Tucked into a 17th-century hôtel particulier on the tiny rue Marie Stuart, La Cave de Martin has been pouring natural and international wines alongside homemade tapas for over a decade. Martin and his sommelier-trained team guide you through a globe-spanning wine list while you graze on seasonal planches and small plates — the kind of place where you drop in for one glass and stay for three.
Sommelier-trained team pours globe-spanning wines alongside homemade tapas in a 17th-century stone-walled cave near Étienne Marcel.
Arrive right at 19h opening on weekends — the small space fills up fast and they don't take reservations for small groups.
A sommelier's wine bar with real neighborhood soul
La Cave de Martin is the kind of wine bar you stumble into on a Tuesday evening and end up closing down. Set in a 17th-century hôtel particulier on rue Marie Stuart — a blink-and-you-miss-it street near Étienne Marcel — the place has real character: stone walls, warm lighting, and a convivial buzz that fills up quickly after 19h. Martin and his team are trained sommeliers, and they genuinely love guiding you through the carte, which spans French classics and more adventurous international picks. Don't be shy about asking for recommendations — that's half the fun.
The food is homemade and meant for sharing. Think seasonal tapas, charcuterie and cheese planches, and the occasional burger that surprises you by being genuinely good. Reviewers consistently praise the quality of the boards and the attentive service, especially for group celebrations. It's not fine dining, and it doesn't pretend to be — it's a neighborhood wine bar done right, where the wine does the heavy lifting and the food keeps pace.
The main catch: it's small and popular, so it gets packed, especially Thursday through Saturday. They're open Tuesday through Saturday only, from 19h onward (until 01h30 on weekends). No lunch service, no reservations drama — just show up early if you want a table, or be prepared to stand and sip, which honestly isn't a bad way to experience the place.