The Story
Café Lomi opened in 2010 on Rue Marcadet in the 18th arrondissement, in the shadow of Montmartre. Founder Aleaume Paturle — whose nickname since childhood was “Lomi,” which gave the café its name — had picked up the coffee bug while making espressos in San Diego. He came back to Paris, ran a coffee truck, and eventually found the right space and the right partner.
That partner was Paul Arnephy, an Australian barista who had won recognition for latte art. The Franco-Australian collaboration shaped Lomi’s character: simultaneously connected to Parisian neighborhood culture and to the more technically rigorous coffee tradition developing in Australia and Northern Europe at the same time.
The 18th arrondissement location remains the heart of the operation. The roasting machinery is visible from the front of the space, making the production process transparent to anyone who walks in. Lomi also runs a training centre, offering education in brewing, roasting, and barista technique — a function that has made it influential beyond its retail footprint.
Sourcing & Relationships
Lomi sources traceable single origins and works to make those supply chains legible to customers — part of the broader mission to demystify specialty coffee for a Parisian audience that had little exposure to it when the roastery opened. Origins rotate seasonally, with a focus on coffees that perform well as pour-over and Chemex filter.
Roasting Philosophy
Filter is the primary lens through which Lomi evaluates everything. Chemex pour-over has been central to the café’s identity from the beginning, and roasting profiles are built around what makes filter coffee clear, sweet, and interesting rather than working backward from espresso. The small-batch operation means frequent turnovers and consistent freshness.
Keeping the roaster visible in the café is a philosophical choice: roasting is not a back-of-house mystery at Lomi, it’s part of what you’re there to engage with.
What to Try
The Chemex filter offerings are the essential Lomi experience — clean, well-extracted, and sourced with intention. For espresso, their single-origin espresso options show the same filter-first clarity applied to a different method. The training sessions are worth considering if you want to understand what they’re doing and why.