Café-Guide: Paris, France

We have covered Athens and Barcelona, let us move further north and into the urban heart of France to Paris, a city that (among others) made coffeehouses iconic centuries ago. There is absolutely no shortage of coffee in a city that runs on the need for creative caffeine boosts, but it has, for a long time, been more of a 'vibe' and not the high-end gourmet experience people might associate with the fine dining capital of the world.

Paris had a bad reputation for lacking serious third wave spaces. That of course is a cliché long gone, and the biggest challenge is not the stubborn Parisian who only likes his coffee quick and cheap, but the masses of tourists, who demand the funkiest of flavors and craziest creations.

Copyright: European Coffee Trip

Café Nuances

Funky is what people want, funky is what people get. I once saw this café being touted as a 'place for the locals' on social media. It is most definitely a tourist spot. Doesn't mean that it serves bad coffee, it does have its own blends, but let’s be honest, most guests come for the (admittedly really impressive) architecture and things like Matcha.

The shop we went to is right off the main shopping streets and that is what you get, major flagship store atmosphere. Each of their locations has their own aesthetic, the coffee stays the same. They also offer a cool soft-serve ice cream Affogato that can convince people who are not fans of traditional coffee.

KB CaféShop

This is the one that will appear in every single list, no matter if you ask European Coffee Trip, nerds in a forum or simply look at the typical expat recommendations. It is as popular as they say, from the first minute of the day until the last. Since I was staying in Montmartre, I picked KB for breakfast and a bit of work, and it delivered with a pleasant Flat White and good, if busy, atmosphere, both times that I visited.

The art on the wall (also available online) I particularly enjoyed and wished had a more prominent place in between the many guests. Maybe don't order a manual pour-over here, or expect to find a quiet place to sit. They do have other locations as well that are worth checking out and since they are their own roaster, also offer a variety of beans for experimentation.

Copyright: Momus

Momus

Another Montmartre shop, just a couple steps down Rue de Martyrs from KB. The street is lined with every kind of fancy shop, and for every need, so a clean, 'high-end' roastery shop plus espresso bar fits well with that crowd.

It has nothing to do with the old, artistic Montmartre and its cozy coffee shops, however, that has to be said. The staff was very patient and friendly, and the size of the shop necessitates that only one or two customers can actually sit and drink coffee. Thus, it feels really more like a tasting room to try which beans you would like to purchase. The espresso was well-balanced, if a little underwhelming for the price. Every shot is served with a chocolate pairing and that does enhance the experience.

Copyright: Noir

Noir - Coffee Shop & Torréfacteur

Another café that most will recognize by the facade and the exterior, and it being featured in pretty much every 'The most stylish café'-compilations on social media. This particular one is on Rue Richer, although there are dozens of them (without that fancy facade above), no matter where in the city you stay.

The coffee is that of a typical franchise, which was to be expected, a lot of Brazilian style chocolate aromas, where you have to consider if it is worth the money paid. Paris also has the luxury of so many great historic buildings, and our next entry for example gives you a beautiful location with good coffee. Noir does beat Starbucks and the like though still by a lot.

Copyright: Mapstr

Certified Café

'The best Flat White' in Paris. That is a bold claim. Or a good ad to attract all the Aussies to your shop. Certified is nestled in the Passages des Panoramas, which is fun to stroll through and offers the kind of historic vibe, that Noir doesn't quite hit.

The shop is bright and modern, though, so offers a bit of a contrast to its location. Indeed, the Flat White was probably the best consistent one I had (not much above KB though), even though the pricing might suggest a higher quality bean blend. But that is just Paris being Paris and the coffee market being what it is.

Brûlerie de Varenne

The perfect little spot for a quick coffee after Le Bon Marché. Time ticks differently on the Rive Gauche, and it does so here. I was tempted to not even include this Brûlerie (note the proper French term here, instead of the typical 'Café' or 'Roastery' in their own name), as it is primarily a charming shop for beans and not a café.

There is no menu, no price list, you simply come and order an espresso and watch the people from the nearby Italian embassy do the same. Any correlation between good, dark espresso and the embassy will be met with denial by the Parisians. Don’t expect third-wave experiments here, but simply coffee brewed on point and without the fuss of bigger brands.

Copyright: Prince Coffee

Kawa / Tanat Coffee

When we were there, this was named 'Kawa', since then it is 'Tanat' (with the roastery also being called that). Considering the branding of the beans and the café stayed the same, I assume the company simply changed names, but just to be sure, it could be that if you visit, you might have a totally different experience.

I would see this as the more refined version of something like KB. Very good, diverse roasts, something for every taste, with their daily brews being crowd pleasers. If they do have a more exciting bean, they will be able to serve that accordingly and proficiently. The Cold Brew, I had, was smooth and slightly nutty, with very little fault to be found.

Copyright: Le Travel Style

Seamer Coffee Shop

The sign in front says 'The best coffee is the coffee you like'. That about sums it up. Aesthetics are key here, the interior is beautiful and like a more minimal, tasteful version of Noir (in terms of the layout over two stories). As you can see, everything from the tray, to the cup, and the garnish looks good even when someone like me is taking a hasty snapshot.

Don't look for third wave nerdiness here, this is for feel-good drinks, Matcha and Chai for example. The banana latte I had tasted like a milkshake, just with a little more flavor than something like Starbucks. If the design is worth your money, then you get what you pay for. It was also less crowded, so maybe a nice place to work from.

Copyright: Embrace Someplace

Terres de Café

Last on the list, first in terms of taste. I had read about the reputation, and Terres de Café is high up as far as name recognition goes. I was pleasantly surprised though that the shop on Rue Tiquetonne was not overrun and focused on quality products rather than 'funky aesthetics'. I ordered their 'signature', competition roast, which costs around 10 Euros for a Flat White, and was politely told to not order it for take-away, but rather sit and properly enjoy it. This coffee they also sold regularly (it not even being the most high-end online, but the most high-end in the café).

That's the kind of customer dialogue I wish more places had. Branding at Terres de Café is a tasteful gold and rather typical pictures of farms on the wall, so not necessarily what gets your attention. This is a big brand, with a fully developed online shop, so the fact that the quality stays on that level is worth the praise.

Despite this being a Flat White and 'just espresso covered up by milk', the deep fruity aromas came through powerfully, not just highlighting the roast, but also how to serve it. Of course the argument can be made, that the extra investment in the 'premium product', is what made this the best coffee I had in Paris during this trip, and that is a valid point. However, it's also a more genuine love for the ingredients that I felt here more than at other places. Besides, I also loved Brûlerie de Varenne, which in terms of pricing is the exact opposite of 'premium'.

As honorable mentions and just to close off the article, there are also a few places worth writing about, that could not make it into the actual guide reviews. Even though I have not been, I blindly recommend Substance Café. During our last trip they were on (well deserved) holiday break, so unfortunately I could not go, but this is the fine dining, star-worthy, experience for coffee that Paris has needed for decades. Make this the first priority when you visit.

On the other end of the spectrum, you had Brulerie Saint Roch, which was a sort of 'speakeasy café' hidden in a tobacco shop. I was looking for it for 30 minutes, could not find it, and then some time later Google updated the location as being permanently closed. So who knows if it is just harder to find now, or existing at a different place? In any case, the city requires traditional spots like that to not let the taste of tourists dictate what French coffee is supposed to taste like.

/jf