Le ZigZag Café

In the heart of the no bar's land that is the 15th arrondissement, the ZigZag Café stands anomalously, its inviting terrace beckoning to the untrendy local crowd. What the bar lacks in setting it makes up for with affability: a crew of smiling bartenders ushers us in and guides us around the terrace and two indoor rooms – which, one insists, will fill up later on. The décor is a slightly awkward mix of vintage ephemera and jungle theme, while the playlist is strictly chart hits.

Things pick up with the expansive cocktail menu. The 20-odd varieties (€8.50 or €6.50 during happy hour) are complemented by a list of eccentric 'beer cocktails' – our Kasteelito (gin and cherry beer) certainly put the 'refresh' back in 'refreshment'. No surprises food-wise: unexceptional burgers, salads and bagels, together with rather overpriced tapas (€4–€7), are your only options. Hardly groundbreaking stuff, admittedly; but for want of a proper bar scene in the area, we can only be grateful for cheery watering holes like the ZigZag.