How to Order Coffee in France

French cafe culture is not primarily about the coffee. It is about the experience of being in a particular kind of social space. Understanding this helps explain both why French cafes are so pleasurable and why the coffee itself was, for so long, not particularly good.

Un café

Un café means one espresso. It will arrive as a small, often quite bitter espresso in a small white cup. The quality has improved significantly in the last decade as French cafe culture has responded to the specialty movement, but the standard French espresso remains darker and more bitter than what you'd find in a specialty-focused city.

Un café crème

Un café crème is espresso with steamed milk or cream, roughly equivalent to a cappuccino or small latte. It is the standard French milky coffee drink. Une noisette is espresso with a small amount of milk foam, similar to an Italian macchiato.

The terrace

Sitting at a terrace table and watching the street is one of the canonical French cafe experiences. It costs more than sitting inside, and the service is slower by design. This is not a problem to be solved; it is the point. Plan for it and enjoy it.

The new Paris specialty scene

The specialty cafes that have opened in Paris over the last decade, particularly around Canal Saint-Martin, offer a completely different experience from the traditional brasserie. The coffee is better, the atmosphere is more casual, and the prices are more reasonable. Both traditions are worth experiencing on the same trip.

Tipping in French cafes

Tipping in France is not expected the way it is in North America. Rounding up or leaving small change is appreciated but not required. Service is included in the price in most establishments.

See the Paris coffee guide for where to find both traditional and specialty coffee in the city.

Related reading: best coffee in Paris, cortado guide.

French specialty cafes count toward Pulled Coffee exploration challenges.