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Number 5 of 20 in Paris

Bofinger

An Alsatian from Colmar opened a small bar near the Bastille in 1864 and kept buying the shops next door. The result is the most beautiful brasserie room in Paris.

The red front of the brasserie Bofinger on the rue de la Bastille.
Mbzt, CC BY 4.0
What it is
Brasserie
Opened
1864
Area
Bastille, by Le Marais
Nearest museum
Sainte-Chapelle, 1.7 km

Paris this week

    What Bofinger is known for

    1. The dome

      The main room sits under an oval dome of stained glass, patterned with flowers. Ask for a table under it when you book.

    2. The decoration

      The brasserie was rebuilt between 1919 and 1921 in the Art Nouveau manner: inlaid wood, tiles, brass, a curving staircase. The fronts, the signs and the interiors have been listed since 1989.

    3. The choucroute

      The house dish is sauerkraut in the Alsatian way, piled with sausages and pork, or in its own version with goose and herring. The other half of the menu is oysters and shellfish.

    What to know

    • Founded in 1864 by Frédéric Bofinger, from Colmar
    • Said to be the first place in Paris to serve beer on draught
    • Close to the Place des Vosges and the Opéra Bastille

    Where Bofinger is

    Address

    5-7 rue de la Bastille
    75004 Paris, France

    Nearest station

    Bastille, on lines 1, 5 and 8

    Museums and sights nearby

    Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.

    Alsace at the Bastille

    After 1870, when Alsace passed to Germany, many Alsatians came to Paris and opened brasseries, selling beer and the food of home. Frédéric Bofinger had come earlier, in 1864, and his house became the model for the rest.

    It grew shop by shop along the rue de la Bastille and was given its present decoration after the First World War. It has been a place for a late supper after the opera since the Opéra Bastille opened across the square.

    Bofinger: common questions

    Where is Bofinger?
    At 5-7 rue de la Bastille, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The nearest station is Bastille, on lines 1, 5 and 8.
    Which museums and sights are near Bofinger?
    Sainte-Chapelle is 1.7 km away, Louvre Museum is 2.3 km away, Musée d'Orsay is 3.1 km away. Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.
    What is Bofinger known for?
    The dome, The decoration, The choucroute. The oldest Alsatian brasserie in Paris, under a dome of stained glass, a few minutes from the Place des Vosges. Choucroute and shellfish in an Art Nouveau room.
    When did Bofinger open?
    In 1864. Founded in 1864 by Frédéric Bofinger, from Colmar.

    What visitors say about Bofinger

    Rating from Google

    4.4

    17,817 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 5 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

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