The Best Cafés in Paris, From Historic Haunts to Charming Terraces

The best cafés in Paris can be divided into two categories. The iconic haunts of yesterday-smoky terraces where students and Surrealists would linger under a scalloped awning sipping bitter espresso until the hour called for something stronger-and more modern, new-wave coffee shops.

Left Bank institutions like the Café de Flore and La Palette offer a timeless, postcard-perfect snapshot of the city where you can camp out en terrace for hours and people watch à la Parisienne. At these sorts of cultural landmarks, the experience is decidedly French; if you come around lunchtime, you may be expected to also order food, and the coffee will not be the main event.

For those in search of a better buzz, specialty coffee shops have sprung up across the city over the past two decades. Art Deco dairy shops now serve flat whites, and chic industrial warehouses have become home to some of Europe's best roasters.

Whatever type of café you're looking for-a place to work, to grab and go, or to chat with friends over a leisurely lunch-you'll find it in the City of Lights.