Café
Café de Flore
A Saint-Germain café dating from around 1887, famed as a haunt of Apollinaire, Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir and home of the Prix de Flore.
Shakespeare and Company Café
The café of the Shakespeare and Company bookshop, opened in 2015 opposite Notre-Dame and serving Paris-roasted coffee, pastries and vegetarian dishes.
At a glance
- Type
- Bookshop café
- Area
- Latin Quarter, Paris, France
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Opening
- Open daily · 09:00–19:00
- Official site
- shakespeareandcompany.com
Good to know
- Specialty coffee
- Vegan and vegetarian options
- Coffee beans to take home
Why we recommend it
Shakespeare and Company is the English-language bookshop on the Left Bank facing Notre-Dame, opened by the American George Whitman in 1951 and named in tribute to Sylvia Beach's original shop of the 1920s and 1930s. In 2015 the bookshop opened its own café next door, at 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, describing it as a cosy extension of the shop. With its view across the Square René-Viviani to the cathedral, it has become a popular stop for readers and visitors exploring the Latin Quarter.
The café serves specialty coffee made from ethically sourced beans roasted in Paris, including the house Lomi blend, along with teas, hot chocolate and other drinks. The food is a mix of fresh French and English-style pastries and cakes delivered daily from Parisian suppliers such as Ten Belles, together with Anglo-style vegetarian and vegan dishes, soups and savoury bites. The menu changes with the seasons, and coffee beans and cacao latte blends are sold to take home. Books, gifts and bookshop merchandise sit on the shelves, and the café occasionally hosts events.
The café suits book lovers, solo travellers, students and anyone wanting a relaxed break after visiting Notre-Dame or the Sainte-Chapelle. The atmosphere is casual and friendly, and English is widely spoken, which makes it an easy option for visitors who are not confident in French. Vegetarians and vegans are well served compared with many traditional Paris cafés. Space is limited, and seats can be hard to find at busy times.
It is open every day from 9am to 7pm. Weekday mornings are the calmest time, while afternoons and weekends draw crowds, especially when queues build at the bookshop next door. Allow 30 minutes to an hour for a coffee and a pastry, and leave time to browse the bookshop, where photography inside is restricted. Card payment is accepted.
Saint-Michel station on metro line 4 and Saint-Michel Notre-Dame on RER B and C are a few minutes' walk away, and Maubert–Mutualité on line 10 is also close. Next to the café, the Square René-Viviani is home to a robinia tree planted in the early 17th century, often described as the oldest tree in Paris. Notre-Dame is just across the Petit Pont, and the bouquinistes, the riverside booksellers, line the quays nearby.
Shakespeare and Company Café FAQs
When is the café open?
Every day from 9am to 7pm.
When did the café open?
In 2015, next door to the Shakespeare and Company bookshop.
What does it serve?
Specialty coffee roasted in Paris, pastries and cakes from Parisian suppliers, and vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Is it vegan-friendly?
Yes, the menu includes vegan and vegetarian meals and cakes.
Can I buy coffee to take home?
Yes, coffee beans and cacao latte blends are sold at the café.
Can I see Notre-Dame from the café?
The café faces the Square René-Viviani, with Notre-Dame across the river.
What is the nearest station?
Saint-Michel on metro line 4, or Saint-Michel Notre-Dame on RER B and C.