The rattan bistro chair, longstanding staple of French cafés and sidewalks, is newly available all over: from boutique family businesses to Target and Home Depot. Here, 10 classic side chairs that have a summery, Gallic vibe—and stand ready to be put to use year-round, indoors and out.
Since its founding in 1885, Maison Drucker of France has specialized in traditional rattan designs made by hand to order in customizable colors.
Serena & Lily offer a range of French-inspired bistro furniture, including the Riviera Side Chair, made of rattan with woven plastic seats; $248 in several color combinations.
The Poncelet is one of a vast collection of bistro chairs from Maison Gatti, founded in 1920 by the current owners’ great grand parents, and supplier to Paris’s George V Hotel and the River Cafe in New York, among others.
Maison Midi’s White and Blue Mediterranean Bistro Chair has a classic bentwood hairpin silhouette.
Currently available on Etsy from SF-based vintage dealer Erin Lane Estate: a pair of 1990s Palacek Bamboo Rattan Bistro Chairs; $800.
The Cappuccino Dot Monique Rattan Side Chair is $368 from Dear Keaton.
The Chloe Bistro Side Chair has a rattan frame and weatherproof cording (we like the striped banding); it’s $240 from One Kings Lane, which also offers a range of other bistro chairs.
Designed for use outdoors, the Paris Cafe Patio Dining Chair has an aluminum frame finished with UV-resistant synthetic fiber.
A variation on a common theme, the Salcha Indoor-Outdoor French Bistro Stacking Side Chair comes in five colors at Target; $349.99 for a pair.
After hours in Paris cafés, bistro chairs get piled in tall stacks. Shown here, the Sofie Side Chair in two of its seven color combinations; $340 each from Sika Design.