Good coffee in Paris: An excellent cafe in all 20 Paris arrondissements

Ah, Paris. The land of delectable pastries, world class restaurants dishes and… quite often… fairly unimpressive coffee. 

But never fear! Following our Paris Countdown series – where we explored all 20 Paris districts for a full day – we can confidently recommend a great cafe in every single neighbourhood. Our explorations inspired this list, let us know what we missed in the comments below.

A note: almost all these places serve specialty coffee, where typically a cappuccino would cost around five euros.

The interactive map

First, here’s an interactive map of everything we are about to recommend, to help you find it all easily.

1st: Café Kitsuné

This coffee shop is right in the middle of the Palais-Royal, and provides the perfect accompaniment to a relaxing half-hour on a nearby park bench. @cafekitsune Address: 51 Galerie Montpensier 75001

More to find in the 1st arrondissement.

2nd: Boneshaker

Long-time friends of the show, the team at Boneshaker opened a second, bigger space in 2021, just down the road from their original spot. Pop in for great coffee, legendary donuts, and enough space to sit down and enjoy it. @boneshakerparis Address: 86 Rue d’Aboukir, 75002

More to find in the 2nd arrondissement.

3rd: Fringe

Great coffee on a lovely street in the Marais. What’s not to love? @fringecoffeeparis Address: 106 Rue de Turenne, 75003 

More to find in the 3rd arrondissement.

4th: Le Peloton Café

This cafe is a very dear location to many, including all of us here at The Earful Tower. One of the owners, Paul Barron, featured on our podcast talking about his cafe and the 4th district itself, be sure to say hi from us if you make it in. @lepelotoncafe Address: 17 Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe, 75004

More to find in the 4th arrondissement.

5th: Le Loulou

An Australian cafe that’s very photogenic, with a beautiful interior, exterior, and good food. @loulou_restaurant Address: 90 Bd Saint-Germain, 75005

More to find in the 5th arrondissement.

6th: Cafe de Flore

Let’s face it: If you want to visit the most Parisian of all Parisian cafes, you’ll have to choose between Cafe de Flore or Les Deux Magots next door. During our visit of the 6th district, we chose Cafe de Flore and it didn’t disappoint. Since it opened in 1887, pretty much every famous person who has been in Paris has visited. Their website looks like it was written by Google Translate, but you can get a good idea of the history on the link above. Go for the terrace, and watch Parisians at play. Note: The coffee will not win any awards, this one is all about the setting. @lecafedeflore Address: 172 Bd Saint-Germain, 75006 

More to find in the 6th arrondissement.

7th: Coutume Cafe

This place is the godfather of the Paris coffee scene. Exceptional breakfast menu, perfect coffee, and a lovely ambiance. @coutumecafe Address: ​​47 Rue de Babylone, 75007

More to find in the 7th arrondissement.

8th: Café Joyeux

Good coffee and a good cause. That’s what you’ll find at Café Joyeux, a coffee shop right on the Champs-Élysée that aims to provide equal opportunities by hiring staff with mental or cognitive disabilities. Don’t leave without trying their delicious homemade treats. @cafejoyeux Address: 144 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008

More to find in the 8th arrondissement.

9th: KB CaféShop

A classic! Grab a spot on their sweeping terrace and watch the ninth arrondissement go by. @kbcoffeeroastersparis Address: 53 Av. Trudaine, 75009

More to find in the 9th arrondissement.

10th: Ten Belles – Paris 10

This place has recently reopened after a serious makeover. It’s twice as big as before and even more lovely. Perfect place to grab a takeaway coffee to drink beside the canal. @tenbelles Address: 10 Rue de la Grange aux Belles, 75010

More to find in the 10th arrondissement.

11th: Cafe Mericourt

There are loads of cafes in this neighbourhood but none match Cafe Mericourt, 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. @cafemericourt Address: 22 Rue de la Folie Méricourt, 75011

More to find in the 11th arrondissement.

12th: 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. Hear Joseph on the podcast here. @earlybird_coffeeroasters Address: Marché Beauvau, Pl. d’Aligre, 75012

More to find in the 12th arrondissement.

13th: Café Cayo

Check out the new kid on the block! This coffeeshop opened in 2022 and has friendly staff, great speciality coffee and a selection of cakes by the counter that hit the spot. Grab the lemon cake, you’ll be in for a real treat. @cayo_coffee_roasters Address: 9 rue du Chevaleret, 75013

More to find in the 13th arrondissement.

14th: Hexagone Café

Good coffee on a quiet street – and they roast it too. Take a coffee to go and visit the exceptional nearby church called Église Notre-Dame-du-Travail. @hexagonecafe Address: 121 Rue du Château, 75014

More to find in the 14th arrondissement.

15th: Good News Coffee Shop

This place is run by an Australian by the name of Fox: That’s him in the cap, below, and you can hear his voice our podcast episode about the 15th district. His cafe, Good News, is a beautiful spot for lunch and/or a flat white coffee. @good_news_coffeeshop Address: 27 bis Rue Mademoiselle, 75015

More to find in the 15th arrondissement.

16th: Noir: Victor Hugo

Be sure to pop into this funky cafe for some good coffee and their generously sized cookies. They opened up in 2022 and are already a ‘must stop coffee spot’ in the 16th. @noir_coffeeshop Address: 32 rue Gustave Courbet, 75116

More to find in the 16th arrondissement.

17th: Dose Café

Lovely little place with a brilliant location, right by the Square des Batignolles. Sit on the sunny terrace or take your coffee to go and stroll in the park. Address: 82 Place du Dr Félix Lobligeois, 75017 @dose.paris

More to find in the 17th arrondissement.

18th: The Beans on Fire – Trois Frères

This team already has a great cafe in the 11th, exciting to see they expanded in 2021 with this cute spot in Montmartre. 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. @thebeansonfire Address: 61 Rue des Trois Frères, 75018

More to find in the 18th arrondissement.

19th: Kaffeebar 19

A stone’s throw from the canal, this place has friendly staff, a cosy interior, and good specialty coffee. @kaffeebar_19 Address: 26B Rue de l’Ourcq, 75019

More to find in the 19th arrondissement.

20th: The Dancing Goat

Opened in 2021, this spot is by far the hippest in the hood, with friendly staff and a beautiful interior. @thedancinggoatparis Address: 117 Av. Gambetta, 75020

More to find in the 20th arrondissement.

That’s all for now! Happy exploring – now with a good cup of coffee in hand! 🙂

A big thanks to Augusta Sagnelli for the loveliest of the photos you see on this page.

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