The best way to know the people and their culture when traveling to a city is through their coffee.
It has already become a norm for travelers that in every place we go to, the first thing we look into is a coffee shop nearby where we can get our cup of coffee. Of course, it’s not only to get our jolt for the day, but it’s also nice to know the coffee culture of the places and cities we visit.
New Zealand barista champion Nick Clark of Wellington’s Flight Coffee says, “People are more and more interested in where the beans come from, and how they’re harvested and roasted,” “There are so many variables involved in producing a great cup of coffee these days, and the industry has had to evolve to meet growing consumer expectations.”
Let’s see the cities who offer not just good coffee but a great coffee.
1. London
A city of food, fashion, and a great tourist destination, and of course they offer the best coffee especially there cappuccino you should not miss it when you visit the city.
“London still has a long way to go with café service, but in the past five years there’s been so much growth, which is a great thing to be part of,” says Estelle Bright, head barista at London’s Caravan.
Coffee Must Try: Flat white or cappuccino.
“London is still in the grip of the flat white craze, but cappuccinos are similarly popular,” says Bright.
Top shops: East London boasts the highest concentration of quality coffee shops and cafes. Allpress, Climpson & Sons and Caravan are standouts.
2. Melbourne
Melbourne is the home of true coffee lovers, where coffee has become a part of their lifestyle, and the city even hosts an annual coffee expo. “The coffee culture in Melbourne is just incredible,” says reigning World Barista Champion Pete Licata, from the United States.
Coffee Must Try: Piccolo Latte.
Melbourne’s Piccolo Latte is not your usual kind of latte, and it’s one of their best coffee in the city. This coffee drink s made with less milk and more espresso to make the taste stronger.
“It’s nearly impossible to find a bad cup of coffee in Melbourne,” says Licata.
Top Shop: For real coffee purists, there’s Axil Coffeehouse Roasters in Hawthorn (322 Burwood Road), Auction Rooms in North Melbourne and Dead Man Espresso in South Melbourne.
3. Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland is one of the cities of most coffee consumptions, but we can’t argue with them because they have the most satisfying latte and cappuccinos.
“Not too long ago, cafés in Reykjavík were more about the food,” says Kristin Thora, a barista at Icelandic institution Kaffitar and reigning National Cupping Champion. “You’d have coffee and cake and didn’t mind how the coffee was as long as the cake was good. Then, about 25 years ago, people started to care about how their coffee was served.”
With Iceland’s lack of commercial coffee behemoths, smaller businesses have had a chance to flourish. Now you can hardly walk a city block without passing a coffee shop.
“Drip coffee is popular in the home, but Icelanders tend go to coffeehouses for espresso-based drinks,” says Thora.
Top shops: With seven coffee shops and a roaster to its name, Kaffitar is the closest thing Iceland has to a coffee chain. Stofan and Kaffismidja are hipster faves.
4. Rome
A city of Italian delicacies and home of the best espressos. Coffee is a big part of Italian culture that walking in the streets of Rome you will see locals enjoying their cuppa. But believe it or not, it’s not always that easy to find a decent espresso in Italy, with critics whispering that Italians have been resistant to adopt modern barista techniques.
But with the best of the nation’s baristas calling it home, Rome is your best bet for a quality cup.
Local order: Espresso.
Custom dictates that milky coffees can only be consumed at breakfast, anyway.
Top shops: Rosati in Piazza del Popolo, Sant’ Eustachi by the Pantheon or Giolitti, a few blocks west of the Trevi Fountain, are crowd favorites.
5. Singapore
Singapore is an economic giant. It has been Southeast Asia’s most modern city for over a century. And their coffee culture improving embracing modern techniques and modern espresso technology in creating the perfect cuppa.
“Coffee has always been an integral part of Singaporean life, but we’ve only recently embraced modern espresso technology,” says Jovena Loon of Café Hopping Singapore. “Locals have become so obsessed with latte art that it has become a basic criteria for a good café.”
Local order: Latte, mocha or cappuccino.
Top shops: Jovena recommends Strangers’ Reunion in Chinatown, Dutch Colony in Pasar Bella marketplace, and Bukit Timah and Chye Seng Huat Hardware in Little India.
6. Seattle
The American city that’s always ahead when it comes to a coffee game, and the city where the Starbucks had all started, it’s Seattle.
“Coffee is our liquid sunshine in Seattle,” says Joshua Boyt from Victrola Coffee Roasters, one of the city’s best cafes for coffee geeks. “Passion for the product, coupled with the sheer number of coffee shops across the city, has created a culture of constant improvement through competition and camaraderie.”
Local order: Espresso, cappuccino or a single-origin pour.
Top shops: Victrola Coffee Roasters in Capitol Hill, Empire Espresso in Columbia City and Seattle Coffee Works downtown are all solid picks.
7. Vienna, Austria
They’re such an important part of the Viennese culture that the city’s coffee houses were listed by UNESCO in 2011 as an Intangible Heritage.
But modern coffee connoisseurs such as Vienna coffee blogger Lameen Abdul-Malik of From Coffee With Love admit that the standard of coffee in these beloved institutions, which act as public living rooms where people come to chat, read newspapers and eat strudel, are lagging in terms of coffee technology and service expectations.
“Since Vienna hosted the World Barista Championships in 2012, and new-style independent coffee shops began to open up, the quality of espresso drinks is steadily improving,” says Abdul-Malik.
Local order: Espresso or cappuccino in a new style cafe.
Top shops: Abdul-Maliuk recommends Caffe Couture, Essenti or Coffee Pirates. Demel serves traditional coffee and marvelous cakes.
8. Wellington, New Zealand
Fun Fact: Did you know that the flat white coffee was invented in Sydney, and was perfected in Wellington, where it’s become the nation’s unofficial national beverage.
“Wellington-ites really know their coffee, and there is a very high standard being served around the city,” says Clark. “Wellington is also a small city; there’s a lot of interaction between consumers and professionals, which helps our industry to improve and grow.”
Top shops: Some of Wellington’s best coffee shops include Flight Coffee Hangar, Memphis Belle, and Lamason Brew Bar.
Original Source CNN Travel
