Bar Hemingway
Cocktail bar — Quartier Vendome (Paris)
About
Nestled in the Ritz Hotel on Place Vendôme, Bar Hemingway is a legendary Parisian mixology sanctuary. Bearing Ernest Hemingway's legacy, this intimate 25-seat bar embodies French elegance with leather armchairs, vintage wood paneling, and a discreet atmosphere. Famous for exceptional cocktails crafted by talented mixologists like Colin Field and now Anne-Sophie Prestail, the bar offers iconic creations such as the Serendipity, Clean Dirty Martini, and Ritz Sidecar. A historically rich venue where celebrities, artists, and diplomats have gathered, offering a unique experience blending cultural heritage and cocktail artistry.
Mentions
Ritz Paris Reopens with Bar Hemingway Refurbished | The Hemingway Society
After a four-year and $450 million renovation, the Ritz Paris (www.ritzparis.com) reopened on June 6th. As part of the meticulous renovation, Bar Hemingway has been refurbished, now boasting updated carpeting and curtains, an overhauled lighting system, restored furniture, a heavier and more secure front door, and a few new pieces of memorabilia, such as more photos of Hemingway and letters from the writer to his wife Mary written on Ritz letterhead. Released alongside the reopening, director Zoe Cassavetes’s film Behind the Door offers a glimpse into the hotel and includes a teasingly short bar scene.
hemingwaysociety.org
Bar Hemingway - Bar Review | Condé Nast Traveler
First impression? There’s so much to look at inside this tucked-in and tiny bar at the Ritz Paris at Place Vendôme. No corner is left empty of a seat, and no wooden wall is left bare of quirky memorabilia, whether it’s boxing gloves, a framed airplane seatbelt, newspaper clippings, a dried shark’s jaw or business cards of regulars. Despite having received a facelift after a multi-million renovation, the place known for being liberated from the Nazis by author Ernest Hemingway retains its old-world charm with tufted leather banquettes and bar stools. Cool. So who’s there? Shortly after it opens at 5 p.m., the place is full of well-heeled tourists looking to sample a world-famous cocktail before heading out on the town. Regulars tend to come later, around 9 p.m.—and there are many of them. In fact, several like Charles Rivkin and Susan Tolsen, former U.S. Ambassadors under Barack Obama, are celebrated with their very own cocktail listed on the menu. (For these two, it’s a Ketel One vodka martini served in a lemon-coated glass.) You’ll see a mix of men in suits and ties, and men in (likely) expensive jeans and sneakers alongside women in anything from leather pants and heels to boots over skinny jeans and a fur vest. Whether dressed-up or down, they’ve all made an effort. How are the drinks? You come here for the cocktails, but stay for the conversation. The menu is full of twists-on-classics such as the Clean Dirty Martini, served with a frozen cube of olive juice, and the Ritz Pimms with, of course, many secret ingredients in addition to ginger ale, Champagne, and garnishes of fruit, cucumber, fresh mint and griottine cherries. After nearly three decades, Colin Field, one of Paris’s most celebrated bartenders, has passed the reins (and white dinner jacket uniform) to Anne-Sophie Prestail, who is just as talented at crafting made-to-order cocktails adorned with signature plush roses for the ladies. Worth ordering something to eat, too? These are bar snacks at their best—and they know it—since waiters dutifully refill the bowls of olives, almonds (occasionally warm!) and perfectly crispy chips without you having to ask. Cucumber water is also plentiful and there are two options for heartier meals: mini hotdogs or hamburgers. We tried the hotdogs, which come topped with both mustard and ketchup, in addition to caramelized onions. I’m not sure I’d say they’re “the best dogs outside a ballpark,” as listed on the menu since I tend to like my dogs chargrilled, but they sure were helpful in combatting the effects of that Clean Dirty Martini. Did the staff do you right? This is a full-service spot. No detail is forgotten (see: roses served with all drinks) and no water glass is left empty for longer than three minutes. As previously mentioned, they’re happy to give suggestions on the menu (and may even make you something that’s not on it). The host will even walk you as close to the bathroom as possible, without actually descending the stairs and opening the door for you. Wrap it up: what are we coming here for? This is a bucket list destination for anyone and everyone, whether you’re a group of co-workers, a mother-daughter duo, best friends, lovers, or a solo-traveling literature student. There’s no music overhead, but the buzzing blend of conversations makes for its own iconic orchestra. You’ll make friends while sipping world-class cocktails and leave full of epic stories you may or may not remember depending on how many of those Clean Dirty Martinis you’ve had. Read on for our full list of the best bars in Paris.
cntraveler.com
Bar Hemingway | VisitParisRegion
DESCRIPTION Sur la place Vendôme, écrin de la haute joaillerie, se tient le célèbre hôtel Ritz. Paris. Le palace abrite le bar Hemingway, temple des cocktails d’exception le plus couru de Paris. Son nom évoque des heures mémorables. Cole Porter pouvait y rester jusqu’à neuf heures par jour et y aurait composé Begin the Beguine. Francis Scott Fitzgerald y avait sa place attitrée et le fit connaître à Ernest Hemingway. Celui-ci, à l’instar de Gary Cooper, en avait fait son port d’attache parisien et y célébra la libération de Paris, le 25 août 1944, aidé de 51 dry martinis, selon la légende. NECTARS D’EXCEPTIONS Le charme perdure dans une ambiance de club gentleman anglais au décor resté intact, chaleureux et « habité ». Au mur : des lettres manuscrites datant de 1959 de l’écrivain américain, des gants de boxe, des couvertures de magazines avec Hemingway… Une autre légende mondiale en fit son fief : Colin Field, élu, à deux reprises, meilleur barman au monde par le magazine américain Forbes, et qui concocta, pendant 29 ans, pour les clients du Ritz Paris, les cocktails les plus inventifs, parfois improvisés, en écho à la couleur d’une cravate ou au gré d’une humeur. Le Serendipity, le Side Car, le Clean Dirty réveillèrent démons et dieux. La talentueuse Anne-Sophie Prestail et son équipe de mixologistes ont pris la relève, en mai 2023, de ces combinaisons spiritueuses envoûtantes. C’est avec beaucoup d’énergie qu’ils comptent bien perpétuer cet héritage et préserver, d’un mix de shakers inventifs et d’échanges humains attentifs, l’immortalité de ce lieu magique dont ils sont, chaque soir, les maîtres de cérémonie. Poursuivez votre tournée des bars à Paris Region Revenir à l'onglet description INFOS PRATIQUES JOURS ET HORAIRES D'OUVERTURE Toute l'année. Tous les jours de 17h30 à 23h30, sans réservation. Tapas jusqu'à 22h30. VISITES LANGUES PARLÉES * Français Revenir à l'onglet informations
visitparisregion.com