Nothing screams Paris like sitting on the outdoor patio of a café, sipping on a coffee and smoking a cigarette. While we don’t recommend taking up the habit of smoking, we do recommend drinking as much coffee as you can! Paris certainly doesn’t lack in the café department (or pastry department); however, just like with pastries, all cafés are not created equally. Check out our picks for the five best cafés in Paris.
KB Cafeshop is a great place for a coffee – and to plan out your Paris adventures
This is a French café with Australian flair. Located just below Montmarte (KB stands for Kooka Boora), KB Cafeshop was intended to change the sadly lacking coffee culture in Paris. It’s pretty safe to say that they have succeeded in becoming one of the most iconic coffee shops in Paris. Whatever your poison, this place will satisfy everyone, from the most elitist coffee connoisseurs to the humble beginner. Find a table in the trendy space or on the large terrace and enjoy.
Open every day from 7.30am (9.30am on weekends) to 6.30 pm, 53 Avenue Trudaine, 75009 Paris, +33 1 56 92 12 41.
It’s as if they use magic, not science, to brew their amazing coffee
The science of coffee is at work here in this brilliant coffee house. Perhaps best described as shabby minimalist chic, the interior is warm and charming — but let’s face it, locals don’t come to Coutume Café for the décor. They come for the coffee! The owners and staff here are self-declared ‘modern artisans’ of the stuff, and the coffee experience you will get here will leave you dreaming of that little café on Rue de Babylon long after you have left Paris. Magnifique!
Open every day from 8am (9am on weekends) to 6pm, 47 Rue de Babylone, 75007 Paris, +33 1 45 51 50 47.
Ten Belles is a cosy spot to curl up with a book or people watch
Just off the trendy Canal Saint Martin, Ten Belles is quaintly decorated with its pinewood touches, huge chalkboard, green plants, and designer furniture. The coffee is the real star here though, with a constantly renewed menu of roasted coffee. They even have a “customer grinder” if you want to bring your own beans. Cookies, light breakfast options, or a light food menu will sustain any form of hunger you may have.
Open every day from 7am to 5pm, 10 Rue de la Grange aux Belles, 75010 Paris, +33 1 42 40 90 78.
Café de Flore is an iconic Parisian café
Iconic Parisian cafés Café de Flore and les Deux Magots embody the bohemian spirit of the left bank in Paris. Formerly full of writers and artists (Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Hemingway to name only a few), these cafés are two of the best places in Paris for people-watching. While they admittedly do not have the best coffee, the best service, or reasonable prices, either café is definitely worth visiting for the Parisian experience. Grab a coffee, sit on the terrace, and watch the beautiful crowd around you.
Open everyday from 7.30am to 1.30am, 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain & 6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006 Paris.
Who can resist popping into a café this inviting? Certainly not us!
As the name indicates, le Peloton is a coffee shop for bike lovers. The tiny place is located on a vibrant street in the trendy Marais area, and the interior boasts bike-themed decorations and bright yellow chairs. The delicious coffee is brewed with beans from the famous Belleville brûlerie, and the place always offers scrumptious cookies to pair with your delicious cup of java!
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 6.30pm, 17 Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe, 75004 Paris.
