Café Aum

The Danes have a word to describe that quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that comes with a moment of contented relaxation: hygge. There is no better word to describe the feeling of walking into Café Aum, a café cum yoga studio situated on the southwestern outskirts of Paris. The café’s name was inspired by the mantra pronounced at the beginning of a yoga practice, a sacred incantation that is said to awaken the soul through the vibrations of the voice. For Émilie and Lyne, cofounders, Café Aum’s atmosphere and concept are in keeping with the meditative principles of yoga. “We wanted to open a space committed to the well-being of our customers, both in the food that we serve and the yoga classes that we offer.” Entirely organic and primarily plant-based, with the exception of the occasional seafood dish, the café’s menu was conceived in collaboration with a consulting chef with the aim of reducing waste. At the end of the day, unsold items are offered at a reduced price to customers or posted on Phenix, an application that helps prevent good food from going to waste.