Call a spade a spade: most coffee in Paris isn’t good. But thankfully that’s changing. I had the chance to have some in depth chats with roasters and baristas in town over the last couple of months to talk about that change, culminating in an article for Roads & Kingdoms. An excerpt:

The tide is turning in the French capital, though, with a flood of new craft roasters and cafes that all believe in good coffee. The French, however, are sensitive to change, especially in a city that’s known for its deep-rooted traditions, and while this expanding coffee scene is welcomed by many, it also comes with a side of criticism. For some, local craft roast might be the sign of a city looking forward, yet for others it’s the sign of a city undergoing an irrevocable transformation in food culture.

“[The Paris cafe scene] is a tricky scene to tap into because we think we have such a culture of coffee already,” says Nico Alary, co-owner of Holybelly, a café that opened last year in the Canal Saint Martin neighborhood. “You know there’s cafes everywhere … but the sad thing is those cafes actually suck at making coffee. They’re not about coffee. They’re about getting a beer or getting a glass of wine.”

Holybelly has become a bit of a haven for me over the past few months, and their filter coffee is excellent. They also happen to sell copies of The Culinary Cyclist! Stop in for a coffee break next time you find yourself in Paris. And if you’re not familiar with Roads & Kingdoms, be sure to check it out, it’s an excellent collection of travel journalism, with dispatches from around the world. Read the full coffee article here.