1. Candle Kids Coffee
Candle Kids is situated in the charming neighbourhood of Belleville in the 20th arrondissement in Paris, which I explored for the first time. The constantly packed café boasts a minimalist, Japanese-inspired interior with tall floor to ceiling windows, exposed stone pillars and oak wood furniture paired with white lamps and linen curtains.
I had a Cappuccino (EUR5, +0.5 for oat milk) brewed from the Brazil Stardust espresso blend – it featured a velvety taste profile with notes of ripe fruits.
To pair with my coffee, I ordered both the Orange Cake (EUR4.5) and Carrot Cake (EUR4.5) which were recommended by the barista as I was famished. Both were comparable but if I could only pick one to recommend, it would be the former which was a seasonal item, made with olive oil and cardamom.
All their pastries are homemade and freshly baked everyday in their kitchen at the back of the café.
Be it a solo café date with a book, a coffee catch-up with a friend, or a work-from-café arrangement (no laptops on the weekend), the space has a simple and warm atmosphere suitable for all agendas.
107 Rue des Couronnes, 75020 Paris, France
Wed to Fri 8.30am – 5.30pm
Sat to Sun 10am – 6pm
2. Bokbar
Just a 10 mins’ walk away from Candle Kids is Bokbar, which is prided as the only Nordic bookshop and café in Paris. Its concept is the marriage of all the things the founder loves – literature, pastries and wine. Specializing in books from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Iceland and homemade Swedish pastries, the café also hosts monthly literary events.
The coffee I had was just alright, instead the highlight for me was the Brioche du Jour (EUR6) aka Bread of the Day, displayed on the wooden bar counter which caught my eye. It was an upgraded version of the cardamom bun, with rhubarb jam in the middle. The tanginess of the jam balanced out the sweetness of the sugar-dusted cardamom bun, and the portion was huge.
Not being able to read the foreign books did not stop me from indulging in a slow, relaxing afternoon in the cosy nook of the café.
72 Rue Julien Lacroix, 75020 Paris, France
Tues to Fri 9.30am – 5.30pm
Sat 11am – 5pm, Sun 11am – 4pm
3. Recto Verso
One of the hottest cafes in Paris among Instagrammers is Recto Verso, a small but chic space tucked in a quiet street in the Marais district. It is founded in 2023 by a creative couple with backgrounds in graphic design, set design and art direction – this was evident in all aspects of the café, from the rustic wooden aesthetics of the round tables, stools, coffee counter, to the playful illustrations pinned on different corners. The prime spot is the bay window seat where you can often find the owner taking a break when it’s less busy, though most of the time the café is buzzing with patrons, with many spilling out onto the curbside benches.
My Cortado (EUR4.5, +0.5 for oat milk) was excellent, made with a blend from Fuglen. Unfortunately, their signature logo-stamped chocolate biscuit which I had been eyeing was not available when I visited, so I had the soft lemon cookie instead.
Note that the cafe has strict rules – no laptops, no outside food, no intense photography (especially those for sponsored content).
6 Rue Portefoin, 75003 Paris, France
Tues to Sat 9am – 5pm
4. Fauna
If you’re craving an authentic Scandinavian breakfast in Paris, Fauna is one of the cafes not to be skipped. Opened by a Swedish duo at the start of 2024, this breakfast spot has quickly risen as a perennial favourite among locals and tourists alike.
With several café visits planned right after, I had a hard time deciding on just a couple of items. Ultimately, I had the classic Scandinavian Breakfast (EUR9) which was served with sourdough bread, slices of matured cheese, whipped butter and a soft boiled egg.
As a cardamom bun lover, I could not resist the Cardamom Knot (EUR5) as well and I was thankful that I ordered it. Both the savoury breakfast plate and the fluffy cardamom bun were reminiscent of the Danish and Swedish breakfasts I had in Scandinavia last year, with high quality ingredients used.
Interestingly, the Matcha Latte (EUR5.5, +0.5 for oat milk) here seemed to be a regularly ordered item here, so I opted for it. It was rich and smooth, pairing surprisingly well with the Scandinavian fare.
The coffee shop gets filled quickly right from the morning, so be there early for a quieter experience.
12 Rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris, France
Mon to Fri 8am – 5.30pm
Sat to Sun 10am – 6.30pm
5. Sevenly Heart
A romantic haven for the Instagram girlies, Sevenly Heart has one of the loveliest café interiors. Cream coloured concrete and brick walls form the canvas of the café. Vintage furniture and objects such as a gramophone and mirrors lay in different corners of the rustic space, lit by soft light from both the front and back windows.
The café’s most distinctive trait has got to be its asymmetric heart, stamped on their takeaway cups and poured as latte art for their coffee and special drinks here.
I ordered both the Red Velvet Latte (EUR7, +1 for oat milk) and Matcha Latte (EUR6.5, +1 for oat milk) for the visuals, and was pleasantly surprised that they were as good as they looked.
Apart from the drinks, there was a humble selection of pastries displayed – amongst the carrot cake, banana cake, velvet cake and assorted cookies, I had the Carrot Cake which was dense and moist.
This was worth the hype.
55 Rue des Archives, 75003 Paris, France
Mon to Fri 9.30am – 8pm
Sat to Sun 10am – 8pm
6. Dreamin’ Man Roastery
One of my favourite coffee shops in Paris is Dreamin’ Man, which I first visited 3 years ago. Fast forward, they now have a new roastery just a stroll away from the Louvre. This is a bigger space than its first location, with an expanded menu offering not just coffee and pastries but also breakfast items like granola and ricotta orange pancakes and homely Japanese fare such as tori bentos and tamago sando.
The interior of the roastery-cafe was of a similar vibe to their café on Rue Amelot – wabi-sabi infused with grunge. And like its first café, there were several outdoor tables and seats where locals were basking in the morning sunlight.
Coffee was just as good as I remembered it to be. My Cappuccino (EUR5, +1 for oat milk) was made with beans from April Coffee Roasters in Copenhagen which I had fond memories of.
Meanwhile, the Seasonal Homemade Granola (EUR12) was hearty and delicious. It came with generous toppings of fromage blanc, strawberries and compote, served like a proper main course.
If you prefer something lighter, you can opt for their pastries baked daily by the co-owner – scones, pear cake, coffee crumble, passion brownie and banana bread were some of the items available when I went.
31 Rue Coquillière, 75001 Paris, France
Mon to Sat 8.30am – 5pm
7. Noir – Coffee Shop & Torréfacteur
With at least 20 outlets in Paris, Noir Coffee Shop is undoubtedly one of the fastest growing specialty coffee group I’ve ever heard of.
Within 4 days, I made 3 trips to Noir – twice at the Faubourg-Montmartre store and once at the Saint-Germain branch. I did my research and can conclude that the outlet at Faubourg-Montmartre has one of the most gorgeous interiors out of all the branches. The floor to ceiling arched window, vibrant colour palette and the spiral staircase leading to a small mezzanine were the main features.
I tried both the Cappuccino (EUR5.8, + 0.6 for oat milk) and Matcha Latte (EUR6.2, +0.6 for oat milk) – their matcha was not bad, but the coffee outshined with its smooth and velvety texture and well-balanced notes.
There were also some small pastries such as cookies, scones, and financier. We tried a scone but thought it was just alright.
33 Rue Richer, 75009 Paris, France (Faubourg-Montmartre)
Mon to Fri 8am – 6pm
Sat to Sun 9am – 7pm
9 Rue de Luynes, 75007 Paris, France (Saint-Germain)
Mon to Fri 8am – 6pm
Sat to Sun 9am – 6pm
8. Clove Coffee Shop
Clove is a multiroaster specialty coffee shop in Montmartre, just a stone’s throw away from the flight of stairs leading to the Sacre-Coeur. The interior is minimalist and features exposed brick walls, black machinery atop a white countertop, black round tables and wooden chairs and benches.Clove is a multiroaster specialty coffee shop in Montmartre, just a stone’s throw away from the flight of stairs leading to the Sacre-Coeur. The interior is minimalist and features exposed brick walls, black machinery atop a white countertop, black round tables and wooden chairs and benches.
The pastry display case was already cleanly emptied out as I visited near closing hour at 4pm, so I had just a cup of coffee. On the menu were 2 types of espressos, both sourced from Dak Coffee Roasters based in Amsterdam, and 5 types of filter, sourced from Dak and The Picky Chemist based in Belgium. I chose the Espresso du Jour – Dak Coffee Roaster’s Magnolia for my Cappuccino (EUR5.25, +0.5 for plant milk). From Finca Voo in Costa Rica, this coffee won first place in the Cup of Excellence in the experimental category, I could tell why. The taste was unique and funky, bright and vibrant.
I also noticed the beautiful ceramic cups used here, each of them was specially crafted for the menu by the owner, who took up pottery during COVID.
Close to 4pm, the café was still packed to the brim and I had to wait for a table – this was a testament to their high-quality coffee.
14 Rue Chappe, 75018 Paris, France
Thurs to Mon 9am – 4pm
9. Saint Pearl
A charming breakfast spot nestled in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Saint Pearl offers all-day aesthetic brunch dishes with a blend of Western and Japanese cuisine.
Arriving on the dot at their opening hour, we got the coveted indoor round marble-topped table by the window. We chose a savoury and a sweet dish from the menu to try.
The Vegan Avocado Toast (EUR13.5, +EUR2 for 1 poached egg) came topped with a medley of fresh fruits and vegetables – avocado, roasted tomatoes, roasted cauliflower, herb, roasted sweet potato, roasted baby corns – making a healthy and satisfying fare.
We also loved the gluten free Flowery Pancakes (EUR14.5) – we were wowed by the generous topping of banana, oat, maple syrup, vanilla ice cream, fruits, roasted granola, herb, and caramel tuile. In addition, the pancakes had an interesting texture which felt like a cross between an unsweetened banana bread and the classic American pancake.
Over the years, they have expanded to establish 3 other outlets with some outlet-exclusive dishes which I would love to check out on my next Paris escapade.
38 Rue des Saints-Pères, 75007 Paris, France
Mon to Fri 8am – 7pm
Sat to Sun 10am – 6pm
10. On Partage
With a cozy and inviting warm atmosphere, On Partage is a Parisian café for simple brunch fare. We ordered 2 dishes to share, the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (EUR13 +EUR3 for salad), and Homemade Granola (EUR12). I thought the portions were pretty small. We had to pay an additional 3 euros for a salad for the grilled cheese sandwich, but only a few pieces of lettuce were added.
Meanwhile, the peanut butter granola came with fresh seasonal fruits and organic fromage blanc, homemade compote and syrup, and puffed rice for the added texture. I also had the Black Sesame Latte (EUR5.5,EUR0.5 for oat milk), which unfortunately did not have the richness and intensity of black sesame I was expecting.
137 bis Rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris, France
Mon to Fri 8.30am – 5pm
Sat to Sun 9am – 5pm
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