October 21, 2011

Notting Hill Coffee

I know many an American expat who is woe to live so far from a certain coffee establishment called Starbucks. Not being a coffee drinker myself, I didn’t miss it.

But I did miss chai tea lattes. And while one can go up to any tabac, bar, or restaurant and order a café, I’ve found it to be a lot more difficult to track down chai tea in the Hexagon.

Starbucks, despite being on nearly every corner in Paris, has yet to infiltrate Lille. Paris is only an hour-long train ride away if one is really addicted to the American coffee giant, but if looking for a place to pick up one-the-go cups (in 3 different sizes) of frappés, mocha lattés, and different flavored coffee drinks, Lille has it’s own.

It’s called Notting Hill Coffee.


Notting Hill Coffee on rue Esquermoise.


Not only do they have American style coffee drinks, but they also have muffins.

And, most importantly, they have chai tea.

There are three different locations in Lille, and my favorite one is on rue Esquermoise. Beautiful views of the old city streets and buildings can be seen from the large glass windowpanes, fitting nicely into the old wood and stone work.


The view.


On the inside, the red brick walls add charm to the upstairs seating areas, providing an atmosphere befitting of the region.


The inside with its lovely brick walls.


The small tables and benches are a nice spot to sit sipping a warm drink; either chatting with a friend or people watching.

Check it out:
94 Rue Esquermoise
59000 Lille
Tél: 03 20 31 74 15

6 comments:

  1. I have to agree, chatting with a friend of a soy milk NottingHill is wonderful :D

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  2. What a lovely, and quaint little coffee shop! It is so warm and inviting. It's nice that you can order American drinks. I also love the view to the street. Gorgeous!

    Kris

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  3. I'd settle for a Notting Hill Coffee. Just give me a latte in a to-go cup and I'm a happy girl. That's all I want, a to-go cup. It's not too much to ask for, is it? (yes, in France it is).
    Enjoy your coffee shop *sniff*
    :-)

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  4. Cathy: Let's go there again sometime soon!

    Kris: It's great to cure a bit of homesickness, but also great for enjoying the beautiful city of Lille.

    Sara Louise: I think it'll be a while before they put a coffee shop in Le Petit Village seeing how petit it is and everything! But at least you have Starbucks not too far away!

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  5. Oh this sounds lovely! I can't believe I passed up chai tea or pumpkin spiced lattes in Paris. I was so sleep deprived I ordered a muffin and coffee - which came in an ACTUAL coffee mug. Complete Fail. =/

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  6. chickster: I'm sure you'll be back to Paris before your sejour in France is over! If not, maybe search Brest for a Starbucks like replacement, such as Notting Hill?

    ReplyDelete

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