The Broken Arm — Local services in Paris

A friend and I stopped by to grab an espresso and a cappuccino since the establishment looked quaint, laid back and was right next to a bike rental station. To be fair, I'll only comment on the coffee and service as they were the only 2 elements we experienced. As a disclaimer, I'm a native French speaker.

My friend asked for an espresso and I was about to order a cappuccino when I realized that it wasn't on the menu. The closest thing was a café crème. When I asked the employee behind the counter if this was their cappuccino, he shrugged and looked uncertain. Eventually, he told me that it was after I asked, is it or isn't it a cappuccino. We sat outside and the drinks arrived. My cappuccino had big uneven bubbles on the surface, with a very poor attempt at latte art. Very thin on the palate, with not even a millimeter of frothed milk. It was an espresso with overheated milk. Oh, did I mention that it was overextracted? I brought the cup back in, politely told them that this was not a proper cappuccino as there was only a mist of foam and I asked for another cup.

The second cup was brought outside and it passed as an acceptable drink, slightly better than what can be had at a coffee chain. I was told that another barista had made it and was told that since different clients had different concepts of what a cappuccino is, they hadn't been sure what to make me and that some "cappuccinos" are made with milk, others with cream. Nonsense.

Going back in to pay, there was not a word of apology, nor a single question as to how the second drink was. And obviously no attempt on their part on offering the drink on the house. Cinsidering that they charge the same prices as a proper espresso bar... I was very disappointed at the service, at their lack of acknowledgement that there had been a mistake.

I won't discredit the pleasant trendy atmosphere or their pastries as I haven't tried them, but I would avoid The Broken Arm for palatable coffee.

Out of respect, I will not name where one can get an excellent cup of espresso or cappuccino, but there is an excellent expresso bar in the...

Although it opened in 2012, The Broken Arm always seems new to me everytime I go there and remains a favorite for seasonal & local brunch & lunch. Located by Paris’ Carreau du Temple, the place hosts both a fashion concept store and a café so that customers can have an indulgent break between two shopping sessions. The concept store is very fashion-forward — it offers a selection of cutting-edge labels such as Carve and Philip Lim as well as an edition of customized sneakers. The cute canteen/café provides a hip retail setting that has a nice Scandinavian touch. The Broken Arm café is working with Café Lomi, so the coffee that they serve, available to stay or to go, meets the expected standards of Paris’ new coffee scene. Lunch can also be a pleasant option thanks to the selection of original and tasty dishes on offer in the seasonal menu, which reflect the inventive spirit of the concept store. And during summer, their terrace is...

I ordered a pair of shoes from The Broken Arm to the United Kingdom, expecting to pay VAT upon arrival. When I was hit with an extra £20 customs charge, I simply requested some information from TBA so I could contact DHL to dispute this.

Not only did TBA refuse to give me this information but when I showed them evidence that their website stated all prices include tax, they refused to believe me until I showed multiple screenshots to prove this. After they admitted their website was misleading, TBA made no effort whatsoever to provide me with any resolution/ compensation for this issue.

This is the second time I have experienced an issue ordering from TBA and I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone. They have some amazing collaborations with Salomon but for the hassle I have endured, they simply aren’t worth it. Terrible...