Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy (St. Barts or St. Barths) is a French overseas collectivity in the Caribbean, renowned for its luxury tourism, French chic, and beautiful beaches. Its coffee culture is heavily influenced by French preferences for strong espresso and cafe au lait, combined with the growing international demand for specialty coffee and refreshing cold drinks due to its tropical climate.
You won't find a unique "traditional St. Barts coffee" in the sense of a distinct historical recipe, but rather high-quality coffee served in an elegant, often Parisian-inspired, setting.
Here are the different ways to order coffee in Saint Barthélemy and what's in them:
French & European Cafe Standards (Most Common)
These are the fundamental coffee drinks that form the core of the coffee offering in St. Barts' cafes, bakeries (boulangeries), and restaurants.
Café / Espresso / Café Express:
What's in it: A single shot of strong, concentrated coffee, made by forcing hot, pressurized water through finely-ground coffee beans. This is the default when you simply ask for "un café."
How to order: "Un café, s'il vous plaît." (A coffee, please.) or "Un espresso."
Note: If you want a double shot, you'd ask for "un double espresso" or "un café double."
Café Allongé:
What's in it: An espresso shot diluted with more hot water, making it a longer, less intense black coffee. Similar to an Americano, but often made with the espresso shot extracted for a longer time, resulting in a slightly different flavor.
How to order: "Un café allongé."
Café Américain / Americano:
What's in it: Espresso diluted with hot water. Typically, the espresso is extracted normally, and then hot water is added.
How to order: "Un café américain" or "Un Americano."
Café au Lait:
What's in it: Literally "coffee with milk." This is a classic French breakfast coffee, made with strong brewed coffee (or sometimes espresso) mixed with a generous amount of hot milk, usually in equal proportions. It's often served in a large bowl (rather than a cup) to make it easy for dipping croissants or bread.
How to order: "Un café au lait."
Café Crème:
What's in it: An espresso with steamed milk and a lighter, thinner layer of foam than a traditional cappuccino. It's often creamier and less foamy than a cappuccino.
How to order: "Un café crème."
Cappuccino:
What's in it: Espresso with steamed milk and a generous, distinct layer of frothed milk foam. It's an internationally recognized term.
How to order: "Un cappuccino."
Latte (Caffè Latte):
What's in it: Espresso with a larger proportion of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. Generally creamier and milder than a café crème or cappuccino.
How to order: "Un latte" or "Un caffè latte." Flavored syrups (vanilla, caramel) are often available in more modern cafes.
Macchiato:
What's in it: Espresso "marked" with a small dollop of foamed milk.
How to order: "Un macchiato" or "Un espresso macchiato."
Cold Coffee Drinks
Iced coffee options are widely available and very popular.
Café Glacé / Iced Coffee:
What's in it: This can vary, but generally refers to strong cold coffee (brewed or espresso) served over ice. Often, milk and sugar are added to taste.
How to order: "Un café glacé" or "Iced coffee."
Latte Glacé / Iced Latte:
What's in it: Espresso and cold milk poured over ice.
How to order: "Un latte glacé" or "Iced Latte."
Iced Americano:
What's in it: Espresso and cold water poured over ice.
How to order: "Un Americano glacé" or "Iced Americano."
Cold Brew:
What's in it: Coffee grounds steeped in cold water for an extended period (12-24 hours), resulting in a less acidic, smoother concentrate. Diluted with water or milk and served over ice. Increasingly found in specialty-focused cafes.
How to order: "Cold Brew."
Frappe-style Drinks (Blended Iced Coffee):
What's in it: Blended ice, coffee (espresso or coffee concentrate), milk, sugar, and often flavored syrups. Usually topped with whipped cream.
How to order: Often listed by specific names ("Mocha Frappe," "Caramel Frappe," or generic "Café Frappé").
Specialty and Local Touches
Spiked Coffees / Caribbean Coffee Cocktails:
What's in it: Given the island's luxury focus and vibrant bar scene, alcoholic coffee drinks are readily available as after-dinner options. These typically involve hot coffee and liqueurs.
How to order: Look for "Cafés Spéciaux" (Special Coffees) or "Cocktails au Café" (Coffee Cocktails) on bar or restaurant menus.
General Ordering Tips:
Language: French is the official language, so basic French terms are widely understood and appreciated. English is also very commonly spoken in hotels, high-end restaurants, and tourist-facing establishments.
Milk Options: Cafes will offer regular dairy milk (full-fat, semi-skimmed). Plant-based milk alternatives like oat milk and almond milk are increasingly available, especially in modern cafes.
Sweetness: For black coffee, sugar cubes or packets will usually be provided on the side. For milk coffees, sugar is often added to taste, or sometimes they come pre-sweetened (especially traditional French café au lait). You can specify "sans sucre" (without sugar) or "avec un peu de sucre" (with a little sugar).
*The content in this document was generated using artificial intelligence, drawing from various online sources, and subsequently refined for accuracy and conciseness in 2025. Users are advised to consult multiple sources to corroborate information and should not rely solely on this document for comprehensive research.