Anyone who walks in here immediately sees what it’s all about: baskets full of freshly baked sourdough bread and shelves lined with bottles of natural wine. Levain et le vin isn’t a café or restaurant, but an artisanal bakery and shop all in one, catering to locals who want to pick up something delicious to take home.
Every day, sourdough breads and other baked goods are made here using traditional fermentation methods. That means taking the time to let the dough develop, so the bread can develop its texture and flavor. The focus is on sourdough: a crispy crust, an open crumb, and that subtle tang you can only taste in real sourdough bread. In addition to loaves, other baked goods also come out of the oven, all made using the same artisanal approach.
On the other side of the store are the bottles of natural wine. Levain et le vin deliberately selects wines from smaller producers, with as little intervention in the cellar as possible. The selection varies, but always centers on low-intervention wines that pair well with the bread: products that clearly come from artisanal production rather than mass production. You can simply take the bottles home with you, just like the bread.
On the other side of the store are the bottles of natural wine.
Food and city guides often mention Levain et le vin as one of the go-to spots for sourdough bread and natural wine. As such, this small bakery plays a prominent role in the rise of artisanal bakeries and specialty shops in the city. It’s a place where two worlds come together: carefully fermented bread and carefully selected wine, both meant to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace at home.