Eat like a local: the 10 Best Cafés in Paris

By Go City Expert
Published: July 17, 2024
Cafe Paris

Slow it down during your visit to Paris and eat like a local with our guide to some of the best cafés in Paris. Embrace the leisurely pace of Parisian life and discover the city's culinary gems.

In a city where people-watching is an art form, finding the perfect spot to indulge in this delightful pastime is key. Our selection of the best cafés in Paris offers more than just a great cup of espresso; they provide a window into the soul of the city.

 

Cafe in Paris

 Whether you're seeking a cozy corner for contemplation or a vibrant terrace for observing the bustling streets, our list ensures that you'll find the ideal café to sit back, relax, and watch the world drift by in true Parisian style.

Café des Deux Moulins

Made famous by the movie Amélie, this café is a popular spot with tourists and locals. With a good selection of food and drinks, a particular highlight is the Goûter d’Amélie, offering you a choice of coffee (black or with milk), hot chocolate or tea, with a crème brûlée. Because of its location in a non-touristy area of Montmartre, you can immerse yourself in French culture and, if you like, take a selfie next to a large poster of Amélie.

Amelie

Moncoeur Belleville (formerly Ô Paris)

A cafe in Paris

At the top of Parc de Belleville, this is the perfect place to relax on a sunny day. From the outdoor terrace, you can get a fantastic view of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower. With affordable drinks and an excellent brunch, there are also regular live music events. The local area is full of boutiques and studios and is perfect for an afternoon stroll.

Le Caféothèque

A favorite for locals, this little café on the Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville is famous for its impressive selection of coffee from around the world. Grab a comfy seat, choose your coffee blend, and admire Notre Dame as the sun sets.

Angelina

Do you love hot chocolate? Then Angelina, on Rue de Rivoli, is the place to go. Serving delicious classic tea-room food and their famous chocolat chaud, it’s not hard to see why this is one of the most famous cafés in Paris.

Angelina

Ob-La-Di Café

Nestled in the heart of Le Marais, this retro café is tiny. With only about 15 seats, it’s also always busy. If you manage to get a place to sit, then you’re in for a treat. The café is popular with bloggers, photographers, and those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Paris. The avocado toast is highly recommended!

Chocolat chaud

Nestled in the heart of Le Marais, this retro café is tiny. With only about 15 seats, it’s also always busy. If you manage to get a place to sit, then you’re in for a treat. The café is popular with bloggers, photographers, and those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Paris. The avocado toast is highly recommended!

Les Deux Magots

One of the oldest cafés in Paris, Les Deux Magots has welcomed a host of literary figures and artists over the years, from Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre to James Joyce, Pablo Picasso, Bertolt Brecht, and Ernest Hemingway. Close to the Church of Saint-Germain des Près, this café has a traditional bistro ambiance.

Au Thé Gourmand

Away from the tourist areas, this café in the Latin Quarter is popular with a younger crowd. The homemade desserts make this place famous and, with exposed stonework, wooden beams, and huge windows, this is the perfect place to while away a few hours.

Cafe in Paris

Away from the tourist areas, this café in the Latin Quarter is popular with a younger crowd. The homemade desserts make this place famous and, with exposed stonework, wooden beams, and huge windows, this is the perfect place to while away a few hours.

Berthillon

On the Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île, Berthillon is the place to go for ice cream and sorbet. It's got some seating and also offers a to-go counter. Although relatively expensive, the quality of the ice cream is evident, as shown by the queues of people who wait outside every day.

Café Lignac

Café Lignac, nestled in the heart of Paris, offers a quintessential French dining experience. Known for its charming ambiance and exquisite cuisine, the café is a popular spot among both locals and tourists. Chef Cyril Lignac, renowned for his culinary expertise, brings a touch of modern flair to traditional French dishes, creating a menu that's both innovative and deeply rooted in French gastronomy.

Woman in beret at Parisian cafe

The café's interior, with its cozy seating and elegant decor, provides the perfect backdrop for a leisurely meal. Whether it's for a morning coffee, a leisurely lunch, or a sophisticated dinner, Café Lignac captures the essence of Parisian dining culture.

Café de Flore

Café de Flore, located in the vibrant Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of Paris, is more than just a café; it's a historic institution. Renowned for its rich history, this café has been a favorite haunt of intellectuals and artists since the 1920s. Its classic Parisian charm is reflected in its timeless decor, with red seating, mirrored walls, and a bustling terrace.

The menu offers a range of traditional French café fare, from simple breakfasts to hearty lunches, all served with the elegance and flair expected in such a legendary spot. Visiting Café de Flore is not just about enjoying a meal; it's about immersing yourself in a piece of Parisian history and experiencing the atmosphere that inspired many famous writers and thinkers.

Cafe de Flore

Paris' café culture is as diverse as it is delightful

From the historic charm of Café de Flore to the modern elegance of Café Lignac, each spot offers a unique glimpse into the heart of Parisian life. These 10 cafés are not just about exquisite food and drink; they are about experiencing the essence of Paris itself.

Whether you're seeking a classic French croissant, a rich cup of coffee, or simply a spot to watch the world go by, these cafés provide the perfect setting. So, the next time you find yourself in Paris, remember to step off the beaten path and into one of these local favorites. You'll not only enjoy a great meal, but you'll also eat like a true Parisian. Bon appétit!

Parisian cafe

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Things to do in Paris When its Hot Out

When Paris gets hot, it gets really hot. Cole Porter even wrote a ditty about it, declaring “I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles.” Sure, average highs tend towards the mere balmy during July in August – we’re talking high 70s/low 80s – but the mercury has been known to top out at north of 100°F on occasion. Add to that the ‘heat sink effect’ caused by all that sweltering cement and asphalt and you have the perfect recipe for sweat patches, chafing, and limp frazzled hair, a look that’s hardly de rigueur when in the fashion capital of Europe. With all that in mind, here’s our guide to keeping cool in summer, featuring all our favorite things to do in Paris when it’s hot out, from leafy parks and subterranean caverns to air-conditioned museums and, of course, ice cream. Hit the Beach If you’re the kind of person who sees the sun peeping out and sprints, semi-nude, to the nearest outdoor space in order to sizzle like a French fry until you’re golden brown, then Paris Plages is the summer event for you. Every year, the Seine riverbanks in Trocadéro Gardens, Parc Rives and the Bassin de la Villette are transformed into St Tropez-style sandy beaches complete with sun loungers, parasols, cocktail bars and yup, even swaying palm trees. Slap on the sunscreen, grab yourself a pistachio ice cream (or, y’know, a fruity French 75 if the sun’s over the yardarm), and join sun-seeking locals in this city-center slice of French Riviera until you’re grilled to perfection. Park Life! Paris does leafy outdoor spaces remarkably well, from the tree-lined avenues of the Jardin des Tuileries, between the Louvre Museum and Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement, to the peaceful woodland expanse of Père Lachaise Cemetery in the 20th. And there are plenty more parks to be discovered in between, where verdant canopies and cooling waterways provide much-needed respite from the noon heat.  Parc de la Villette is a hot summer favorite with locals, thanks to its fine shady picnic spots and outdoor events that include music, theater, cinema and more. Then there’s the epic Parc des Buttes-Chaumont with its Eiffel-designed suspension bridge, refreshingly cool secret grotto, artificial waterfall and panoramic Paris views. Or hit up the Jardin des Plantes botanical garden in the 5th arrondissement for some of the most densely packed foliage in town. Water, Water Everywhere… Not only does Paris boast some 1,200+ drinking fountains throughout the city, some of them produce sparkling water, which might just be the most Paris thing that’s ever happened. Refill your bottle with your preferred format of H2O and seek out further watery treats around town. We’re talking outdoor pools, water jets, mist sprays and more. Don your swimming smalls and hit up Piscine Joséphine Baker, a giant pool-in-a-barge that floats on the Seine at quai François Mauriac, or try the slightly more secluded Piscine Hébert, set in a tree-lined garden in the La Chapelle district. Sure, this one is technically indoors, but the roof is retractable and opens on sunny days. Kids will love splashing in the fountains at Place de la République and Parc André-Citroën and you can even take a boat out onto the canal at Bassin de la Villette for an hour or two, no license required! The Hottest Art in Town Most of the major museums in Paris are of course air-conditioned. The Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, the Pompidou Center… all promise a refreshingly icy blast on hot days. But who wants to be indoors on a beautiful Paris summer day? No-one, that’s who. Get your culture fix instead in the stunning seven-acre sculpture garden at the Rodin Museum, where many of the maestro’s best-loved creations – including The Thinker and The Gates of Hell – can be found scattered among ornamental pools and perfectly sculpted box hedges. Or head for the Louis Vuitton Foundation, where contemporary art by the likes of Jeff Koons, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Gilbert & George is housed inside a typically brilliant Frank Gehry masterpiece and complemented by shaded grounds that include water features galore. A world-class collection of indigenous art isn’t the only feather in Musée du Quai Branly’s bow. The exterior is also a work of art in itself; a vast green wall of foliage that looks like a lush garden flipped on its edge, and perfect for cooling off on hot Paris days. Stay Cool in the Catacombs As temperatures rise at ground level, what better way to escape the heat than to hang out with centuries-old corpses down in the Paris Catacombs? This damp, dank network of underground ossuaries is stacked top to bottom with the mortal remains of around six million former residents of Paris. Displaced here by increasing demand at the city cemeteries during the 18th and 19th centuries, these poor souls are now on display for all to see, stacked in macabre arrangements that are very much not for the faint of heart. Ignore the warning sign above the entrance beseeching you to turn back from ‘death’s empire’, and head inside, where bone-chilling delights such as the Barrel of Passion – a keg-shaped structure made of human bones and skulls – may have you wishing you’d stayed out in the reassuring sunshine.  We All Scream for Ice Cream The ice cream in Paris is enjoyable year-round, but never more than in the height of summer when those refreshing and colorful sorbets really come into their own! There are dozens of great gelato emporia across the city, but for the quintessential Paris experience you’ll want to hit up the original Berthillon on Île Saint-Louis, a stalwart of the sweet stuff here since 1954. Bag a zingy lime, fruity pineapple or classic cassis for the win. Don’t be put off by the queues (and believe us, there will be queues) – trust us: better the long wait and the world-class reward than a quick-and-dirty disappointment from the first mobile-freezer-toting street vendor you lay eyes on. Elsewhere, Pozzetto in the atmospheric Marais district, Grom in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and the multi-award-winning Une Glace à Paris in historic Montmartre are gelato geniuses, and all worth a visit if you’re in the area, summer or not. Save on Activities, Tours & Attractions in Paris Save on admission to Paris attractions with The Paris Pass. Check out @TheParisPass on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
rodin
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Discover the best things to do near Rodin Museum

The Rodin Museum is just the start—here’s what else to do nearby.
Musée d'Orsay at night
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Best Time to Visit Musée d'Orsay

A mere whippersnapper in both age and size when pitted against its more popular neighbor across the Seine, the mighty Musée d’Orsay nevertheless packs a very considerable punch. Go for the fine Beaux-Arts architecture and stay for the art, only the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces on the planet, as well as a vast panoply of fine French sculpture, photography and decorative arts. But what’s the best time to visit Musée d’Orsay? Read on for our expert guide… Musée d’Orsay: a Short History The Musée d’Orsay began life as a train station, a fact that will be all too obvious to anyone regarding its monumental exterior, all arched windows, decorative Beaux-Arts flourishes, and a great clock to help keep trains – and passengers – running on time. Gare d’Orsay opened in 1900 in time for the Paris Exposition of the same year, but rapid technological progress in the early 20th Century (and new trains longer than its platforms) had rendered it largely redundant by 1939. The station remained largely unused and was, by the late 1960s, under threat of demolition. Happily for art fans everywhere, it avoided such ignominious fate by being designated a protected Monument Historique in 1973 and, later the same decade, being earmarked as a space for displaying art. The Louvre had the Old Masters covered, and modernism was amply taken care of at the recently opened Pompidou Center. But whither 19th-century French art? It was Michel Laclotte, then paintings curator of The Louvre, who proposed Gare d’Orsay as the ideal place to plug this gap. And so, in 1986, the Musée d’Orsay as we know it today was born. And what a treasure trove of delights awaits inside. We’re talking substantial sculptures including Rodin’s The Thinker, Degas’ Small Dancer Aged 14 and Francois Pompon’s minimalist Polar Bear. And that’s just for starters: fans of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism will find much to admire, with instantly recognizable showstoppers that include van Gogh’s Starry Night over the Rhône and Self Portrait, Monet’s Poppy Field, Whistler’s Mother, and Renoir’s Bal du Moulin de la Galette, to name just a few. The Musée d’Orsay in Numbers Trivia addicts, this section’s for you… The Musée d’Orsay boasts a collection of around 18,000 pieces, running the gamut from Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces to fine French sculpture, photography and decorative arts. There are around 3,000 pieces on display in the museum at any given time. With around 3.2 million annual visitors it’s the second-most popular art museum in France, after (yup, you guessed it) the Louvre. At 574 feet long and 246 feet wide, the Musée d’Orsay is no shrimp, albeit it’s considerably smaller than its Right Bank rival.  Thanks to its previous life as a train station, Musée d’Orsay contains 12,000 tons of metal – believe it or not, that’s even more than the Eiffel Tower! The museum’s five floors are organized by art movement. Go right to the top for the best in Impressionist painting, as well as far-reaching views through the café’s station-clock window that take in the Seine, the Louvre, and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Best Time to Visit Musée d’Orsay and Avoid Queues Like most of Paris’s top attractions, the Musée d'Orsay is busy most of the time. It is rarely, however, like the seventh circle of hell that tends to open around the Louvre’s entrances in the hour before opening. It’s comparatively modest collection and smaller size also makes it a little easier to navigate, ideal if you don’t have the time (or patience) for endless queues and seas of bobbing heads that will likely block your view of the most prized artworks anyway (looking at you, Mona Lisa). Musée d'Orsay is open Tuesday–Sunday from 9.30AM to 6PM, except Thursdays, when it stays open until 9.45PM. Tuesday is perhaps the busiest day (because that’s the Loiuvre’s day off, natch) and Sundays can also get a little hectic. The best time to visit the Musée d’Orsay tends to be weekdays first thing or in the late afternoon. But take care not to pitch up too late and be sure to factor in queuing time – the last thing you want is to find out it’s closing five minutes after you’ve set foot inside. Visit during low season (November to March) for the shortest possible midweek lines. Thursday evenings are also a great time to visit Musée d’Orsay, as the galleries stay open later than usual. This isn’t as popular an option as you might expect and, as a result, presents a fine opportunity to roll up after the usual 6PM closing time and ogle all those marvelous masterpieces by Manet, Monet, Matisse, Millet and more in relative peace and quiet. It’s also cheaper than going during the day. Go figure! Top tip: it’s free to visit Musée d’Orsay on the first Sunday of the month. Booking is essential and, inevitably, you’ll still have to queue, but this is a good option if you’re traveling on a budget and happen to be in the right place at the right time. More Tips for Visiting Musée d’Orsay Book your tickets online in advance. You’ll be given an allocated slot that will save you a fair bit of time waiting in line once you get there. And be sure to join the right queue when you do arrive! It’s entrance C on the Rue de Lille side for ticket-holders. You’re welcome. Planning to tick off a few big hitters while you’re in town? Buy a Paris Pass for entry to dozens of Paris attractions (including Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and many more) for one money-saving price. Ok, so it’s no Louvre, but it’s still way more than any human can realistically take in on a single visit. Our advice? Do your research and decide what are your must-sees and what you can miss. Better to focus on one or two wings or floors, rather than frantically running around seeing everything but appreciating nothing. Save on Activities, Tours & Attractions in Paris Save on admission to Paris attractions with The Paris Pass. Check out @TheParisPass on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
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