It used to be that it was nearly impossible to find a good cup of coffee in Paris. Thankfully, that has changed, with the opening of a multitude of different coffee shops, each with its own atmosphere. At La Caféothèque, that atmosphere is all about harnessing South America – and sticking it on the Right Bank of the Seine.
La Caféothèque became one of the first spaces in Paris where you could get a good cup of coffee when it was opened seven years ago by Gloria Montenegro. While great coffee is now quite a bit easier to find in Paris, this shop, with its South American flair and variety of coffees from over 23 different countries around the world, remains one of my favorites.
La Caféothèque boasts several different spaces for enjoying coffee, from the cozy salon overlooking a view of the river to a gallery space with, as a centerpiece, a wall covered in 20 live coffee plants.
The shop is also home to L’École, a coffee school that teaches everything from cupping to roasting to how to be an exquisite barista. It is frequented by everyone from coffee aficionados to professionals, and the courses range from a two-hour “initiation” to a 30 hour professional reconversion class that includes 20 hours of practice with the shop’s state-of-the-art machines.
But while the atmosphere here is lovely, it’s really all about the coffee.
La Caféothèque offers several different types of filter coffee, from Chemex to V60, as well as several different types of beans on any given day. The English-speaking staff is keen to offer recommendations, in the vein of a good sommelier.
The result is a far cry from the bitter “café express” that most cafés offer in Paris, and for that, if nothing else, true coffee lovers will feel right at home at La Caféothèque.
La Caféothèque – 52, rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, 75004