In the name of the father, and of the filter, and of the holy roaster! At their Café Cours that feels like a tiny gothic chapel, Florian Babon and Chen Qian, two former French teachers, pull espresso at triple speed from their three-group Slayer machine, serving the best coffee in Montpellier: espressos, lattes, flat whites or café americanos, made with well-traveled beans – from Brazil to Kenya, or even the island of Java in Indonesia… Not in too much of a rush? Take the time to say a few “Hail Kaldis” (in homage to the goatherd who first discovered coffee), as the V60 brews some quality drip coffee. But you can also take home some lovely bags of roasted beans, so you can say your prayers at home… // Gwen Jacquère 

Hidden gem: The blooming espresso (€2.50).