Why you have to see it: The affogatto. This dish not only has a beautiful name, but it will melt in your mouth with the perfect combination of espresso dolloped over homemade coconut ice cream. Heart roasts its coffee out of the Portland shop, so not only will the smell of fresh roasting fill you with extreme joy, but the baristas will be happy to discuss the different coffee offerings from all over the world with you.
Why you have to see it: Kaffeine’s coffee flight will take you on a mouth trip that is out of this world. Don’t drink any coffee before visiting because the flight includes a single shot of espresso, a single shot of cappuccino, and a cold-brew cascara refresher. Kaffeine’s baristas must have at least three years of training before brewing behind the shop’s bar, and it shows in the way they perfectly craft latte art, as seen above.
Flickr: tangysd / Creative Commons
Flickr: tonx / Creative Commons
Why you have to see it: Stumptown manually brews its toddy for 12 hours before serving it to customers. Toddy is the most caffeinated drink you will ever have, and it’s less acidic than hot coffee, along with having a natural chocolate taste from 12-hour infusion. It’s also the perfect hot summer day drink, so why even fool yourself into thinking you want a 100-degree drink on a 100-degree day?
Flickr: viydook / Creative Commons
Why you have to see it: If you crave delicious, sweet yet savory iced coffee, then Blue Bottle’s take on New Orleans Iced Coffee is the perfect drink for you. It is cold brewed for half a day with roasted chicory and sweetened with organic cane sugar. Thank you, New Orleans.
Why you have to see it: Coffee Supreme is the only place in the world where you can enjoy soda syrup blended with coffee. You can even add sparkling water or milk for a special kick. The ambiance of Coffee Supreme is perfect for working or reflection, and its tasty scones will lure you into taking a bite.
Why you have to see it: Café Craft is usually really packed, but if you find a spot at this popular coffee shop, then you absolutely must order the noisette, or espresso with milk, to truly enjoy the Parisian coffee experience.
Why you have to see it: Analog Coffee offers a variety of yummy drinks, such as Japanese-style drip brewers and lattes. Locals enjoy pulling up a chair at the bar to chat up the baristas, who are very knowledgable about roasting and brewing methods. Because coffee is all just science, ya know?
Why you have to see it: Coffee Academics is not as pretentious as it sounds, and the glass-blown Chemex (above) actually brews one of the best cups of coffee you will ever have in your life. It offers lattes sweetened with organic raw agave nectar and spiced with ground black pepper. TREAT YO SELF.
9. Cielito Querido Café in Mexico City
Why you have to see it: Cielito Querido Café is one of the cutest cafés you’ll ever lay your eyes on, and that is why you must see it for yourself. Picture the delicious and freshly baked conchitas (pictured above), which you can dip into your piping-hot rompopecappuccino for a proper Mexican experience.
Why you have to see it: Imagine walking into a camera that is actually a coffee shop in picturesque South Korea… Yes, this is actually real. While there, you should order an iced Americano, because if you’re going to drink coffee from inside a camera, then you might as well sip on something iced, like a boss.
Why you have to see it: Workshop is known as one of the best coffee roasters in the world, and this is not to be taken lightly. It goes to great lengths to bring the best coffee to London, and this shows not only in the café’s delish coffees but in their presentation too. The art is so cute that you won’t even want to ruin your coffee by drinking it.
Flickr: k-ribou / Creative Commons
Why you have to see it: Coffee Collective is so cute that you feel like you’re walking into someone’s Instagram account. Stroll in for a freshly brewed cup of joe while you chat up the barista, who is the World Barista Champion. The café is well-known for its classic set, which includes a shot of espresso served with a traditional-style cappuccino.
Why you have to see it: This minimalist shop has a black-and-white interior that will transport you to an old-style café. There’s no rush to order or to get customers out of the shop, but rather, they prefer you stay and discuss what you think of that day’s coffee of the day. The café’s most popular drink is Japanese slow-brewed iced coffee, which you can sip while you watch it drip (above).
Flickr: kwl / Creative Commons
Why you have to see it: Espresso plus doughnuts. Think about it. No coffee will ever taste as perfect as the one you combine with a freshly baked doughnut as you sit at the bar and people-watch looking out at the streets of Vancouver.
Why you have to see it: 3FE’s service is so wonderful that you will not want to get out of your seat — unless it’s to order more coffee. The vibes are so peaceful and calm that you’ll get lost watching the baristas prepare coffee. No worries, though, because you can try many coffees at once by ordering a coffee trio or filter tasting. In the coffee trio, you can try its beans three ways: as espresso, espresso with milk, and as filter coffee. The filter tasting includes two filter coffees served side-by-side.
Why you have to see it: Have you ever had your coffee brewed by a fire and siphon? Now is the time to experience this specialty, and according to the coffee scientists at Addison & Steele, there is no better way to enjoy a proper cup of joe. This artisan shop will give you plenty to stare at, such as the handmade lightbulb chandeliers.
Why you have to see it: This friendly Swedish shop will not only welcome you with a smile, but they the baristas even go to great lengths to make beautiful latte art designs on your coffee. Be careful: You might not want to leave Sweden after spending time in this shop. YOLO.
Why you have to see it: You can enjoy a moment of stillness away from the city bustle in this picturesque shop. Order an iced flat white or coffee brewed over ice while you sit at the bar, where you have a perfect view of the city.
Why you have to see it: Bonanza is a small shop with a big heart that will win you over as soon as you step inside. Locals aren’t afraid to strike up a conversation with strangers because there are so few places to sit that the coffee serves as an easy way to meet new people in a strange city. Plus, afterward, you can tell your friends you had coffee brewed using a Kalita ~wave~.
Why you have to see it: Mind the Cup might be based on a pun, but there’s nothing funny about how delish its coffee is. The hearts in your latte will win you over, but after spending only five minutes there, you will want to rotate your plans around spending more time in this cute shop, which looks like it’s straight out of a film.
21. Café Grumpy in New York City
Café Grumpy
Flickr: fiamh / Creative Commons
Why you have to see it: You might recognize the inside of Café Grumpy from seeing Lena Dunham work as a barista there in HBO’sGirls. Café Grumpy roasts beans fresh out of its Greenpoint location and the sweet aroma is sure to lure you in. Plus, macarons + coffee is pure perfection.
CORRECTION
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Grumpy’s coffee is roasted in Fort Greene and has been updated.
Why you have to see it: Da Matteo has coffee from any part of the world that you could possibly want. The smell alone will make you go insane as soon as you walk through the door. You cannot possibly miss its espresso, which is known for being fruity and pairing perfectly with the café’s just-baked pastries. Noms and yums for days.
Why you have to see it: Stragan Kawiarnia’s philosophy is to make coffee fresh on-the-spot. It offers customers free public cuppings, where you can learn the tools of the trade along with the professionals who will prepare coffees for you to try side-by-side.
Why you have to see it: Screaming Beans will literally have your insides screaming with feelings of happiness and cute puppies. Imagine enjoying a croissant (hi, Kanye) with the perfect amount of sweet and juicy jam then finishing it off with a shot of espresso.
Why you have to see it: You’ve not properly enjoyed coffee until you’ve visited Kronotrop, where you can try it via every possible different brewing method — such as Japanese-style drip coffee (pictured above) — or even pick out your own coffee beans from the jar to be freshly ground for you.
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