Le Barlu

While some venues around the Canal Saint-Martin might be better-known or buzzier, Le Barlu’s sunny yellow canopy will likely be the one with a seat for you and a friendly waiter on hand for a tranquil break by the water. Perfectly positioned next to the MK2 cinema just beyond La Rotonde and facing full on the canal, the interior is equally appealing – a big, light room with furniture in bright ’60s colours. Cooking is straightforward but bang on – salads, burgers, pizza, pasta, cheese and charcuterie, plus a deli counter with homemade cakes and biscuits.

Students eat for €6.90 at lunch, while the à la carte menu runs from around €7 (a starter salad of quinoa, feta, pomegranate and mint) to around €15 for a burger or steak tartare. All in all, a cheerful, unpretentious place that offers the best of the canal-side setting with no unnecessary frills.