Confession: as someone that takes good coffee very seriously, I didn’t always consider Paris one of the big-hitter cities for specialty coffee. Maybe a decade living in London didn’t help my expectations, maybe it’s just that more excellent spots have opened in the city in the last few years – but Paris has really gone and proven me wrong. Now, I plan entire mornings around getting to my favourite Pairs coffeeshops, and trying out new spots. My google map pins grow with new finds every time I visit. These are the places I’d recommend:
KB
The minimalist space and speciality coffee menu here are reminiscent of coffee bars in Australia – serving up flat whites, long blacks and year-round iced coffee. The service can be pretty relaxed, so don’t be surprised to wait a while, particularly at busy times. With a little patience the results are so worth it. KB roast their own beans, the coffee comes perfectly served, and the cakes are to die for. Situated on a leafy street corner overlooking Place Lino Ventura, the outdoor seating is a perfect spot for people watching in Pigalle.
Where to find it: 53 Av. Trudaine
Partisan
Just off Rue de Turbigo in the 3rd, Partisan is the kind of coffeeshop where the coffee is just as on point as the space – all that wall-to-wall glass, exposed light and space (a rarity for Paris) has the vibe of a Brooklyn loft rather than a typical French café. You can choose between their house Italian blend or a rotating third-wave single origin, both roasted on site, which I love as a little “choose your own adventure” to start your order. Pastries come from the sisters behind Muscovado, so don’t skip something sweet on the side
Where to find it: 36 Rue de Turbigo
Comets
Half coffee shop, half record store, entirely my kind of place. Comets is a true neighbourhood gem in the 11th, with excellent coffee and small curated vinyl collection to browse. Usually filled with a local crowd and serving the usual coffeeshop staples – flat white, matcha, chai – whatever you’re into, it’s a lovely space to spend a slow morning. Just know there’s a strict no-laptops rule over lunch, so come to browse and sip, not to work.
Where to find it: 38 Rue Léon Frot
Holybelly
I will queue for Holybelly and I will do it with minimal complaint, which, if you know me, is saying something. This is one of Paris’s most-loved brunch spots for a reason – think all-day brunch classics with a twist, and a crowd of foodies and freelancers who clearly know something I also know. The coffee comes from a Belleville roastery and it’s excellent, whether you’re sitting in for savoury pancakes (do this if you can) or just grabbing a coffee to go. It’s in the 10th, so once you’ve got your cup, keep walking straight to Canal Saint-Martin and make an afternoon of it.
Where to find it. 5 Rue Lucien Sampaix
Lomi
Lomi started life in 2012 as a small neighbourhood café and basically kickstarted Paris’s whole third-wave coffee scene – the city’s first flat white was reportedly poured here, and their latte art has actual awards. From outside it looks unassuming, located in a slightly austere social-housing building in the 18th, but inside it’s all exposed stone, reclaimed wood, and more than likely a room full of people who take their coffee very seriously.
Where to find it: 3 ter Rue Marcadet
The Beans on Fire
A bit more of a hidden gem, I feel like I don’t see it in a lot of lists and guides but it’s a firm fixture for me. I’m fond of it for slightly biased reasons – a friend of mine used to work here when she lived in Paris, so I’ve basically never visited the city without finding an excuse to pop back in. The staff are lovely and really know their stuff; ask them anything about the beans and you’ll get a thorough answer. And if you’re a decaf drinker, get this on your list – decent decaf is shockingly hard to come by in Paris, and this is one of the few places that delivers the goods.
Where to find it: 61 rue des Trois Frères, 7 rue du Général Blaise
Télescope
Small, cosy, and populated by some of the best-dressed people you’ll see all trip – it’s located near the Kenzo and Céline offices, so draw your own conclusions. There’s a no-laptops policy here, so come to sit with your coffee or your latest read, rather than your inbox. Perfect for people-watching or getting properly lost in a book. The filter coffee in particular is one of the best in the city.
Where to find it: 5 Rue Villédo
Cafe Kitsune
Handy to know about purely for logistics – there are outposts practically next door to the Tuileries, the Palais-Royal and the Louvre, so it’s an easy pit-stop between sights rather than somewhere you’d plan a whole trip around. Same clean, minimal aesthetic as the Maison Kitsuné clothing line, if you’re familiar. Coffee is solid and reliable across the board, and yes, the matcha lattes are exactly as photogenic as Instagram has led you to believe.
Where to find it: 51 Gal de Montpensier, 2 Pl. André Malraux, 208 Rue de Rivoli, 30 Rue du Vertbois
Boot Café
Tiny doesn’t even cover it – eight seats, max, and realistically you should assume you won’t get one. Most people end up queuing for a takeaway cup, and honestly, that’s part of the charm. It’s set in an old cobbler’s workshop and they’ve kept the original façade, so it’s one of the prettiest little corners to visit in Paris even before you’ve had a sip. And the coffee backs it up: proper espresso, excellent flat whites, Chemex if you’re feeling fancy, and a hot chocolate that might ruin all other hot chocolates for you.
Where to find it: 19 Rue du Pont aux Choux
Shakespeare and Company Café
Next door to the bookshop everyone already knows, and about as different in energy as you can get – where the shop is all charming chaos, the café is sleek and minimal. It gets busy, unsurprisingly, with a mix of book-clutching regulars and tourists refuelling after a Notre-Dame visit across the street. Good news: the coffee’s from Lomi (see above), so you know what you’re getting will be good – whether you’re sitting in with a paperback or taking it to go for a walk along the Seine.
Where to find it: 37 Rue de la Bûcherie