Oh I’ve been meaning to write this post for so long because, of all the places in Lyon I’ve described so far, you can probably find me in Lyon’s coffeeshops the most. During the week to pass the time or work, on the weekend chatting with friends.

I like to think that my love for cafés lies in my Austrian roots, but really I’m not a huge fan of the traditional Austrian coffeehouse nor of the traditional French one. Also not sure if there are traditional French cafés. You’d rather find brasseries or bistros but not so much places just dedicated to coffee. The choice of coffee isn’t very broad either, you can order a) an espresso (=café) or b) an espresso with extra water (=café allongé).

Even before I really liked the coffee I enjoyed the comfort of coffeeshops. I’ve been meeting my friends at cafés for as long as I can remember. Sitting in a comfortable booth for hours, preferably by the window, watching the world go by. In my hometown Linz, chances are always high that you’ll see at least one person you know walking by, perhaps even entering. Sipping on a beverage and trying to hold on to it for as long as you can, maybe sharing a slice of cake.

About two years ago, I discovered another aspect to cafés. The coffee. And by coffee I mean Third Wave Specialty coffee. It was this tiny café in Salzburg that introduced me and I was hooked. (More on this kind of coffee another time). Since I found out what really good coffee tasted like I began to look for these kind of coffeeshops whereever I went. Besides the good coffee, they usually also have really nice interior, sometimes in a particular style, sometimes rustic and simple. What they all have in common is a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.

I want to introduce you to my top 3 of Lyon. The funny thing is, in the year I’ve been here there are new ones popping up what feels like every other week, seems like I’ve come at the right time.

1. La Boîte à Café

3 Rue Abbé Rozier, 69001 Lyon

Mon-Sun

This is Lyon’s third wave coffee pioneer. They were the first one that opened a few years back and have been really successful with their concept. They have their own roasting house too (Mokxa – that’s where I buy my beans here). The café is located on a round square in Croix-Rousse filled with chairs to enjoy your coffee outside. It’s absolutely necessary to extend the seating area because it’s usually very crowded, especially on weekend. For those who are interested, they offer coffee workshops too.

2. Le Tigre

91 Montée de la Grande Côte, 69001 Lyon

Tues-Sun

This beautiful Scandinavian style café is tucked in the lower end of the Montée de la Grande Côte, also Croix-Rousse. The calm space is ideal for working or unwinding for a bit from busy Croix-Rousse. They offer coffee from Paris roasting house Belleville and as of recently also from the Berlin roasting house Five Elephant. Their snacks are glutenfree and look absolutely delicious.

3. Le Labo

39 rue de Marseille, 69007 Lyon

Mon-Fri

This coffeeshop only opened in January this year. They are using coffeebeans from Mokxa. It’s really spacious there and close to universities, so perfect for a coffee inbetween classes. They design is quite peculiar, as the name says it’s all in the style of a laboratory with the chemical formula of caffeine above the counter and laboratory glasses for water. But don’t think it’s in any way cold, the furniture is wooden and there’s greenery on the walls. They offer a lunch menu and all kinds of lovely cakes as well.

 

What do you like about coffeeshops? Do you have a favourite one?