Whether you’re gearing up for sweater weather or looking forward to iced lattes on a sunny terrace, anytime is the perfect time for a good coffee. Gone are the days when Paris’ coffee scene involved a watery cup from the local brasserie. With influences from Australia, other parts of Europe, and the rest of the world, serving an expertly crafted (aka not filtered) brew has become the norm in modern cafes. Wondering where you can get your own steaming cup while visiting the City of Light? Here’s my list of the top 10 coffee shops in Paris.
Photo courtesy of Café Kitsuné
Café Kitsuné
Doubling as a cafe and a clothing store, Kitsuné is Japanese for fox. With several coveted locations across Paris, the most scenic being their Palais Royal locale in the 1st arrondissement, La Maison Kitsuné’s fashion brand and cafe have swayed fashionistas from around the globe thanks to their delicious Matcha lattes that have invaded Instagram feeds – especially during fashion week.
Photo courtesy of Cuillier
Cuillier
Nestled in Montmartre near Abbesses, Cuillier is a charming coffee shop that is mostly frequented by the locals. Whether you opt for a coffee made with beans that come from Ethiopia, Guatemala, and more, tea from Dammann Frères, or one of their wonderful cakes, there’s something for everyone here. It’s the perfect spot to meet a friend, work on your laptop, or take a sightseeing break before heading to the Sacré-Coeur. Left Bank dwellers, Cuillier’s newest location just opened in the 7th arrondissement.
Photo courtesy of Fondation Café
Fondation Café
Known for their pastel green coffee cups that have taken over Instagram, Fondation Café is where those in the know start their day. Opened by Australian barista Chris Nielsen (previously at Ten Belles) in the 3rd arrondissement, this tiny, quaint spot is filled with regulars mingling over a well-crafted latte complete with a Kees Van Der Westen ‘Spirit’ machine in the backdrop. Those who wish to stay a little longer can be found lingering on the cafe’s outdoor terrace.
Photo courtesy of La Caféothèque / by Puxan BC
La Caféothèque
Brewing coffee with beans that come from places that range from Africa to South America, coffee enthusiast Gloria Montenegro and her team take the beverage very seriously – they even have a school. Being one of the first to take Paris’ coffee scene to a new level over a decade ago, La Caféothèque boasts a unique selection of roasted on the spot beans that stem from a variety of different countries.
Photo courtesy of Coutume Café
Coutume Café
Opened by an Australian and French duo, coffee is an art – or rather, a science – at Coutume Café. With its sleek, white interior and laboratory-like details, this cafe roasts only the best seasonal beans that come from each continent of the world. Located steps away from the Bon Marché, come for the coffee and stay for the food – another delight!
Photo courtesy of Soul Kitchen
Soul Kitchen
This Californian-inspired cafe doubles as a healthy food spot serving a daily menu, along with delicious desserts, tea from Le Palais des Thés, and of course, great coffee (provided by Coutume Café). With its quirky interior and mismatched cutlery, Soul Kitchen is the perfect spot for a coffee break after climbing the steep streets of Montmartre.
Photo courtesy of KB Cafeshop
KB Cafeshop
KB Cafeshop is great for people watching on the corner of Avenue Trudaine and la rue des Martyrs. The Australian-inspired cafe serves up coffee from Belleville Brûlerie, as well as coffee beans from other parts of the world. Take a seat on their outdoor patio with a piping hot – or iced – latte and be sure to choose your seat wisely as from certain angles, you can catch glimpses of the Sacré-Coeur peaking through the Parisian rooftops!
Photo courtesy of Belleville Brûlerie
Belleville Brûlerie
If you’ve had your fair share of coffee in Paris, then chances are you’ve come across Belleville Brûlerie as it supplies its beans to a host of restaurants and cafes, such as Holybelly, Cream, and several shops on this list. Despite that, this cafe remains a favourite, as it hails from the makers of Ten Belles on the Canal Saint Martin.
Photo courtesy of Ob-La-Di
Ob-La-Di
Yup, you recognized it. Named after the popular Beatles song, this cafe in the Haut Marais is known for making a killer avocado toast, but it also makes a mean latte. The perfect weekend hangout due in part to its quirky decor and homemade eats, Ob-La-Di serves up an on point coffee with beans from Café Lomi (another gem).
Photo courtesy of Shakespeare & Company
Shakespeare & Company Café
You may have heard by now that Paris’ favourite English-language bookstore opened a cafe right next door. At just under a year old, the Shakespeare & Company Café needs no introduction. Their lovely outdoor terrace offers a spectacular view of the Notre Dame Cathedral and they serve coffee from Café Lomi as well as baked goods from Bob’s Bake Shop. So grab your favourite book and enjoy the City of Light – after all, reading (or writing) and sipping coffee go hand in hand.
What’s your favourite coffee shop in Paris? Let me know in the comments below!
I looove KB and Fondation! There are a few on here that I haven’t tried…I also like Boot Cafe a lot 🙂 Great roundup!
Thank you! Boot Cafe is also great – and so pretty 🙂
Beautiful article! Booking my ticket ASAP
Thanks 🙂
Amazing! I am heading to Paris in the new year and I look forward to trying out as many of these cafes as I can fit into my trip!
xx Victoria
http://www.strungingold.com
Exciting!! That will be the perfect weather for coffee 🙂 Let me know which you like best.
I wish I knew this when I was in Paris. I absolutely love coffee! If you ever go to Ecuador you should check out the coffee place called Isveglio. Best one I have tried 😀
It’s definitely on my bucket list 🙂
I wish I would have had this when we went to Paris! We ended up just picking whatever cafe had a seat with a good view (which totally worked). I’ll have to keep this in mind for our next visit!
A good view is always a plus 🙂 Hope the coffee was good though, haha!
Excellent choices! I’ve heard great things about Cafe Kitsune – I will bookmark this for my next trip!
Thanks! It’s definitely a good one 🙂
Man, I wish I knew of these places when I was abroad!
Now you have an excuse to come back!
Thanks for these – definitely going to bookmark these for my next trip to Paris. I can’t wait to find an excuse to go again.
Thank you! Coffee is a pretty great excuse 😛
Paris is on my bucket list. One day… And whenever I am daydreaming about Paris, I always picture myself sitting in a coffee shop and just watching the people go by. Can you tell that I really enjoyed this post? 🙂
How dreamy 🙂 Hope it happens soon!
These look like fabulous coffee shops, love how they put the heart in the cream. I’ve always wondered how they did that
They definitely are 🙂
So awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading 🙂
Bookmarked for our future trip to Paris. Thank you so much for sharing!
Awesome! Do let me know if you end up trying any of these places 🙂
I’m going to keep these in mind next time I find myself in Paris. Thanks for posting!
Thanks, Jess!
Cafe Kitsune is a dream!
It was one of my favourite when I visited. I also love that kitsune means little fox in Japanese!
Isn’t it! They have a tiny one in my neighbourhood that’s unfortunately only open on weekends – so I’m always happy when I actually catch them 🙂
This is so exciting! Thanks for sharing this. It is exactly what I need for planning my trip! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for reading, Christine! Let me know if you need more tips or if you need help planning your trip to Paris 🙂
I sure will! Thanks! ❤️
I can’t believe with my love of coffee and my love of Paris that I have not been to any of these places! They look and sound amazing. This list gives me yet another reason to go back to my favorite city!
Yes – Paris is always a good idea!
Love this post, your photography is beautiful!
Thank you! These lovely photos are actually courtesy of the coffee shops I featured – glad you enjoyed them 🙂
I heard about Cafe Kitsune on social media and looks amazing! I need to come back to this list when I have a chance to go back to Paris one day! Thanks for sharing! Love it!
~Crissy
http://www.whimsicalfawn.com
Thanks, Crissy! Hope you get to come back soon 🙂
Oh, I just love Paris! I so enjoyed our morning coffee when I visited with my boyfriend in May. I wish I had seen this list sooner and stopped in at one or two places! I had no idea Shakespeare and Co had a cafe now. I’m happy to hear that the drinks there are good, not overpriced, watered down, tourist-catered junk. All these gorgeous lattes have me dreaming of my second cup of the day!
Yes – they really put a lot of love into everything they serve! Coffee (and Paris) are always a good idea 😛
OMG I will definitely save this list for later, being the coffee addict as I am , I will bookmark it and use it next year when I hopefully visit Paris 😉
Awesome! Hope you get to visit soon 🙂
What a beautiful display of coffees and coffee shops! I think sipping on Espresso would be a fabulous compliment to visiting Paris!
Thank you! Agreed 🙂
This makes me want to drink coffee – and I’m not even a coffee drinker! 😀
Haha, next time you visit you need to drink coffee!! (But you know I got you covered with the tea selection in my kitchen :P)
I love how coffee is becoming an art across the world. Being from Seattle, we definitely love our coffee, but it’s nice to find great brews everywhere I travel.
Agreed – especially when you come from a big coffee city 🙂
This is the best blog post I’ve read all week! I love coffee and love Paris! Thanks for sharing. I’m definitely pinning this one for my next trip to Paris!
Thank you so much, Lynne!! 🙂
This spots look so delicious, OMG I wish I could have some coffee now but it’s 10pm in LA and that would be counter productive. Cuilliers, looks like it would be the place where I spend all my top. Love this round up, definitely following to see what delicious posts you have next =]
Thank you!!! Glad it got you already anticipating your morning coffee, haha 🙂
Really love your images!! Great post.
Thank you, Lisanne!
oooo have to check these out!!
Hope you do 😀