Ah, the French café.

The smell of coffee and the hiss of the espresso machine. A place to sit and read, write or watch the world go by. Lingering in a café is one of the pleasures of life in France.

If you've never visited France before, it's good to know what to order from the (usually brusque) waiter before you choose your tiny table and pull up a chair.

A French Café Tutorial

Un café or un petit café is espresso. A small, strong shot of coffee that goes down quickly.

If you like your café with a splash of milk, order une noisette, my personal favorite.


Un café crème is un café with a lot of steamed milk and can be ordered either grand or petit. This is a great drink in the morning to have with your croissant. A tip: don't order a café au lait, which is made at home. Also, you'll most likely get funny looks if you order un café crème after noon.

If you like it really strong and with a big caffeine jolt, un café serré is for you. Basically, un serré is un café with half the amount of water.

For a weaker cup, un café léger or un café allongé is un café with twice the amount of water.

For decaffeinated coffee, ask for un déca.

If you like a bit of cognac or eau de vie in your coffee, ask for un café arrosé.

So find your table, place your order and enjoy some time at a French café.