I missed Paris today. Maybe it’s because Ladurée opened here in Vancouver with people lining up to buy macarons as if they were on the Champs-Élysées. It was a slight longing though, it passed almost immediately but took me by surprise because I don’t usually allow myself the luxury of nostalgia.

It had me dreaming of this cozy gem of a café, nestled in a cobblestoned courtyard on Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the 8th (a few metres from a slightly less crowded Ladurée). Billed as Paris’ first outdoor independent coffee shop, Honor Café is operated by a friendly English-Australian duo who have worked for years in the specialty coffee industry. It’s the perfect little stop for a quick or leisurely coffee and snacks while traversing that part of the city.

Quaint, charming and chic are some adjectives I’d use to describe unique little café. Being outdoors, it’s bright and airy and being in the courtyard makes the space feel spacious yet cozy.
The service is friendly and swift, the shop obviously run by passionate coffee-lovers who know what they’re doing. Their beans are from Coutume Café, a major player in the Parisian third-wave coffee scene, and the pastries are so seductively good, it led me to Broken Biscuits, their supplier.

They serve superb coffee here. I went with a simple latte, and watched as it was carefully prepared from the cozy seating spot behind the bar. My coffee was smooth with a clean taste and just the right depth of froth.

I loved this little café, I like its quirky settings and the quality products and service. Being in the neighbourhood of luxurious Parisian stores, art galleries, stately homes and the Élysée Palace, Honor Café is a welcoming breath of fresh air.

Honor Café
54 Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré, 75008