

Adding to the bar’s genuine feel is the bazaar just inside the entrance, which offers imported products like sauces and spices from Turkey, Morocco, and Egypt for the regular crowd of expats who drop in for a taste of home.

In the main dining area, the golden engraved tabletops, complex color patterns on the walls, and modern Egyptian paintings create an enchanting, exotic ambiance in which to savor a delectable menu featuring tajines and Moroccan wines, which in-the-know young tourists always follow-up with a few puffs from the venue’s traditional hookah pipes.

Middle Eastern music, funky lighting, and tiny cascading waterfalls in the small back bar, meanwhile, make it easy for casual couples to lose themselves in the luxurious sofas and sample the aromatic shisha tobacco.

Le Bazar Egyptien will probably never win any awards for culinary genius, but for anyone looking to enjoy a smoke, sip some tea, or just relax after dinner, the bizarre bazaar is a perfect place to hang with peers amid a peaceful haven.