Coffee crawling, usually I do it within the Netherlands. Visiting different cities and trying to see it all. And with 'it all' I do not mean the tourist attractions, but the coffee houses. This month I was in Paris for a Q Grading course, where you can get licensed as an official quality taster for Arabica coffee. I had one extra day, and in stead of seeing the Louvre, the Centre Pompidou or the Notre Dame, I went coffee crawling. Let's call it passion, instead of obsession.
And in one day you can see a lot. Below a short overview of the best coffee places in Paris.
Still, I have not seen it all. The last couple of years the specialty coffee scene in Paris has been exploding. If you look at the map all the question marks, these places are also rumoured to be awesome.
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Cafe Lomi
Simonelli grinder
La Marzocco FB80
own roastery
I had a lovely Kenyan coffee brewed on an Aeropress. It was clear, fruity and typically berry-like, served in a beautiful vintage-esque cup.
Telescope
Simonelli grinder
La Marzocco Linea
different European roasters
I enjoyed a gorgeously fresh and fruity Rwandan coffee roasted by Drop and brewed on an Aeropress in a surprisingly cool looking glass. It is always great to get your coffee served in a new and fresh way, in stead of in the same dull glassware everywhere in the world.
Again a fast bike in front of a coffee house. A quick learning curve, if you see a race bike in Paris, you are near a coffeehouse...
10Belles
Mazzer grinder
La Marzocco PB
BelleVille
In a very cute neighbourhood in Paris, 10Belles is a filled to the brim small, chaotic but warm coffeehouse. The atmosphere is super friendly and it feels like home right away. I met one of the 2015 finalists of the French Barista Championships and she served me a lovely Kenyan espresso macchiato. It was a little roasty in the aftertaste, but very nice all the same.
Craft
Mahlkonig grinder
La Marzocco FB80
lomi coffee
Craft, near 10Belles is built, not only, around coffee, but also around co-working. In the back there are long tables, fast wifi and meeting places. It is a clean and masculine place, with a lot of black, white and metal.
They use coffee roasted by Cafe Lomi, and I utterly enjoyed my cappuccino. What a lovely place to work this is. At the same time I would not really go and sit to catch up with a friend.
Fondation
Mazzer grinder
Kees van der Westen Spirit
BelleVille
Fondation, one of the many new coffeehouses in Paris filled with Australians (or Kiwis? Not sure. Probably both...) Small, clean, bright, white and green, with funny accents such as the 'good vibes pot'. Very, very small but at the same time all you need.
I got some Ethiopian batch brew drip coffee, roasted by BelleVille, which was freshly made. It was served in a tin cup. I loved the coffee. I loved the atmosphere. I hated the cup. Cups, or more generally coffee 'vessels' are so important. Not only to create a feeling, but also for taste. The tin cup, aka the outdoor camping cup, is gaining ground in the specialty coffee scene. And it.is.horrible...It gets too hot. It tastes and feels bad on the lips. Cut it out people. Stop serving these to people outside of the camping grounds. Thank you.
Fragments
Mazzer grinder
Kees van der Westen Mirage
different european roasters
In front of Fragments, again some bikes. A real cafe atmosphere with square tables and real cafe chairs. The first cafe I went to in Paris where I did not have to fight for a table. Serving coffees by different roasters from all across Europe.
I do believe this could be a lovely place, I just did not love it. Whether it was the atmosphere, the empty tables or the staff really enjoying each others company more than that of their customers...I don't know.
The cappuccino with a Honduras espresso base roasted by BelleVille was all that it should be; clean, sweet and silky.
Coutume
Mazzer grinder
La Marzocco Strada
own roastery
Coutume was the first coffeehouse of Paris. At least the first that created a name for itself internationally. And so I really wanted to go and visit. Again, filled to the brim. I think it was the first coffeehouse I have ever been, where you get seated by one of the runners. It is a very bright bar, filled with greenery.
I enjoyed some banana bread and a Guatemalan micro lot espresso. The espresso was extremely fruity, sweet and balanced. But over EU4 for an espresso? Even for a micro lot this is very, very expensive.
I also got some very expensive unwashed Ethiopian Sidamo coffee; EU30 for 250 grams. No offence, but trying it at home. It is not worth it. For less than half the price I also bought a lovely unwashed Ethiopian coffee roasted by Cafe Lomi, that was much more fruity and full and much less fermented.
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Want to see more Coffee Crawl Rotterdam edition? Check out the album on the Coffee Strides Facebook page.
Want to read about the other Coffee Crawls? Check out the other editions.
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