☕️ The Best Coffee Shops in Paris for Specialty Coffee

Don’t be underwhelmed by the size of I/O Café: everything has been thoughtfully curated in this small café, in order to deliver the best experience possible. From the handmade tableware to the delicious pastries from the bakery Sain Boulangerie, the owners have chosen every bit to live up to your standards. I/O Café has a classic coffee menu, but the baristas master every preparation. Take their flat white, for example, it is perfectly balanced and smooth, even in the dairy-free option. If the weather is nice enough, you can sit outside and enjoy the peacefulness of the Carreau du Temple area.

Another great coffee place in the area is Dreamin’ Man. This very cozy café now has two locations in the 11^th arrondissement, operating on their own schedule. The team bakes their own pastries every day, with specials each week, and believe me, it is very enjoyable! The atmosphere at Dreamin’ Man is quite special too, especially at their original location, where a lot of regulars like to chat over a cup of coffee. If you want to check The Broken Arm’s collection while sipping your coffee, go to their second location at the shop: it is a bit busier on Saturdays but you can have a take-away and run your errands.

RECTO VERSO is one of the newest coffee shops in town, and it sure is the last one that has opened in this list. They have a pretty original menu, featuring not only coffee but also some of their creations, and they bake amazing stuff. What makes this place very particular though is the space: it surely is one of the best on this list, with its authentic timber ceiling and wooden panels. The light is beautiful and the owners have a great taste in picking delicate flowers to lift the mood. Don’t be fooled by the mention of a ‘crème’ on their menu: it’s actually a flat white but the owners don’t like the name. If you stop by, make sure you try their Basque cheesecake, the best I’ve had so far!

If you rely on the size and overall look of a café, you might consider Typica as an outsider. You would be missing out on great coffee though! Unless it’s summer time (they set up an outdoor area when it’s warm enough to sit outside), you could even walk past the front of the shop without noticing. Thankfully, a good old board is here to give you a heads-up. Now, how about the coffee? I’ve never been disappointed once by Typica. I’ve tried many options on their coffee menu and it’s always very tasty and balanced. It’s also a very cool place if you want to discover new brands or beans, as they regularly get coffee from different or new suppliers. They only bake cookies, but there’s a very nice bakery next door so it’s easy to get another snack if you don’t like drinking coffee on an empty stomach – and are not a cookie fan.

One of the perks of Clove coffee shop is definitely its location, just a few blocks away from Montmartre and Sacré-Coeur. The café has opened very recently and displays a nice airy space with great light. Clove also has a classic coffee menu and offers an original dairy-free option that gives a nice and creamy twist to their lactose-free beverages. If you fancy a treat, go for a delicious – and generous, pastry from Leonie Bakery. Coffee is served in nice stoneware cups from Dunp Ceramics, a local pottery. Although coffee is the focus, you can also have tea or hot chocolate at Clove, as the owners have selected high-quality brands for you to try.

Kawa coffee is not just a café, actually, they have been roasters way before the opening of their shop in Le Marais. The two founders, Antoine and Alexis, have decided to focus on the quality of the roasting process in order to produce local specialty coffee. Since the opening of the shop, you can come by for a tasting: the coffee menu offers 4 espressos and 4 filters. The barista will guide you into the tasting experience with precious advice and comments. I particularly liked trying the filter, served in two different cups in order to discover two versions of the same brew. They also organize cupping events – check their Instagram! Kawa coffee doesn’t serve food, but if you want a treat, you can still grab a cookie from Gramme just a few meters away!