Vavin Café Artists / Artsy / Budget-friendly / Casual / Charcuterie / Chill / Family / French Food / Locals / Modern / Outdoor Area / Patio / Smoking Area / Students / Tourists / Writers / Café / French Restaurant / Brasserie

My Take: A hop, skip, and a jump from the Jardin du Luxembourg (and I have done all three), the Vavin Café is a modern twist on a classic French brasserie. The portions are larger than usual French fare, and the food is good quality and French—here was my first insurmountable cheese platter and my introduction to the world of foie gras, which is one of the best in the area though not the best in all of Paris. The Scene: Located prominently with an orange marquee on the corner of the Rue Vavin, Rue Brea, and Rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Vavin Café is no hole in the wall. A requisite row of chairs lines the outside so patrons can partake in people-watching and cigarette-smoking, the walls are mosaicked and colourful, and the staff a contradictory French mix of smiley cheer and crabby exasperation. Vavin Café opens early and stays open late, making it a perfect spot to come in and out several times a day if you’re in the area. Cocktails & Cuisine: Vavin Café has a bar, but cocktails aren’t typical. Much more typical are glasses of wine to accompany the meal. The menu is like that of a typical brasserie, with croque monsieurs, foie gras, and cheese plates. There is also a lovely selection of salads for the health-minded. Prices: Starters €6-15, Mains €10-25, Glass of wine €6, Café €3-6. What to Wear: Following typical brasserie mandates, no strict dress code is required, but you will be judged immediately as tourist if you arrive in sneakers. Make yourself marginally fashionable and you’ll fit in just fine. Insider Info/When to go: Vavin is buzzing in the evening and at nighttime, when everyone from families to stumbling tourists enter its open doors. Daytime and lunch are quieter, but full of students from the nearby Institut Catholique and a Lycée.