Hemingway and Coco Chanel were regulars — 11 celebrity-favorite hidden gems

By Xiao Wan-Ning / Comprehensive report | Photos: All from CNN

Ever since Nobel Prize-winning literary giant Ernest Hemingway and famed American novelist William Faulkner spent their days hanging out in bars and cafés, many have been curious about the favorite cafés on writers’ lists. The daily haunts of artists always spark the imagination. CNN has compiled a list of cafés and bars favored by artists — let’s visit the ones that are still around today and get a feel for where they penned their moving works.

▲ One of Italy’s well-known bars/cafés.

1. Paris, La Closerie des Lilas
Both Paul Cézanne and Hemingway were once patrons here. It’s said that Hemingway’s literary masterpiece The Sun Also Rises (originally titled Fiesta) was written here.
La Closerie des Lilas
Address: 171 Boulevard du Montparnasse, Paris
Phone: +33 1 40 51 34 50

2. Madrid, Cerveceria Alemana
Hemingway was a regular here, and much of the original decor has been preserved. It’s said that Hemingway had a favorite corner in this bar — a marble-topped table located to the right just inside the entrance.
Cerveceria Alemana,
Address: Plaza de Santa Ana, 6, Madrid
Phone: +34 914 29 70 33

3. Cuba, El Floridita
American Hollywood star Spencer Tracy was one of the bar’s longtime customers, and Hemingway, who spent time in Cuba, was also a regular. The bar still has Hemingway’s dedicated barstool and a bust of him.
El Floridita
Address: Obispo No.557 esq. Monserrate, Havana, Cuba
Phone: +53 7 8671300

4. UK, The Oxford Bar
Celebrated poets and novelists Sydney Goodsir Smith and Willie Ross loved this pub, and well-known TV host and author Muriel Gray is also a regular.
The Oxford Bar
Address: 8 Young St., Edinburgh, UK
Phone: +44 131 539 7119

▲ Ireland’s Toners is a place where literati often gather.
 

5. USA, Vesuvio
British poet Dylan Thomas was a regular here. The bar still retains its old Bohemian charm and atmosphere.
Vesuvio Café
Address: 255 Columbus Ave., San Francisco
Phone: +1 415 362 3370

6. USA, Blue Bar, The Algonquin Hotel
Famed American writer Dorothy Parker frequently visited here, and noted critic Alexander Woollcott was also a regular.
The Algonquin Hotel
Address: 59 W. 44th St., New York
Phone: +1 212 840 6800

7. Paris, Harry's New York Bar
Countless celebrities have been regulars here, including France’s top fashion designer Coco Chanel and the famous actress Rita Hayworth. It’s said that the Bloody Mary was also invented here.
Harry's New York Bar
Address: 5 Rue Daunou, Paris
Phone: +33 1 42 61 71 14

▲The Eagle and Child in the UK is one of the favorite pubs of the author of The Lord of the Rings.

8. The White Horse Tavern, USA
Historically influential American rock and folk artists such as Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas used to drink here, and it has also served as a setting in a novel.
White Horse Tavern
Address: 567 Hudson St., New York
Phone: +1 212 989 3956

9.The Eagle and Child, UK
J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and his good friend C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia, both loved this place, where the early form of their writing group began.
The Eagle and Child, Oxford
Address: 49 St. Giles', Oxford, UK
Phone: +44 1865 302925

10. Toners, Ireland
This pub is a regular haunt for many literary writers, including Patrick Kavanaugh, one of the most important poets of the 20th century, and it’s also one of the places visited by the poet W.B. Yeats, known for his association with pubs.
Toners Pub
Address: 139 Lower Baggot St., Dublin
Phone: +353 1 676 3090

11.Antico Caffè Greco, Rome
The Italian adventurer Casanova was a regular here, and the café has hosted many artistic events that add to its cultural charm.
Antico Caffe Greco
Address: Via Condotti, 86, Rome
Phone: +39 06 679 1700