HiP Paris Blog rounds up the best Australian-style brunch and coffee in Paris

As an Australian living in Paris, I’m often asked, “What is Australian food?” This is typically a difficult question to answer. Other than Four-N-Twenty pies, Vegemite on toast, Tim-Tams, and the occasional kangaroo for the adventurous types, Australia doesn’t really have a national cuisine — we eat everyone else’s. But then it hit me: Australian cuisine = brunch.

Creamy coffee, fresh fruit salad and avocado toast brunch at Mignon coffee shop in Paris Top image: Papilles Coffeehouse & Restaurant. Above image: MIGNON Café

Australia is renowned for its brunch and specialty coffee scene. The signature dish? Smashed avo (short for avocado — we have a tendency to shorten everything) served on toast. This would usually be accompanied by a flat white. Avocado is a staple of the Australian diet. So much so that an Australian property mogul famously claimed that if millennials stopped eating so much avocado, they might be able to afford to buy a house in Australia’s extremely competitive housing market.

Breakfast waffles on a table lining the window (left) and the interior of Mignon coffee shop in Paris.MIGNON Café / Good News Coffee Shop

Food historians believe that Bills in Sydney, which opened in 1993, was the first restaurant to serve avocado on toast. But it was Melbourne where the cafe and coffee culture blossomed, described by The New York Times as a “cooler, more cerebral and creative city than sunny, international, glamour-seeking Sydney” (as a Melbournian, this pleases me immensely — there’s a famous rivalry between the two cities, but I’m telling you, Melbourne is definitely better).

Coffee and avocado toast with crispy bacon brunch at Papilles coffee shop in Paris.Papilles Coffeehouse & Restaurant

Since then, the Aussie brunch, or “brekkie” (short for breakfast), has taken off internationally. Australian’s love to travel, and have taken their passion for brunch and coffee with them, opening cafes in London, New York, and Paris. Locals have jumped on the bandwagon too. The New York Times describes Australian brunch as ‘bright mashups of foods that are healthy, natural and luxurious all at once’. So if you’re looking for Australian-style brunch in Paris, here are some of the best new cafes to go to:

The chalk-board menu outside on the sidewalk (left) and an avocado toast with sliced radish (right) at Good News Australian-inspired coffee shop in ParisGood News Coffee Shop

Good News Coffee Shop

Good News Coffee Shop is a new Australian-owned cafe in the 15th arrondissement. The brunch menu includes fresh orange juice, coffee, granola and fruit with yogurt or chia pudding and fruit, avocado on organic bread with eggs and optional bacon, and a choice of dessert. The menu also features a range of Buddha bowls. Using fellow Australian KB Café’s coffee beans with chilled out Australian music playing softly overhead, this cafe definitely has authentic vibes.

27 bis Rue Mademoiselle, 75015

The terrace outside Papilles, one of the best Australian-inspired coffee shops in Paris.

Papilles Coffee House & Restaurant

Cafes in Australia are often highly designed and Papilles is no different, featuring a wooden facade and beautiful interior. And, the all-day menu by Celine Pham is the closest I’ve seen to a Melbourne cafe menu. Most Paris cafes serve granola and avocado toast, but Papilles is more adventurous and inspired by international flavors, just like Melbourne cafes. For example, the menu offers bánh mì, whole roasted cauliflower, and haddock smørrebrød (a Danish open sandwich) alongside the more traditional pancakes, eggs Benedict and avocado toast. It’s located in the 9th arrondissement, conveniently close to Gare du Nord.

77 Rue de Rochechouart, 75009

Two tables outside Mignon, a favorite Australian-inspired coffee shop for brunch in Paris.

MIGNON Café

MIGNON Café is a cozy Montmartre cafe with smiling friendly service. The brunch menu consists of homemade citronnade and other fresh juices, coffee, granola and fruit with Greek or coconut yogurt, an option of tartine (avocado with egg, pesto with ham and roasted tomatoes, goat cheese and honey, or beetroot hummus with feta and dukkah), and waffles with a range of sauces for dessert. The servings are surprisingly generous by Paris standards, making MIGNON café a filling and delicious spot for a Paris brunch feast. 

67 Rue Caulaincourt, 75018

The bucolic window at Berry, of one of the best Australian-inspired coffee shops for brunch in Paris.

Café Berry

Café Berry is a pretty little cafe located in the Marais. The menu features granola, porridge, avocado toast, special avocado toast with beetroot hummus, and pancakes on weekends. Like many Melbourne cafes, Café Berry boasts a wide range of coffee-alternative hot drinks including chai latte, pink latte (made with beetroot powder), golden latte (made with turmeric powder), campfire latte (made with maple syrup and smoked sea salt), island latte (made with carob powder and grated coconut), and coconut matcha latte. But never fear coffee addicts, you can still get your caffeine fix with a latte, cappuccino, V60, or filter coffee.

10 Rue Chapon, 75003

A superb plate of avocado toast and salad at Berry, one of the best Australian-inspired coffee shops for brunch in Paris.Café Berry

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Written and photographed by Ali Postma for HiP Paris. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, Tuscany, Umbria or Liguria? Check out Haven In. Mention the code: HiPParis18 for special deals and a bottle of champagne with every booking for all HiP Paris readers!

A table with menus and fresh flowers outside on the terrace of Papilles coffee shop, one of our favorites for Australian-inspired brunch in Paris.Papilles Coffeehouse & Restaurant

WRITTEN BY

Ali Postma

Ali is from Melbourne, Australia, where she studied Art History and Art Curatorship at Monash and The University of Melbourn. She has worked in various art galleries. Passionate about all things arts and culture, she has a particular interest French film, Nordic noir, photography, street art and architecture. Ali has lived in Paris since 2016 and has written extensively on art, food, beauty and more. Her work has in publications including BW Confidential, Oh My Mag, and HIP Paris.

5 Comments

  1. Woohoo, the first one is 550m from our door. Can’t wait to try it, hopefully we’ve found our “local “

  2. Yes you’re right, Strada Cafe does do great coffee! Café Berry isn’t far from there but it may not have been open then. Another new good cafe in the area is Partisan Café if you ever find yourself back here again 🙂

  3. Strada cafe 94 Rue de Temple make great coffee . A Kiwi Barista (not Australian but close) We lived there for a week last year after travelling France & not finding one single decent coffee anywhere !!

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