Coffee, Croissants, & Chocolate: Perfection in Paris’ 9th Arrondissement

Coffee: Paris’ specialty coffee boom has transformed the scene over the past decade. The 9th is brimming with specialty coffee shops that treat beans with reverence, interiors with flair, and drinks with imagination. These are my favorite haunts.

• Café Shin: Korean-inspired, fashion-forward, with a black sesame oat latte worth a detour (maybe it’s a little to close to my apartment). Pair it with their soft, chewy matcha cookie.

• NOIR Richer: Industrial chic meets Belle Époque. A café so atmospheric it feels like Adele might walk in.

• Cafés Van Hoos & Sons Roastery: For serious coffee lovers. Their English-language (on request or Airbnb Experiences) cupping classes on Saturdays are the most professional you’ll find in Paris.

• Coutume Poissonnière: Cozy cushions, warm wood, bilingual staff, and espresso roasts that always deliver silky elegance. Stay for lunch/brunch but mind the laptop-free lunch hours.

• L’Arbre à Café: A pioneer in sourcing and roasting since 2009. Hippolyte is legendary in Paris’ specialty coffee scene.

• KB Roasters: The original. They were one of, if not the 1st, specialty coffee shops in Paris, and it shows. . Grab a double espresso and cookie puck with a terrace view of Sacré-Cœur and soak up the vibe. Laptops galore.

Croissants and boulangeries

Croissants are a true art form in France. To compete at the highest level, bakers must use Charentes-Poitou AOC butter and perfect the shape, shine, and melt-in-your-mouth layers. In the 9th, you’ll find everything from avant-garde to classic.

• The French Bastards (65 rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle): Bold, buttery, and indulgent. Flavors are creative and unapologetically rich.

• Mamiche: Flaky, chewy, deeply buttery croissants. A neighborhood darling with a lively, trend-setting vibe. Expect a line.

• Union Boulangerie Paris 9: A go-to for traditional-style croissants, with the bonus of excellent banana bread for afternoon snacking at nearby Parc Montholon.

• Boulangerie Léonie: Beloved for almond croissants and seasonal fruit tarts. If you love marzipan, don’t miss it.

• Philippe Conticini (Galeries Lafayette Gourmet): Try his XXL croissant, a massive, buttery indulgence. Order 24–48 hours in advance if you want to secure one.

• Land & Monkeys (Grands Boulevards): A vegan, gluten-free croissant option that surprises by tasting “real” to gluten-free travelers.

Chocolate

Back in 2017, I offered guided tastings of Paris’ finest chocolates—teaching guests to tell the difference between the floral Venezuelan criollo and the citrusy brightness of Madagascar beans. The 9th arrondissement has one of the better clusters of chocolatiers in the city.

Good to Know:

• Tablettes = single-origin chocolate bars with cacao % labeled.

• Truffles = round, soft, cacao-dusted bites.

• Bonbons = thin chocolate shell filled with ganache, praline, or caramel.

• If chocolate ever looks gray/dusty (bloom), the flavor is compromised; pitch it and start over.

FYI: I seek out tonka bean (fève tonka) creations in France because the indulgent vanilla-caramel bomb-flavored ingredient is illegal in the US, even though it was the main ingredient in the original cream soda in the US.

Where to go:

• Ara Chocolat: A hidden gem with thick, rich hot chocolate and experimental ganaches (cassis buds, Japanese teas, even tonka bean). Unique packaging rates fruity/spicy/nutty notes for easier tasting.

• Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse: Le Comptoir Martyrs – Refined bean-to-bar creations. Try the Madagascar 75 percent bar or tonka bean bonbons for a caramel-vanilla burst.

• Maison Le Roux: Inventor of the original salted-butter caramel in Brittany. Don’t miss the sesame praline bonbon (GOMA) or whisky-infused caramels.

• Pierre Marcolini: Belgian sophistication, jewel-box pralines, and buttery smooth textures. Perfect for luxury gifting.

• Pierre Hermé: Famous for macarons, but his chocolates shine with bold, imaginative pairings. Ispahan (rose, lychee, raspberry) and Mogdor (milk chocolate and passionfruit) macarons need to be added to your bucket list.

• Jean-Paul Hévin – Meticulous craftsmanship. His Grand Cru ganaches are some of Paris’ most elegant indulgences.

• À la Mère de Famille – The city’s oldest sweet shop (1761). A nostalgic stop for pralines and candied fruits. More traditional than innovative, and I find the bright white LED lighting distracting when discerning chocolate quality.

• Fouquet – Old-world charm and timeless chocolate craftsmanship. Also, very traditional choices.