Set back from the boisterous Rue Blanche, this pocket-handkerchief bolthole is the epitome of an authentic Parisian café. The tables are so tightly packed, it may feel like you are dining with rather than next to your neighbours. Irrepressibly cheerful, Pauline and Vincent Da Costa (former second chef of Bruno Doucet’s Régalade) pamper their guests with nosh that hits the spot every time: field to fork market-fresh seasonal ingredients. Fine food without the fuss. The lunchtime menu is a steal.