2012 has been the golden age of burgers in Paris.  In 2013, let’s bite into to the original Parisian casse-croûte : the crusty sandwich made of baguette – that’s what we do best out here, isn’t it? Many cool restaurants have recently opened annexe shops – called épicerie, cave or bar à vins, which prepare fresh snacks made from exclusive ingredients. No need to stuck to the jambon-beurre, open your big mouth to innovative combinations.

58 Qualité Street : Polytechnician sandwich

This place has nothing to do with the famous purple box of chocolate candys- despite the weird pun of its name. It’s the annexe of Sylvain Sendra’s restaurant Itinéraires. You can sit inside and enjoy a plate of fine charcuterie or take away your patanegra’s sandwich for a chic picnic at the next-door Ecole Polytechnique. Come back for the dessert, the homemade ice-creams are worth the lick.

58 rue de la Montagne Sainte Geneviève, 75005 Paris. Métro Maubert Mutualité.

L’Epicerie du Verre Volé : DeLuxe Ingredients

Le Verre Volé – a bistro-cave on the Canal Saint Martin, dedicated to natural wines is proud to present its épicerie, surrounded by jars of pickles, big hams and piles of the very best ingredients of the French regions- which are the base of the sandwich you’ll get if you arrive early enough… Choose one of the sandwich of the day and enjoy it on the big wooden table, watching Julien Besson, the passionate sandwich-maker filling the baguette with beef pastrami, olive caviar, pimientos del piquillo, sweet onions…

54 rue de la Folie Méricourt, 75011 Paris. Métro Oberkampf.

Le Bougainville : With a glass of pif

Take place on the pistachio green zinc and order le Bougnat (cured ham, Laguiole cheese and rucola) along with a glass of robust Côtes du Rhônes.  All the products come directly from small producers of Auvergne, the native region of the bistro’s owner. Le Bougainvillé is often packed but the fauna is pretty quiet, a mix of old regular customers and the Bourse workers, sipping their wine and tripes with their newspaper. 100% authentique.

5 rue de la Banque, 75002 Paris. Métro Bourse.

Verjus Sandwichs : American tour

The restaurant Verjus– pretty sophisticated, is hidden rue de Richelieu but you’ll enter its Bar à vins from the rue de Montpensier. It ‘s the perfect place to invite your American date for lunch. The cellar-like room is small and quiet – just some “yum-yum” whispered between two tiny bites. There are only three sandwiches on the menu, all irresistible with their exotic names: Mr Chang’s buns, Bakesale Betty and Midnight Cuban. Along with a ginger beer, the buttermilk fried chicken will make you nostalgic of an unknown Betty from Oakland, CA.

Photo Credit :  Diane Yoon

47 rue de Montpensier, 75001 Paris. Métro Pyramides.

Mmmozza : The white balls show

Laura’s Vetruccis’s shop is a temple to the handmade mozzarella. The window is full of different types of the white voluptuous cheese from Campania: mozzarella di bufala- of course, scarmoza (smoked mozzarella), burrata (mozzarella with a melting rich heart) etc. The soft mozzarella goes along pretty well with the crunchy baguette, sandwiched between two slides of Tuscan mortadella, seasoned with olive oil and Italian pickles. There is very little space inside, so if the sun’s shining, take away carefuly your juicy sandwich to the little parc around the corner.

57 rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris. Métro Art et Métiers.

article: Claire Nouy http://lescaptures.com