Secrets of Paris

Review by Camille Malmquist

My search for coffee beans in Paris started early. A few weeks after arriving, remembering why I stopped drinking coffee from the grocery store, I wanted to find a source for quality, hand-roasted coffee (and a coffee mill, but that’s another story). I was tipped off to Brûlerie des Ternes, located on rue Poncelet, a bustling and well-stocked market street not far from the Arc de Triomphe.

On my first visit, I didn’t realize how special this place is. Of course, at the time, I hadn’t spent months scouring Paris for the dark, shiny, freshly roasted beans like the ones I used to get from my local roaster back home in the States. I have since learned that torréfaction “Robe de Moine,” or “Monk’s Robe” roasting, is a legitimate technique with its own merits. This style results in a lighter-colored finished product that allows for more subtly or intricately flavored coffees to show their stuff. But what of the bold, dark coffee to which I have developed a certain taste over the years? Well, after a year of research, I’ve determined the only place in town to get it is Brûlerie des Ternes. Their Oriental Blend beans are, quite simply, gorgeous, and the flavor is deep, rich, and satisfying. Their other coffees are certainly worth trying, but the Oriental is worth a trip across town.

For those non-enthusiasts of coffee, they also have an impressive selection of teas from China, India, and Japan. To round out the array, cast-iron teapots, Bialetti espresso pots and an assortment of honeys line the wall behind the register. All that and the welcome is always warm, the service smiling and helpful. After stocking up on coffee and tea, you can hop across the street to the Alléosse cheese shop or Véronique Mauclerc’s bakery for a slice of her delicious cheesecake. So it’s not like you’re really trekking all the way across the city for coffee beans, right?

Brûlerie des Ternes
10 rue Poncelet, 17th
Mº Ternes
Tél 01 46 22 52 79