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At the corner of Quai de Jemmapes and Rue de la Grange aux Belles, the new Bisou bar mirrors the original venue on Boulevard du Temple in the 3rd arrondissement, which has been operating since May 2017. The formula remains unchanged: no predefined menu. Guests are invited to chat with the bartending team to receive a bespoke cocktail based on available ingredients and seasonal house-made preparations.
« We’ve been wanting to open a second bar for a long time. The chill vibe of Bisou really resonates with people. After Covid, we first looked for a venue in a touristy neighborhood to compensate for the fact that Parisians tend to leave the city in May, summer, and winter. We need both locals and tourists, » explains Nicolas Munoz, founder of Bisou. Ultimately, instead of choosing a spot in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, they went with a former coffee shop by the canal that already had a full liquor license.
Takeaway Bottled Cocktails
Unlike in the Haut-Marais, sipping drinks by the water is part of the culture near Canal Saint-Martin. With that in mind, the team installed two draft beer taps (Asahi and Guinness, €8 per pint to-go or 36cl on-site) and developed a new bottled cocktail line specifically for Bisou Canal.
« We wanted to replicate the Bisou concept, but we also needed a takeaway option. In a way, it allowed us to create a sort of menu, » says Nicolas Munoz.
Three 50cl cocktails are available exclusively for takeaway. Two stronger, non-carbonated options—Kumquat Margarita and Strawberry Negroni—are priced at €32 and serve five drinks. Additionally, three carbonated cocktails are available for €26 per bottle (four servings): Brown Butter Colada, Chardonnay Pornstar, and Rhubarb Spritz. Non-alcoholic options are also offered at €21, including the Strawberry Negroni, Pornstar Spritz, and Rhubarb Spritz.
A Bold Design Approach
The design choices at Bisou Canal are anything but conventional. “We had a few scares working with the architect, but in the end, we went with the flow,” jokes Nicolas Munoz. On the ground floor, a dedicated takeaway window complements a stainless-steel bar and hefty stools. Upstairs, a bold circular bench—resembling a large ottoman—invites guests to gather around small tables. The project was overseen by design agency Mur-Mur.
The new venue employs five people, bringing the total staff across both bars to about fifteen. A small outdoor terrace is set to open soon at Bisou Canal, while the original Bisou on Boulevard du Temple already enjoys plenty of outdoor seating.