30 cafes worth the trip across France, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All France guides.
Holybelly 5 ★ 4.6 · Paris
5 Rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010 Paris
Holybelly 5 in Paris's 10e set the city's brunch standard in 2013. Sarah Mouchot and Nico Alary run a walk-in line that does not budge for influencer outreach.
Tip: Arrive at 09:00 or after 14:30 to avoid the queue. The pancake stack is the dish.
Deep Coffee Roasters ★ 4.5 · Marseille
15 Rue Glandeves, 13001 Marseille
Deep Coffee Roasters in Marseille's 1er roasts on-site at Rue Glandeves, beans from Brazil, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Myanmar and Ethiopia, the city's most committed third-wave bar.
Tip: Open Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm, weekends 9am-6pm; the roastery is at no. 17 next door.
La Tisserie ★ 4.5 · Marseille
142 Rue d'Endoume, 13007 Marseille
La Tisserie in Marseille's 7e is Gallien Jeanroy's coffee roastery and shop at Rue d'Endoume, arabicas from high-altitude family farms roasted daily, espresso EUR 2 at the counter.
Tip: Open Tue-Fri 8:30am-1:30pm and 3pm-7pm, weekends slightly different hours.
Ten Belles ★ 4.5 · Paris
10 Rue de la Grange aux Belles, 75010 Paris
Ten Belles in Paris is the canal-side cafe that gave the 10e its third-wave centre. Anna Trattles and Alice Quillet's cardamom buns sell out by 11:00.
Tip: The bigger sister Ten Belles Bread on Rue Breguet bakes the bread; the cafe pulls the coffee.
Coogee ★ 4.4 · Marseille
100 Boulevard Baille, 13005 Marseille
Coogee in Marseille's 5e was the first proper specialty coffee in the city, Australian-style flat whites and lattes, brick walls and vintage seating up the hill from the Vieux Port.
Tip: Open daily for breakfast through afternoon; the smoothies and toasts are the food side.
Ben Mouture ★ 4.4 · Marseille
34 Rue du Petit Chantier, 13007 Marseille
Ben Mouture in Marseille's 7e is Benoit Roch's specialty coffee bar in renovated cellars, sourcing and serving coffees like Aranga from Tanzania and Churupampa from Peru.
Tip: Open Tue-Sat 9am-5pm; comfortable armchairs and a small cake selection.
La Caravelle ★ 4.4 · Marseille
34 Quai du Port, 13002 Marseille
La Caravelle in Marseille's 2e hangs over the Vieux Port from the Hotel Belle-Vue first floor since the 1920s, the most coveted balcony in the city for an espresso or a pastis.
Tip: Open daily 7am-2am; jazz Wednesday and Friday nights October to May.
Telescope ★ 4.4 · Paris
5 Rue Villedo, 75001 Paris
Telescope in Paris was one of the first third-wave coffee bars in the 1er, opened by Nicolas Clerc in 2012. A tiny room, sharp espresso, no laptops at peak hours.
Tip: Laptops fine before 10:30 and after 14:30. The kouign-amann from Ten Belles is the pair.
Coutume Café ★ 4.4 · Paris
47 Rue de Babylone, 75007 Paris
Coutume Café in Paris's 7e is the laboratory cafe of the city's longest-running specialty roaster. Brewing methods rotate weekly; the espresso bar runs all day.
Tip: Order the day's filter on a V60 first, then a flat white; the bar will tell you which Ethiopia is up.
Epicerie L'Ideal ★ 4.3 · Marseille
11 Rue d'Aubagne, 13001 Marseille
Epicerie L'Ideal in Marseille's 1er Noailles is Julia Sammut's deli and counter cafe, filter coffee with a daily lunch plate and shelves of Norwegian anchovies and Bordier butter.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; the dinner-only restaurant across the street is the spin-off.
Oh Faon ★ 4.3 · Marseille
6 Rue Edmond Rostand, 13006 Marseille
Oh Faon in Marseille's 6e on Rue Edmond Rostand is a plant-based pastry shop free of all animal products, two storefronts one doorway apart and a cafe corner for an espresso with a vegan pastry.
Tip: Open Tue-Sat; cinnamon brioche on Friday and Saturday morning.
Loustic ★ 4.3 · Paris
40 Rue Chapon, 75003 Paris
Loustic in Paris's 3e Marais is the boutique cafe Channa Galhenage built after years on the London scene. Square Mile and Workshop beans rotate week to week.
Tip: The Tartine Marais bread shop next door supplies the toasts; pair with a piccolo latte.
Fragments ★ 4.3 · Paris
76 Rue des Tournelles, 75003 Paris
Fragments in Paris's 3e is the daylight-flooded specialty cafe anchoring the upper Marais coffee scene. Bench seating, two pour-overs, no music after 16:00.
Tip: The chocolate banana bread is house-made. Pair a V60 with the Saturday flat-white pastry combo.
Boot Café ★ 4.3 · Paris
19 Rue du Pont aux Choux, 75003 Paris
Boot Café in Paris is the postcard 3e Marais espresso bar with a painted boot facade and seven seats inside. Pulls Lomi beans, runs a cash-only counter.
Tip: Cash only. Take a coffee to the Square du Temple a block away rather than waiting for a seat.
Circle ★ 4.2 · Lyon
11 Rue Chavanne, 69001 Lyon
Circle in Lyon's 1er runs a daytime espresso bar at the front of the Rue Chavanne dining room, with single-origin filter and pastries from a local baker.
Tip: Counter seats open from 09:00; the back dining room opens for dinner only.
Abstract ★ 4.2 · Lyon
2 Rue Duroc, 69001 Lyon
Abstract in Lyon's 1er runs as a daytime cafe and evening cocktail counter on Rue Duroc, with a specialty-coffee programme until 17:00 and full bar after.
Tip: Afternoon is the work-friendly slot; evenings move to the cocktail list.
Les Freres Barioz ★ 4.2 · Lyon
64 Rue Duguesclin, 69003 Lyon
Les Freres Barioz in Lyon's 3e runs an Italian-style sandwich and espresso counter on Rue Duguesclin, with house-baked focaccia and a tight Italian wine list.
Tip: Counter seats only; lunch closes at 14:30 sharp.
Le Cafe de l'Abbaye ★ 4.2 · Marseille
3 Rue d'Endoume, 13007 Marseille
Le Cafe de l'Abbaye in Marseille's 7e next to Saint-Victor Abbey has a zinc-and-wood counter and a small terrace looking down at the Vieux Port, an aperitif and one daily dish.
Tip: Closes mid-afternoon between services; the terrace fills at sunset.
Hexagone Café ★ 4.2 · Paris
121 Rue du Château, 75014 Paris
Hexagone Café in Paris's 14e is the Montparnasse-side specialty bar pouring single-origin espresso and Italian-style breakfast pastry. A neighbourhood roastery.
Tip: The cornetto from the bakery next door is the breakfast set; chase with an Ethiopian filter.
Strada Café ★ 4.2 · Paris
24 Rue Monge, 75005 Paris
Strada Café in Paris's 5e is the Latin Quarter specialty room that anchors Sorbonne students on a thesis week. Two espresso machines, six filter stations, no music.
Tip: Plug points along the long bench. The €8 filter-and-pastry set is the lunch deal.
Yellow Tucan ★ 4.2 · Paris
20 Rue des Tournelles, 75004 Paris
Yellow Tucan in Paris's 4e is the Marais-side micro-roaster with a single counter, rotating Latin American single origins, mostly Colombian and Peruvian.
Tip: The bench seats are for short stays; for longer work, head to Fragments three blocks north.
Le Desjeuneur ★ 4.1 · Lyon
Lyon 6e
Le Desjeuneur in Lyon's 6e is the brunch-and-coffee room running filter from a local roaster, with weekend egg plates and a strong specialty-coffee programme.
Tip: Weekend brunch books out; weekday mornings are the work-friendly slot.
Soma Cafe ★ 4.1 · Lyon
9 Place Saint-Paul, 69005 Lyon
Soma in Lyon's 5e doubles as a daytime cafe on Place Saint-Paul before its dinner service, with filter coffee and pastries from 09:00 to 14:30 most weekdays.
Tip: The afternoon counter is the work slot; book separately for dinner.
Angelina ★ 4.1 · Paris
226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Angelina in Paris has poured the chocolat l'Africain hot chocolate at the same Rue de Rivoli tea room since 1903. The Mont-Blanc chestnut pastry is its second act.
Tip: The line is for tourists; the take-out counter is fast and the chocolate travels in a flask.
Dose Dealer de Café ★ 4.1 · Paris
73 Rue Mouffetard, 75005 Paris
Dose Dealer de Café in Paris's 5e is the Mouffetard-side specialty cafe that supplies the Sorbonne with single-origin espresso and a brunch carte at the weekend.
Tip: The brunch from 10:00 weekends is the steal; the laptop tables sit by the back window.
La Commune Coffee ★ 4.0 · Lyon
3 Rue Pre-Gaudry, 69007 Lyon
La Commune in Lyon's 7e runs a 4 EUR specialty-coffee programme inside the food hall, with rotating roasters and a long communal table for work mornings.
Tip: Weekday morning is the work-friendly slot; weekend brunch fills the room.
Café Kitsuné ★ 4.0 · Paris
51 Galerie de Montpensier, 75001 Paris
Café Kitsuné in Paris's Palais-Royal gardens is the fashion-label cafe that helped reset Parisian matcha standards. Six terrace seats, take-away counter inside.
Tip: The terrace catches gallery light all afternoon. Order matcha cold-brew in summer.
Café de Flore ★ 4.0 · Paris
172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris
Café de Flore in Paris is the Saint-Germain literary cafe Sartre and de Beauvoir made famous. The cafe crème still arrives on a silver tray at the same tables.
Tip: The first-floor mezzanine is quieter than the terrace. Order the chocolat chaud in winter.
Shakespeare and Company Café ★ 3.9 · Paris
37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris
Shakespeare and Company Café in Paris pulls Cafés Belleville espresso beside the English bookshop. The Notre-Dame terrace is the 5e's most photographed.
Tip: The terrace catches the cathedral view; arrive at 09:30 for a seat before the tour buses.
Les Deux Magots ★ 3.8 · Paris
6 Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 75006 Paris
Les Deux Magots in Paris faces Café de Flore on the Saint-Germain square and serves the city's most expensive chocolat chaud in a black china pitcher.
Tip: Pay for the view, not the food. The chocolat chaud at €9 is worth the terrace seat alone.