The brunch restaurant that taught Paris to take breakfast seriously, operating from a corner on Rue Lucien Sampaix near the Canal Saint-Martin where Australian-American owners Sarah Mouchot and Nico Alary serve pancakes with bacon and eggs, shakshuka with harissa, and Belleville-roasted coffee to a weekend crowd that queues with the patient conviction of people who know the wait is justified. Holybelly arrived in Paris at the moment when the city's food culture was ready to accept that brunch could be a meal rather than a marketing exercise, and the execution — fluffy pancakes, runny eggs, strong coffee, simple but excellent cooking — set a standard that the many brunches that followed have struggled to match. The room is bright, the service is warm, and the coffee is roasted by Belleville Brûlerie, which means the espresso programme is treated with the same seriousness as the food.
Location
10th, Paris
Insider Intel
The pancakes with bacon and eggs — the dish that built the reputation. The shakshuka with harissa is the alternative if you want heat. The Belleville-roasted coffee is serious and should be ordered as an espresso or flat white to taste the roast properly. Weekend brunch is the main event but the weekday options are equally good and less crowded.
Weekend brunch — arrive by 10am or expect a queue. The Canal Saint-Martin location means a post-brunch walk along the canal is the natural continuation. Weekday mornings are calmer and the food is identical.
No reservations — walk-in only. Weekend queues form early; arrive by 10am. The Canal Saint-Martin location is near Jacques Bonsergent métro. Brunch plates €12-18. The coffee is roasted by Belleville Brûlerie and is excellent. The most Australian thing in Paris, and that is meant as a compliment.