It’s not hyperbole to call Holybelly an OG Paris brunch spot. The hipster hangout opened in 2013, well before Paris joined the global brunch wave, and temporarily spawned a second location on the same block. Though that second location is now closed, the original space stays busy all day every day with a menu that features three of our favorite things – brunch dishes, desserts and specialty coffee.
During our brunch time visit, it didn’t take long for us to recognize that Holybelly serves some of the best pancakes we’ve eaten outside of America. Daryl is convinced the cafe stole the recipe from his former (now closed) favorite brunch spot in Philadelphia. However, to be clear, Holybelly doesn’t just serve one kind of pancake.
Pancake purists can opt for a stack of plain pancakes served with “good butter” and organic maple syrup. And, while that simple stack is surely good, we went a different route by ordering two different stacks – one savory and one sweet
Holybelly calls its savory stack a star and we don’t disagree. Topped with fried eggs, bacon, bacon salt, bourbon butter and maple butter, it’s a veritable party on the plate. And, while some people add sautéed mushrooms in a feeble attempt to make the dish healthy, we added homemade hot sauce instead.
Holybelly’s sweet stack may not achieve star status but it’s still popular thanks to toppings that include seasonal fruit, roasted hazelnuts, whipped cream and organic maple syrup. And, in case you’re wondering, we didn’t add any hot sauce to this stack.
Both locals and tourists queue to eat brunch at Holybelly every day of the week. But food isn’t the only thing worth waiting in line for at Holybelly…
While Holybelly doesn’t roast its own beans, it sources coffee from quality roasters like the local Brulerie Belleville and Denmark’s April Coffee Roasters. During our visit, we drank excellent flat whites crafted with Ethiopian beans sourced from the iconic Berlin coffee roaster The Barn. Next time, we’ll probably order at least one of the cafe’s signature epsresso tonics.
Pro Tip
Don’t miss Holybelly’s hot sauce if you order a savory dish. You can buy a bottle to take away if you love it as much as we did.
Holybelly is located at 5 Rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010 Paris, France.
4. Sunday in Soho – Classic Paris Brunch Spot in the 2nd Arrondissement
** Important Update – Sunday in Soho has permanently closed. **
We don’t blame you if you approach Sunday in Soho with a bit of trepidation. This is Paris after all. Why on earth would you want to eat brunch like you’re in NYC or London?
Whether you (or we) like it or not, there’s a growing market for cafes like this all over Europe. However, unlike in other cities, Paris’ dedicated culinarians totally get it.
We spotted the restaurant’s delectable looking cinnamon rolls the minute we walked through the door. The cinnamon spiraled beauties, generously topped with a creamy glaze, looked more like something from a Denver diner than a Paris cafe. We immediately ordered one, later learning that it’s the cafe’s signature pastry.
Discover more great cinnamon buns around the world.
We then focused on menu items like avocado toast, Greek yogurt and the kind of pancakes that should be a model for any European restaurant attempting to serve an American style brunch in Europe. You guessed it – we ordered pancakes too.
A typical American would think that pancakes are a no brainer but they would be wrong. We’ve tasted all conglomerations of European brunch pancake disasters from pancakes with the syrup inside (gasp) to red velvet pancakes (blechh!!). Sunday in Soho’s owners, Isabelle Cote and Alieu Terry, spent a decade in the states and have attempted to bring the kind of brunch experience they enjoyed when they lived in NYC.
Sunday in Soho’s pancakes are as good as any American pancakes we’ve eaten in Europe and better than most. They’re golden brown, buttery and fluffy. And they’re served properly – with a bottle of maple syrup on the side and with a pretty arrangement of sliced apples, bananas, strawberries and blueberries on top. A piped dollop of chantilly accompanies the hot stack since this is Paris after all.
Sunday in Soho also serves solid sandwiches like its ‘southern belle’ fried chicken sandwich that’s topped with a sunny side up egg on a brioche roll. There’s also a full service bakery where we couldn’t help but notice red velvet confections among the baked items on display. We’re pleased to report that they were in the bakery area where they belong.
Pro Tip
Upgrade your brunch to include unlimited mimosas if you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply because you can.
Sunday in Soho was located at 7 Rue Saint-Marc, 75002 Paris, France. It has permanently closed.
