# Coffee Shops in Paris: How to Order and Where to Find Good Coffee

The difference between a classic café and a specialty coffee bar, what to order, prices, hours and the neighborhoods worth knowing

By Finzi

Paris has thousands of cafés, but that does not mean every cup is good. The classic corner café is about the terrace, the people and the ritual. The coffee itself is often a dark, bitter espresso from a big commercial roaster. Over the past fifteen years, a second scene has grown alongside it. Coffee shops in Paris now include hundreds of specialty bars that roast lightly, train their baristas and serve pour-over, flat whites and seasonal beans.

Both have their place. This guide explains how the two worlds differ, how to order in each, what you will pay, when they open and where to find a good cup in the main visitor areas. Shops open and close often, so treat any names here as starting points and check current hours before you cross town.

# Classic café or specialty coffee bar

A traditional Paris café, with its zinc bar and rattan chairs, is built for sitting. You order at the table, a waiter brings your cup, and you can stay as long as you like. The price at the bar is lower than the price at the table, and the terrace can cost more again.

A specialty coffee shop works more like one in New York or Melbourne. You order and pay at the counter, often by card. Seating is limited, and the menu shows the origin of the beans. Baristas weigh doses and time the shots.

Here is how to tell them apart from the street.

• A specialty shop usually lists its roaster or bean origin on a board.
• You will see grinders, scales and pour-over cones on the counter.
• The menu includes flat whites, filter coffee or cold brew.
• The space is often small, with a few stools and a long communal table.

Neither is “better” as a whole. A croissant and a crème at a corner café at 8 a.m. is part of Paris life. If what you want is a carefully made cup, though, the specialty bar is where you will find it.

# How to order at a classic café

The words matter, because the default order is not what most Americans expect.

• Un café, or un express, is a single espresso.
• Un double is a double espresso.
• Un café allongé is an espresso stretched with hot water, close to an Americano.
• Un café crème is espresso with steamed milk, closest to a latte, usually served in the morning.
• Une noisette is an espresso with a small spot of milk or foam.
• Un déca is a decaf.

Asking for “a coffee” will get you an espresso. If you want something long and milky, ask for a crème. Iced coffee is not common in traditional cafés. Many will not have it at all, or they will bring an espresso with a glass of ice.

Standing at the bar is the cheapest option and the quickest. Many Parisians drink an espresso at the counter in a few minutes and leave.

# How to order at specialty coffee shops in Paris

Ordering in a specialty bar is closer to what you know at home. Menus are often in English as well as French, and staff in central shops usually speak English.

• A flat white is a small, strong milk coffee and is widely available.
• Filter coffee, sometimes called “batch brew” or “V60,” changes with the beans of the week.
• Oat milk is the usual dairy alternative, sometimes with a small extra charge.
• Cold brew and iced lattes are common in summer and often available all year.

Ask the barista what is on the grinder. Most shops rotate single-origin beans and will tell you what tastes fruity, chocolatey or floral. If you prefer a classic, darker flavor, say so. Not every specialty cup is light and acidic.

# Prices and payment

Prices vary by neighborhood and by how you drink.

• An espresso at the bar of a classic café is often around 1.50 to 2.50 euros.
• The same espresso at a table can cost more, especially on a busy terrace.
• A café crème often costs between 3 and 5 euros.
• A flat white at a specialty shop is often between 4 and 6 euros.
• Filter coffee usually costs between 4 and 6 euros, depending on the beans.

Card payment is almost universal in specialty shops, including contactless. Some small cafés still prefer cash for very small amounts. Service is included in French prices, so tipping is optional. Leaving small change for good service is kind but never expected.

# Opening hours and laptops

Classic cafés open early, often around 7 a.m., and a lot of them stay open late. Specialty shops keep shorter hours. Many open at 8 or 8:30 a.m. and close in the late afternoon, around 5 or 6 p.m. A few are closed on Mondays, or open only in the morning on Sundays.

For visitors, this has a simple consequence. If good coffee matters to you, get it in the morning. An evening flat white is hard to find.

Laptop rules vary. Some shops welcome remote workers. Others limit laptops on weekends or ban them at busy times to free tables. Look for a sign near the counter, and ask before you open a computer for two hours over one coffee.

Coffee and sleep are linked when you have just landed. The guide to jet lag and how to plan around it on photographers-paris.com suggests keeping caffeine for the morning on your first days. A strong flat white at 4 p.m. after a red-eye flight can wreck your first night.

# Where to find good coffee by neighborhood

Specialty bars are spread across the city, but some areas have more than others. These neighborhoods are a good bet.

• The Marais. A dense area for coffee, with small bars on the side streets around Rue de Bretagne and Rue Vieille-du-Temple.
• Canal Saint-Martin and the 10th. Ten Belles, near the canal, has been a reference for years.
• South Pigalle and Rue des Martyrs. KB Coffee Roasters is a well-known stop near the bottom of Montmartre.
• Saint-Germain and the 7th. Coutume, on Rue de Babylone, roasts its own beans and is close to Le Bon Marché.
• Near the Louvre and Palais-Royal. Télescope, on Rue Villedo, is a small bar close to the Palais-Royal gardens. It opens on weekdays only.
• Belleville. Belleville Brûlerie roasts in the 19th and sells beans to many shops across the city.

The walk through the Marais for couples on photographers-paris.com describes a route through the same streets. A coffee stop fits naturally at the start of it, before the shops open and the lanes fill up.

Chains also exist. Some French chains serve decent specialty coffee and keep longer hours than small independents. They can be a useful backup on a Sunday afternoon.

# Buying beans to take home

Many specialty shops sell bags of their own or a partner’s roast. A 250-gram bag is the usual size. Ask for whole beans if you have a grinder at home, or for a grind matched to your method.

Practical points:

• Check the roast date on the bag. Fresh beans are best within a few weeks.
• Bags with a one-way valve travel well in a suitcase.
• Ground coffee is allowed in checked bags and, in normal amounts, in carry-on luggage.
• Prices for a quality bag often run between 12 and 20 euros.

A bag from a Paris roaster is one of the better small gifts to bring home. It is light, it tells a story, and it gets used.

# A few habits that help

Paris coffee culture has its own rhythm. Knowing it saves time and small awkward moments.

• Many Parisians take a quick espresso after lunch rather than a large cup in the morning.
• Milk coffees are mostly a morning drink at classic cafés, though no one will refuse to serve one later.
• Takeaway cups are common at specialty bars, less so at traditional cafés.
• A simple “Bonjour” before ordering is expected everywhere, at the counter or at the table.

If you have only one or two days, do not cross the city for a single coffee. Pick the best option near what you are already doing. Paris has enough good shops that a decent cup is rarely more than a few streets away in central areas.

# Quick answers

What do you get if you order “un café”? A single espresso. For a milky drink, order a café crème.

Are there flat whites in Paris? Yes. They are on the menu at most specialty coffee shops.

How much is coffee in Paris? An espresso at the bar is often under 2.50 euros. A flat white at a specialty shop usually costs 4 to 6 euros.

When do coffee shops open? Classic cafés often open around 7 a.m. Specialty shops often open around 8 or 8:30 a.m. and close in the late afternoon.

Do you tip for coffee? It is optional. Service is included, and small change is a kind extra.

# Sources

• Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris, cafés and coffee culture pages, parisjetaime.com
• Ten Belles (tenbelles.com), Coutume (coutumecafe.com) and coffee guides listing Télescope, KB Coffee Roasters and Belleville Brûlerie
• photographers-paris.com: “Jet Lag and Your Paris Photoshoot: How to Plan Around It” and “Couples Walk Through the Marais”