30 cafes worth the trip across France, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All France guides.
Deep Coffee Roasters ★ 4.8 · 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.
Tip: Open Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm, weekends 9am-6pm; the roastery is at no. 17 next door.
Au Fond du Jardin ★ 4.8 · Strasbourg
Grande Ile · 6 Rue de la Rape, 67000 Strasbourg
Au Fond du Jardin behind the cathedral is a British-styled tea salon open since 1999, known for more than eighty kinds of madeleine du voyage.
La Tisserie ★ 4.7 · 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.
Tip: Open Tue-Fri 8:30am-1:30pm and 3pm-7pm, weekends slightly different hours.
Tamper! Espresso Bar ★ 4.6 · Lille
Vieux-Lille · 10 Rue des Vieux Murs, 59000 Lille
Tamper! sits on the pedestrian cobbles of Rue des Vieux Murs in Lille, an espresso bar working filter, siphon and piston alongside salads and quiches.
Tip: Beans are graded to a minimum of 85 points, so ask which single origin is on filter today.
Mokxa Boutique ★ 4.6 · Lyon
2e · 5 Rue Bellecordiere, 69002 Lyon
Mokxa on Rue Bellecordiere in the 2e is Lyon's flagship third-wave coffee bar, founded in 2011, with single-origin espresso, filter pours and a roastery.
Tip: The single-origin filter list rotates monthly; whole-bean bags ship retail.
Coogee ★ 4.6 · 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.
Tip: Open daily for breakfast through afternoon; the smoothies and toasts are the food side.
La Claque Cafe ★ 4.6 · Nice
8 Rue du Pont Vieux, 06000 Nice
La Claque on Rue du Pont Vieux in Vieux Nice is the city's specialty coffee reference, artisanal roasting and a wide choice of single-origin beans.
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. Arrive at 09:00 or after 14:30 to avoid the queue. The pancake stack is the dish.
Tip: Arrive at 09:00 or after 14:30 to avoid the queue. The pancake stack is the dish.
Cafe Bretelles Petite France ★ 4.6 · Strasbourg
Petite France · 36 Rue du Bain-aux-Plantes, 67000 Strasbourg
Cafe Bretelles Petite France on Rue du Bain-aux-Plantes pours its own specialty coffee with gourmand brunches and daily plates made from fresh, local produce.
Black List Cafe ★ 4.5 · Bordeaux
saint-pierre · 27 Place Pey Berland, 33000 Bordeaux
Black List Cafe in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the Place Pey Berland specialty-coffee room, opened 2014 as the city's first third-wave shop, with pourovers.
Tip: Open daily 08:00-18:00; the cookies are house-baked and pair with the lighter Ethiopian filter.
L'Alchimiste ★ 4.5 · Bordeaux
golden-triangle · 12 Rue de la Vieille Tour, 33000 Bordeaux
L'Alchimiste in Bordeaux's Golden Triangle is the Rue de la Vieille Tour coffee bar and roastery, opened 2014 and now supplying many of the city's specialty.
Tip: The minimalist room has only counter seating; the boutique sells the same beans to take home, prices from €12 a bag.
La Pelle Cafe ★ 4.5 · Bordeaux
chartrons · 29 Rue Notre-Dame, 33000 Bordeaux
La Pelle Cafe in Bordeaux's Chartrons is Carlos Pereira's specialty roastery and coffee bar on Rue Notre-Dame, opened 2016, with an imposing roaster.
Tip: Pereira co-founded Coutume in Paris before moving south; the roasted-on-site filter rotation is the easiest order at the counter.
Coffee Makers ★ 4.5 · Lille
Lille-Centre · 151 Rue Pierre Mauroy, 59800 Lille
Coffee Makers on Rue Pierre Mauroy in Lille has roasted its own beans since 2013, an espresso bar and tea room over a certified organic roastery.
Tip: Reservations are taken by SMS or voicemail only. Wednesday opens two hours later than the rest of the week.
Slake Coffee House ★ 4.5 · Lyon
2e · 9 Rue de l'Ancienne Prefecture, 69002 Lyon
Slake Coffee House on Rue de l'Ancienne Prefecture in the 2e is Robin Perraud's specialty-coffee bar opened in 2015, brewing beans from Mokxa and Kaffa.
Tip: Specialty pour-over is the order; the back room has work-friendly bench seating.
La Boite a Cafe ★ 4.5 · Lyon
1er · 3 Rue Abbe Rozier, 69001 Lyon
La Boite a Cafe at the foot of the Croix-Rousse in the 1er is the specialty-coffee bar in the former Mokxa space, run since 2023 by Amelie Michel and Terry.
Tip: Open every day; the back seats are the work spot, the bar pours rotating guest roasters.
Puzzle Cafe ★ 4.5 · Lyon
7e · 13 Rue Cavenne, 69007 Lyon
Puzzle Cafe on Rue Cavenne in the 7e Jean-Mace is the specialty-coffee shop run by Thomas, with single-origin espressos from independent roasters and V60.
Tip: Ask Thomas for the current rotation; brewing workshops on weekends.
Magma Coffee Shop ★ 4.5 · Lyon
7e · 101 Rue Béchevelin, 69007 Lyon
Magma on Rue Béchevelin in the 7e Guillotière is the specialty coffee shop with a rotating monthly guest roaster, La Marzocco espresso, V60 filter.
Tip: The Magmola spiced chocolate drink is the house signature; ask for the current guest roaster at the counter.
Ben Mouture ★ 4.5 · 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.
Tip: Open Tue-Sat 9am-5pm; comfortable armchairs and a small cake selection.
Fenocchio ★ 4.5 · Nice
2 Place Rossetti, 06300 Nice
Fenocchio on Place Rossetti has scooped Nicois ice cream since 1966, the 94 flavour counter under the cathedral with rosemary, lavender, black olive.
Brume Coffee Nice ★ 4.5 · Nice
34 Rue Pairoliere, 06300 Nice
Brume Coffee on Rue Pairoliere in Vieux Nice pours specialty espresso and batch brew from preferred roasters, generous pastries and savoury plates handmade.
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.
Le Cafe Cerise ★ 4.5 · Toulouse
saint-pierre · 4 Quai de la Daurade, 31000 Toulouse
Le Cafe Cerise on Quai de la Daurade is Garonne-side specialty coffee shop and roastery, founded by Valentin Tihy with single-origin Arabicas roasted on-site.
Tip: Filter coffee at the bar from the day's rotating menu; the roasted beans by the kilo are sold across the room.
Cafe Piha ★ 4.4 · Bordeaux
saint-pierre · 69 Rue des Faures, 33000 Bordeaux
Cafe Piha in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is kitesurfer Pierre Guerin and Carole's specialty-coffee room and roastery on Rue des Ayres, opened February 2017.
Tip: Saturday brunch fills by 11:00; the kitchen does the eggs Benedict variation on toasted brioche, €14 with a flat white.
Paddo Café ★ 4.4 · Lille
Vieux-Lille · 19 Rue du Cirque, 59800 Lille
Paddo Café on Rue du Cirque in Lille brought Antipodean brunch north, ricotta pancakes and avocado toast alongside properly pulled specialty coffee.
Tip: No reservations at all, and the kitchen stops an hour before the room does.
Tome ★ 4.4 · Lyon
1er · 3 Rue Romarin, 69001 Lyon
Tome on Rue Romarin in the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse is the Asian-inspired café-canteen run by Marianne and Sylvain, with KAFFA specialty espresso.
Tip: The Sunday Asian brunch (€25) is one of the few in Lyon; reserve ahead.
Loutsa Cordeliers ★ 4.4 · Lyon
1er · 1 Place Albon, 69001 Lyon
Loutsa Cordeliers on Place Albon in the 1er is the central counter of the Lyon-rooted Loutsa Torrefacteur, serving single-origin espresso and whole-bean.
Tip: The single-origin Ethiopia espresso is the order; whole-bean bags by weight.
Celsius Roasters ★ 4.4 · Lyon
1er · 12 Rue des Capucins, 69001 Lyon
Celsius Roasters on Rue des Capucins in the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse runs an in-house specialty roasting station alongside the café bar, with weekly.
Tip: The weekly roast list rotates Friday; ask for the cupping menu.
Cafe Gadagne ★ 4.4 · Lyon
5e · 1 Place du Petit College, 69005 Lyon
Cafe Gadagne sits on top of the Gadagne museum in Vieux Lyon, with a shaded vine-covered terrace over the museum gardens; the kitchen runs a seasonal small.
Tip: Weekend brunch is the slot; the terrace opens in spring; closed Monday-Tuesday.
Blend Coffee and Vinyl ★ 4.4 · Nice
22 ter Rue Benoit Bunico, 06300 Nice
Blend on Rue Benoit Bunico in Vieux Nice opened in August 2023 as a hybrid specialty-coffee and vinyl record shop, espresso and homemade brunch.
Maison Auer Salon ★ 4.4 · Nice
7 Rue Saint Francois de Paule, 06300 Nice
Maison Auer's small back-room tasting salon on Rue Saint Francois de Paule pours hot chocolate at marble-topped tables under the Florentine stained glass.