Coffee enthusiasts know that coffee doesn’t taste the same everywhere, and that’s the point. The location, the altitude, and the hands that roast it all shape the flavor long before it hits your cup. For those who’d rather follow beans than guidebooks, here’s a list worth bookmarking.
Cafe de L’ambre in Tokyo, Japan
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In Tokyo's Ginza area, Café de L'Ambre offers a special way to enjoy coffee. This older-style Japanese café is known for aging green coffee beans, sometimes for decades. This unique process, which started unexpectedly, has become a signature of the café.
Mocha Coffee in Tokyo, Japan
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Mocha Coffee has a mix of modern Japanese style and the warm feel of Arabian culture. The owner, Maiko Miyake, brings her memories of Yemen to each cup and carefully makes coffee by hand using high-quality beans like Haraz and Matari.
Boujou Coffee in Marseille, France
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If you’re walking along the sunny coast of Marseille, you might find Boujou, a small and welcoming café. The founder, Louise Pipat, changed her career to open this café and serve locally sourced coffee beans. Coffee lovers can try coffee roasted by a local company called Ben Mouture, as well as tasty sea-salted cookies and fresh food from nearby.
Ditta Artigianale in Florence, Italy
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Ditta Artigianale brings a bit of Australian coffee culture to Italy. It was founded by Francesco Sanapo, a champion barista. The café focuses on getting beans from all over the world and training its baristas for six months. The atmosphere changes throughout the day, ranging from a relaxed café during the day to a lively gin bar at night.
Ragamuffin Cafe in Kingston, Jamaica
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Raggamuffin Coffee Bar, located on Lady Musgrave Road in Kingston, captures the lively and creative energy of Jamaica in one place. They use locally roasted beans to make interesting drinks that have rich flavors and truly Jamaican tastes.
Pergamino Cafe in Medellin, Colombia
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Pergamino Café in Medellín gives you a real taste of Colombia’s coffee history and culture. They carefully brew coffee using beans from family farms in Santa Bárbara and from small farmers in the Cauca region. Try their Chiroso Natural or Inzá Orgánico to experience the diverse tastes of Colombia.
Anthracite Coffee in South Korea
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Anthracite Coffee used to be in an old starch factory on Jeju Island and was known for its interesting design and great coffee. Although the Jeju location is now closed, the dedication to making bold and thoughtful coffee continues in its Seoul locations.
Fendika Cultural Center in Ethiopia
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Fendika Cultural Center in Addis Ababa started as a traditional Ethiopian music house. Its CEO, Melaku Belay, is a dancer and cultural leader, so naturally, the cafe features live performances and poetry readings every night.
Haile Resort in Ethiopia
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Haile Resorts, created in Arba Minch by Ethiopian Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie, shares its love for Ethiopia through a welcoming experience with delicious traditions. Guests can participate in traditional coffee ceremonies, where freshly roasted beans are carefully prepared and served in three rounds—Abol, Tona, and Baraka—each symbolizing connection, warmth, and blessing.
Dukamo Coffee in Ethiopia
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Dukamo Coffee results from the hard work and passion of Asefa and Mulugeta Dukamo, who grew up around coffee farming in the Bensa-Sidama region. They started by helping their parents and have built Dukamo Coffee into a well-known international company with many coffee processing stations. Their award-winning coffee, the Rumudamo, won the Cup of Excellence in 2020.
Café La Manchuria in Cartagena, Colombia
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Unlike chain stores, Café La Manchuria is run by a family that grows, roasts, and serves its own coffee beans straight from its farms in Salgar. Along with the great coffee, you can enjoy local art on the walls and delicious, freshly baked pastries.
Caffé Terzi in Bologna, Italy
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Since 2001, Manuel Terzi has focused on creating a perfect coffee experience at Caffè Terzi by roasting all the beans himself and training his baristas to serve each espresso with care and attention. For those in a hurry, the "Terzi to Go" location nearby offers the same high quality at a faster pace.
La Fábrica in Girona, Catalonia, Spain
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La Fábrica, located in an old carpentry workshop in Girona, has become a unique and welcoming spot for cyclists and coffee enthusiasts. The cafe was launched by former professional cyclist Christian Meier and his wife Amber. You can enjoy expertly made coffee surrounded by cycling memorabilia and try tasty food like Nordic bagels with smoked salmon.
96B Cafe in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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If you want good Vietnamese coffee, 96B Café & Roastery is the way to go. It opened on Phan Ngữ Street by Hana Choi in 2016. The café’s mission became clearer when Thai Dang joined: to showcase the diverse flavors of Arabica, Robusta, and rare Liberica beans, and to support local farmers by allowing them to set fair prices for their exceptional coffee.
Onyx Coffee LAB in the USA
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After starting in Rogers, Arkansas, Onyx Coffee Lab has quickly become known for its innovative approach to coffee worldwide. Jon and Andrea Allen opened the cafe’s doors in 2012, and their motto, "Never Settle for Good Enough," guides their work in finding sustainable beans and creating amazing flavors.
