My ten favourite coffee shops in Paris

In a city increasingly full of coffee shops, I've carefully selected my ten personal favourites.

Hi folks,

This post features my ten favourite cafes in Paris. Not the ten I think you’ll like the most, or the ten with the best cappuccinos, or best views, or best prices. These are ten that I personally love. That have meant something to me over my ten years in Paris.

But first, some news to keep you in the loop.

Next week’s podcast episode will feature Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg. She is the lead in “Orlando”, which is showing next week at the Théâtre du Châtelet. The chat was about demystifying opera in Paris. I’ll be at the show on Wednesday night.

This week’s pod was a deeper dive into the farewell video I made with the US ambassador. Listen below or on Spotify or Apple - or via my website. Happy to say the video has over 90,000 hits now (!)

And check your Patreon and Substack inboxes (if you’re already paying members) because I just launched a new members page on Facebook and it’s going wild with conversations about visiting Paris.

Now: time for coffee.

My ten favourite coffee shops in Paris

As you may (or not) know, I’ve been living in Paris for ten years now and one of the most significant changes I’ve seen is the growth of the coffee shop scene here. Ten years ago, you could count on one hand the number of decent coffee shops. Not to be confused with those classic Parisian cafés, I’m talking coffee shops on a par with what you would find in London or Melbourne or New York.

Today, I could easily count thirty coffee “specialty” shops off the top of my head. This isn’t necessarily a reflection of their quality (indeed, my wife has recently slammed one of them in her new column “Scoop du Jour”)… but speaks to a bigger trend towards establishments serving barista-prepared drinks and tasty homemade pastries.

In reflecting on my ten years in Paris, I’ve gathered together my ten favourite coffee shops. Here they are.

1. Le Peloton Café

This cafe is a very dear location to many, including all of us here at The Earful Tower. As the owners, Paul and Christian, say, this coffee shop is all about coffee and community. And cycling. You can rent one of their famous yellow bikes and explore the city from a new angle. In fact, listen to this podcast I did with Paul and Christian, for tips on the best streets to cycle in Paris.

Address: 17 Rue du Pont-Louis Philippe, 75004

2. Bleu Olive

A mere handful of steps from the unmissable Rue Cler is Bleu Olive coffee shop. And it’s lovely. Run by a French family, it’s small, they make great coffee, and it’s the ideal place to gather your strength before strolling through the nearby streets all the way to the Eiffel Tower. I went here pretty much every day for a year or more, and never really talked about it to keep it private. Now that I’ve moved away from the seventh, I’d love to send plenty of traffic their way. They deserve it!

Address: 184 Rue de Grenelle, 75007

3. Coutume (Babylone)

This place is simply the Godfather of the Paris coffee scene. It, alone, is worth the trip across the River Seine. They roast their own coffee and sell it all over the place and rightly so, it’s fantastic. Owner Tom Clark was one of the very first guests of the podcast many moons ago.

Address: 47 Rue de Babylone, 75007

4. Café Méricourt

There are loads of cafes in the 11th but none match Café Méricourt, run by Guy Griffin. This place is an Earful Tower favourite, we have been coming here since before it opened. In fact, one of the first ever live videos was Guy showing us the facade of this cafe the same day he got the keys to it - five years ago. Killer coffee and brunch options in a beautiful setting. He was also on The Earful Tower podcast talking about whether hipsters are ruining Paris here.

Address: 22 Rue de la Folie Méricourt

5. Sylon

This cosy little spot is just downhill from the charming rue des Abbesses and is the perfect place for a hot cup of joe. The staff will make you feel at home and the coffee is always perfect. Again, when I lived nearby this was my regular spot, and again, I kept it to myself. Now I want to tell the world!

Address: 4bis Rue Piémontesi, 75018

6. KB Coffee Roasters

This coffee shop is a top spot for people-watching over a flat white. It has one of the best terraces in Paris, opening onto the sublime Rue des Martyrs, which is a gastronomic mecca. Their newer location Back in Black is excellent too. And the owner Nico is a friend of The Earful too!

Address: 53 Avenue Trudaine, 75009

7. Early Bird

From espresso drinks to drip coffee, Joseph and his team offer a variety of options to suit every taste. The cafe is also a roaster, so you can guarantee a fine scent of ground coffee upon entry and a warm smile from the team. Plus: It’s inside the covered part of the Aligre markets, which in itself is a top reason to be there.

Address: Marché Beauvau, Pl. d’Aligre, 75012

8. The Beans on Fire

This duo of sites started with a great coffee shop in the 11th, to such success that, in 2021, they expanded to this cute spot in Montmartre. It has been cited as ‘the best coffee I’ve ever had’ by guests on our walking tour, don’t skip this place, or the fantastic pastries they bake. When you’re done here, stroll up Rue Androuet, which was made famous (at least in our books) for getting frozen as the setting for a 1942 movie.

Address: 7 Rue du Général Blaise, 75011 Paris, France

Address: 61 Rue des Trois Frères, 75018

9. Yellow Tucan

I’m breaking my own rule here, but this place has become a regular for me, given we live within walking distance. This place is understated and underrated, and just a stone’s throw from the Place des Vosges if you’re in a takeaway mood.

Address: 20 Rue des Tournelles, Paris 75004

10. Fauna

And lastly, I figured I’d end with one of the newer players. I’ve visited all the others on this list at least 20 times each - but this one is probably only a few. However, they’re on to something here and I like it. Scandinavian cool, delicious Swedish baked goods, and exceptional coffee. All in one of the trendiest neighbourhoods in town. Try the homemade sourdough break or the kanelbulle cinnamon rolls. My wife, who’s Swedish too, says they’re just like grandma made them.

Address: 12 Rue Oberkampf, 75011

That’ll do for now!

A huge thanks to the Patreon and Substack members, you keep this show going. I’ve already put ten (!) new members only posts this year, including bonus pods, the PDF Paris guide, and much more. There’s never been a better time to be a Patreon member. Or a Substack member. Same perks, just different channels.

Oliver