good vibes, great coffee
In French, le café refers to both the drink and the place where you sip it. While the French excel at latter--it is as intrinsic to the country as bread with every meal-- the beverage itself is surprisingly awful for the gastronomically inclined Gauls. Luckily, the third wave of coffee and its small batch, artisan goodness has hit France. In Marseille, that wave has crashed with Coogee.
Coincidentally named for an Australian beach, Coogee brims with the stellar beans and welcoming vibe that is signature to coffee shops Down Under. The décor is homey hipster—exposed brick wall, mismatched frames, hanging plants, vintage furniture, and bric a brac strewn throughout. There’s even a piano for anachronistic amusement. The cozy café is bookended by two terraces—one on the sidewalk for people watching á la française and a covered one in the back.
Coogee is run by the friendliest siblings, with Johann as the coffee maestro and Anais manning the books and baked goods. The high quality beans are specially roasted by local heritage roaster Café Luciani. As the chalkboard sign says, "life is too short for bad coffee." To the tunes of Brothers Johnson or Jimi Hendrix, sip the usual suspects--espresso, lattes, flat whites--or get creative with a white chocolate mocha. There's a lovely selection of teas plus chocolat chaud for kids of all ages.
Coogee smells like comfort, thanks to the freshly baked muffins and cookies – almond nutella! blueberry banana! As an American in France, my rule of crumb is to shy away from my homeland's pastries to make room for more croissants--and, quite frankly, they are better back home. Yet, Coogee's fantastic baked goods smash my rule into smithereens. Fruit smoothies and yogurt are available for the carb averse. At lunch, Coogee transforms into a make-your-own-salad bar. The Saturday brunch includes a hot beverage, juice/smoothie, yogurt, tartine (an open faced sandwich) and salad for just 19 euros.
Coogee can be found on the boulevard Baille, a street that is far from hip but close to Castellane and just steps away from the Baille metro stop. It’s worth the trip, writes the ex-Seattleite who has not yet weaned from her coffee addiction.
tip Check social media for events like the brunch they did on the Erre boat in July.
fyi Lactose intolerant rejoice! Coogee is one of the few spots to serve soy milk.
hours Tu-F 7–18 | Sa 10-17
