Mokonuts

Mokonuts is a small all-day café near the Nation end of the 11th arrondissement, run by Moko Hirayama and Omar Koreitem — she bakes, he cooks lunch and manages a thoughtful natural wine list. The café has developed a devoted following among Paris's food community that is disproportionate to its size; part of the reason is the cookies. Moko's chocolate chip and olive oil cookies, baked fresh each morning, are among the most discussed pastries in Paris — chewy at the centre, barely crisp at the edge, flavoured with high-quality chocolate and good olive oil — and have attracted pilgrimage visits from chefs and food writers from around the world. The rest of the baking is equally considered: fougasse with seasonal toppings, labneh toasts, and a selection of daily pastries that integrates Middle Eastern and Japanese influences into a French base. Lunch consists of a short written menu of perhaps three dishes — always involving Omar's Lebanese-French sensibility — complemented by natural wines chosen with the food in mind. The room is small, unfussy, and warm; a handful of tables and the easy rapport between the team and their regulars give Mokonuts its distinctive neighbourhood atmosphere. Opening hours are limited: Tuesday through Saturday from 09:00 to 15:00 only. The most reliable strategy is to arrive early for pastries, which sell out quickly, and to reserve for lunch.