The best cafes in Paris, whether you're looking for Emily in Paris vibes, or you're channelling the drinking rituals of some of the 20th Century's most eminent writers, artists and philosophers, or you just want somewhere quiet to sample the city's best macarons, mille-feuille, eclairs and strawberry tarts.
For decades, possibly centuries, Paris cafés have been the social and cultural hub for writers, thinkers, revolutionaries. It’s where the gossip hungry, idea-makers and academia huddle to scribble ideas, to talk, and even just to sit amongst the living and breathing dynamism of this city. In cafés we find the real Paris. Phones, the mobile sort, have appeared in Paris as they have everywhere. At the risk of sounding like David Attenborough here, it is in these quaint corners within the city’s best cafés that you may experience the extraordinary sight of a young person sitting alone and reading a book, the sort made from paper and bound. For travellers, a Parisian cafe is a place to pause, rest weary feet, and experience some of the best people-watching in the city.
Hot tip: If the pastry is what you’re in Paris for, and you don’t need all the culture, you can pick up a canelé or a strawberry tart from the old patisserie in Paris, Stohrer, and take it away to eat in the park. There are cafes for writing (or reading) novels, for conducting love affairs, for caffeine hits, and for simply watching the weather shift across the zinc rooftops. From the old-world glamour of Saint‑Germain to the floral cool of the 11th, these seven spots reflect the depth and diversity of Paris’s enduring obsession with the café table.
Candle Kids is run by brothers Martin and barista Ernest (ex-of formidably cool Marais concept store The Broken Arm). Like the nearby Mardi, the corner café is still a rare breed locally: the Marzocco turns out first-class flat whites while the sharply minimal décor (all warm-toned wood and paper lamps) is at poles to the low-key cafés facing it across this animated square. Watch out for adorable in-house corgi Voltaire.
Order: Flat white and cinnamon bun. Stay for the soundtrack.
Perfectly posed on one corner of Place des Vosges, Carette is all gleaming pastries, sculpted whipped cream, and ladylike energy. The waiters wear white jackets, the mille-feuille is stacked just so, and the outdoor tables catch the light at just the right hour. Here is your Emily in Paris moment for the ‘gram. Some locals rank Carette’s macarons the best in the city, bypassing the likes of Laduree for its inventive and traditional flavours. It's unapologetically pretty—and yes, the macarons are excellent.
Yes, it’s touristy. Yes, the cappuccinos are overpriced (and only OK). But Café de Flore in the 6th arrondissement remains an essential part of the Paris café landscape—not just for the history (Sartre, de Beauvoir, Apollinaire), but for the sheer drama of the scene. Waiters in black waistcoats. Silver trays. Tiny dogs in wicker baskets. It’s a stage, and everyone knows their role. Come not to be impressed, but to take part in a ritual that's both timeless and self-aware.
Order: Chocolat chaud or a glass of Champagne, depending on the hour. Sit street-side.
Just around the corner from Shakespeare & Company, Odette is as charming as its setting: a tiny tearoom framed by climbing ivy, nestled between Notre‑Dame and the Sorbonne. There’s a marble checkerboard floor, marquetry walls and vintage music completes the Roaring Twenties vibe. Famous for its jewel-like choux—filled with pastry cream and piped to perfection—it feels almost cinematic. The inside seats are limited, but the terrace is pure theatre, with the Seine just a short glance away. It’s not cutting edge, but it’s exquisite in its own way.
Order: A trio of choux and a pot of tea. Sit upstairs for the full fairytale effect.
Overlooking the Luxembourg Gardens in the 6th, Le Rostand has the spirit of a Parisian classic: suited waiters, white tablecloths, and a sense of occasion. Unlike some of its Left Bank peers, it retains its local soul. Artists sketch here. Grandparents linger over hot chocolate with grandchildren. Students revise with espresso and pages of notes. The terrace is perfectly positioned to catch the afternoon light drifting across the garden trees.
Half café, half flower shop, Désirée is soft, intentional, and gently radical. Founded by two women with a passion for sustainable blooms and quality pastries, the space hums with the scent of seasonal bouquets and butter. The marble tables are often full of locals working on laptops or chatting softly over genmaicha tea and lemon-polenta cake. It’s a quietly creative oasis on Rue de la Folie-Méricourt, just far enough from the noise of Oberkampf to feel like a secret.
Order: A matcha latte and whatever cake features citrus or herbs.
One of the original wave-makers of Paris’s speciality coffee scene, the original Ten Belles is a postage-stamp-sized café on Rue de la Grange aux Belles, near Canal Saint‑Martin. More have followed in the 6th, 10th and 11th—but the spirit remains: good beans, and an effortlessness that feels ahead of the curve. The original location has that tight, communal energy that defined early indie coffee culture in Paris. Order: Filter coffee and a slice of banana bread. Take it to the canal steps if you can’t get a seat.
