5 Great Coffee Shops in Paris, France.

I can't believe Jessica and I wrapped up our Parisian getaway almost a month ago! We've been able to do and see so much and I'm very excited to share my recommendations with you. I'm going to break things down into my favorite restaurants, places for site-seeing, and coffee shops. Today I want to share all the best coffee shops we've been to on this trip!


To be quite honest, it took me a little bit to get used to the coffee in Paris. A lot of places we went had black coffee, espresso, and coffee with milk. I usually add cream and sugar at home so I had been ordering coffee with milk (cafe au lait) and adding sugar but was only able to manage half a cup. It reminded me of coffee with either almond milk or skim milk. Like, it was trying really hard but just couldn't fool me.


It took Jessica and I several days to find the closet thing to half and half/cream in the grocery markets. Apparently most places in France don't carry half-and-half, so we got what we hoped was cream. We read horror stories online of people adding sour cream or liquid eggs to their coffee because all the labels are in French. Luckily I have the Google translator app on my phone (SERIOUSLY get this app if you're traveling because it is a huge help). We picked up "Crème de Normandie Fleurette Entière" which is basically a heavier cream so just a splash in our coffees has been doing the trick when we make coffee in the morning with the Aeropress I packed. As far as our favorite spots to go out for coffee, we've narrowed it down to our top 5. 


We found a Starbucks our first weekend in Montmartre and got café lattes, but I'm not going to count this as a "good coffee shop" because it's a worldwide chain.


The first authentic French place we went was called Hardware Société, and holy cow I cannot recommend this place enough! If you like fresh, yet fun design you'll be in love. They have a Paris location, just across from Sacré Cœur, and another location in Melbourne, Australia. Both times we went (yes we made a return visit) I ordered truffled roasted mushrooms with onions, fresh greens, walnuts, and a 64 degree egg over toast. So stinkin' good! The first visit I tried their iced latte and Jessica got cafe au lait (both great) and the second visit we shared a pot of English Breakfast Tea and I bought a bag of their espresso blend that we made for the remainder of our trip. Their coffee is from Padre Coffee. I highly recommend!





The next place that I recommend is Strada Cafe. I'm so glad that we stumbled upon it because their cafe crème (espresso with cream) was to die for! The staff there was also very friendly and helpful with all of our questions about their coffee and the surrounding area. There is a college right down the road behind Strada Cafe so a handful of students were there working on things which gave it a very collegiate and young vibe. I really loved the set up too; lots of natural light and furniture that provided a cozy and stylish atmosphere.




Next, we visited the Shakespeare + Company Cafe. Not only was it a great cafe, but it is a must-see for book lovers! There is a pretty spacious seating area for a French cafe and then a bookshop PACKED with books from any genre you can think of attached to it. The cafe has coffee, fresh pressed juices and smoothies, and a variety of yummy treats (including vegan and gluten free ones)! Jessica got a surprise book from the "Lucky Dip" box for only 6 euros which was pretty neat.






When we were in Deauville, France (I know it's not Paris but this one needed to make the list!) we stopped by a coffee shop/bakery that was too cute! The employees hardly spoke English but I loved that about it because I felt more submersed in French culture. I actually got to use my translation book when ordering. This cafe's name was Yvonne and it was decorated with neon lit signs and photos of old women laughing wearing flapper dresses and feather boas. It really screamed "I am woman, hear me roar!" in the most sophisticated way. I got a veggie quiche and a double espresso and Jessica got cafe au lait and yogurt. We also got a croissant framboise to go. Delicious!



One more stop was at La Galette des Moulins. I had read about this on both Google and Yelp and it got great reviews. Jessica and I stumbled upon it on one of our last days in Paris and each ordered Paris Brest (a coffee flavored eclair) and espresso. We sat on the terrace while it began to ran and a street musician played in the distance. I felt like I was in a movie!



While everything mentioned above was great, the espresso and pastries and atmosphere, I saved my favorite for last. Soul Kitchen is a must see! If you ever find yourself in Montmartre, please go find Soul Kitchen and get an iced latte and a cookie or even stop by for lunch. They also have a few vegetarian and gluten free options. Simply reading the menu is enough to make your mouth water and your tummy grumble. We visited twice during our stay and I wish it would have been more! On my birthday I decided that I would like to have coffee and a biscuit with butter and jam. Thank you for the loveliest start to a birthday, Soul Kitchen!




Have you traveled to France or anywhere with a coffee shop that left you wanting to visit again? I'd love to hear all about it. Comment below!
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