Paris is full of coffee shops that look the part — exposed brick, reclaimed wood, a chalkboard menu with the right fonts. Most of them serve average food with excellent branding. Coffee Faubourg, at 67 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre in the 9th arrondissement, is not one of them.
The space is bright and welcoming, with natural light filling the room and a warmth that comes not from the décor but from the people running it. Old school American soul music streams through the speakers — Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Stevie Wonder — giving the room a rhythm that feels both unexpected and exactly right for a Paris lunch spot.
The owner is present, engaged, and genuinely interested in the people eating at the tables. The Famous Chef Thomas had a great conversation — the kind that only happens when the person behind the counter cares about what they are serving and who they are serving it to. That energy sets Coffee Faubourg apart before the first plate even arrives.
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The Salade Chèvre Chaud arrives generous and composed. A bed of mixed greens is layered with honey-roasted courges (squash), toasted hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and topped with warm goat cheese toasts — the chèvre melted just enough to soften and spread, with its edges golden from the heat. A mustard vinaigrette ties everything together with a gentle sharpness that lifts the sweetness of the roasted squash.
This is not a token salad added to a brunch menu for appearances. It is a full, satisfying meal — the kind of plate where every ingredient earns its place. The hazelnuts add crunch, the cranberries add tartness, the squash adds depth, and the warm goat cheese brings the richness that holds it all together.
The Famous Chef Thomas respects a kitchen that builds a salad with this much intention. At Coffee Faubourg, the Salade Chèvre Chaud is not an afterthought. It is a reason to visit.
Salade Chèvre Chaud — courges rôties au miel, noisettes, cranberriesWarm goat cheese toasts with vinaigrette moutarde
Protein Power Energy Smoothie
The Protein Power smoothie — banana, strawberry, and plant-based protein — arrives thick, cold, and naturally pink. There is no artificial sweetness, no chalky protein aftertaste, and no sense that health has been prioritized over flavor. The banana provides body, the strawberry brings brightness, and the plant protein integrates smoothly without dominating.
It is the kind of drink that proves a kitchen can serve something nutritious without making it taste like a compromise. At Coffee Faubourg, even the smoothie is made with care.
Protein Power — banane, fraise, protéines végétales
Homemade Carrot Cake
The carrot cake at Coffee Faubourg is homemade, and it shows. The slice arrives thick, moist, and dense with flavor — warm spices, finely grated carrot, and chopped walnuts throughout. The cream cheese frosting is generous, smooth, and balanced in sweetness. The edges of the cake carry a slight caramelization that adds depth to each bite.
This is not a carrot cake from a supplier. It is not a recipe pulled from a binder. It is a top-notch, homemade carrot cake unique to this location — the kind that cannot be replicated by a chain or reproduced from a box mix. The Famous Chef Thomas loves carrot cake, and this one stands among the best he has encountered.
A great carrot cake requires patience, quality ingredients, and a baker who understands that the spice, the moisture, and the frosting must all arrive in balance. Coffee Faubourg delivers on every count.
Homemade carrot cake — unique to Coffee Faubourg
The Ruling
Coffee Faubourg is a great place for lunch. The salad is built with care, the smoothie is honest, and the carrot cake is top notch. The owner brings warmth and conversation that make the meal feel personal rather than transactional. And the old school American soul music streaming through the room gives the space a character that no interior designer could manufacture.
The Famous Chef Thomas visited Coffee Faubourg and returned the very next day. That is not a decision made out of convenience. It is a decision made because the food, the atmosphere, and the people behind the counter earned it.
In a city where lunch can easily become forgettable, Coffee Faubourg makes it worth remembering.
— Famous Chef Thomas Where tradition meets discernment.
