Paris Insights - The Blog

Recently I entered the Starbucks café located at 118, rue Monge in the 5th arrondissement. My intent was to taste their “espresso of the day,” purchase a 250g bag of the roasted beans, take them home, and then prepare my own espressos with my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine.

Starbucks was serving an espresso made from their light roast, “Espresso Blonde,” but after tasting it I did not find its flavor to be compelling. I then tried a pour-over coffee made from their medium roast, “Pike Place.” I was satisfied with its flavor, so I purchased a 250g bag, took it home, and prepared a few espressos with my 9Barista.

I was not very satisfied with the result: the coffee prepared as an espresso tasted bitter. But when I prepared “Pike Place” as a pour-over coffee, using Melitta paper filters, I was happy with the flavor.

Determined to find a coffee at Starbucks for which I could use my 9Barista, I returned to purchase a 250g bag of the dark roast, Caffè Verona. (It was not being offered as an espresso, so I could not sample it. I made my decision to buy it by reading the tasting note on the side of the bag that promised a “toasty sweet & dark cocoa” flavor.)

Information on the Starbucks’ Website indicates that Caffè Verona is a blend of Latin American and Indonesian beans that have been roasted to a dark brown sheen by a process that they call Italian roast. Information on the bag indicates that the beans are roasted in Amsterdam.

The bag I purchased displayed a production date of August 11, 2025. I bought it on October 6.

Taking the roasted beans home, I proceeded to prepare them as an espresso using my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine (pictured above). For the first few days, I was able to produce an espresso that indeed had a satisfying dark cocoa flavor. After I had consumed about 2/3 of the beans, however, I realized that the flavor had changed over time: from dark cocoa to bitter cocoa to simply bitter.

I’m sure that the change in the flavor profile came about because once a bag of coffee is opened, the beans are exposed to oxygen. This exposure changes their flavor.

I think that the solution to prolonging flavor might be to store the beans in a hermetically-sealed vacuum canister right after opening the bag. There are various options about this on the Internet, which I will explore.

Starbucks
118, rue Monge
Paris 75005

L’Odeur de la Brûlerie is located on rue Violet in the 15th arrondissement, not too far from Nœud, the café that I reviewed on September 21st.

Whereas Nœud is a café that sells coffee brewed from beans that it does not roast, L’Odeur de la Brûlerie is a roaster that does not sell brewed coffee. Hence, when I entered, there was no coffee to sample before making a purchase.

However, the roasted beans are presented in little jars, giving customers the opportunity to experience the aromas by sniffing the beans before buying.

Thomas, the owner of the brûlerie, asked me what coffee aromas I preferred. I told him that I liked chocolate, and he directed me to a roast called Sauvage Chocolaté. It is made from Arabica beans from Harrar in Ethiopia.

I purchased a 250g bag of Sauvage Chocolaté, took it home, and began brewing espressos with my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine (pictured above).

As I weighed the beans for grinding, I noticed that some of them were a lighter brown than others.

At first, the coffee had an intense dark-chocolate flavor, which I enjoyed.

But after a few days, the flavor turned bitter, and then sour.

I believe that the flavor change occurred because the beans became rancid, although I kept the bag sealed and refrigerated. (I purchased the bag two weeks after the beans had been roasted and opened it two weeks after my purchase.)

L’Odeur de la Brûlerie sells coffee-making equipment as well as roasted coffee beans. It also holds coffee-tasting and espresso-making/latte art classes.

L’Odeur de la Brûlerie
23, rue Violet
75015 Paris

Nœud is a sparsely appointed café located in the 15th arrondissement, not far from the Emile Zola métro station.

I entered, wondering why people would frequent such an austere place, where there were only hard benches and metal chairs to sit on. Whatever the reason, there were numerous customers who came into the shop while I was there.

I told the barista that I wanted to taste the espresso of the day and then purchase a bag of the roasted beans that were used to prepare the beverage. The espresso of the day was brewed from Ethiopian beans supplied by Friedhats, a coffee roaster located in Amsterdam.

I sat down on a bench and was soon served the espresso with a glass of water.

I thought that the coffee tasted remarkably elegant, but I could not identify aromas or specific flavors.

After I finished the coffee, I told the barista that I wanted to purchase a 250g bag of the roasted Ethiopian beans. I was disappointed to learn that they did not have those specific beans in stock.

Returning home and consulting the Internet, I learned that Friedhats sells its roasted beans via its Website. It identifies the Ethiopian coffee beans as follows: “this coffee is 100% wolisho (aka “welicho”) – an ancient variety found in the highlands of Ethiopia.”

Subsequently, I ordered a 250g bottle of the beans directly from the company. It was delivered by international carrier within a few days.

After grinding the beans with my DeLonghi grinder and brewing them with my 9Barista, I was able to identify a rather bright citrus flavor cup after cup. My perception was confirmed by the mention of the word “Bergamot” (a hybrid lime-orange citrus fruit) that was printed on the bottle cap.

The word “Jasmine” was also indicated on the label. I did not detect that flavor, although it may have been the source of the elegance of the espresso I tasted at the café.

Nœud
41, rue Violet
75015 Paris

Barista Gallery is located on a narrow street between rue du Sebastopol and rue Saint-Martin.

My partner and I visited the café recently. My intent was to taste their “espresso of the day” and purchase a bag of the roasted beans.

The serving counter was faced with grey Lego baseplates, to which were affixed colorful Lego blocks.

The counter held cakes and cookies, and behind it stood two charming baristas.

They told me that they could prepare an espresso made from beans from Bolivia Yungas. I later learned that this is the name of a subtropical and tropical forest in central Bolivia. The beans are identified as Catuai rouge and Typica, both 100% arabica, harvested at 1660 meters.

The room in which the serving counter stood had a parquet floor, bare stone walls, and wide, tall windows. A long grey bench provided a place to sit in front of colorful, painted boxes that served as small tables.

The room in which I tasted my coffee had exposed wooden beams and a marble-topped table flanked by two bent wood chairs.

My partner and I took a seat in this room. One of the baristas soon brought me the espresso that I had ordered.

While I sipped my coffee, the music of King Hannah played over the sound system.

Although I enjoyed the brew, I could not identify any of the tasting notes that an information card promised: citrus, lemon, orange, dried fruit, caramel, and milk chocolate.

After I finished the espresso, we explored the other room of the café.

The second room had a pair of Sprague double bench seats from a second-class carriage of the Paris metropolitan railway. A large tapestry displaying foreign currency bills decorated the wall of the room. One of the baristas told us that the owner had purchased the tapestry in Singapore.

The coffee served at Barista Gallery is roasted by Strecker & Mallard in the 18th arrondissement of Paris.

I took a 250g bag home and prepared espressos using my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine.

I was never able to produce a fine crema, but for that matter the coffee that I was served did not have much crema either (see photo above). In any event, my partner and I identified the following aromas in the espressos that I brewed each morning: caramelized banana, ripe banana, chocolate, and milk chocolate. I initially thought it tasted like chocolate, but later I also detected the flavor of cherry.

This was a coffee that I enjoyed drinking every morning, especially for its chocolate flavor.

Barista Gallery
15, rue Quincampoix
75004 Paris

In mid-August, I entered The Beans on Fire coffee shop to taste their “Espresso of the Moment.” The café is located in a pleasant neighborhood in the 11th arrondissement, across the street from a leafy park called Square Maurice Gardette.

By the time I arrived at 10:00 a.m. there were already a number of customers enjoying clement weather on the sidewalk terrace.

There are two rooms at the shop: the entrance, which has a counter where orders are taken, and the room where coffee is prepared and delivered to the customer. Both have limited seating, but on a pleasant day most people choose to sit on the sidewalk terrace.

At the counter where customers place orders, the clerk told me that there were two “Espressos of the Moment” from which to select. Upon learning that the coffee from Brazil, called “Samba,” tasted like chocolate, I ordered a cup of that. At the same time, I purchased a 250g bag of the roasted beans.

I paid for my order and walked to the next room, where a smiling barista handed me my espresso almost immediately.

I decided to sit outdoors on the sidewalk terrace, since the weather was quite pleasant.

I took a photo of the espresso and tasted it.

The coffee did, indeed, taste like chocolate. More precisely, it tasted like 100% cocoa. Later, I was inspired to purchase a tablet of 100% cocoa from Venezuela and I marveled at the similarity of flavors.

After I finished my coffee and before I left the shop, the barista allowed me to take a photo of her.

All of the personnel that I encountered at the shop were quite friendly. English is spoken here.

Back home, I was able to reproduce the flavor experience with my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine.

Samba is a blend, not a single origin coffee. It is produced by a co-operative in Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil.

The Beans on Fire
7, rue du Général Blaise
75011 Paris

I entered Bel Horizon Coffee Roasters to taste the coffee of the day and to purchase a 250g bag of roasted coffee beans.

A barista suggested that I try a cup of Coba from the Guji region of Ethiopia.

The espresso tasted full-bodied and robust but I could not detect any specific notes. I decided to purchase a bag of roasted Coba beans and prepare them at home with my 9Barista stove-top espresso maker to see what flavors might develop.

The coffee shop is small, with stools and benches around low tables. There are some tall stools at the serving counter. Tall, wide windows admit ample natural light.

A handsome coffee roaster stands in a side room.

Back home, preparing espressos with my 9Barista stove-top espresso maker, I tasted a hint of honey, but later, after several cups over several days, the brew tasted more like cherry. It is a pleasant-tasting coffee—sweet and fruity.

Bel Horizon Coffee Roasters
26, boulevard Garibaldi
75015 Paris

I entered Cofféa two months ago to taste their coffee of the day. On that particular day, they were not serving a coffee that I could sample before purchasing the beans, so I decided to take a chance and purchase a 50g bag of Kopi Luwak without first tasting it.

Produced in Indonesia, Kopi Luwa is a specialty coffee that is harvested from civet droppings. (A civet is a small mammal that eats, digests, and excretes coffee cherries, which are then gathered, washed, and dried.) I was a bit leery about purchasing this product, but the sales clerk smiled and assured me that it was a coffee that I would appreciate.

I took the bag home and placed it in the refrigerator until the day that I could work up enough courage to try it. That day came two days ago, when I ran out of my regular coffee and caffeine withdrawal set in.

I ground 18 grams of Kopi Luwak coffee beans in my DeLonqhi grinder and then prepared an espresso (using 120 grams of water) with my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine. The beverage that it produced (44 grams of espresso) was intense, but surprisingly sweet and soft. A second cup produced the same result.

Yes, the coffee is quite agreeable, but at roughly 12.70€ a cup I have second thoughts about making this my regular-morning wake-up coffee.

Also, I wonder about the civets. Are they free-range civets that are allowed to roam the coffee plantation and select their own coffee berries? Or, are the kept in cages and fed whatever coffee berries the coffee producer provides for them?

Cofféa is a handsome store that offers a wide selection of coffee, tea, and sweets. The staff is friendly and helpful.

Coffee and tea can be purchased for consumption on the sidewalk terrace.

Cofféa
52, boulevard Saint-Germain
75005 Paris

Located in the nearby town of Antony, Les Cafés de François brings its roasted coffee beans once a week to the Auguste-Blanqui market in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. On a recent Sunday, I made my way to this bustling open air market to sample their coffee.

They were serving “Petit Tigre” that day. Described as being full-bodied, well-roasted, and fruity, it is a house blend of arabica coffee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia.

I ordered an espresso made with this blend and found it to be quite robust.

While I sipped my espresso, my wife and business partner, Monique Y. Wells, enjoyed a lovely cup of hot chocolate flavored with hazelnut syrup.

I sampled a homemade canelé from this vendor as well. Their rendition of this French pastry, which features a tender custard center and a dark, thick, caramelized crust, was dreamy!

The joy did not stop there, because later on, up the street, we found a merchant selling a Portuguese pastry called pastéis de nata (not pictured). We purchased a bag of six to eat for breakfast during the week.

Before leaving the market, I purchased a 250g bag of the roasted “Petit Tigre” coffee beans, took them home, and prepared an espresso with my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine.

The 9Barista produced an espresso that tasted much like the beverage that I had tasted at the market. Beyond the intense flavor of coffee, I was able to detect some ephemeral notes of cherry and caramel.

Les Cafés de François
Sunday mornings at number 67 boulevard Auguste Blanqui in the 13th arrondissement.

I stopped by La Brûlerie du Rendez-vous recently to see what they were serving as their “coffee of the moment.” The sales clerk told me that they were brewing a blended coffee of two varieties (Castillo and Bourdon rose) from three regions of Colombia: Cauca, Tolima, and Huila.

I asked to sample an espresso made with this blend and then proceeded to purchase a 250g bag of the roasted beans.

Taking the coffee home, I proceeded to brew a cup using my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine. The machine produced an intense coffee with a decent crema. Tasting it, I thought that I detected notes of cherry. The accompanying literature indicated that I might taste chocolate, brown sugar, or citrus. I did not detect any of that, but I was satisfied with the results.

The sales clerk told me that the coffee is transported from Colombia by sailboat. I was initially skeptical of his story, but a page (in French) on the store’s Web site convinced me: https://labruleriedurendezvous.com/le-vent-pour-allie-decouvrez-notre-cafe-colombien-transporte-a-la-voile/.

The shop offers twenty-eight varieties of coffee.

The coffee roasting machine is located at the rear of the store.

When I entered the establishment, I heard the sound of happy voices of customers discussing the products that they saw there. More than a coffee-roasting facility, the enterprise is a small grocery store, selling tea, chocolate, bulk honey, infusions, jams, jellies, syrups, and artisanal sorbets and ice cream from Ardèche.

Yum!

La Brûlerie du Rendez-vous
7, rue du Rendez-vous
75012 Paris

Araku coffee shop is located on rue Soufflot, just down the hill from the Pantheon. I stopped by to taste an espresso and purchase a bag of roasted coffee beans.

The café was serving an Arabica that they call Micro Climat. It is grown in the Araku Highlands of India. All of the coffees sold here come from that region, which is located in the Eastern Ghats mountain range of India.

The coffee beans are roasted in Paris.

The espresso that I was served had a light crema on the surface. It was intense with an agreeable flavor of cherry.

I purchased a 250g bag of Micro Climat roasted coffee beans, took them home, and prepared an espresso with my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine. My espresso maker produced a satisfying coffee that was equal in intensity and flavor to that which I had tasted at the café.

I was particularly intrigued by the faintly-sweet cherry flavor of the coffee.

However, I was never able to reproduce the crema that I enjoyed at the coffee shop to my satisfaction.

As well as coffee, Araku sells fruit juices and gluten-free cakes and cookies.

Seating is available on stools at the window of the sheltered terrace that overlooks rue Soufflot. In the back of the coffee shop there is additional seating at tables and on wall benches.

While I was there, an Afro Pop song called “People” by Cameroonian-American recording artist Libianca played over the sound system.

The staff was friendly and helpful.

Araku
18, rue Soufflot
75005 Paris