Brunch on a Terrace in Le Marais: The Art of Savoring Paris When the Weather Turns Warm

There is, in Le Marais, a particular way of waiting for spring. We watch for the first sunbeams on rue de la Verrerie, we bring out the tables, we open the doors. It’s the sign that terrace brunch season has begun — and that at Hoct&Loca, we’re about to serve Le Marais under an open sky.

Le Marais on the terrace, feet in the pedestrian street

Our terrace opens onto one of the neighbourhood’s most beautiful pedestrian streets. No cars, no horns: just the footsteps of passers-by, the bells of Saint-Merri ringing close by, and the silhouette of the Centre Pompidou closing the perspective. The tables are set beneath the trees, in the shade of the leaves as the sun climbs higher, and birdsong replaces the rumble of the city. Le Marais, here, is lived slowly.

It’s probably the finest way to have brunch in Le Marais: settled outdoors, the sun on your back, a hot chocolate steaming in front of you. On warm days, you order your coffee in a low voice so as not to drown out the murmur of the neighbourhood waking up. The staff know their regulars; newcomers, more often than not, leave as regulars themselves.

A chocolate brunch in three acts, served under the Parisian sky

Our all-inclusive brunch unfolds in three acts. It’s a menu we designed for epicureans — those who like to take their time, especially on the terrace, especially when the sun is out.

First, the main course. You choose the side that calls to you: terroir duo (ham, comté cheese) or a vegetarian option. A savoury waffle with salmon and avocado, a cheese tartine, a French toast. Everything is fresh, local, in season.

Then, the tasting of six chocolates. It’s our signature: six origins with distinct profiles, presented one by one, melted in the kitchen so that you can choose your favourites.

Finally, the serving of your chosen origins in the form you prefer: as a hot drink (chocolate or coffee), in a ramekin to dip fruit and pastries, or as a coated ice cream. The brunch stretches out, the sun turns slowly along rue de la Verrerie, and no one is really in a hurry to leave.

Six chocolates, six profiles, melted at 42°C

The secret lies in a single number: 42 degrees. That’s the temperature at which our six chocolates are kept melted throughout the service. At this precise warmth, cacao reveals the whole spectrum of its aromas — fruity, woody, roasted, milky — without ever burning the palate.

Our six origins:

• Daloa70 — Dark, intense and elegant. For lovers of pronounced cacao.
• Paraiso66 — Dark, bright and tangy. A beautiful aromatic freshness.
• Caraïbe41 — Milk, tender and cacao-forward. Perfect balance.
• Noisetté — Milk, smooth and gentle. Deeply comforting.
• Dulce de leche — White, soft and melting. Like a dessert to drink.
• Chocolate of the month — A creation from the chef. A new recipe each month.

That’s the advantage of brunch at Hoct&Loca: you don’t choose a chocolate — you taste cacao in all its diversity, and you leave knowing exactly which one speaks to you. For those who want to go further, we’ve also written a guide to artisanal hot chocolate in Paris detailing each of our origins.

Book early: the art of a chocolatey morning

One thing to know about brunch on a terrace in Le Marais: the outdoor tables go fast. We recommend booking — and, if possible, early.

We’ve imagined a small reward for early risers. For every all-inclusive brunch booked at the 10:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. slots, you receive double the chocolate already included in your menu. One ramekin? You’ll get two. An ice cream, a hot chocolate, a coffee? Same thing. The morning deserves more than a simple wake-up.

It’s also the moment when the street is at its most beautiful: low sunlight on Le Marais façades, shopkeepers raising their shutters, the smell of coffee mingling with melted chocolate. A brunch in Paris 4 at that hour, on the terrace, is a small Parisian luxury that costs nothing but a little anticipation.

Hoct&Loca in Le Marais, since 2018

Hoct&Loca opened its doors in 2018, in the heart of Paris 4, after a long chocolate journey between Quebec and France. Martin Amyot, the founder, travelled the world to find the flavours that make up today’s menu. His team — as passionate about chocolate as he is — accompanies you through every tasting.

For almost eight years, Le Marais has awakened to the scent of our chocolates. And every spring, the terrace reopens — faithful to the appointment, for those who know that to truly brunch in Paris, you also have to do it outside, on a pedestrian street, just steps from the Centre Pompidou.

Want to come and try?
Our all-inclusive brunch is served every day, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Book your table — and don’t forget the terrace on warm days.

BOOK NOW