There is no shortage of unique and stunning cafés in Paris. Here’s SVADORE’s list of 17 best cafes in Paris.
We all know or have done a bar or pub crawls, but when in Paris it seemed fitting for us to do a café crawl. My list of the best cafes in Paris is based on a few qualities: uniqueness, deliciousness, and aesthetics. During my time in Paris, I stopped by as many cafes as possible and shot pictures in front of some of the most stunning. Now while my list will never be complete due to the number of hidden and beautiful cafes dotted around Paris, I believe the below is a great starting point for any traveler visiting Paris. If you’re looking to wake up to a quintessential Parisian experience, then head over to one of my 17 best cafes in Paris.
Quick Navigation: Best Cafes in Paris
- Le Brebant
- Boot Cafe
- Le Flore en l’Ile*
- Odette
- La Porte Montmartre*
- Le Relais Odeon
- Maison Sauvage
- Les 2 au Coin
- Merci*
- Cafe de Flore
- Le Bonaparte*
- Le Vrai Paris
- Maison Rose
- Le Consulat
- Cafe de la Grand Mosquée de Paris
- Le Moulin de la Galette
- Le Nul Part Ailleurs
*Anything that is marked with an asterisk I have actually “cafed” at. If it doesn’t have an asterisk, I have only visited the café for aesthetic purposes, but did not order anything.
Want an abbreviated version? See a quick round-up of 5 of my top cafes in my TikTok below. Otherwise, continue to the article for the full list.
1. Cafe Le Brebant
Location: 9th Arrondissement; Quartier de l’Opéra
Hours: 8AM – 5PM
Just across from our stay at Hotel de Grands Boulevards was Cafe Brebant, a tropical escape within a cafe. Outside are a number of space heaters and outdoor tables with green plants wrapping the ceiling. On the inside you’ll find enormous woven wicker baskets accompanied by pendant lights hanging from the ceiling turning the cafe into a tropical oasis. If your looking for a vacation-worthy slice of paradise, this is your getaway.
2. Boot Cafe
Location: 3rd Arrondissement; Marais
Hours: 10AM – 5PM
This speakeasy-like cafe is hard to find. Following a delicious lunch at Marché des Enfants Rouges, we passed by this small cafe. It’s located in an old cordonnerie or cobbler shop now turned into a miniature cafe (or small shoe box as one would say!). The cafe was made for grab-and-go coffee and pastries. The place is tiny with only 2 tables. The blue cafe, called Boot Cafe, is hidden in a quiet street in the Marais district. Because of its quiet location, on nice days small chairs and tables are set outside to make room for an additional 2 to 4 people.
3. Le Flore en l’Ile
Location: 4th Arrondissement; Île Saint-Louis
Hours: 8AM – 12AM
While visiting île Saint-Louis near Notre Dame, Pat and I stopped at Le Flore en l’Île for lunch. What stole my heart was this cafe and restaurant’s location directly on the Seine with views on the right of Notre Dame in the distance and on the left of Pantheon’s dome. We stole two seats directly on the sidewalk with views of everything. Lunch could not get more Parisian than this. Imagine, strawberry crêpes, rosé, and street artists and musicians serenading us on St. Louis bridge. They are famous for their Berthillon ice cream, known as one of the best ice cream’s in all of Paris, which has lines that go around the block.
4. Odette
Location: 5th Arrondissement; Sorbonne or Quartier Latin
Hours: 10AM – 7:30PM
We had been stuffing our faces with pastries all day, from the annual French bread festival to circus bakery and lunch at Le Flore en L’Île. The last thing I could do was eat Odette’s famous choux à la crème, a light cream puff pastry that comes in various flavors, but boy do I regret not eating one. They are renowned for being the best in Paris…perhaps next time. As with all French places, the cafe has both outdoor and indoor seating.
5. La Porte Montmartre
Location: 9th Arrondissement; Quartier de l’Opéra
Hours: 8AM – 5PM
Just like Cafe Brebant, this cafe was also located right next to my stay at Hotel de Grands Boulevards. Pat and I took shelter here and had breakfast one morning during some spring May showers. This cafe was made famous by Louis XV who created the cafe for his own womanly needs. The cafe eventually was brought down in a fire and rebuilt as a haven for writers and literary figures to meet. Eventually it also became a home for Parisians coming from Orléans. We ordered the standard breakfast package—a croissant, which came out still warm, buttery, and flaky while in my hands—an orange juice and coffee or cappuccino. I personally thought the breakfast was delicious.
6. Le Relais Odeon
Location: 6th Arrondissement; Sorbonne or Quartier Latin
Hours: 7AM – 1AM
This isn’t a café as much as it is a brasserie or bistro located within a secret passage within Boulevard Saint-Germain. But it also offers breakfast, which is why I added it as a “cafe.” You can find Le Relais Odeon on Boulevards Saint-Germain, but it’s backyard terrace rich in Art Nouveau architecture secretly spills out into the hidden cobblestone alleyway way of Cour du Commerce Saint-André (pictured above with Patrick). It’s a postcard perfect secret terrace rich in flora, string lights, and a chitter chatter in a historic passageway.
7. Maison Sauvage
Location: 6th Arrondissement; Sorbonne or Quartier Latin
Hours: 7AM – 2AM
This cafe is absolutely savage, after all it’s called Maison Sauvage—savage house. It’s inspired by Parisian countryside houses. The main spectacle is its flowers that change every season. Since I was there in Spring, pink flowers took over the second floor balcony. The cafe features a stunning outdoor area and a second floor open for the winter time. Straw baskets, embroidered items, and more decor give it a fairytale atmosphere right off of Boulevard Saint-Germain.
8. Les 2 au Coin
Location: 2nd Arrondissement; Bourse
Hours: 8AM – 8PM
If you haven’t already gathered from my list of best cafes in Paris, finding nature in Paris is not as hard as you think. Green cafes are nothing new, but there was something about the AMOUNT of plants in this small cafe space in Paris that made Les 2 au Coin special. The plant are both their for décor and on sale. The plants give this quiet road off of Grands Boulevards a breezy, bohemian feel.
9. Merci
Location: 3rd Arrondissement; Marais
Hours: 10AM – 7PM
Merci is a blend of a used book store/cafe/restaurant/clothing store in the Marais district. Pat and I stopped by here following our lunch at Marché des Enfants Rouges. We walked in through the entrance and immediately were taken back by the lined wall of used books available for people to read. We sat in the back next to a cobblestone courtyard with outdoor tables and a small red Fiat parked in the center. It reminded me of my old car! (I used to own a red fiat). Merci café is part of the larger Merci building that includes a stylish apparel shop in the back with it’s own personal goods sold on 2 floors. It’s a great place to visit, especially on a rainy day.
10. Cafe de Flore
Location: 6th Arrondissement; Saint-Germain des Pré
Hours: 7:30AM – 1:30AM
Honestly, walking by Cafe de Flore I wasn’t drawn to the cafe. It was super crowded and the establishment was on a very busy street. However, it does deserve a mention because it is one of the oldest cafes in all of Paris. What has brought it to fame is its particular list of high-end clientele including Pablo Picasso (a regular), Raymond Queneau, and other literary figures.
11. Le Bonaparte
Location: 6th Arrondissement; Saint-Germain des Pré
Hours: 8AM – 1AM
We skipped the crowded Cafe de Flore and preferred to shelter ourselves at Cafe Le Bonaparte, a cafe that is much more frequented by locals. They don’t position themselves as a restaurant or a brasserie, but as a cuisine de bar. What does that mean? They select very specific products and like to put a focus on them through bar or finger food. We weren’t that hungry so just ordered a drink and sat outdoors overlooking the abbey church square.
12. Le Vrai Paris
Location: 18th Arrondissement; Montmartre
Hours: 7AM – 2AM
Right before entering the super busy Montmartre neighborhood is Le Vrai Paris, or the real Paris. This small cafe is the perfect spot to grab a coffee and one last breath of fresh air right before heading into the crowded alleys of Montmartre.
13. La Maison Rose
Location: 18th Arrondissement; Montmartre
Hours: 11AM – 11:30PM
You’ve seen this instagrammable pink house on your feed for sure. But do you know about its history? La Maison Rose is another restaurant that was frequented by Picasso. And that makes 2 on my list of best cafes in Paris! It was owned by Laure Germaine Pichot, a good friend and model of Picasso. She was inspired by her trip to Catalonia and its colorful houses so returned to Paris and decided to paint her house pink. After she passed away, it was purchased by the granddaughter of the last owner of the place, Laurence Miolano who brought the history of the Maison back to life through cuisine.
14. Le Consulat
Location: 18th Arrondissement; Montmartre
Hours: 11AM – 10PM
Right around the corner from La Maison Rose is Le Consulat, another historical cafe in Paris. This was another renowned place for artists to meet including Picasso, Sisley, Van Gogh, and Monet.
15. Cafe de la Grand Mosquée de Paris
Location: 5th Arrondissement; Sorbonne or Quartier Latin
Hours: 10AM – 12AM
If you’re looking to escape the crowd and take on a different cafe vibe in Paris, the cafe at the Grand Mosquée de Paris is an interesting place to start. Right next to the Grand Mosquée de Paris is the café. Stepping inside reminded me of my trips in Morocco (one of my favorite trips to date). Everything from the copper-plated tables to the mosaics, intricate ceilings, cared arches, oriental sofas, and colored geometrical shapes exudes exotic North Africa.
16. Le Moulin de la Galette
Location: 18th Arrondissement; Montmartre
Hours: 12PM – 10:30PM
Did you know that at one time Montmartre had up to 13 windmills standing side by side, used to grind flour and press the grapes harvested from the local vineyard? And yes, there were vineyards all over Montmartre, now there only remains 1. Le Moulin de Galette got it’s name because of the famous small brown bread the millers used to make here in the 19th century. The restaurant is enchanting at every corner. The entrance is gated and has outdoor tables and the courtyard has a beautiful tranquil garden. Definitely worth a visit just for it’s history!
17. Le Nul Part Ailleurs
Location: 12th Arrondissement; Quartier de Reuilly
Hours: 8AM – 12:30PM
My last cafe on my list of best cafes in Paris is a random cafe I happened to walk by while in the 12th arrondissement—Le Nul Part Ailleurs—which translates to nowhere else. It is not instagram famous, it is not in a famous bustling neighborhood, and you won’t find anything about it online. What it is is a fine example of the millions of other cool cafes you can find around Paris. There’s a new, undiscovered place at every corner. It would take a whole lifetime to find, document, and experience all the cafes in Paris!
>> Next: Rue Crémieux: How to Visit Places In Paris Respectfully
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2 comments
I have been to Paris 10+ times, and Le Flore en l’Ile is always our first stop. Jet lagged and in desperate need for food, we usually drop our bag at the hotel in the 5th and head over there for an omelette and some much needed coffee with the best view. Love that you recognized it for the gem that it is and I look forward to exploring all of the others you listed that I have missed!
Rhiannon, it truly is a gem! 🙂 I hope you get to travel back to Paris soon and experience the other cafes, they’re all special in their own way..more to come on what to do in Paris!