The 13 Best French Bistro Chairs in 2024
When you think of French-inspired design, dark colors, bold lines, and drama likely come to mind. Yet when it comes to light and sunny luxury, the French are no strangers – at least when it comes to the classic French bistro chair.
Inspired by what you might see in actual French café, bistro chairs are known for their airy wicker frames and rattan backing and seating. The classic shapes resemble dining chairs, but more modern woven bistro chairs take on all kinds of variations.
Whether you’re looking to spruce up the dining room, patio, or even the living room, we’ve rounded up some of the best French bistro chairs just for you.
Sunwashed Riviera Dining Chair
A set of these is perhaps as close as you’ll get to real French restaurant chairs without importing them straight from France. With an elegant yet streamlined look, the Sunwashed Riviera dining chair perfectly embodies classic seaside simplicity with the distinctly Gallic sense of taste.
Available in natural wicker or gentle metallic blue shades, this Parisian bistro chair will impress with its subtlety. We recommend light coastal blue to add a little color without sacrificing neutrality, but any choice will be sure to have you saying “très magnifique.”
Sunwashed Riviera Counter Stool
These Sunwashed Riviera bar stools are a beautiful variation on the previous dining chair. If you want to add a sense of the bistro to the more casual parts of your home, this stool is a great choice. These counter stools are a winning combination of sunny, lighthearted mornings and poise.
Add a little class to the home bar, kitchen counter, or outdoor dining space with the classic version or go for a more casual brand of elegance with the backless model.
Pari Rattan Chair
The best part about the Pari chair is that you don’t need to invest in a full set. Even if you don’t have the space for a large set of bistro dining chairs, you can easily bring the best of the Parisienne casual-chic scene to your home with just this one piece.
The Pari rattan chair is elegant and understated. It will blend in harmoniously with a variety of furniture and décor styles and doesn’t require a lot of upkeep to maintain it. All you need to do with this rattan beauty is sit back and relax.
Venice Rattan Chair
French rattan bistro chairs are good for much more than dining and dressing up the dining room. These comfortable loungers are also great when you need a little rest and relaxation. Take this Venice Rattan Chair from Serena and Lily.
The open weave look has an instant laid-back charm, yet like all French bistro chairs, it has just enough sophistication to keep your space from looking frumpy. With a spacious open shape, room to lean back, and armrests, this chair is ideal for lazy afternoons.
Belmar Striped Indoor/Outdoor Bistro Chair
This is your classic bistro chair with a playful theme. In bright and colorful stripes, the Belmar Bistro Chair is perfect for a vibrant outdoor patio set or more spirited and multicolor indoor dining space.
Incredibly easy to maintain and store, this cheerful and comfortable chair is a delightful modern twist on an old favorite.
Veronica King Louis Back Arm Chair Set
If you can’t get enough of those French wicker bistro chairs, but you want a slightly more formal look in your dining room, this set named for a king is a great solution. It combines the sunny connotations of the classic bistro rattan weave with a more classical, regal dining chair design, complete with padded cushion.
The blend of seaside casualness and traditional taste are perfect for those who always struggle with the eternal question: to be, or not to be formal?
Shore Dining Chair
Although the Shore Dining Chair was intended to add a little swank to the dinner table, we wouldn’t rule out other rooms in the house. Pair a couple with a small table by a sunny window to have a private tea spot or throw a few in the den with a coffee table for a relaxed yet polished setup to meet with guests.
Rae Side Chair Set
These accent chairs are perfect for recreating a Parisian bistro setting in your own home. One of the more traditional designs on this list, small elements like the wrap around frame and pale blue color add a subtle charm to the Rae Side chairs.
Create your own personal brunch table or take a nontraditional approach to a work table for two with these practical, but beautiful, chairs.
Riviera Dining Chair
Another classic bistro chair, the Riviera line from Serena and Lily is everything you could want from a traditional French café look with one subtle twist. The double-tone of the rattan seat, back, and detailing offers a nautical vibe worthy of the name ‘Riviera’.
Perfect for those who can’t live without navy, white, stripes, and anchors throughout the house, this chair will live up to the lively yet elegant feel of other nautical décor. Paired with airy white and accents of dark neutrals, the Riviera chair will add seamless style to any dining room.
Deloris Windsor Back Side Chair Set
Like many bistro chairs, this Deloris Windsor set thrives in its multiuse, multistyle versatility. With strong lines and a classic straight back, these chairs remain chic and traditional. Yet as always, the wicker elements add a lighter dimension to the mix, giving your space an open airy feel.
Available with or without arms, this set also comes with the cushions seen here, adding to comfort and convenience. The simple, timeless design of these chairs makes this set an easy choice. They will elevate any room and match a variety of styles.
Un Caffe Indoor/Outdoor Bistro Chair
If your design taste is a little more contemporary, this striking checkered bistro chair from Anthropologie may be just what you need. With all the benefits of a typical Riviera inspired seat, the bold contrast of colors is smart, modern, and full of energy.
This bistro chair is perfect for sunrooms, front of the house dining rooms, or patios that regularly host cocktail hours. This chair says “youthful and stylish” without looking immature. It’s a great option for wowing guests at intimate get-togethers.
Mccay Outdoor Patio Chair Set
Made for the patio, these bistro chairs are another happy marriage of design and practicality. Like others on this list, this set has many great contrasts harmonizing to create one good-looking chair: a mixture of dark and light colors, a sleek seat and leg design mixing with a cozy rattan back, and a sense of luxury as well as sensibility.
These chairs are easy to clean and keep clean, and the cushions that come with the set are made with water-resistant fabric to add to their versatility outdoors. Of course, the basket seat is also a popular classic. All in all, this is a comfortable, practical, and tasteful set.
Malawi Outdoor Dining Arm Chair
Don’t let the name fool you, this stunning arm chair with its classic black and white sophistication is worthy of consideration. Despite its southeast African inspiration, the Malawi Outdoor dining chair will have you feel like you’re sipping drinks at a beachside resort – whether that’s on the French Riviera or Malawian coast.
The colors, wicker construction, and elegant lines may not have been French inspired, but they could have been. Consider this outdoor French bistro chair a marriage of two chic and airy design traditions that will make stepping onto the patio feel luxurious.
Bonus: Sunwashed Riviera Bench
Although not technically a French-style bistro chair, this Riviera inspired bench from Serena and Lily deserves the title “honorable mention.” This bench is great not just at the dining room or patio table, but also in the entryway or den. You can bring the seaside scene to any part of the house with this gem.
Final Thoughts
These woven bistro chairs are a classic for good reason. Light yet sophisticated, with all the grace and good humor you would expect of a Parisian café on a sunny day, these French-inspired bistro chairs never go amiss.
Let them be the breezy contrast in your sophisticated dining room or add some resort-worthy class to your patio. Either way, you’ll be dining in style.