Where to find a good cup of coffee in Paris? The EstoniaCoffee team went to Paris as tourists. However, tourists can be really dumb and trust they are surrounded by great cafes and coffee shops.
After four lousy espressos in a row, the EstoniaCoffee team quit the trial-and-error system and started googling where to find a good cup of coffee in Paris. Don’t blame us, we were just one lousy coffee from actual crying, or fighting with the IBS demon.
So, here are some places where we tried an extremely good cup of coffee in Paris. They are all in the touristy part of Paris, more or less.
Disclaimer: Sadly, the EstoniaCoffee team wasn’t paid to promote any of these cafes. We paid for every drink in every shop. In a few cases, that was a lot. But more about that later.
Five great Paris cafes where you can find a good cup of coffee
Malongo coffee
Address: 50 rue Saint André des Arts
Malongo cafe was the only one we didn’t google in our search for a good cup of coffee in Paris. We found it by mistake while searching for a rum shop. The smell of coffee roasting is the sole reason we went inside. And inside, oh boy.
A small roaster with glass walls, surrounded by boxes of freshly roasted coffee. The wall shelves are filled with coffee equipment, chocolate, jams and coffee pods. You can even buy raw beans and roast them there. The smell of coffee was amazing, and we had to order some.
Malongo cafe has divided its coffee offer by the method of extraction. Hence, you can order:
- Espresso and espresso-based drinks. Depending on your choice of beans, you will pay anywhere from €2.80 for regular espresso to €7.00 for espresso made with Jamaican Blue Mountain beans.
- Chemex – €3 for 25 cl and €4 for 35 cl
- V60 coffee made with Myanmar beans – €5.50 for 25 cl
- French press coffee made with Zimbabwe beans – €5.50 for 25 cl
- Siphon coffee made with Laos beans – €5.50 for 25 cl
- Cold-brew dripper coffee made with Congo beans – €5,50 for 25 cl
The offer of beans changes over time, but you won’t be disappointed.
They also have a decent offer of tea and fresh pastry, but we didn’t come there for tea. We ordered siphon coffee and a large Viennese coffee. The cost? €11.40. Ouch. But the coffee was truly wonderful, and we even bought a small bag of beans from Laos.
Malongo Cafe Pros and Cons
Cofftea shop
Address: 8 rue Berthollet, 75005, Paris
Cofftea shop is a bit chaotic shop that was a few minutes from our hotel, and it had OK Google reviews, so we decided to give it a try. We were welcomed warmly by (we assume) the only waitress who speaks English. The interior is nice, nothing special, though.
You can get the “home” vibe here pretty easy, especially when you see homemade cakes and daily offers. You can also buy slightly overpriced beans and coffee equipment. But in this cafe, you can also see a human controlled by a cat.
As for the prices, the espresso was €2.50, and it was great. We tried asking questions about the beans, but the lovely waitress couldn’t help us much, and our French skills are pretty basic.
As for the prices, latte, mocha, cold brew and cappuccino are €4.50, and for the rest of the prices, you will have to ask the staff or visit their extremely confusing web page. Their Instagram page is your best shot at finding more info.
Cofftea Pros and Cons
Illy coffee shop
Illy currently has 4 cafes in Paris:
- 13 Rue Aber
- Gare Montparnasse, 16 Boulevard de Vaugirard
- 7 Avenue de Opera
- 12 Rue de Linois
We have been to all four, just because we love Illy coffee. And, of course, for the purpose of this article. Illy will not give you breathtaking interior or exotic offers. Just good, robust and tasty coffee.
Most of the time, that’s all we need. Especially combined with great Illy offers, you can get your favorite croissant or any other pastry for a bit lower price.
Of course, you can always buy Illy beans, coffee machines, or any other equipment in their cafes. However, the offer is pretty standard all around Europe, and it doesn’t make sense to drag your coffee machine back to your home when you can buy it at home for a similar price. Illy is a brand that almost never disappoints us, and they kept that reputation in Paris, too.
Illy cafe Pros and Cons
Grounded
Address: 101 rue de Charonne
Grounded is a cute little vegan hipsterish cafe. We don’t mean anything bad with that expression. It is small, cozy, and the tables are overcrowded with cutlery, salt/pepper, and water bottles.
People come here for granola, toasts and similar vegan/vegetarian cuisine. If you are interested, here is a video clip by Veggie Magnifique where you can hear the story about Grounded cafe.
We had some Ethiopian beans there, and we talked to the owner about his lovely little bar. Like all these places, it’s slightly overpriced (hipster tax is real, guys), but it is a popular breakfast/brunch choice.
The coffee menu is decent, as well as the prices. They go from €2.50 for a regular espresso, all the way to €6.00 for an iced dirty golden latte. Grounded cafe uses oat milk by default, and if you want to switch it to almond milk, you will have to add an extra 50 cents.
Grounded cafe Pros and Cons
Un Grain Décalé
Address: 3 Rue Vavin
Un Grain Décalé is a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop near famous Luxembourg park. The interior is petite, and they had the tiniest toilet ever. We were lucky we decided to grab a coffee first thing in the morning because, in 15 minutes, the line for coffee-to-go was formed.
It was incredible how this tiny shop works so well and has one of the most interesting interiors ever.
The owners, Laura and Patrick, were friendly and polite, so we were surprised when we saw some negative reviews about their rudeness.
It turns out that a lot of these negative reviews come from laptop-campers who don’t understand that the place is super small and super crowded, so they can’t just be there all day, drinking one coffee.
As for the prices, this cafe is not cheap. Espresso is €2.80, while latte is €5.00. The priciest one is mochaccino – €5.80. But the coffee is truly incredible, and you will enjoy every drop. Paying a few cents more for a great coffee is always a good investment.
Un Grain Décalé Pros and Cons
Conclusion
The EstoniaCoffee team found a good cup of coffee in Paris and we were delighted with the choice the city of light offers to coffee lovers. Lots and lots of small third-wave coffee shops are waiting for you if you decide to visit the capital of France.
