The 22 best cafés in Paris right now

No one would dare to open their laptop at Maison Fleuret. One may knit, read or daydream while sipping coffee, but never tap away on a keyboard. This former bookstore, with its two floors of wooden charm, proudly showcases an ornate wrought-iron staircase and clean white walls. The kind of place you might imagine Gertrude Stein might hang out with a mug of coffee and a freshly squeezed juice.

Order this: How about a hearty breakfast (starting at 9.30am) with sourdough bread, scrambled eggs, Comté and  berry compote. Or a big, fluffy lemon poppyseed cake to crumble into your long black coffee.

Fauna is a cosmopolitan hotspot with green banquets, organic globes and light wood tables, where Swedes Jacob Köhler and Filip Josefsson skillfully bake and brew. These guys cultivate a blend of simplicity and comfort that embodies hygge, that acute sense of cosiness and snug interiors that Scandinavians (and Finns) are renowned for. It’s the spot in Paris at the minute for trendy caffeine enthusiasts.

Order this: The cinnamon bun, and the chocolate cookie sprinkled with flaky sea salt. 

The Clown Bar, once known for entertaining the crowd on the Oberkampf side, now also delves into coffee. Crossing the Seine, former sommelier David Benichou – previously of Brutos fame – pours exceptional brews at Café du Clown, a small retro-bistro counter by the Marché Saint-Germain. Under the tender gaze of mascot Iago (a really big dog) purists, sleepyheads, and other coffee aficionados rock up as soon as this spot opens at 7am.

Order this: Try the Colombian Yuzu Plum espresso beans by DAK Coffee Roasters, and the doughy chocolate chip cookies. 

Don't expect this discreet spot across from the Père-Lachaise cemetery to wake the dead. At Pilo’s, tranquility reigns. Argentine Pilar d'Amuri welcomes guests into this simple space, where she does everything herself with a calming demeanor: prices are whispered, espressos served without haste, and the cups carefully mismatched. A shot of sweetness in a world of chaos.

Order this: Try the media luna, an Argentine croissant with a sugary crust, perfect for dipping in a good old-fashioned filtered coffee. Or indulge in the chocolate alfajores, two biscuits sandwiched with dulce de leche.

Julien Gaucherot and Matt Samra are a pair of peanut-loving people. Hailing from Belgium and New Zealand respectively, they craft the most talked-about peanut butter in Brussels, where they run their flagship coffee shop. Their Parisian outpost near the Saint-Martin canal resembles a space capsule, with gleaming stainless steel, inviting you to perch on a retro-futuristic log while enjoying some serious coffee.

Order this: A carrot cake muffin, and the speciality coffees roasted in Copenhagen, Barcelona, Brussels and Antwerp. But also try the Buddy, a creamy blend of espresso, peanut butter, oat milk, and raw cocoa.

David Flynn is something of a coffee purist, and Télescope Café has a stripped-down look to it; whitewashed walls with no decoration, a big pale blue wooden counter with a plate of cakes, Marzocco espresso machine and a strange water-heating device which he says is called an ‘über-boiler’. When he serves a glass of water with your coffee it comes from a sleek siphon rather than from the tap, and don’t ask for free Wi-Fi: as David says, ‘it is not our concept’. 

Order this: There are several espresso varieties roasted on-site, from Kenya, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Brazil or Colombia. The pastries out on the counter are well worth a go too. 

Kott Café is like stepping into a chic white haven, straight out of a fashion magazine. Delicate opalines hang from the ceiling, aluminum pipes line the corners, and we sit at small wooden tables, next to thrifted paintings from the flea market. 

Order this: Classic or matcha madeleines by Monsieur Caramel. Black sesame or salted caramel cookies from Jojo&Co. And definitely the exemplary bingsu (a Korean shaved ice dessert), with a delightful Korean-style Viennese coffee, not too sweet with whipped cream.

At the helm of Hanoï Corner, a hidden coffee shop just steps away from Gare Saint-Lazare, young Hô Ly and her partner Nam Nguyen showcase excellent Vietnamese cuisine.

Order this: The excellent cà phê filter, a Vietnamese coffee, with cake; try the chiffon with pandan leaves and the grilled cassava cakes. 

Ever wondered what a break amidst the pages of a fashion magazine looks like? Then head to Le Partisan, where baristas and customers swiftly catch you up on the latest trends, all amidst the buzz of the big Probat roasting machine. Since laptops are banned, it’s all about chatting about Fashion Week gossip while sipping on well-sourced coffee. Note that this minimalist spot has Lebanese roots as the owners are the Karam brothers, and the glass, stone, and metal decor is signed by Beirutians Randa Kamel and Tracy Zeidan.

Order this: The sesame cookie and a fresh roasted coffee; Ethiopian Samii Chelbesa or a delicate Kenyan AA Nduma with a subtle acidity.

Opened in December 2015, Mokonuts is the brainchild of Moko and Omar, partners who previously spent decades working in other fields. Moko, a former lawyer, prepares original and delicious desserts that catch your eye as soon as you walk in. 

Order this: Moko’s devilish cookie, combining black olives and white chocolate (it's divine).