👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see.

Paris without a doubt has one of the most iconic café cultures in the world. Dating back to the 17th century, the Parisian café has been often considered the quintessential stomping ground for bohemians, artists and intellectuals to gather around discourse. For the rest of us they are part of the social fabric of everyday life. Venues of leisure, where slow service and lingering at a table are not a fault but a feature. It is an almost sacred domain where people watching or reading a book is expected, but pulling out your laptop or taking a phone call is discouraged. Another particular attribute of the roughly 1000 cafés you’ll find throughout the city is their consistency. Even the most historical establishments like Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots and Café Procope follow a very similar blueprint. Coffee and food are usually not the main course but more so a fine garnish to the social experience. So when Bacha Coffee appeared on my radar, I was very curious to see exactly what they would bring to the table. Spoiler alert: They bring more than just coffee and if you are the type that values unique crafted experiences, you will not be disappointed.

Now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

☕️ The Location:

Situated on Champs-Élysées halfway between Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde, the location feels a bit removed from the busier shopping area the world’s most famous avenue is known for. Moreover, there are no tables, rattan bistro chairs or any of the other stereotypical visual queues outside to hint passerby’s to sitdown for a bit. Anyone unfamiliar with the Bacha brand would be forgiven for walking by the unassuming façade that almost blends in with the Regus co-working space next door. But do not let the minimalism deceive you. This seems to be by design. Where every café in the city centers around the experience of enjoying Paris, Bacha revolves around the experience of enjoying coffee.

I would recommend those with a limited time in the area plan their visit towards the beginning or the end of their tour around Champs-Élysées. For those aiming to walk the entire avenue, the cafe is a perfect spot to wind down after several hours of shopping. Franklin D. Roosevelt metro stop is across the street so it is also a very convenient trip if coming from Trocadero / Eiffel Tower via Line 9 or Louvre / Tuileries via Line 1.

☕️ The Ambiance:

To fully appreciate the experience it is important to have a bit of context about the world you will be transported to the second you walk through the glass doors. Bacha Coffee traces its roots to the Dar el Bacha palace in Marrakech in 1910 where it served as a diplomatic hub hosting the likes of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Josephine Bakes and Charlie Chaplin among others. Permanently closed down after WW2, the brand remained dormant until 2019 when it was revived by Franco-Moroccan businessman Taha Bouqdib. Tapped to bring the original coffee room at the palace back to life, the visionary saw an opportunity to export the essence of what made the salon the highest authority on coffee in Marrakech. Over the last few years the brand has expanded to 26 stores around the world with the one at Champs-Élysées opening up its doors to the public in 2025.

Once inside, this flagship store immerses you in 3 floors of rich Moroccan aesthetics that fuse the texture of the brand’s Arabic heritage with French haute cafe sensibilities. The retail boutique located on the street level, offers a selection of more than 200 different coffee beans from all over the world along with plenty of branded coffee paraphernalia. For those limited on time, there is also a take away coffee bar with a variety of drink choices and pastries.

Upstairs, the main dining area expands on the boutique’s opulence and divides into several rooms. Each with a unique theme. After glancing around it was clear there were no bad tables in the dining room. But knowing the visual mood I was after for this piece, I asked for a table by the stairs in an area that resembles a bit of a foyer. It was basking in direct sunlight which was perfect to get the dramatic shots I needed without intimidating the patrons and staff with my fancy photographic accessories. As a bonus, the wall next to the table served as a clean backdrop to highlight the food while showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail that is present throughout the entire space.

☕️ The Experience:

Once I sat down I was finally able to pause and peal back the layers that make such an interesting interior. Art Deco Elements of the original “House of Pasha”, checkered marble floors, intricate zellij mosaics and carved wood ornaments. They all complement the gold touches of the chandeliers, coffee pots and brightly colored coffee canisters. It is a feast for the eyes that creates an ambiance where an otherwise mundane drink like coffee becomes worthy of its own ritual.

Of the many things Paris (and France in general) are known for, world class service is not one of them. After many years of exploring the best the city has to offer, I have enough mileage to always walk in to a new establishment with my expectations grounded in reality. So needless to say I was very pleased with the warm welcome I felt from every single person I interacted with. From the second I entered and approached the hostess I was met at every turn with well mannered, knowledgeable staff that were proactive in ensuring I got taken care of throughout.

🍽️ The Menu & Final Thoughts:

The menu is divided into different components starting with a gorgeous hardcover book called “Marvelous Moroccan Moka”. The book covers the over 200 types of beans you can choose for your drink as well as a bit of history of their source of origin. Along with the book you get a smaller booklet with the different food and pastry options.

I included a .PDF of the shorter food menu below that you can download and dive in a little closer. Note the menu is only for the Paris store and the options will vary from what’s available in other countries.

I went for the “Bacha” set menu which is a multi course breakfast that includes:

x1 Carafe of coffee from the “Marvelous Moroccan Moka” menu, or organic herbal tea.

x1 Glass of fresh fruit juice.

x2 Sweet or savory gourmet croissants or pastries.

x1 Baguette of bread and butter.

x1 Dish of scrambled black truffle eggs.

x2 Sticks of pain perdu.

x1 Dish of fresh seasonal fruit.

x1 Fresh whipped cream.

x1 Syrup.

I am planning to do a more comprehensive write up dedicated to the coffee and food. So to not give out any spoilers and keep things moving I will give you the TL;DR:

Everything was great. I had a Bolivian bean for my main drink. It was properly brewed with good water and had no traces of bitterness or any of the unsavory qualities associated with improper pour-over techniques. Pastries and baguette were all fresh as were the juice and fruit plate. The stand out item though was the eggs. I’ve been having trouble recalling if I’ve ever had black truffles outside of pasta and in a million years would have never expected to ever be pairing them with eggs. But I am now convinced that’s exactly where they belong.

I’ve always been a huge fan of luxury brands with strong theatrical themes. When properly executed they can resemble a fine fragrance. If I had to summarize my first time visiting Bacha Coffee in Paris that is exactly how it felt. Like a fine fragrance it is a story told through a balanced potpourri of great ingredients that stimulates the senses, bottled in a beautifully sculptured package.

From someone who for years has been turning away from material objects in favor of bespoke intangible options, even the €48 breakfast feels less like a luxury culinary experience and a lot closer to an affordable afternoon expedition to Morocco. For those just in town on holiday, it is a great way to make a short stopover to a different time in a different country. For those like me who call Paris their home, it is the convenient way to escape the city for a while without packing our bags. In conclusion, Bacha surpassed all my expectations. No doubt I will be back to indulge on some of the other menu options.

Bacha Coffee France Champs Élysées Menu 20250916

3.16MB ∙ PDF file

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Bacha Coffee: 26 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris

Phone: +33 (0)1 71 25 19 10

Website: bachacoffee.com

Instagram: @bachacoffee

*Please note reservations are only accepted on weekdays from 9:30am to 2:30pm and not available on weekends or public holidays.

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see.

Autumn is mostly a wet and cloudy affair in Paris. Dark moody skies consistently reign supreme for several months and whenever there’s a break in the clouds, I will not think twice to make the most out of it. Specially if said break happens to land on a Sunday. So it should be no surprise that when I saw the weather forecast calling for clear skies last weekend, I made a beeline to my never ending restaurant bucket list and after a little deliberation made a Sunday brunch reservation for 2 at Too Restaurant (get it now). Cheeky play of words aside, I’ve had this spot pegged for several years but never had the opportunity to visit as it’s located a bit out of the way from where I normally hangout while in the city. In hindsight this might also explain why so many people I’ve talked to have never even heard of it and why the place remains so underrated.

Now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

☕️ The Location:

With its strict zoning and urban planning regulations, Paris has never really been known for having a bustling rooftop scene compared to what you find in other major cities. To make matters a little more complicated, of the limited rooftop options available, many are only cocktail bars with light fare menus. For many years, sitting on top of Montparnasse Tower at an altitude of 210m / 698ft, Le Ciel de Paris held the crown for the city’s highest full service dining room with a view. But after its permanent closure last summer, it left a pretty glaring vacancy in the already niche rooftop restaurant category.

Overlooking the Seine river and the historical parts of the city, on top of the striking DUO-2 tower of Jean Nouvel’s Tours Duo project, TOO Restaurant sits at an altitude of 120m / 394ft. Making it one of the highest full service dining rooms in Paris, second only to Windo Skybar at the Hyatt. The restaurant and upstairs bar called TacTac are part of the 139 room Too Hotel that occupies the lower levels of the DUO-2 tower. Aside from taxi or ride share, I find the easiest route to get here from the city center is to take Metro line 7 at Châtelet toward Mairie d’Ivry and changing at Porte d’Italie to the Tram T3a towards Porte de Vincennes. The tram’s Avenue de France stop is 50m across the street from the entrance.

Access to the restaurant is through the hotel’s main entrance located on Rue Brunessau. Just walk through the lobby and head straight to the elevators. The restaurant is clearly marked on the elevator selection display.

☕️ The Ambiance:

Once you arrive at the restaurant level you are greeted by a host who will verify your reservation and seat you. There is complimentary coat check available if you happen to visit during that time of the year. As you make your way to the table, you will pass by the bar on the right which on Sundays doubles as the brunch buffet. On the left you’ll see a row of double tables and large chairs facing south west. As you make your way to the main room it is hard to miss Philippe Starck’s fingerprints throughout the space. If you’ve been exposed to his work the look will be familiar. It is bold, in your face and a touch hallucinating. If Salvador Dali was still around, he would probably be a regular here.

There is an explicit “chic-elegant” dress code listed, which I was very happy to see everyone abide by. Combined with the ample window lighting, soft conversations throughout the room and attentive service that mostly stayed out of the way, the overall ambiance was very pleasant. When compared to its closest contender Windo, you would be forgiven to forget you were at a hotel here. At Windo, you would need to be seriously visually impaired to miss the fact you’re in a Hyatt.

☕️ The Experience:

As a fan of Starck, I could keep going on about how much I loved the room, but the main reason you go out of your way to visit a place like this is for the view. In that regard Too delivers and then some. The space is lined with mostly north west facing floor to ceiling glass, giving you a crisp view of Montparnasse, Eiffel Tour and Sacre Coeur. This is something that clearly distinguishes Too from the south eastern facing view at Windo. From there you are facing the sun and the entire city is backlit. This accentuates the haze and flattens the view. From Too the sun drapes light from the side in a way that sharply carves every detail of the city’s architecture.

We picked a corner window table that gave us a bit more of a panoramic view, but it is really hard to go wrong anywhere in the restaurant’s floor plan. The window tables are a bit on the smaller size, but this allows both chairs to face the window and get the same unobstructed view. I think it’s a good compromise if you don’t mind playing the inevitable tableware Tetris required for buffet.

🍽️ The Menu & Final Thoughts:

The buffet has a good range of the usual suspects with plenty of both sweet and savory options. In these situations I tend to lean heavily into the more stereotypical North American fare, as it has become a bit of a rare treat in my diet these days. But there is enough variety to satisfy most palettes regardless what side of the Atlantic you’re from. I included a .PDF transcript of the full brunch menu below that you can download and dive in a little closer.

One thing that stood out to me from the brunch menu at Too was the inclusion of 1 a la carte dish in addition to the buffet. You can choose between eggs Benedict, teriyaki salmon, Angus beef gyozas and chakchouka with eggs and feta. I went for the Benedict but unintentionally made a bit of a mess of it after it made it to the table, so I skipped the photo. Let’s just say it tasted a lot better than it looked.

One thing I would’ve loved to see more of is fresh fruit. Though there was a small fruit salad plate on display, I feel like fresh seasonal fruits would have made the buffet that much better not to mention a great complement to the cereal, pancakes and waffles. While in the subject of fresh fruits, I tried the grapefruit and orange juices included as part of the brunch menu. They were both fresh squeezed, both really good. That lemon tart on the last photograph was amazing. Definite must try.

Too Restaurant Sunday Brunch Menu

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Free download. Updated December 3rd 2025.

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Overall I was very happy with the entire experience. Online reservations open 3 weeks out and the process is very straight forward. No spam after signup just a reservation confirmation / reminder email a few days prior. The servers were attentive without being overbearing and the menu has a good amount of options for the price point. I think that is where Too hits its sweet spot. Given the limited rooftop options in the city, at 60€ per person for 1 a la carte dish, buffet and drinks you will not find a dining room that offers this much value. Specially with the stunning view at this altitude.

Too Restaurant: 65 Rue Bruneseau, 75013 Paris

Phone: +33 01 78 90 79 90

Reservations: toohotel.com

Instagram: @toohotelparis

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures