The Peanut Butter Coffee Bar with a Cult Following in Paris

National Peanut Butter Day falls on January 24, and if there were ever a food holiday that felt personally directed at me, this would be it. When I lived in Paris, there was one café that I loved with a loyalty bordering on obsession: Buddy Buddy. Not just because it served peanut butter (though that alone would have been enough), but because it did so combined with specialty coffee and served alongside great pastries. Three of my favorite things.

Buddy Buddy describes itself as the “world’s first nut butter coffee bar”, and once you’ve been, it’s hard to believe no one thought of the concept sooner. Their best-selling product is their Organic Peanut Butter, but in the cafés, the most-ordered drink is built around it: Le Buddy, their peanut butter latte. It is smooth, comforting, and deeply satisfying. My Saturday morning run club always concluded at Buddy Buddy, and the promise of their drinks at the finish line made every kilometer feel easier. 

The idea began simply, as the best ideas often do. Buddy Buddy started as a home experiment in early 2019. The founders were making nut butters for themselves and, ingeniously, stirred them into their coffee. The result was something altogether different: texture, richness, and depth without the need for flavored syrups or artificial sweetness. Friends started asking for it. Word spread. And slowly, organically, this new way of enjoying coffee emerged. 

As Julien, Co-Founder & COO, explains: “We wanted nut butter to be treated like a real coffee ingredient – not a gimmick. It adds flavor and texture in a way that’s simple, natural, and genuinely delicious.” That philosophy is evident in every detail, from the minimalist interiors to the carefully balanced drinks. 

The most-loved signature remains Le Buddy: espresso, oat milk, peanut butter, and raw cacao, served hot or iced. Co-founder Matt calls it “our cult classic… the drink that made people fall in love with the concept.” I can attest to that. It’s the drink I still think about, years later, whenever I order a latte that falls just a little flat. In addition to Le Buddy, I love the Praliné Chocolate, with organic hazelnut butter, dark chocolate, oat milk, and raw cacao. 

Beyond taste, what truly sets Buddy Buddy apart is its commitment to doing things properly. They are a certified B Corp and sustainability is embedded into their daily practice. From powering their cafés and Brussels atelier with 100% renewable energy, to producing nut butters in ultra-small batches of just 30 jars. All ingredients are certified organic, packaging is designed with reuse and compostability in mind, and key processes – from nut butter making to coffee roasting – are kept in-house to ensure transparency. As Julien puts it, “For us, B Corp is a framework, not a badge – it pushes us to make measurable choices every day.” 

The café’s interiors are sleek and effortlessly cool: rounded tables, minimalist design, mirror surfaces, and metal trays. The neutral, metallic palette creates a quiet backdrop, letting the real stars – their products – take center stage. 

The joy of Buddy Buddy doesn’t end at the café door. They sell their own nut butters and coffee beans, meaning that no matter where you are, you can enjoy un petit moment Buddy Buddy at home. My personal favorite is the Cinnamon Roll Almond Nut Butter: almonds blended with maple, cinnamon, vanilla, and a touch of pink salt. All organic, of course. It is indulgent and impossibly moreish, and in my opinion – incredible on French toast with sliced banana.

I am also, admittedly, desperate to try their newest creation: Pecan Pie Nut Butter. Inspired by the classic American dessert, it blends organic roasted pecans with pure date syrup, blackstrap molasses, bourbon vanilla bean, and a touch of fleur de sel. It sounds like something that should be eaten straight from the jar, preferably with a spoon and no witnesses. 

Recently, Buddy Buddy opened a new café on the Bowery in NoHo, New York. Seeing them cross the Atlantic feels like watching an old friend thrive. For now, I will stay hopeful – très hopeful – that London is next. Until then, I will continue stirring nut butter into my coffee at home, chasing that Parisian feeling, and loving Buddy Buddy from wherever I am. 

DETAILS

Buddy Buddy

15 Rue de Marseille, 10th arrondissement
Open 8 am- 7 pm, Mon-Fri, 8:30 am- 7 pm Sat-Sun