Holybelly

Holybelly opened on Rue Lucien Sampaix near the Canal Saint-Martin in 2013 and is widely credited, alongside a small handful of contemporaries, with introducing Paris to the modern, coffee-forward brunch café format that has since spread across the city. Founders Sarah Mouchot and Nicolas Alary built the concept around two commitments largely uncommon in Paris cafés at the time: genuinely well-sourced specialty coffee, initially built around Belleville Brûlerie beans roasted locally, and a savoury-leaning brunch menu drawing more on American diner traditions than the standard French tartine-and-croissant breakfast. The Savory Stack — fluffy pancakes layered with bacon, a fried egg, bourbon butter, and maple syrup — became something of a signature dish and remains one of the most photographed brunch plates in the city, while the Eggs & Sides format allows for a more customisable, savoury option built around perfectly cooked eggs and a choice of accompaniments. The café occupies a small corner space with large windows overlooking the canal-adjacent street, decorated in a bright, minimalist style that has since been widely imitated across Paris's newer wave of coffee shops. Because the restaurant does not take reservations for smaller parties and has built a loyal following well beyond the immediate neighbourhood, queues are a near-certainty on weekend mornings, sometimes stretching considerably down the block; weekday visits or arriving right at opening remain the most reliable way to avoid a long wait. The restaurant closes on Mondays and Tuesdays and operates as a daytime-only concept, serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch through mid-afternoon rather than extending into dinner service, reinforcing its identity as a dedicated daytime coffee and brunch destination rather than an all-day restaurant.