A Long-Awaited Return to Paris
Last month, I had the opportunity to visit Paris again. Reflecting on the trip, I realised that I had not been there for 28 years. Even then, I was not yet a serious coffee enthusiast, so I was especially excited to return when I was invited to speak at a conference on investing in nuclear energy, my other job.
Naturally, once I knew where I would be staying, I searched for specialty coffee nearby but sadly most of the ones that were highly rated and famous were nowhere where I was staying – literally they were on the other side of Paris, like 45-60 minutes away. Nevertheless, I discovered that the area had only one standout option within a 10-minute walking distance: Inform Café.
Three Visits in Three Days
I was in Paris for only three days and yes, I visited Inform Café three times, once each day in the morning to get my daily fix before the conference began. On my last day, I hadn’t planned to go as I found another coffee shop about 13 minutes away, however, I must confess, although the aesthetics looked good at this shop (I won’t name them), I wasn’t impressed by how the barista prepared my coffee and so I headed back to Inform Café for my coffee fix just before the taxi picked me up for my flight, phew!
The café is located at 25 Rue des Acacias, just a stone’s throw from the Arc de Triomphe. In fact, you can see it when you step outside the café and turn left and look right, here.
Can you see it?
From the street, it looks pleasantly unassuming. Paris was unusually warm for September, and many customers were sitting outside.
I was tempted to join them, but as I was dressed in a suit, I decided to sit indoors, where I could watch the barista at work and take in the atmosphere.
First Impressions
Upon entering, I noticed a La Marzocco KB90 espresso machine on the left, alongside a display counter filled with croissants and Anglo-Saxon-style treats such as brownies, carrot cake, cheesecake, etc
The café also offers a varied food menu, including full breakfasts, brunch style sharing plates, “fat stack” pancakes, sandwiches and salads. Many of the people seated outside appeared to be tourists, as I could hear English being spoken, and several had clearly come for breakfast as well as coffee.
The Coffee
On my first visit, I ordered a flat white, expertly prepared by Jean, the barista. They were using a Guatemalan blend, which was delicious and gave me exactly the lift I needed for the day ahead.
On the following days, I chose a cortado again, because I was still in the mood for milk-based coffee. The staff were consistently friendly and helpful, and they all spoke English, so there is no need to worry if you are unsure how to order your coffee in French.
“Je voudrais un café s’il vous plait”
What else?
I didn’t see pour overs on their menu but there were plenty of other drink options on the menu for non-coffee drinkers.
After returning home, I did a little more research and discovered that Inform Café is part of a wider family of venues, including a cake shop and a café in a museum, where they have an extensive menu with pie overs too – read more here.
Final Thoughts
If you find yourself in Paris’s 17th arrondissement, especially near the Arc de Triomphe, I highly recommend visiting Inform Café for your specialty coffee fix and a bite to eat too.
The coffee is well prepared, the staff are welcoming and the food menu makes it a convenient stop at any time of day.
Ciao, or perhaps I should say, au revoir!
