The Top 10 Cafés of Paris

After the cozy coffee houses of Rome, let’s move a bit further and discover a different culture together. France’s history with coffee dates back to 1669. The Turkish ambassador introduced the black drink to XIV. Louis in this year. The coffee was served in a porcelain cup by slaves in the Sun King’s castle, the aristocrats were pleased and the habit of coffee drinking began to spread quickly.

The predecessors of coffee houses were opened in 1672, then ten years later the coffee houses began to separate from the bars. They were labeled as „cafés”, since more and more guests started to consume coffee beside other beverages. In 1686, Francisco Procopio dei Coltelli founded Procope, the first coffee house in France (and the world). At least they claim so.

Coffee houses soon became very popular among artists, writers, and politicians -such as Rousseau, Balzac, La Fontaine or Victor Hugo- and these celebrities began to regularly frequent Procope. It also became a favorite place of revolutionaries such as Marat and Danton. Procope turned into a mascot of free-thinkers.

The coffee house became an important icon of Paris. Boulevard Saint-Germain offers you a lot of opportunities to drink a cup of this steaming delicacy. These places with the wicker chairs and lovely little tables are unforgettable. They are an indispensable part of Paris’ image. We collected the top 10 Paris coffee houses in this list:

 

10.  Cafe St Regis

• Address:  6 rue Jean du Bellay, 75004 Paris, France
• Telephone: +33 1 43 54 59 41
• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7:00 AM–2:00 AM
• More information about the coffee house: http://cafesaintregisparis.com/

Situated in the neighborhood of the Cathedrale de Notre-Dame (Ile Saint Louis), Cafe St. Regis is a traditional French café. In France, cafés are sort of equivalents to fast-food and diners, but here this means something else than in te US.

The atmosphere of the place is very busy, however, the staff is attentive and friendly. A good advice: ask for the bill. It is not easy to get a table, due to the café’s popularity both among locals and tourists. Outdoor seating is possible: sitting out can be a very chilly experience.

They have two really great breakfast options: a basic one with a croissant and hot beverage and another with a more filling croissant, boiled egg in a cup, toast, jams, juice and hot beverage. The cappuccino is delicious, the juices are freshly squeezed.

The portions are satisfactory, the meals are made in a more traditional French cooking style than gourmet. The desserts are good either: the bowl of raspberries is definitely a must try! It is served with a little pitcher of chocolate sauce to drizzle over the berries. The creme brulee with a wonderful vanilla flavor is also outstanding. We highly recommend this place! One of the best Paris cafés.

 

9. Cafe Les Deux Magots

• Address:  6 Place Saint Germain des Pres, 75006 Paris, France
• Telephone: +33 1 45 48 55 25
• Opening hours: Sun – Sat 7:30 AM – 1:00 AM
• More information about the coffee house: http://www.lesdeuxmagots.fr/en/

Cafe Les Deux Magots, this little Parisian gem is located in the heart of the St. Germain area. This neighborhood was always known for its history and its attractiveness for celebrities, artists, and intellectuals. In fact, it was the favorite place of Ernest Hemingway. This café is the perfect place to end a long, tiring day spent in Paris, to relax and chill. What an amazing location!

The atmosphere is so impressive and the service is friendly and efficient (and they speak English!). The waiters are dressed in an old-school way (immaculately). Both inside and outside seating is available. However, many people frequent Cafe Les Deux Magots, so if you want a more personalized service, it is better to arrive in the evening (around 9.00 PM).

The classic French food is beautifully prepared and designed. Everything is fresh and delicious. Salade St. Germain with crispy beans and a charming dressing, steak tartare, croque monsieur, cheese omelette and green salad, baguette…

Wash it all down with an amazing glass of Cotes du Rhone! You will love it. Hot chocolate -which tastes like liquid chocolate- is also a must try. You should not miss this Paris coffee shop: it will be an outstanding experience! Recommended.

 

8. Cafe Le Jardin Du Petit Palais

• Address: Avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris, France
• Telephone: +33 6 68 89 25 66
• Opening hours: Tue – Sun 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• More information about the coffee house: http://www.petitpalais.paris.fr/en/petit-palais/cafe-restaurant

After attending an exhibition at the Grand Palais, Cafe Le Jardin Du Petit Palais may be the ideal place to stop for a cup of coffee and relax. This Paris café is located on a lovely, little terrace in the central garden of the Petit Palais.

The ambiance is really mystical, beautiful artworks are surrounding the café, which is a nice plus. The marble countertops are breathtaking, you can look out onto the delightful garden and fountain through the large windows. It is not easy to get an outdoor seat under the beautifully painted ceiling, you have to be lucky.

The opening hours are aligned with the museum (it is closed on Mondays). You will see many locals here, which is always a good sign (who could know better the best places in town?). The service is impeccable, the staff is engaging. The prices are reasonable.

Cafe Le Jardin Du Petit Palais is a self-serve style restaurant with great food presentation They offer salads, soups, sandwiches, pasta, savory tarts, pastries and other desserts, as well as coffee, tea and other beverages. The quality is excellent. You should definitely try this Paris coffee shop if you plan to go to Paris. A wonderful experience.

 

7. Cafe des Deux Moulins

• Address:  15 Rue Lepic | 18ème, Métro Abesses ou Pigalle, 75018 Paris, France
• Telephone:  +33 1 42 54 90 50
• Opening hours: 7:30 AM – 1:00 AM
• More information about the coffee house: http://cafedesdeuxmoulins.fr/en

Cafe des Deux Moulins is definitely the place for Amelie fans! This cute Paris café is located near the Moulin Rouge (2 minutes walk). Live music is on, everyone is dancing and singing, this bistro-like place has a really good vibe! The interior is just like in the movie, with a little shrine at the toilets with mementos from the film classic.

You can sit outside on cooler days because they have outdoors heaters. Watching the people of the Montmartre go about their day is good fun! The service is fast and friendly (they speak English), prices are reasonable. The relaxing, bohemian mood will fascinate you, that’s for sure. Hanging here will be a great experience.

Good cocktails and beers are available. You can opt for ‘Amélie breakfast’ which consists of creme brûlée and a coffee, wonderful! Iced cappuccino is really delicious. The cuisine is truly French with dishes like onion soup with floating cheese on toast, dish of Snails, Croque Monsieur, crepes, charcuterie plate and roasted camembert.

The crème caramel with cardamome is definitely a must try! Vegetarians will also be happy here with such meals as tofu burger. Don’t miss it, Cafe des Deux Moulins is truly one of the best Paris cafés!

 

6. Kozy Salon Urbain

• Address:  79 avenue Bosquet, 75007 Paris, France
• Opening hours: Sun 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Mon – Sat 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
• More information about the coffee house: http://www.kozy.fr/

You will surely enjoy this lovely, little Paris coffee shop! The service is so friendly and they speak English (this is the umpteenth place on the list where they do speak English, maybe it’s just a cliché that the French cannot speak English?). So typically French!

Kozy Salon Urbain is located in the 8^th arrondissement, not far from Champs Elysees. It is so cozy, the name “Kozy” is no coincidence! The quality of the products is outstanding! This Paris coffee house is well frequented by locals, and they cannot be mistaken. The perfect place to invite your family for a relaxing afternoon.

Mocha au caramel sale is one of their winter specialities it is divine, just as chai latte! Americano and the white coffee is definitely a must try. If you are hungry, you can choose from excellently designed breakfast breads, eggs, quiches, snacks and desserts like macaroon, cakes, jams, pancakes and waffles.

If you are even more hungry, order a lamb with sweet potato or a fish and chips with green sauce. They are delicious! ‘Monaco’ beer is another interesting specialty, which contains Stella Artois and blackcurrant syrup. If I were to go to Paris, I’m sure I would visit this place. Highly recommended.

 

5. Le Cafe Popote

• Address:  8 rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010 Paris, France  
• Telephone:  +33 1 42 08 57 83
• Opening hours: Sun 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Mon – Sat 8:00 AM- 12:00 AM
• More information about the coffee house: http://www.lecafepopote.fr/

This friendly, welcoming place is not far from the Hotel Republique. The locals appreciate a lot it’s cozy and relaxing atmosphere. You will feel like you are at home, the vibe and the interior are great. The service is quick and they will help in choosing your order, not to mention that you can get a seat without booking. The owner is a charming Frenchman constantly looking for your wishes. Typically French!

Don’t worry if your French is not the top because they speak English well. Here you won’t remain hungry, the portions are abundant and the prices are not burdensome. This is the perfect place to spend a calm Sunday afternoon with your friends or your family. The brunch options are very inviting.

The breakfast options with croissants and squeezed real orange juice are delicious! Do not miss hamburger and fries, steak and vegetables, Popote burger, fish, and chips (with green sauce),  they are very tasty! Pineapple ravioli and baguette with salad and ham is definitely a must try.

Flush these wonderful dishes down with a ‘Monaco’ beer (Stella Artois with blackcurrant syrup)… Great experience. Don’t miss it if you plan a trip to the French capital city, you will not be disappointed.

 

4. Cafe Francoeur

• Address : 129 rue Caulaincourt, 75018 Paris, France
• Telephone: +33 1 53 28 00 15
• Opening hours: Sun – Sat 6:30 AM – 2:00 AM, 7:00 AM – 2:00 AM
• More information about the coffee house: https://www.facebook.com/cafefrancoeurparis/?fref=ts

If you are walking in the Montmartre, you can easily stumble upon this lovely café. This Paris café is located on a silent street (Rue Caulaincourt) without too much traffic. Just sit down here and enjoy the sunshine while watching the passers-by, it will be a beautiful experience!

The café has an outdoor area with heat lamps that will warm in the winter. The inside of the restaurant has two sections. The prices are moderate, the waiters are friendly and do speak English (Ugo, the energetic manager conducts them).

If you desire a Frenchy atmosphere, this might be the right place for you. They have nicely designed classic dishes, but you can also opt for creative non-traditional menu choices. The quality of the food is excellent, you will love the duck and the burger. The wine and the coffee are fabulous, you can choose from a wide variety of options (the café has a by-the-glass wine menu).

The terrine of shredded lamb and roasted spring vegetables and the Cote du Beouf with seasoned French fries and green salad are definitely a must try. French Onion soup is very tasty, just as the desserts. Crepes with chocolate ice cream is marvelous. We definitely recommend this café, don’t miss it!

 

3. Carette

• Address:  4 Pl Trocadero Et du 11 Novembre
• Telephone: +33 1 48 87 94 07
• Opening hours: Mon – Fri 7:00 AM – 12:00 AM, Sat – Sun 7:30 AM – 12:00 AM
• More information about the coffee house: http://www.carette-paris.fr

This friendly, welcoming, classic Paris café is well-frequented by locals too, which is always a good sign. You can sit down with them and chat a little time away. Carette is situated in the neighborhood of Trocadero, with a beautiful view of the Eiffel tower. The ideal place to spend a Sunday afternoon with your friends or your family.

The ambiance is so cozy, you will feel at home. The owner pays close attention to the freshness of the food, the prices are medium, but it is worth it. The brunch options are really inviting, the waiter pays attention to your wishes.

This restaurant mainly offers lighter meals and pastries. The macaroons are so delicious! Wonderful boiled eggs, croissants, cheeses, coffees and real squeezed real orange juice are available for breakfast. The wines are very good.

The lamb with sweet potato and the onion soup is a must try, they are the jackpot. The vegetarian salad with delicious fresh vegetables is quite special including celery root, which is quite unusual. The desserts are fabulous too, the tartes and the macaroons are to die for. Le chocolat carette (hot chocolate) is one of the best things you can have in Paris. I would certainly visit this place if I went to Paris.

 

2. Le Peloton Cafe

• Address : 4 Pl Trocadero Et du 11 Novembre
• Telephone: +33 1 48 87 94 07
• Opening hours: Mon – Tue 9:30 AM–17:30 PM, Wed closed Thu-Fri 9:30 AM–17:30 PM Sat – Sun 9:30 AM-18.30 PM
• More information about the coffee house: https://www.facebook.com/lepelotoncafe

This lovely little café in the neighborhood of Notre Dame (it takes ten minutes walk to get there) will surprise you with its good vibe and warm ambiance. Seating is available for around 15. Free wifi is a nice plus. The service is friendly and attentive, they will smile at you all the time.

They are native speakers of English – the owner is an Australian -, so the communication will flow easily. Le Peloton also runs bicycle tours and bicycle rentals, and you can see smiling and satisfied groups of cyclists at the shop.

In addition, they are willing to listen to your own ideas about how a good coffee should be, instead of explaining their own conception. If you are a great coffee snob and you would like to avoid the tourist flood, this is definitely the place for you.

Yummy corissant, pain chocolat, waffles and cookies. The coffee is delicious, the drinks represent a good quality. The coffee is locally roasted, the selection largely contains single-origin coffees (for example from Ethiopia). You can order a good flat white or a long black, the milky style will please you. Hot chocolate is also nice. Really worth a visit, one of the best Paris cafés. You will like it.

 

1. Fragments Paris

• Address : 76 rue des Tournelles, 75003 Paris, France
• Telephone: +33 1 00 00 00 00
• Opening hours: Mon – Fri 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Sat – Sun 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• More information about the coffee house: https://www.facebook.com/Fragments-Paris-515511241861260/

Fragments Paris is a popular, but not touristy spot in a quiet street near Place des Vosges with a relaxed vibe and a chill out ambiance. Finding it is not easy, you should look for the signs. The staff is friendly and attentive, they seem to have good fun and a great time. The prices are quite high and if you don’t arrive early, the place can be crowded. The vintage Bruce Lee poster on the wall is inimitable.

Are you very hungry? Your cravings will be satisfied at this place, that is for sure. The food is delicious, the toast with the jam and the carrot cake is phenomenal. You should also taste chia pudding with fruit and almonds. The scrambled eggs are cooked just right. Smashed avocado & granola dishes is definitely a must try.

The coffee is prepared by professionals, you can choose from both French-style and more international coffees. You can taste a very well brewed Tanzanian filter coffee (prepared with an Aeropress). The menu also includes Kenyan and Ethiopian coffees, it is nice to try out coffees from Africa. You can also taste their detox juices, which are really tasty. We highly recommend this Paris coffee house, don’t miss it!

 

Summary

The French were never famous for their good coffee. But more recently this seems to change: artisanal roasters re-invest neighborhoods; coffee shops gradually flourish in the big cities of France… We can observe that many young baristas emerged recently in the country who are inspired by the new tendencies in the world.

Interested in the culture of the far-east? Let us introduce you to the coffee culture of Japan by investigating the very best coffee houses in Tokyo!