Le Syndicat
Cocktail bar · Porte Saint-Denis ·
Inventive cocktails exclusively using French spirits and ingredients
Inventive cocktails exclusively using French spirits and ingredients
"A speakeasy-style bar known for its playful cocktails made with French spirits." - Lane Nieset Lane Nieset Lane Nieset is a travel writer from Miami who has lived in France for the past decade. From Paris, she covers a mix of lifestyle, wine, food, and design for publications including Food & Wine, Condé N
"At Le Syndicat, you’ll never forget you’re in France, since this bar in the 10th only serves French spirits, mixers, herbs, and juices. There’s also no pretense, no fancy seating, or wall decorations—there’s not even a sign from the outside. But in a bold decorating move, copper centimes and various types of currency are stuck to the ceiling. The low lighting can pose a bit of a problem when you’re trying to read the drink menu, but just sit at the bar and chat with the bartender about your favorite spirit and they'll do the rest." - tanisha townsend
"At Le Syndicat, you’ll never forget you’re in France, since this bar in the 10th only serves French spirits, mixers, herbs, and juices. There’s also no pretense, no fancy seating, or wall decorations—there’s not even a sign from the outside. But in a bold decorating move, there are copper centimes and various types of currency stuck to the ceiling. The low lighting can pose a bit of a problem when you’re trying to read the drink menu, but just sit at the bar and chat with the bartender about your favorite spirit and they'll do the rest." - Tanisha Townsend
"The outside of this bar is so nondescript—with graffiti and posters covering the doors, which are devoid of any signage—you may walk right past it. But once inside you'll feel as if you've entered a recording studio circa 1977. There's an unfinished, raw feeling—from exposed sheetrock on the walls to the sound proofing on the ceiling to the gold curtains sectioning the small space. The focus is on drinks made exclusively from French spirits and liqueurs. Case in point: on one visit, the bar was serving "Drop the Beet," made with Normandy Calvados, beet purée, honey syrup, and fresh lemon juice (it's super beet-y and practically a meal in itself!) and the "Saix en Provence" made with brandy from Armagnac, spicy watermelon syrup, and lavender essence." - Sara Lieberman
"A Parisian bar devoted to showcasing French spirits through inventive, often dairy-forward cocktails that use clarification techniques to tame bold flavors. Its Gettin' Milky with Nut combines Roquefort, curry, gin, milk, and walnut vinegar; by using a milk-punch clarification (adding milk and blue cheese to an acidified spirit mix), curds and whey separate and leave a silky texture with a subtle, restrained blue-cheese note balanced by curry and walnut vinegar. The venue runs a seasonal rotating menu highlighting French produce (recently fig, tomato, and asparagus), features other cheese-focused drinks such as a G.O.A.T. topped with goat-cheese mousse, and positions itself with a patriotic mission to protect and modernize French spirits, per creative director Thibault Massina, with new cheese cocktails continually in development." - Alexandra Owens