From time to time people ask me how to order coffee in Paris cafés and bars. You’d think it would be something you could do easily. For those of you who have lived in Paris for a while, or those who visit regularly, it probably is.
On your first couple of trips, though, ordering the coffee you want can be a little intimidating, especially if you want something other than a basic short black.
Which coffee is which?
Here’s a list of the types of coffee you might like to order, with the French equivalent (and a guide to pronunciation if you need it)
- Short black – un café (uhn kafay) or un express (pronounced the same)
- Long black – un [café] américain (ah may ree kahn), or un allongé (ah lohn zhay) or, if you go to MacDo(nald’s), un grand (grohn) café
- Decaf – un décafféiné (uhn day-kafay-eenay) or simply un déca
- Flat white – ask for a long black (or a decaf), then say, ‘with milk on the side’ – avec un peu de lait (ah-vek uhn puh duh lai)
- Café noisette (nwa zett) is a short black with a tiny splash of milk
If you want alternatives to regular milk, you could say, ‘with soymilk’ – avec du lait de soja (ah-vek doo lai duh so-zha), or ‘with lactose-free milk’ – avec du lait sans lactose (ah-vek doo lai sohn lahk–toze).
Order coffee in Paris: more hints
Your regular coffee hit might be a cappuccino (that’s an Italian word, remember). It’s not something you will necessarily find easy to order in France (depends on the café), but it’s becoming more common.
You might want a latte (it’s short for caffè latte, which is also an Italian term). The equivalent in French is un café crème or café au lait. The French drink this only in the morning (usually with breakfast) so you might want to keep that in mind.
There isn’t much difference between the two – none in some places.
Un crème comes in a cup – small or large (un grand crème) – with milk or cream already added; it’s much milkier than a flat white.
Café au lait is often served when you order breakfast. It’s coffee (very strong) in a jug or bowl, with hot milk that you can add yourself.
If you have intolerances
You can certainly try asking for soymilk, or lactose-free milk, as above, but if that isn’t available in the café, it can be a problem. Some people carry their own supply to add to black coffee. You might also want to buy it to use at your hotel or apartment.
Non dairy milks and whole, dairy milk without lactose are available in larger cities in France – not necessarily at all supermarkets.
You can definitely buy them at the health food/organic shop called Naturalia, which has dozens of outlets in central Paris. The ones I know best are in the 5th arrondissement, at 36 rue Monge, and 94/96 rue Mouffetard. You can look up the outlet that’s nearest to you here.
Valio (a Finnish company) also supplies ‘real’ milk that is guaranteed not to contain lactose, and tastes the same as the regular kind. Heirler Bio is a brand I know – whole milk, with 1.5% fat, and no lactose. Also look for the Dilea brand, in some major supermarkets
At Auchan Paris supermarkets (about a dozen outlets in Paris) you can buy the store brand, with less than 0.01% lactose, as well as lactose-free cream.
So.Bio has three stores in central Paris and has non dairy ‘milks’, such as almond and rice with no added sugar.
Aldi (it’s everywhere in Paris) has its own range of lactose free and dairy free milks.
Also check Franprix, Intermarché, G20 and Monoprix.
Francy That! has more hints when you want to be In The Know.
