This was published 5 years ago
Lonely Planet's tips and advice on coffee: Where to find the best coffee in the world
By Edited by Julietta Jameson
Since Australia's first espresso machine was installed at Cafe Florentino (now Grossi Florentino) in Melbourne in 1928, our love affair with coffee has grown unabated, largely thanks to the wave of 1950s post-war immigrants, who transformed the tea-sipping habits of the old Empire to a whole new obsession.
Today we're absolutely crazy for the stuff. Coffee has become an artisanal product as opposed to a commodity. Australia's internationally revered baristas are educated in every step of the coffee-making process, from farming beans to brewing. And consumers are concerned with the sourcing and sustainability of their beans. We don't just want a pick-me-up; we want to feel part of something more.
Australia is a country where coffee isn't a practicality but part of a lifestyle and the fact that Starbucks failed here doesn't make us coffee snobs – we're more likely to write down our five favourite cafes for you to try than to judge your order (just call us connoisseurs, thanks).
But all this coffee savvy means we are frequently disappointed by the coffee offerings overseas. A bucket of weak swill in Paris, a too-bitter espresso in Italy, or a caramel-infused monstrosity in the US can ruin an Aussie aficionado's holiday – not because we're coffee snobs. (Did we mention that?) Oh no. It's just because, well, how can other places get it so wrong?
Fortunately, Australia's coffee reputation has spread far and wide, giving rise to its emulation in places from New York to Norway. So there's your long black sorted.
But not all of the more traditional coffee "over there" is bad coffee. In fact, some of it is downright sublime. And a lot of it is, after all, a continuation of the traditions and origins that brought coffee here in the first place.
With that in mind, this edit of the new book Lonely Planet's Global Coffee Tour provides a list of great coffee places around the world, some traditional, some so-called third wave. You need never have a bad holiday coffee again.
THE AMERICAS
CANADA
Canada's speciality coffee culture is still in its infancy, but more Canadians are beginning to take an interest in quality over convenience – you can now find a thriving independent coffee scene in almost every major city.
TRY
Kicking Horse Coffee, Invermere, British Columbia
Canada's largest brand of organic fair-trade coffee. Their bright, casual cafe, located outside their roasting plant and within an easy drive of Banff National Park, is a popular stopping point for Rocky Mountain road-trippers.
DETAILS
491 Arrow Rd, Invermere, British Columbia. kickinghorsecoffee.com
NEARBY
Lussier Hot Springs
Explore mountain peaks, rock canyons and grasslands in this diverse park. Soaking in the mineral pools at Radium Hot Springs is a highlight.
env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks
COLOMBIA
Colombia is the world's third-largest coffee producer and its major coffee-growing region, the so-called Coffee Triangle, is now even listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Coffee is truly king here.
TRY
Cafe Jesus Martin, Salento
If the bland reality of Colombian coffee in situ has you hanging out for a decent cuppa, head straight to its source in the Coffee Triangle. Cafe Jesus Martin is in the region's oldest town, Salento, where colourful buildings spill down the streets like rows of sweets. Opened in 2008 by the son of a local coffee farmer, the cafe is on a mission to show Colombians what coffee can really be. Beans are sourced from Jesus Martin's own plantations and other small producers.
DETAILS
Carrera 6A No 6-14, Salento, Quindio. cafejesusmartin.com
NEARBY
National Coffee Park
Walk or ride a horse through this beautiful valley, spiked with the world's tallest palm trees.
parquedelcafe.co
CUBA
Cuba has long been one of the world's great coffee growers. The 1959 revolution and US embargo ripped a large hole in Cuba's coffee industry but, after years in the doldrums, coffee culture is making a comeback. A flurry of new cafes has recently opened in Havana.
TRY
El Cafe, Havana
Nelson Rodriguez Tamayo's mission to serve espresso, along with sourdough and fried egg breakfasts, is a result of him returning to Cuba from London in 2014 with his young family. At the busy caffeine refuge he opened in 2016 with Marinella Abbondati, tables and mismatched chairs are clustered on pretty Spanish tiles. Order the cafe frappe, served in a chunky American diner glass.
DETAILS
Amargura #358 between Villegas and Aguacate streets, Havana; facebook.com/elcafehavana
NEARBY
Experimental Gallery
A colonial corner space sells quirky memorabilia.
Corner of Amargura and Aguacate streets.
MEXICO
Although rarely mentioned in global top-10 lists, Mexico is actually the world's eighth-largest coffee producer, with a strong bias towards organic fair-trade beans. Its coffee is largely a tale of three states: Veracruz on the Atlantic coast, Oaxaca in the central south and Chiapas wedged up against the border with Guatemala.
TRY
Gran Caf de la Parroquia, Veracruz
The Gran Parroquia is more than a mere cafe; it's an historic monument, in operation since 1808 and still serving around 3000 customers a day. When you order a cafe lechero, a waiter in a starched white coat brings you an espresso in a glass. If you require milk, you have to tap your spoon on your glass to attract the attention of another waiter who deftly navigates around the tables with a steaming jug of leche.
DETAILS
Av Gomez Farias 34, Veracruz; laparroquia.com
NEARBY
Museo Historico Naval
Veracruz's best museum with maritime exhibits documenting old naval spats.
gob.mx/semar
United States
America has always called itself the "melting pot", and the swirling together of disparate cultures has had a direct impact on the country's approach to coffee over the years. In recent decades, headlined by java juggernaut Starbucks, the brewing process became gussied up with foam, cream, and extra syrups, toppings and flavours.
Today, America's baristas and roasters are moving deeper down the speciality coffee rabbit hole and emphasising the product instead of the marketing techniques. And as for size, bigger is no longer better.
TRY
Caffe Reggio, New York City
Caffe Reggio served the first cappuccino in the United States, and proudly exhibits the enormous espresso machine that crafted it in 1927. The Italian gem has been a haunt of New York City college students for decades and is a top spot for a leisurely afternoon of espresso, tiramisu and people-watching.
DETAILS
119 Macdougal St, New York City. caffereggio.com
NEARBY
Washington Square Park
Famous for its marble arch, fountain, demonstrations and built-in chess tables.
ASIA
INDONESIA
In the world's fourth-largest producer, barista-led speciality coffee bars are finally opening up in all the major cities, promoting Indonesia's distinctive home-grown varieties. Indonesia boasts a host of other wonderful brews to choose from. We'd suggest avoiding the controversial Kopi Luwak, though.
TRY
Seniman Coffee Studio, Ubud
Seniman Coffee Studio is the real seed-to-cup deal when it comes to craft coffee. The cafe has the feel of a bohemian clubhouse where animated baristas pull espressos for curious tourists, locals and expats, and coffee professionals and barmen hang out with restaurant chefs. Try the Ice Black, a blend of Sumatra gayo, Bali pulp natural and fully washed beans brewed for eight to 10 hours using cold water and ice.
DETAILS
5 Jalan Sriwedari, Ubud, Bali; senimancoffee.com
NEARBY
Ubud Royal Palace
Still the official residence of the ruler of Ubud, the grounds and temple are open to the public.
JAPAN
Originating in the early 20th century, kissaten were portals into an exotic world and carried a whiff of the demimonde. Today the word is used to describe a coffee shop that embraces an aesthetic and taste that predates the arrival of mass-market chains. Every city now has an indie roaster, even though, in a typically tiny shop, the roaster might take up a third of the square footage.
Convenience stores and vending machines are also the places to try canned coffees (kan kohi).
TRY
Cafe de L'Ambre, Tokyo
Cafe de L'Ambre has a rare pedigree: Sekiguchi Ichiro first opened the shop in 1948, making it one of Tokyo's oldest remaining coffee shops. He's now more than 100 years old, yet several days a week you can still see him, behind the window, roasting beans in small batches on an ancient Fuji roaster. Today, the shop is equal parts local gathering spot and pilgrimage destination.
DETAILS
8 Chome-10-15 Ginza, Chuo, Tokyo.
NEARBY
Kabuki-za
Tokyo's only theatre dedicated to the centuries-old art of kabuki.
kabuki-za.co.jp
SINGAPORE
Coffee has long been served in Singapore's ubiquitous hawker centres. Don't expect silky milk lattes or rich espressos though; Singaporeans love their coffee dark, oily and sweet, usually made from robusta beans roasted with margarine or butter and sometimes sugar. But Singapore, like many affluent cities, is experiencing a speciality coffee boom.
TRY
Chye Seng Huat Hardware
Run by the folks who started Papa Pahleta, one of Singapore's earliest speciality coffee roasteries and retailers, CSHH is now arguably Singapore's most successful cafe. The setting – a tasteful modern renovation – inside a former hardware and metal-working store is perfect for slugging back espressos and watching the world go by. The courtyard is home to Beer Stall.
DETAILS
150 Tyrwhitt Rd, Jalan Besar, Singapore; cshhcoffee.com
NEARBY
National Museum of Singapore
Learn about Singapore's history and food in this slick, modern museum.
nationalmuseum.sg
THAILAND
Think caffeinated beverages in Thailand, and most people picture Thai tea, the orange, milky, sweet beverage, generally drunk cold. But Thailand has a low-key though long-standing legacy of coffee, introduced by Chinese immigrants.
In recent years, Thailand's coffee scene has become just about as sophisticated as anywhere in the world – in the larger cities, anyway.
TRY
Akha Ama, Chiang Mai
The Akha is one of many hill tribes found in northern Thailand, and for several decades has been producing coffee near the village of Maejantai, in Chiang Rai Province. The cafe was established by an Akha woman who wanted to provide a conduit for local farmers to sell, process and promote their coffee, using only arabica beans and 100 per cent organic farming methods.
DETAILS
Hussadhisewee Rd, Soi 3 Chang Phuak, Chiang Mai; akhaama.com
NEARBY
Wat Phra Singh
Chiang Mai's most revered temple is especially venerated for its Lion Buddha.
VIETNAM
The French brought coffee to Vietnam in 1857 and today it is the world's second largest bean producer. Hanoi is the caffeine capital, home to some surprisingly tasty concoctions where whipped egg or yoghurt can take the place of milk. In modern Ho Chi Minh City, the emerging craft coffee scene offers stylish shrines to the drink – and great taste to match.
TRY
K'Ho Coffee, Dalat
K'Ho Coffee is a co-operative of coffee farmers made up of K'Ho families, an ethnic minority living in the forests of Vietnam's Central Highlands. This co-operative nurtures heirloom arabica trees, planted in Vietnam by French colonists in the 1860s. K'Ho Coffee is a 10-kilometre ride from Dalat by mototaxi; visitors are welcome to tour the farm, sample the coffee and buy beans.
DETAILS
Bonneur' C Village, near Dalat; khocoffee.com
NEARBY
Elephant Falls
Named after a rock that resembles the head of a pachyderm, these powerful falls are reached via steep, uneven stairs.
EUROPE
AUSTRIA
Austria's obsession with coffee dates back to 1683 and the Battle of Vienna when the retreating Ottoman invaders dumped sacks of beans at the city gates. The Kaffeehaus soon became an ubiquitous extension of society. A new breed of micro-roasters and cafes is now emerging.
TRY
Alt Wien Kaffee
Slip down a side street just back from the Naschmarkt and follow your nose to the tantalising aroma of Alt Wien. Alt Wien was established by Christian Schrodl, who since 2000 has invested time, energy and a whole lot of love into sourcing top-grade organic, Fairtrade beans. His mission? To make Vienna's very best coffee.
DETAILS
Schleifmuhlgasse 23, Vienna; altwien.at
NEARBY
Naschmarkt
A veritable feast of cafes, delis and produce stalls selling everything from spices, cheeses and meats to exotic fruit and veg.
FRANCE
Coffee in France can be disappointing: traditional cafes complacently serve the same cafe, aka an espresso cup filled to the brim with dark bitter coffee of low-grade robusta beans, safe in the knowledge that French cafe culture is hallowed.
A handful of nouvelle-generation, well-travelled baristas, while respecting traditional brewing methods, are now sourcing and roasting exceptional beans, ensuring a serious cup of coffee can at last be found in France.
TRY
Lomi, Paris
Tourists rarely wander into this gritty corner of Montmartre, but Lomi is always packed with a mix of colourful neighbourhood locals and coffee enthusiasts drawn by its reputation as one of the most exciting craft roasters in Paris. The cafe section looks like an old abandoned factory, with rusty metal girders, peeling paint on the walls, simple wooden tables and old leather couches.
DETAILS
3ter rue Marcadet, 18e, Paris; cafelomi.com
NEARBY
Clignancourt Flea Market
Attracting 3000 traders and 180,000 visitors each weekend, from high-priced antiques to cheap bric-a-brac, you're sure to find something here.
GERMANY
When it comes to coffee, Germany is less developed than other European countries. But in recent years, Berlin has led the charge in the demand for and appreciation of speciality coffee, with the capital now home to a vast number of outstanding coffee bars and roasters.
TRY
The Barn, Berlin
Ralf Ruller imposes strict bans on buggies, laptops and milk alternatives. But he's created a speciality heavyweight whose roasts are now served in some of the best coffee bars in the world. In Berlin, three sites bear the Barn name, but it's the Schonhauser Allee one, with roaster and coffee academy set in a space where rustic wood meets Nordic chic, that's the place to head.
DETAILS
Schonhauser Allee 8, Berlin; thebarn.de
NEARBY
Kulturbrauerei
A stunning industrial space that's been converted into a multi-functional cultural centre hosting concerts, theatre shows, markets and much more. Kulturbrauerie.de
ITALY
Italians love coffee so much you might think that they invented the drink. They didn't. But in 1906, Italy's signature espresso was first introduced by Luigi Bezzera and Desiderio Pavoni, two men whose machine improved on the one invented in 1884 by Angelo Moriondo, although it took another 40 years for Gaggia to develop the lever machine we're familiar with today.
The technological marvel of the espresso machine has powered the Italian workforce ever since.
Italy's multi-bean blends, dark roasts and short, sharp espresso shots are the antithesis of today's speciality coffee movement. Things are slowly changing, however, thanks to a new breed of coffee roasters.
TRY
Illy Coffee Factory, Trieste
This historic Adriatic port has been importing coffee beans since the 18th century, and today some 2½ million coffee bags pass through from plantations across the globe. It's also home of probably the world's most well-known coffee brand, the family-run Illy, whose distinctive blend is sold in 140 countries. Book a one-hour factory tour and try the Trieste cappuccino, an espresso in a small glass topped with a little steamed whole milk.
DETAILS
110 Via Flavia, Trieste; unicaffe.illy.com
NEARBY
Piazza Unita d'Italia
The largest sea-facing square in Europe, Trieste's magnificent piazza is lined with opulent palaces, churches and grand art nouveau cafes.
UNITED KINGDOM
Coffee culture took a long time to get going in Britain but it's everywhere these days. Big chains dominate the high street, but there's a thriving specialist scene too. Small indie cafes are commonplace, and while in-house roasting tends to be a rarity, the UK has an ever-growing list of top-notch, small-batch microroasters.
TRY
Climpson & Sons, London
Ian Burgess' shabbily stylish shop brings to mind the East End of yesteryear, with its old-school panelled windows, peeling wooden frames and stark black-and-red lettering, looking rather like a butcher's shop from the 1940s (which the premises once was).
Inside, there are no tables, just benches and chairs, to encourage customers to mingle. Coffee comes fresh every day from its own roastery-bistro, a characterful space squeezed under railway arches near London Fields.
DETAILS
67 Broadway Market, London; climpsonandsons.com
NEARBY
Broadway Market
One of London's top food markets runs right outside the door.
broadwaymarket.co.uk
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
ETHIOPIA
The arabica coffee plant is native to the south-western highlands of Ethiopia, and it was from here that coffee colonised the world.
Ever since the brief and troubled occupation by the Italians in the mid-20th century, Ethiopians have been among the most prolific coffee drinkers on Earth and espresso bars seem to be everywhere. Ethiopia's renowned coffee ceremony follows a meal and is a central element to any Ethiopian social gathering, whether for family or business purposes.
TRY
Tomoca, Addis Ababa
Built by the Italians in 1953, Tomoca has barely changed in the decades since – the period decor, the high stools, the Ethiopians quietly contemplating their morning brew. It's a marvellous introduction to the world of Ethiopian coffee.
DETAILS
Wavel St, Addis Ababa; tomocacoffee.com
NEARBY
Itegue Taitu Hotel
One of the loveliest old mansions of Addis, where a good vegetarian lunchtime buffet, fine views and an old-world atmosphere are in the mix. taituhotel.com
LEBANON
The roots of Lebanese coffee stretch back centuries to the village tradition of families roasting arabica beans themselves, then finely grinding them and boiling up a seriously strong brew. Visit a Lebanese family today and you will be immediately offered a tiny glass of scalding, bitter coffee. Out on the street, there is both traditional and modern. In the old-fashioned cafes, habitues enveloped by clouds of narghile smoke spend hours over a small copper pot of coffee, while in contemporary cafes baristas prepare an AeroPress or flat white.
TRY
Cafe Younes, Beirut
The Younes roastery has been providing Lebanon's finest coffee since 1935. When Cafe Younes opened a casual coffee shop next to the roastery in 2008, it immediately became everyone's favourite hangout in the bohemian Hamra neighbourhood, offering its fans not just the famous coffee but tasty food, art exhibitions, occasional poetry readings and concerts.
DETAILS
Neemat Yafet St, Beirut; cafeyounes.com
NEARBY
Amal Bohsali
Amal Bohsali has been baking irresistible pastries since 1878. Watch the master-patissiers at work in their Hamra showroom. abohsali.com.lb
SOUTH AFRICA
Ricoffy – an instant brew made up of coffee and chicory – has a heritage that dates back to 17th-century French Huguenot settlers, and it's still popular. But luckily there are now plenty of alternatives. The South African coffee renaissance began when Vida e Caffe opened on Cape Town's Kloof Street. Vida soon became a nationwide chain and a few years later in Cape Town, micro-roasteries started to appear, the first South African baristas emerged and ordering a coffee became something of an art form.
TRY
Truth, Cape Town
36 Buitenkant St, Cape Town; truth.coffee
This place is the mad-scientist-in-an-antique-shop embodiment of steampunk chic: exposed bulbs and extension cords dangle from bare ceilings; ornate, empty frames hang on the walls; staff decked out in top hats, bustles and flying goggles. And at the centre of it all is Colossus, a vintage Probat coffee roaster hailing from the 1940s that offers the real reason this place has been voted the best coffee shop in the world.
NEARBY
District Six Museum
This deeply moving museum documents the forced removals of the apartheid era, when non-white citizens were evicted, homes were bulldozed and communities ripped apart.
districtsix.co.za
OCEANIA
AUSTRALIA
You can't have a conversation about coffee without mentioning Australia. Aussies didn't invent coffee, nor were they first to serve it, but the country – in particular Melbourne – has helped make coffee what it is today across the world.
TRY
Dawn Patrol Coffee, Kangarilla, South Australia
On the outskirts of McLaren Vale sits the southern state's best boutique coffee roaster, Dawn Patrol Coffee. Cleverly adopting the wine industry's cellar-door approach to tasting coffee, owners Dom and Nick fling open the doors of their roasting shed on a Sunday, inviting the general public in to smell, touch and taste their premier blends.
DETAILS
65 Days Road, Kangarilla. dawnpatrolcoffee.com.au
NEARBY
The Kitchen Door at Penny's Hill
One of McLaren Vale's most picturesque dining spots, offering a seasonal menu comprised of South Australia's best produce. pennyshill.com.au
NEW ZEALAND
It was in the 1980s that bohemian cafes such as Auckland's Cafe DKD and Wellington's Midnight Espresso became the favoured haunts of indie musos, undergraduates and alternative-minded teens. Cafe culture is now mainstream in NZ and a certain quality is taken for granted. By the time the big American chains tried to make inroads with their coffee-esque confections, Kiwis were already used to a far superior brew at their neighbourhood cafe.
TRY
Allpress Espresso, Auckland
One of the trailblazers of the New Zealand coffee scene, it has its own showcase roastery cafes in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Melbourne, Sydney, Byron Bay, Tokyo and London.
DETAILS
8 Drake St, Freemans Bay, Auckland; allpressespresso.com
NEARBY
Victoria Park Market
Dominated by a tall brick chimney, this surprisingly elegant complex of Victorian-era, industrial buildings contains a smattering of shops, bars and restaurants. victoriaparkmarket.co.nz
COFFEE ODDITIES AROUND THE WORLD
If you've mastered nitro brew and ristretto, it's time to up your coffee game with these oddballs from the global coffee menu.
KAFFEOST – FINLAND & SWEDEN
Curdled milk and rennet is baked until golden, cut into cubes the size of croutons and then put in an empty cup topped with black coffee. Think of it as the lumpy alternative to adding milk.
SEA SALT COFFEE – TAIWAN
Served at Taiwanese coffee chain Cafe 85°C, this bestselling beverage consists of a thick layer of salty cream on top of sweetened cold brew coffee.
BULLETPROOF COFFEE – US
An American health specialist formulated this recipe for coffee mixed with grass-fed butter and coconut oil. Fans say the resultant frothy, oily drink suppresses appetite and improves concentration.
MONSOON MALABAR – INDIA
Mimicking an accidental by-product effect on beans during 19th-century exporting, this drink is made from coffee seeds left in burlap sacks out in the open air.
KOPI CHAM – MALAYSIA
This popular drink is comprised of a mix of coffee and milky tea. It is also known as yuenyeung, meaning mandarin ducks in Chinese.
CA PHE TRUNG – VIETNAM
Black coffee with egg yolk. Other variations include condensed milk, sugar and creamy white cheese.
KOPI JOSS – INDONESIA
In the 1960s a Javanese fellow plopped a piece of glowing charcoal into his coffee to alleviate stomach problems. It worked, and today in Yogyakarta near the main train station you can try it.
CAFE BOMBON – SPAIN
Part coffee, part dessert, this sickly sweet drink originated in the city of Valencia, and is comprised of equal parts espresso and condensed milk.
10 COFFEE SPECIALTIES AROUND THE WORLD
LEBANON
Traditional coffee – boiled continuously, intensely strong and served in a small rakweh metal pot.
CANADA
Double double – drip coffee with two creams and two sugars.
COSTA RICA
Cafe chorreado – hot water poured through ground coffee in a cloth filter.
CUBA
Cafe Cubano – an espresso shot sweetened with a mix of whipped sugar and the first drops of espresso through the machine.
MEXICO
Cafe de olla – Coffee prepared in a traditional earthen pot.
MALAYSIA
Kopi ais – coffee with ice cubes plus sugar and condensed milk. (Many other Asian countries have a version of coffee with condensed milk.)
AUSTRIA
Melange – a kind of cappuccino with whipped cream.
NORWAY
Filter – A classic light filter coffee served black.
TURKEY
Turk kahve – the famous Turkish coffee, made of finely ground, unfiltered coffee.
NEW ZEALAND
Flat white – They claim to have invented it.
This is an edited extract from Lonely Planet's Global Coffee Tour (Lonely Planet; $29.99). See www.shop.lonelyplanet.com
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