Located on the Right Bank across the Seine River from Ile Saint-Louis, La Caféothèque is one of the few coffee shops in Paris that is decorated to provide the relaxing ambiance I believe an espresso café should offer.
Founded in 2005, long before the trend in austere decor and uncomfortable benches, La Caféothèque offers funky decor, green plants, exposed wooden beams, and artwork on the walls.
I counted five rooms in this establishment: one where the sales are transacted and the coffee roasting takes place; one where the beverages are prepared; two where coffee is consumed; and one (in the back) where courses in coffee tasting, coffee roasting, and barista training are given.
Upon entering the café, I ordered an espresso made from beans called Las Camelias, produced in the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala. I also purchased a 250g bag of the roasted beans.
I took my receipt to the room where the beverages are prepared, received the espresso, and then sat down to enjoy the coffee in a comfortable space equipped with rustic, colorful wooden tables and chairs and decorated with lots of greenery.
Back home, I brewed a 40g espresso with my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine. The coffee tasted much like the espresso that I purchased at La Caféothèque: sweet with a hint of orange. Nice!
La Caféothèque
52, rue de l’Hôtel de Ville
75004 Paris
