This ain’t your granny’s drugstore. The shiny Drugstore Publicis sits in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe (133 Ave des Champs Elysees) and serves as a one-stop upscale shop for books, food (both sit down and to go), drinks, cigarettes, movies, magazines and more. I’ve passed this place countless times and never been moved to try any of its offerings, assuming – given the locale – it would be overpriced and pretentious. Recently, Kim and I found ourselves stumped for a nightcap spot in the area and stopped onto their airy terrace expecting nothing more than a mediocre drink and a bit of girlie gossip.

Once we looked at the menu, we realized that this might be an unexpected hidden cocktail gem. First off, they have a long list of martinis on offer – including a classic dry. Cocktails, at 14 Euros each, fall under several categories: shorts, longs, champagne-based, and after- or befor-dinners. Alongside the typical Bloody Marys and ti punch, some in particular that caught my eye as more unusual for Paris were the negroni, Pimm’s cups, mint juleps and a pink gin, which I don’t think I’ve ever seen on a Paris cocktail menu. Finally, their list of 15 different gins (including a genever and without a Gordon’s in sight) sealed the deal and we decamped from the terrace and headed in for a front row seat at the bar.

While the outdoor area is nice, in a rather nondescript way, the inside is brightly lit, clean and modern with its sleek white counter tops, neon light touches and flashing screens. Surprisingly it feels slightly dated even though it was remodeled not long ago. But I’m cool to ironically do the 80’s deal if it comes with a good drink. And, it did.
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