Inform Café, an unusual brunch coffee shop in front of a historic monument at Citéco, Paris 17th arrondissement

A brunch set against the backdrop of a historic monument, that's what Inform Café offers us at the Cité de l'Économie, Paris 17th. Initially attracted by the unusual location, we were seduced by the gourmet delights of this coffee shop, which combines delicious cakes and pastries with homemade drinks and lattes of all kinds.

Brunch in an unusual, hot spot? We've got it! We'll take you on a tour of this nugget in the 17th arrondissement, nestled right in the heart of the Cité de l'Économie. We already know Inform Café from their first address on rue des Acacias. This time, it's in the very heart of Citéco that they welcome us.

A coffee shop in a historic building

At Inform Café at Citéco, you can enjoy a treat every day except Monday, from 9.30am to 5.45pm, against the backdrop of a historic monument. The Cité de l'économie et de la monnaie is nestled in the heart of the Hôtel Gaillard, a neo-Renaissance architectural gem built by architect Jules Février for banker Émile Gaillard between 1878 and 1882. It was classified as a Historic Monument in 1999.

All this to say that this coffee shop combines a modern setting with a beautiful glass roof, all set against a historic facade for an original contrast. A dizzyingly high ceiling, a café bathed in light, all in an air-conditioned room with a constant temperature, it's a pretty good place to be. There's no terrace in the coffee shop, which is entirely covered, but under the illuminated glass roof, it's as if you were outside.

Menu and prices

A wide selection of fresh cakes and pastries

Once we've settled in, we're faced with the counter where we can watch our coffees and delicacies being made. A display case reveals the cakes, plump cookies and fluffy pastries on offer. In the kitchen, we find Tom Vickers, a talented Australian chef who had already delighted us at The Wine Gate.

Homemade juices and gourmet lattes

We take a look at the menu, which offers a wide range of hot and cold drinks. Coutume coffee, fruit infusions, shakes, lattés and a variety of juices: detox, wellness, energy or just squeezed orange or grapefruit.

A delicious brunch menu

For brunch, there's a choice of Hokkaido buns, Bénédicte croissants and sweet and savoury pancakes. Granola, salad and avocado toast are also available. For our part, we opt for the smoked salmon and ricotta herb bun and the Bénédicte ham croissant. The bread is fluffy, the croissant crisp, the sauces tasty, we're having a great time. We accompany all this with a golden latte and a matcha latte.

We continue our breakfast with pancakes that change with the seasons. On our visit, it's caramelized bananas and caramel coulis. They're airy and melt-in-your-mouth without being filling. It's creamy, as they say. The cheesecake also wins the melt-in-the-mouth award, and the cinnamon roll is very soft. Admittedly, we didn't finish them all, but the domed cookie we took away will be a welcome snack.

In short, we loved this spot which, contrary to what you might think, is not noisy under the big glass roof. The temperature is regulated, even if the sun is beating down, and you're sheltered if it's raining, while still feeling like you're outside. You get plenty of sunshine, and the place is ideal for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea- what more could you ask for?