In France, neo-cafés are booming

“We certainly don’t want to copy Starbucks, we’re part of the third wave of coffee shops,” said Carlos Eisler. The message from the chief operating officer of Japanese coffee shop chain % Arabica came as no surprise to the American behemoth, the world leader in the sector which is struggling to regain growth. Since October 1, a % Arabica coffee shop has settled in Paris, a stone’s throw from the Cirque d’Hiver in the 11^th arrondissement. The percentage sign attached to the brand actually represents two coffee cherries separated by a stem.

The brand is returning after its first opening in the capital in 2019. This time, it is thinking big. Launched from Kyoto by Kenneth Shoji in 2014, it already has 203 establishments worldwide and is counting on three openings in Paris by the summer. “Coffee lovers, French and foreign, are here,” the manager said.

Like all good coffee shops, the brand ticks all the right boxes: exceptional coffees prepared by baristas, quality roasting and fair-trade production. On the menu is a succinct list of coffee and matcha-based drinks, priced at around €6 a cup, plus an assortment of sandwiches and pastries. “Kenneth is a perfectionist; he’s the one who sets the tone for every opening,” said Eisler.

Swarms of independent signs

The Japanese chain is just one representative of the rising wave of coffee shops sweeping across Paris and the rest of France, to the point of making a mockery of the good old neighborhood joints, proud of their zinc bars and little black coffees made from Richard beans. It’s a paradox at a time when traditional French bistros have had their social and cultural practices listed as part of Unesco’s intangible heritage. Do neo-cafés mark the end of the old places of perdition for the triumphant bourgeoisie and proletarian relaxation? The only certainty is that they are booming.

In Paris, they are called Kapé, The Coffee, Copains, Coutume, Seamer, Phin mi, Jugetsudo or Nuage Café. In Lyon, Vélcroc, launched 18 months ago, is already an institution. This former strip club now houses a café-restaurant and bicycle repair workshop. The city has also attracted a host of small coffee roasters under the Café Mokxa, Loutsa and Bongoo brands, as well as a host of lounges such as Tonka, Perko Café and Slake Coffee House, all listed on the Tripadvisor platform, like those in other French cities and towns. During Art Basel Paris, from October 18 to 20, a Cha Chaan Teng, a typical Hong Kong café combining East and West, took center stage under the vaulted ceiling of the Grand Palais.

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