From homemade juices and specialty coffee to loaded sandwiches, perfectly cooked eggs and cakes worth saving room for, this cozy Rue Monge café has everything you need for a very good Paris day.

Paris has no shortage of cafés, but the best ones are the places you want to return to for different reasons. Coffee in the morning, brunch with friends, a quick lunch, an afternoon cake or simply somewhere to sit down and take a break while exploring the city.

Strada Café is one of those places.

Located at 24 Rue Monge in the Quartier Latin, this cozy neighborhood café brings together good coffee, fresh drinks, homemade food and an all-day menu that makes it just as tempting for breakfast as it is for lunch. And with the Jardin des Plantes and the rest of the Latin Quarter nearby, it’s also perfectly placed for a Paris day out.

COME FOR THE COFFEE, STAY FOR THE FOOD

Strada has the kind of menu where choosing what to order might actually be the hardest part.

Start your morning with a specialty coffee—whether that’s an espresso, cappuccino or flat white or go for one of their fresh drinks. Their fresh juice of the day is pressed with grapefruit, orange, lemon and ginger, while the homemade mint lemonade is deliberately very lightly sweetened. There’s also homemade iced tea with citrus for something refreshing later in the day.

Basically, there’s no reason to settle for a boring drink here.

BREAKFAST THAT ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE BREAKFAST

If you’re someone who likes a proper breakfast, Strada delivers.

Their menu includes eggs and breakfast-style plates, with extras such as fried eggs, smoked salmon and bacon, making it easy to build your own combination. And the omelettes are absolutely worth ordering, fluffy, generous and the kind of comforting dish that makes you want to linger over breakfast rather than rush into the rest of your day.

For something lighter, there’s also fromage blanc with seasonal fresh fruit and homemade granola, topped with raspberries, blueberries and banana.

And then there are the pastries and homemade cakes…

THE SANDWICHES DESERVE THEIR OWN MOMENT

One of the things we loved about Strada was the sandwich selection. These aren’t sad desk lunches, they’re substantial, colorful and packed with flavor.

The Salmon Bun comes with smoked salmon, tomatoes, sucrine lettuce and, most importantly, Strada’s homemade herb cream cheese, seasoned with shallots, chives and parsley. It’s the kind of homemade detail that takes a simple sandwich to another level.

Prefer something more indulgent? The Bacon Bun combines avocado, cheddar, tomatoes, sucrine lettuce, crispy onions, mayo and crispy bacon in a baker’s bun.

There’s also a Grilled Cheese made with toasted country bread, honey mustard, caramelized onions, Emmental, Gouda and Cheddar. And for vegetarians, the Veggie Burger comes with a quinoa and beet patty, garlic and onion, samurai sauce, feta, tomatoes, lettuce and pickled onions.

In other words, lunch at Strada is definitely not an afterthought.

A LITTLE SOMETHING SWEET

You should probably save room for dessert.

Strada’s homemade cake selection changes the mood from casual lunch spot to very tempting afternoon café. The menu currently features carrot cake, lemon-poppy seed cake, peanut butter and chocolate chip cake, and an almond, coconut and matcha cake, with the latter options including gluten-free choices.

The carrot cake was one of our favorites. It has plenty of spice and a cream cheese frosting, but isn’t overly sweet, which, for us, made it exactly right. It’s the sort of cake that goes perfectly with a coffee without leaving you feeling like you’ve just eaten a whole dessert counter.

And if you’re more of a fresh-and-light dessert person, the fromage blanc with fruit and homemade granola is another great option.

THE PERFECT PLACE TO PAUSE IN THE LATIN QUARTER

Part of Strada’s charm is its location.

After wandering around the Latin Quarter, exploring the Jardin des Plantes or simply spending the day discovering this part of Paris, Rue Monge is the kind of street where stopping for coffee and something good to eat feels completely natural.

The café itself is warm and relaxed, with a simple, contemporary feel that makes it easy to stay awhile. During the week, it’s also laptop-friendly, while weekends are designed more for disconnecting and enjoying the café atmosphere.

And honestly, we love that.

WHETHER YOU’RE A BREAKFAST PERSON OR A LUNCH PERSON…

Strada Café is the kind of Paris address that works for pretty much everyone.

Come early for coffee and eggs. Meet a friend for brunch. Stop by for one of those sandwiches at lunchtime. Grab a homemade juice after walking around the neighborhood. Or just sit down for coffee and a slice of carrot cake because sometimes that’s the entire plan.

There are also lunch formulas, including a main dish and dessert for €15, a main dish and drink for €15, or a main, dessert and drink for €18.

What makes Strada particularly appealing is that it doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be just one thing. It’s a specialty coffee shop, breakfast spot, brunch destination, casual lunch place and neighborhood café all at once.

And that’s exactly what makes it worth knowing.

STRADA CAFÉ

24 Rue Monge, 75005 Paris

Open Monday through Friday from 8am and weekends from around 9am, making it an easy stop whether you’re starting your day or looking for a late-morning brunch.

Follow Strada Café: @strada_cafe