Paris Insights - The Blog

Verlet has been selling roasted coffee on rue Saint-Honoré since 1880. The café exudes Old World charm with dark wood tables, chairs, and display shelves.

We passed by last week to try one of their espressos. They serve seven rare and seasonal coffees:

Blue Mountain from Jamaica
Bourbon Pointu from New Caledonia
Geisha from Panama
Galapagos San Cristobal from Equator
Kopi Luwak from Indonesia
Matari from Yemen
Napoléon from Saint Helena

I wanted to try Geisha from Panama, but they were out of stock. The waitress suggested that I try Blue Mountain from Jamaica, which she said has similar characteristics. I took her advice and ordered a cup.

A square of dark chocolate was served alongside.

Although I could not detect the tobacco, roasted almond, cedar, and black currant blossom aromas to which the information card alluded, I found the coffee to be satisfyingly sweet and smooth.

I purchased a 125-gram bag of roasted coffee beans and took them home to brew with my 9Barista stovetop espresso machine. There, I was able to detect the aroma of roasted almond in my first cup. I also observed that the coffee had a sweet fruity flavor, which I have been unable to identify. Black currant blossom, perhaps?

Verlet
256, rue Saint-Honoré
75001 Paris

Dose Café has been operating on rue Mouffetard for several years now. Selling coffees, teas, and pastries, it has an open window for take-out service, a sheltered sidewalk terrace, and a tiny space inside for sit-down service.

I entered recently to find out what espresso they were preparing for the day. The server at the counter told me that I could have L’Assemblage de Max, an espresso made with a blend of three grains, or Brésil – Ferme Rio Brilhante, an espresso made from a single-origin grain.

I selected the latter.

I also purchased a 250-gram bag of the roasted Brazilian coffee beans for 9.90€. The server told me that the coffee was roasted in Paris by The Beans on Fire, a coffee shop and roasting facility located in the 18th arrondissement.

When the espresso was served, I was pleased that a nice crema covered its surface. I tasted the beverage and thought I could detect the orange aroma to which the tasting notes printed on the bag referred. It is a pleasant-tasting coffee that does not require sweetening with sugar.

Taking the beans home, I prepared a brew with my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine. I was happy to be able to replicate the crema, the delightful orange aroma, and the agreeable robust flavor of the espresso that I experienced at the coffee shop.

Dose
73, rue Mouffetard
75005 Paris

Cofftea & Shop lies off the beaten tourist circuit on rue Berthollet in the 5th arrondissement. I entered the other day to taste the espresso served there.

At the left side of the room is a serving counter where one can find a selection of beverages and pastries as well as hot dishes for lunch. Customers order at the counter, pay, and then sit at a table to wait for the food and beverages to be prepared.

Overall, the shop is a pleasant place in which to relax. The staff is friendly. The main room has butcher-block style tables with a big family-style table in the middle. A long wooden wall bench stands against the wall to the right, where there are individual tables. Tall, wide windows admit ample natural light, but there is also spot lighting on the ceiling. Framed abstract art decorates the walls. There is a cozy little tea room in the back. The day that I entered, the music of Jimmy Reed was playing over the sound system.

The espresso served that day was Honduras – San Andrés Lempira.   It is supplied by Ivan Alfaro, a coffee roaster located in the 14th arrondissement. I looked up his name on the Internet and found that he has been in the coffee business since 1986. Caffea & Shop is one of the four enterprises listed on his website where his coffee can be purchased.

The espresso that I was served was aromatic with a honey-like sweetness. I purchased a 250-gram bag of roasted beans to take home to brew with my 9Barista stove-top espresso maker. Information printed on the bag indicates that the coffee expresses hazelnut, cacao, and honey notes. The espresso that my machine produced was full-bodied and naturally sweet.

Cafftea & Shop
8 rue Berthollet
75005 Paris