How to Order Your Coffee Fail-safe in Paris?

5 min read

Order coffee the right way in France! A fool-proof guide to ordering in a Parisian café. Here’s how to pronounce 8 coffees and order in the French language.

On this page

1. Un café2. Un Café au lait3. Un café crème4. Café décaféiné5. Café Noisette6. Café américain7. Chocolat Chaud8. Café Léger

Can I get a blended caramel coffee with extra whipped cream?

Non… That may be the answer in a traditional Paris café, although specialty cafés and their menus vary. Unless you are in your oh-so-reliable Starbucks, you might want to know how to order your coffee (and how to pronounce it).

Paris, after all, treats its coffee lovers to an all-new world. Go on. Drag that mouse down.

1. Un café

For starters, we have un café. Order this if you are more in the league of those who want theirs strong. Très facile, easy-peasy to order: just one word pronounced as kah-fay. 

This is the type of coffee that is plain and has nothing added to it. It is usually espresso and can taste quite strong; the beans, roast and preparation vary from one café to another.

2. Un Café au lait

Now, if you’re the type who wants more milk than coffee, then you might want to opt for  Café au lait (kah-fay oh-lay).

This is coffee with milk, a familiar breakfast drink at home. In a Paris café, un café crème is a common way to ask for milky coffee. The milk may be mixed in or served separately; a pitcher of steamed milk is not guaranteed, but you can still enjoy your favourite milky coffee.

3. Un café crème

Third in line would be the Café crème (kah-fay khremm), and you don’t need a lot of imagination for this, it’s just how it sounds: Coffee served in a large cup with hot milk. Great if you like it Creamy 🙂

4. Café décaféiné

Next up  would be Café décaféiné (kah-fay day-kah-fay-ee-nay). If you just want your coffee while looking at your favourite Paris view and still be able to sleep afterwards, this is what you’ll have to order. This is Paris’ version of decaffeinated coffee. But you’d have to make sure that you mention milk (lait) or cream (crème) to come with your coffee, otherwise, you’ll get just a plain decaf.

5. Café Noisette

The next coffee option is not slang for noisy, but it definitely gives you that French twang as it’s called Café Noisette (kah-fay nwah-zett).  Okay, pronounce it a little more in front of the mirror to give you that extra French-feel. Now if you’re ready to know more about it, Café Noisette is basically an espresso with a dash of milk or cream in it. The word noisette is French for hazelnut, and this coffee is called that because the little milk added gives it a hazelnut-brown color.

6. Café américain

This time, if you are not yet ready for the culture shock that the Paris Coffee Culture is presenting you, you may go with this next coffee choice which is le Café américain (kah-fay ah-may-ree-kan; approximately /ka.fe a.me.ʁi.kɛ̃/, with a nasal final vowel and no separate n sound).  Depending on the café, this can mean American-style filter coffee or espresso extended with hot water; ask for un café filtre if you specifically want filtered coffee, but make sure to try the other selections once your traditional choice is served, that’s what you call culture immersion anyway.

7. Chocolat Chaud

The next one would be for your kids or if you’re a kid-at-heart. Although it’s not actually coffee, occasions could arise that you’d want your Chocolat Chaud (sho-ko-lah sho) or hot chocolate in English.

8. Café Léger

Finally, if you’re ready to try out the widespread coffee culture but a bit hesitant about the kick that it would give you, order the Café Léger (kah-fay lay-zhay).  Léger means mild or weak; it does not specify a fixed ratio. Ask for un café allongé if you want espresso extended with hot water. Say it with me: kah-fay lay-zhay and remember to make that zh sound. Very Frenchy isn’t it? Extra water makes espresso taste milder without necessarily reducing the caffeine in the original shot, so choose what suits the buzz that a busy day ahead in Paris requires.

Great! Now you’re ready to get that coffee in Paris.

Oops, before we forget, there are also other terms that would come in handy when ordering your coffee.

To ask for sugar with your coffee, you may say sucre (sükr). Usually cafés bring a cup with two sugar cubes on a dish, but if you want to ask for more you may say “Plus de sucre, s’il vous plaît”  (plü duh sükr, see voo play). Or “édulcorant” (ay-dül-ko-rahn) if you would rather have a sweetener than sugar. In these rough pronunciation hints, ü represents the French u: round your lips while saying ee. The final vowel in édulcorant is nasal; the written n is not pronounced separately.
Always remember, coffee is a culture in Paris that is really interesting to immerse yourself in; don’t rush it. Take in the drama that unfolds in the city as you sip that perfect coffee, many cafés let you relax over a coffee, though seating limits or reservations may apply.

Have you ever had trouble ordering coffee in France? Share your experience!