When a French-Korean couple opens a coffee shop on a quiet square in the 11th arrondissement, the result is refreshingly singular. At Kott, there’s no Wi-Fi, no laptops, no bells or whistles – just a cute little place to perch on a vintage Formica stool, coffee in hand, and let the mood do the rest. Think exposed brick walls, an okoumé wood counter and a sort of poetic beauty you can drink as much as admire. Here, the coffee doesn’t shout – it doesn’t need to: People Possession on drip, or a beautifully pulled espresso from the Marzocco, served as a flat white, latte or, for the joyfully indulgent, a double-shot Einspänner capped with whipped cream. Not on coffee? There’s chai, matcha latte, fruit infusions, proper tea and hot chocolate – basically, something for everyone. Sweet cravings are well covered too: walnut brownies, chocolate babka, cardamom rolls, squidgy banana muffins and, inevitably, irresistibly good almond croissants. Bonus points for the back wall, stacked with exclusive merch (t-shirts, sweatshirts, keychains) and serious kit for caffeine obsessives: V60s, filters, grinders – everything you need to cosplay as a barista at home. · Anna Elisabeth

THE HIDDEN GEM: The poppyseed croissant (€5).