An outstanding American style coffee house in Lyon, France. * * * So what is the big deal about American style coffee houses in Anywhere, France? Americans can get American coffee in America. France is for French stuff. * * * Well, there is one exception to the rule of France is for French stuff. French coffee is generally bad. I have had expresses and espressos in lots of cafes both on this trip and earlier trips. French espresso is grim stuff. When Starbucks showed up in France, it got a huge popular reaction. Most of this was for wacky flavored coffees such as Pistachio Mint Lattes. But the huge crowds showed a real impatience with lame tame cafe espressos. * * * When French entrepreneurs tried to clone the Starbucks experience, the results were not good. They aped all of the worst aspects of Starbucks coffee without putting anything legitimately good on the table. * * * So the French move into artisanal coffee houses is a very big deal. They follow the American model of having a) outstanding espressos, lattes and alt-coffee drinks and b) having a small but fine menu of breakfast and lunch dishes to make the coffee house a place for a destination meal. Note that not all French artisan coffee places add on Clause c) c) People need to be able to work at the coffee house all day on their computers. The places with really good food actually frown on all-day workers. There is a line out the door of people wanting to eat that really good food. But even with no c), a) and b) are enough to give you a great place. Coffee reform has finally come to France. * * * In the new coffee movement, Slake is a stellar addition. The coffee is amazing - but most of the new coffee houses have that. What sets Slake apart is food that is absolutely positively outstanding. I had a set of Turkish eggs - which were one of the best breakfasts I had in the entire trip to Lyon. My wife did even better with a one-off special - an Indonesian pancake with caramel flour. I died and went to heaven off the one taste of pancake I got. My wife was singing with the angels and flying around the Gates of Radiant Light. A quick look at the other tables suggested that there is legendary French toast to be had as well as a number of other absolutely intriguing treats. * * * There is a line to get into Slake. Don't come expecting immediate gratification - And get out when you are done with your meal. But in return for that The Great Gods of Java will show you the Resplendent Wonders of Their Kingdom once you ditch the cheap espresso. read more

A modern coffeeshop with delicious Cappucino and Cortado. The staffs were friendly. Lots of fun seats inside and out. You see many students hanging out and working in the space. read more

Slake - Coffee shop - Jacobins - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lyon, 69

Beautiful coffee place in Lyon that serves good coffee and food. The staff were very friendly and helped us with our order since we didn't speak any French. The cappuccino was wonderful and the tamago sando (egg sandwich) was also delicious. read more

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I go to this exact coffee shop every day (sometimes twice a day) when I'm in Lyon. They serve Mokxa coffee and offer a variety of "hand pour/slow pour" options from Aeropress to V60 and Chemex. The service is amazing and they never point me in the wrong direction. read more

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Slake came recommended by our tour guide as having delicious food and coffee and a chill atmosphere. She was right! They have a lot of food and drink offerings. It's the perfect place to grab a bite, sip coffee, and relax. The Wi-Fi also works very well. read more

Slake - Coffee shop - Jacobins - Quiche and dirty chai - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lyon, 69

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Trendy cafe that serves nice coffee and brunch. It was busy when we visited after shopping at the St Antoine market in the morning but we still managed to get a seat. We had a cappuccino here which was really good - a welcome change from the poor quality (and high price) at many other places we visited. read more

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Found Slake on a blog of top coffee shops in Lyon and it was a great find. Maybe it was because of the World Cup or because Alex Morgan & Allie Long posted about getting coffee here, but there was a diverse crowd of people from all over in the shop. At Slake you have all the standard espresso drinks. You also have pour over options (V60, chemex, aeropress), which are becoming more popular in Europe, but you also have cold brews & iced drinks, which are harder to come by in France. They have a good breakfast menu and lunch as well. You order at the counter and then they bring it to you at your table. I got the V60 pour over and a crumpet (halloumi & egg) to eat. Took them a little longer than I would have expected with the coffee, but the food was out quickly. Servers and staff are friendly and answer any questions you may have. They also have different pastry/cake options some of which are gluten and/or dairy free. Over all, good place for coffee!! Definitely will be back again. read more

Slake - Coffee shop - Jacobins - V60, natural - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lyon, 69

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This review is based on a Sunday brunch experience. * * * EXPERIENCE * * * Made a reservation through AMEX for 11am brunch on Sunday. We got there 15 minutes early and there were already 8-10 people waiting outside. We were seated promptly once we went in; the interior decoration reminds me of some hipster coffee houses in San Francisco. The place got full 10 minutes after we sat down, there were 3-4 waiters working on the floor and they all looked pretty busy yet still showed friendly attitude. * * * FOOD * * * First off, for weekend brunches, they provide unlimited black tea, green tea and coffee - they are all on the countertop in the center of the restaurant, just go and serve yourself. Food-wise, we were provided yogurt, apple/pear slush/soup in mini-glasses, blueberry cake and scrambled egg all for sharing among the table. They sound typical but were all well made, especially the egg! Then, each person got to choose a "main dish" - I chose a salmon over bread with some greens on the side - very tasty. So with all these, it cost 22 euro per person and we all got pretty full afterwards. If you are in Lyon and want to eat something else other than typical French food for breakfast/brunch, I highly recommend this place! read more

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This feels more like a hipster coffee shop in the states. Very cute interior, really friendly and efficient staff members, and American style baked items (cheese cake, brownie, carrot cake) and some sandwich and other simple lunch items. I had a cappuccino (3 Euro), a macchiato (2.4 euro), and a raspberry-pistachio financier (3?). Also the daily sandwich (only 5.5 euro!) Cappuccino was smooth and sweet, although I would have liked it with more depth and oomph. Macchiato (with a smiley face!) - it was a single shot, and surprisingly acidic compared to the cappuccino. Financier was very tasty, with slightly coarse texture. Sandwich was great! Good baguette, mesclun, speck, and olive butter. So simple but everything was perfect. Free WiFi Space/ Yellow-lit, warm, hip but not pretentious. Small and long space, but efficiently run. Many tables and chairs. And water station with glass cups. * Cute bathroom! read more

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So happy we found this gem in the heart of Lyon. Nowadays everyone has the auto espresso machines so I was on the look out for a semi automatic. The brunch here fills up quick so plan ahead. This place was super busy when I stopped in. The flavor was excellent and full bodied I'm forsure marking it back to this little spot. So wonderful! read more

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Nice place for a big tasty iced latte on a hot day and after a week of European-sized espresso drinks. The morning bun was a good Vegetarian option. We easily found a table for two among a few other tourists but mostly Lyonians. read more

We stopped in here for our morning cappuccino... and it was good.

Probably one of the best coffee / espresso places we had tried on our trip to Paris, Lyon, Florence, Rome, and Milan. It was so good we came here a few days in a row. It very much felt like a coffeeshop in Silverlake/LA except everyone spoke French. They had free wifi, and complimentary water (which I found surprising) Got a latte and also a flat white (around 3 euros each). The espresso was not acidic at all, very tasty. Tried a coconut financier which was also delicious. Also, for whatever reason all the baristas (male and female) are incredibly good looking. Definitely recommend and I definitely would come back when in Lyon. read more

Very hipster place, my style, that attracts the studious cool kids and I felt right at home. The music wad a little loud for me but the brownie was amazing and the barista was really nice and made a special coffee just for me that was sort of like a latte macchiato, but with decaf. Nice. read more

Excellent place ! Discovered it walking around the city. Very cozy on the inside, staff is very nice. Limited choice but good quality of pastries. Love their hot chocolate (an actual piece of chocolate on a stick that you have to dip into your cup of hot milk) A new place worth trying!! read more

Slake - Coffee shop - Jacobins - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lyon, 69

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If you're missing the American culture of studying in a cozy cafe, this is it! Great coffee and felt comfortable studying alone, although many come with friends for cake too. read more

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Modern but simple. It's so cozzy and their coffee and breakfast was good. It's a hidden coffe place but well known/visited. I would definetly recommend it. read more

Back from the USA, I was searching for a "hipster" coffee shop where you can stay long for working and hanging out. I was very happy to discover this place. Very friendly staff, gorgeous inside, good coffee, and a choice of French and American pastries. The only thing to know if you want to work there is that wifi is shutdown during week ends. That said, it's not that a big deal if you want to read or work disconnected (it will help you focus more easily). A good perk is also that it's a multi cultural crowd. You will probably ear more english than french which is cool as I want to keep practicing. read more

What a cute little spot! I came here for a late breakfast on a Wednesday morning and really enjoyed my experience. The name of the place made me wonder how French it really is, and although it did feel similar to an American coffee shop, it still had a great French feel to it. I asked if anything was gluten free and was directed to these delicious little cakes of blueberries and apples. I ordered one of each with a latte macchiato and was a very happy camper! Delicious! Definitely worth a try. read more

Slake - Coffee shop - Jacobins - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lyon, 69

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Really tasty coffee for a nice price. A great spot to have a coffee/lunchdate with your friends. Tip: try their Bananabread and Carrotcake: yummy!!! read more

Slake - Coffee shop - Jacobins - Take a look at their unique toilet! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lyon, 69

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Cute little find in Lyon. Slightly hidden away from the bustle of the main strip. Fair priced breakfast and above average coffee. Service was kind and accommodating. read more

Best coffee in Lyon. Limited breakfast items compared to Diploid sister cafe as this location does not have a full kitchen. However, definitely worth the visit since everything there is awesome. read more

Garbage fucking service from garbage fucking people. Having worked service industry for a decade, I promised I would never be rude to someone in the industry no matter what. I broke that promise at this cafe. All I paid for was a waste of the only free 20 minutes in my day, soggy food, and a server indignant enough to blame me for not having my food delivered to me on time. Apologies for not doing your job for you. Fuck you completely. read more

Great coffee and desserts. Definitely a fun place to go for a late-morning coffee in chill mode. Relaxing and comfortable.

They have soy milk!!!! And a great carrot cake . We loved it! Hipsters decoration, nice atmosphere, nice people.

Good! A real coffee house with tasty treats. We've been here twice and the cappuccino and lattes have been consistent and good both times. Quite a bit of seating and tap tap water available. Plus they mix retro 80s and 90s American music in between classic French songs. read more

Great coffee show with delicious sweet treats and good lunch options. It has a cozy atmosphere and the people who work there are friendly and helpful. read more

Slake - Coffee shop - Jacobins - Chai tea lattes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lyon, 69

Delicious coffee and pastries!!! The vibe is beautiful and fun. The staff was also really nice and helpful.

One of the best lattes I've ever had, although they did vary slightly depending on who made it. Food is very good. Staff is friendly and most/all spoke English. read more

Cute little spot for good coffee. Coffee beans are of high-quality and the pastries are tasty and fresh. The only downside is that it gets crowded (mostly students) and it can be hard to find a place to sit. It's also very bustling so not a place to go if you want peace and quiet. However the crowd is chill and the baristas are friendly and helpful; one guy remembered us and made sure we got the next available table for two (there's a queue after you order, just let the barista know). The best place we tried for a latte or cappuccino in Lyon! read more

I went here when I visited a friend in Lyon for the weekend, and I learned that it's only recently opened. This place was filled with many people who seemed like regulars, but I also think that since it's a new open, the crowded atmosphere of the place will die down a little bit in the future. I ordered a raspberry financier pastry and a dirty chai latte. The financier was perfect with just the right balance of sweet and savory. The dirty chai was very well-done, but my only complaint is that the espresso could've been stronger since I prefer my dirty chai lattes to really taste "dirty." read more

This cafe has a fantastic ambience, and very friendly staff. Prices are also reasonable. However, the flat white I had left flavour to be desired. The milk texturing and pour was really good, and the serving temperature was also great. However, the coffee was quite weak. Perhaps ask for an extra shot to make this coffee more special. read more

Love visiting France and all things French except their coffee made with long life milk! Found this little place in Lyon which have a similar vibe to Melbourne cafes with friendly staff and the coffee is as good as the coffee we enjoy at home. In Lyon for a week and planned our sightseeing around a fix at Slake at least once a day. Definitely worth a visit. read more

My favorite coffee place in Lyon! Very cozy interior, excellent coffee and the carrot cake and cheesecake are definitely worth giving a try as well. read more

I'll always remember Slake! This was the main coffee shop my friends and I would visit to study and hang out on the weekends (along with a lot of other anglophone students/expats). Their sandwiches are amazing and freshly made everyday. Lots of room to study, and wifi is available until around 4pm, as far as I remember. The location is also great! Just down the street from the Saone where there is a nice farmers' market on the weekends along the river. read more