Where to Find Great Cafés, Bakeries, & Coffee in Paris

Framing this around the idea that Parisian cafes, bakeries, and specialized coffee bars are the best places to have casual meals, pick up to-go croissants, pain au chocolat, sandwiches, salads, slices of quiche, and excellent coffee.

In the Sunday edition of my free Paris Discoveries Newsletter, I answer reader questions about Paris travel, and food and dining are frequent topics.

This article, part of the Paris Discoveries Q&A Archive, brings together those real reader questions and my answers based on my own experiences eating in cafés, bakeries, bistros, brasseries, and restaurants throughout Paris. 

You'll find local recommendations along with practical dining tips.  I've lightly edited, expanded, and updated my original answers, and added photos and related resources where useful.

Top photo:  xxx, (c) Paris Discovery Guide

Paris Discovery Guide is a reader-supported publication.  If you purchase through our links, PDG may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Merci for your support!

Where to Find Breakfast near the Panthéon in the Latin Quarter

Sharon's Question:

We will be staying the Hotel Residence Henri IV in the Latin Quarter (5th Arrondissement).

Do you have any favorite boulangeries or favorite breakfast spots close to our hotel?

Susan's Recommendations: 

Yes, I have several wonderful places to recommend in this quiet corner of the Latin Quarter (the area to the east of the Pantheon between Boulevard Saint Germain, Rue Monge, and Place de l'Estrapade), because I stay in this neighborhood fairly frequently, including about 10 days during my visit last March.

My favorites include:

Boulangerie Moderne (16 Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques near Place de l'Estrapade) - Although their croissants and other breakfast pastries are quite good, their fancier patisseries such as eclairs, flan, and fruit tarts are even better.  They also offer tasty sandwiches and excellent salad - my favorite is the French lentil salad with bits of ham and something crispy such as radishes when they're in season.  While you're inside, enjoy the lovely Art Nouveau signs and painted ceiling.
Where to eat nearby:  When the limited seating in front of the bakery fills up, walk across the street to Place de l'Estrapade and claim a park bench.

La Maison d'Isabelle (47 Boul' Saint-Germain, across from the Maubert-Mutualité metro station) - You'll almost always see a long line of customers waiting outside this small bakery, known for its crispy, highly-lacquered butter croissants and other mouth-watering pastries - the pain au chocolat are also amazing, and their tarte au citron (lemon tart) is one of the city's best.  Thankfully the line moves quickly.  Although all the standard lunch selections - soups, salads, sandwiches - are quite good, the quiche is usually outstanding.
Where to eat nearby:  This bakery has no onsite seating because of the metro station escalator outside their door, so take your treats over to Square Paul Langevin where finding a free bench is usually fairly easy.

Le Petit Café (6 Rue Descartes) - This neighborhood fixture opens at 9am and offers a couple of simple choices for breakfast: a croissant or tartine (bread, butter, jam), juice, and tea or coffee or hot chocolate, with the option of adding an egg and bacon for a few more euros.  Lunch and dinner menus include casual Paris bistro classics made in house such as steak-frites, duck confit, roast chicken (my favorite here), and burgers. 
Bonus: The cafe stays open until 2am - always good to keep in mind if you somehow miss dinner or arrive on a late flight.

The Coffee (77 Rue Cardinal Lemoine) - This is my favorite place at the moment for good coffee in this area - farther away from your hotel than the other places I've mentioned, but in my caffeine-loving opinion, worth the walk.  Although it does offer cupcakes and cookies, the focus is on the coffee and tea drinks.  It features a Japan-inspired theme, and is part of a Brazil-based franchise.  Unfortunately, limited seating means you may need to take your beverage to go. 
Where to sip your coffee:  Although Place de la Contrescarpe is nearby, seating options there are always scarce. Arènes de Lutece, not much more than a block away, offers much better choices, including the tiers of seats where spectators watched the action in the arena during the Roman occupation - that's where I usually go.

Where to Find Breakfast near Boulevard Saint-Michel & the Panthéon

Carlos's Question:

I will be hosted at Salvia Hotel during first days of October.  Any good places nearby to have breakfast?

Susan's Recommendations: 

Hi Carlos,  Le Petit Cafe, which I mentioned to Sharon in the above message, is also just a few blocks from the Hotel Salvia and a good choice for breakfast.  

Also, Pret a Manger (49 Boulevard Saint-Michel) opens at 7am weekdays and 8am on the weekends and is around the corner from your hotel.  They're a British chain, and although the ones I've been to have only limited items at breakfast (croissants, fruit salad, coffee), they're a fine choice if you're in a rush or just want something simple.

La Creperie (12 Rue Sufflot, toward the Pantheon) opens at 7:30am and is also a good choice - the crepes are fine, and this is also my go-to place in this neighborhood for omelets. 

Around the corner at 160 Rue Saint-Jacques, Croc-Fac opens at 7am.  I've only had coffee here, but they also have crepes, sandwiches, and other light fare.  It's a big student favorite, so finding a table can be tough for eating on site.

Also nearby, you might check out Brasserie Balzar (49 Rue des Ecoles).  I've only been here for dinner (mostly very traditional French cuisine - escargot (snails), rabbit, blood sausage (boudin noir), calf's head (tete de veau), etc), but they open at 8am so at that hour, they are sure to offer breakfast fare.

I would also suggest trying the breakfast at Salvia Hotel - it's a 4-star, and should therefore have a good assortment of hot and cold choices.  In case you haven't stayed there before, the hotel looks lovely from the outside, and is in a very nice location.

Where to Find Casual Cafés near Pont Neuf

Rea's Question:

We will be in Paris in September. Do you have suggestions for cafes in the area of Pont Neuf that you would recommend? Local, not touristy, and not extravagant cafes would be appreciated. I am new to your newsletter and really enjoying it.

Susan's Answer:

Hi Rea,  So glad you're enjoying the newsletter!

Because Pont Neuf is so close to several major historic attractions, virtually every cafe here will have some diners who are tourists.  However, I can recommend some where Parisians also eat.  I'll also avoid a couple that I do feel are rather "touristy," meaning that the food isn't as good as it could be but visitors eat there anyway because of the convenient location.

Since I don't know which side of the Pont Neuf bridge will be more convenient for you, I'm including a few recommendations for both sides.  They're all reasonably priced, although the ones on the Right Bank are somewhat more expensive than those on the Left Bank.

Here are my suggestions on and near Quai du Louvre on the Right Bank near the bridge:

Cafe des Arts (corner of the Quai and Rue de l'Amiral de Coligny) - Casual small cafe, across from the east side of the Louvre.  I like it for when I just want an omelet, or something else light - a sandwich, salad, onion soup, and omelets, or if I'm with someone else, maybe a cheese or charcuterie (hard sausages) platters to share.  Or even just coffee or a limonade and a dessert.

Creperie Parisienne Paris (18 Quai du Louvre) - Savory and sweet crepes, sandwiches, salads.  In my opinion, the best bet here are the salads, which are good.  Otherwise, try one of the other places.

Bonne Table sur Seine (154 Voie Georges Pompidou) - This outdoor bar is down on the river bank, and focuses on drinks - but for food, the winners are the cheese, charcuterie, and seafood platters to share.  And the view of the water is terrific - should be great in September, assuming the weather is good.

On the Left Bank, here are three more to consider:

Gioia (35 Rue Dauphine) - Freshly-made Italian cuisine with a focus on pizzas and pastas.

Le Petit Cambodge Dauphine (14 Rue Dauphine) - Excellent Cambodian cuisine - The bobuns (salads) and rice dishes are especially good - my favorite is the lemongrass chicken.

Le Bistro des Augustins (39 Quai des Grands Augustins) - The specialties here are hot toasted sandwiches and gratins (individual servings toasted cheese dishes) of all sorts.

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See More Questions & Answers about Where to Eat in Paris

Wondering about where to find more places to eat or types of cuisine for your Paris visit?  You'll find those Q&A archives here:

• Add 2 more links as food pages get finished
• Where to Eat in Paris: Restaurant Tips & Recommendations

Paris Discoveries Q&A Archive - See Q&As on all topics

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