Is it possible to order coffee in Paris without milk in it? I don't mean expresso, just regular coffee. What do I order; does it have a special name besides American Coffee?

Just order a café noir. It won't be American coffee, but it won't be an espresso, either.

StCirq...thanks for you help. Can you order it "spiked"...say with a liquer, and does that have a special name?

&lt;&lt;Can you order it "spiked"...say with a liquer, and does that have a special name?&gt;&gt; <BR> <BR>Well, it would have the name of the liqueur, that's for sure. I suppose it would be "café noir avec du ____" you supply the name of the liqueur. <BR>

Asking for a "cafe americain" will typically get you a larger, diluted cup of coffee that has a closer ressemblance to the coffee you might be used to in America. And in a totally illogical twist, you could also say "cafe americano" - - as most Americans stumble at how to pronounce "americain". <BR>

Thanks Rex! Didn't know this was do-able...cafe noir is such a teeny cup - how the heck can you nurse it the requisite number of hours everyone says you can sit at a paris cafe? But just want to be sure I understand: ordering Cafe Americain won't "brand" me that way that comfy shoes would? Or wearing black, tip to toe?? This is good-humored joshing, but serious, as well..(not a flame in other words..)

Well, at the risk of being too sarcastic - - can you "camouflage" yourself in every OTHER way (language, mannerisms, stuff you're carrying in english)? And will you remember never to speak your perfectly practiced French at American "volumes"? (We're dead give aways by how loud we talk). <BR> <BR>If so, well, yes, then, ordering a cafe americain will surely give you away. <BR> <BR>

You won't be able to get American coffee in most cafes in Paris; there are a few that specifically have it on the menu, but most do not. Some Tex Mex Amertican-style places do, like Mustang Cafe (or Indiana Cafes probably, they are the same idea, but I haven't been in them). Every cafe I have frequented in Paris seems to give you espresso if you order cafe noir; if it's different, I couldn't tell it, and I've always seen and heard those terms used interchangeably by waiters and menus--like on menus I don't think you'll see a separate listing for both cafe noir and express. Most places would probably know what you mean if you say American coffee (not that you'll get it), but the correct term in French would be café filtre; this is more likely only available in expensive cafes that cater to wealthy tourists or hotels, I've never seen it in regular cafes. You can ask for a café allongé as perhaps the best alternative, in which case they'll give you the cafe noir and a side pitcher of hot water so you can dilute it. Another tip is that the cafe noir in McDonalds is not a bad substitut, as it is a stronger than most American coffee but not like the espresso you'll get in a cafe (and it's a lot cheaper than a cafe, just no ambience).

A great primer, Christina - thanks! Now, how about a phonetic pronunciation for allonge? would it be ah-lawnzh?

I always found I got a black coffee unless I specified cafe creme or cafe au lait. To get a larger one, ask for cafe double or grand.

Thanks, everyone, for your advice. Now I can order coffee, beer, wine and bread. Working on the rest. Or do I even need the rest....a loaf of bread, a jug of wine...Yep, guess I'd better work on the rest. Thanks, all.

&lt;&lt;Now, how about a phonetic pronunciation for allonge? would it be ah-lawnzh?&gt;&gt; <BR> <BR>No, it would be ah-lohn-jay. And damn if I remember the last time I remembered this - thank you, whoever reminded me of the correct term. I've always found, though, that ordering a café noir, particularly a "grand," got me a good, big cup of black coffee and not an espresso and not a café américaine, which I didn't want to begin with. Actually, I'm a tea drinker, so I don't much care in what shape my French coffee comes to me. A petit café crème does fine by me. <BR> <BR>

We usually ask for a grand cafe to distinguish from espresso and this is usually much weaker than the espressos. <BR> <BR>For us it is grande cafe au lait as we like milk but I am fairly sure that a grand cafe noir would be the simplest way of ordering. <BR> <BR>On many menus I have seen the term grand cafe to denote the weaker coffee in larger cups. <BR> <BR>kav