From buzzy coffee shops to traditional, old-school staples, here are the nine best cafés in the coastal city.
There’s nothing more quintessentially French than spending the afternoon nestled in a café with a coffee in hand. While café culture has spread worldwide, there’s nothing like experiencing it first-hand in the country that arguably started it all. Whether you fancy sitting and sipping with friends or solo with a newspaper or for spot of people-watching, these are the best places to get your caffeine fix in Cannes.
Volupté Anytime Café
Cafe, Contemporary, $$$
A mix between a café, restaurant and tea room, Volupté Anytime is ideal for, well, anytime of the day. While it offers a classic tea service, it’s the coffee that keeps people coming back here time and time again. Brewed from fresh Italian-sourced beans, their cappuccino au Nutella (which is exactly what it sounds like) is a favourite. If you want a quick snack to go with your coffee, their famed açai bowls are beautifully presented as well as being nutritious.
Decorated with kitsch floral wallpaper and vintage furniture, this quaint spot serves the best cupcakes, cookies and baked goods in Cannes. The restaurant is self-serve, so pop up to the counter and grab a Kinder cookie and a latte for an afternoon pick-me-up. Plus, vegans and vegetarians will find plenty of options on both the dessert and lunch menu. In the words of Emilie, you can expect an experience “far, far from the sanitised and standardised world of fast food chains; it is above all a place to feast and have a good time, a place with personality and lots of character.”
Nestled among the most expensive fashion boutiques in Cannes, you’ll find the Armani Caffè. Housed just next door to the Giorgio Armani boutique, café-goers can now sip and shop under one roof. With a large, sprawling terrace, it is particularly popular with famous guests during the annual Cannes Movie Festival. Be sure to order an Armani-branded coffee, or stay for lunch and try the Armani Club Sandwich with chicken, egg and porchetta.
Ladurée’s upscale bakeries have been dominating the café scene in France for years, and the Cannes location is no exception. Decorated using whimsical pastel hues, macarons here range from rich chocolate to a delicate rose flavour. Pair this sweet treat with a strong cup of coffee, served in delicate china. Reservations are available, so book as far ahead as possible.
Just a stone’s throw from the beach sits the cosy Happiness Share Café. With soft, acoustic tunes playing from the bar area to the bohemian hanging swings, this café is the perfect spot for a catch-up with friends or ideal as a quiet place to work. Find freshly brewed coffee on the menu by day and in the evenings, sip on their extensive selection of wine. In the summer months, take your cup of coffee out to the small terrace and soak up the sun.
For a taste of Italy in the heart of Cannes, visit Noisette Café et Cuisine. Popular with residents for the Italian-style cappuccinos and hearty Italian dishes, this spot is perfect for anytime of the day. With bright blue walls and pink banquettes, this intimate restaurant and café is perfect for a date or an ideal spot for catching up with friends. Run by a husband and wife team, owner Thierry Blanqui says: “We drive daily over the border from Italy to bring the finest sustainable ingredients from our home to our dishes.”
Situated across from the Palais De Festivals, La Californie feels like a café straight from a film set. With elegant white umbrellas keeping guests shaded from the sun and bright green tables that line the patio, prepare to settle in for an afternoon of reading and fresh coffee. If you’re feeling peckish, serving portions are large, simple and reasonably priced. Be sure to try the signature steak tartare.
Run by one of the most highly regarded pastry chefs in the world, Pâtisserie Intuitions by J. is Jérôme De Oliveira’s first boutique café. With a laid-back atmosphere, patrons can pull up a chair and select one of the many pastry options available, from macarons to cakes. The coffee is equally on par with the food, served in a bowl style cup with marshmallows on top. The menu is ever-changing based on the season, as chef Oliveira explains: “It’s not me who decides which product will become a speciality, but my customers.”
Located right on the beach, L’Alba is an unmissable café in Cannes. With the crisp sea air providing a welcome breeze, a wide-ranging food menu and friendly service, it’s no wonder L’Alba fills up early in the morning. Sip on an expertly crafted latte, and then make a run for a refreshing dip in the sea. If you stick around for the lunch menu, you’ll find fresh seafood and reasonably priced sandwiches available.
