Best Cities for Coffee Lovers...
By Emily H. Bratcher
–25 Oct, 2012
(Photo: Anmor Photography/Shutterstock )
Thomas Jefferson once called coffee, "The favorite drink of the civilized world."
This founding father wasn't far off the mark.
This
caffeinated beverage imparts energy, promotes productivity, and
delights taste buds across the globe.
To be a true coffee hotspot, a city has to do more than just house
java drinkers.
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The places listed below are passionate about the brew;
they've created a unique culture around it; and some have even
invented their own, distinct coffee blends.
Because coffee
is not just a jolt of caffeine, it's an experience.
With these
qualifications in mind, here are the best places to stop and savor the
perfect cup of joe.
Istanbul, Turkey
Tea (çay) is the beverage of choice in Istanbul's cafés.
Istanbul, Turkey
Tea (çay) is the beverage of choice in Istanbul's cafés.
Because Turkey's
rich, black coffee has lent such inspiration to other coffee-loving
cities, we'd be remiss if we didn't include the country's cultural
capital on our list.
To make a rich, flavorful Turkish coffee, baristas roast and grind beans into a fine meal.
To make a rich, flavorful Turkish coffee, baristas roast and grind beans into a fine meal.
The beans are boiled
with water, and sometimes, sugar, in a cezve (pot), and afterwards
it will be poured into a small cup.
There's no sieve, so the grounds
are allowed to settle before being served.
Bottoms up!
Seattle, Wash.
It's probably no surprise that Seattle features one of the best coffee cultures in the world:
(Photo: Liem Bahneman/Shutterstock)
Seattle, Wash.
It's probably no surprise that Seattle features one of the best coffee cultures in the world:
The java titan, Starbucks, got its start here.
Back in 1971, the flagship coffeehouse opened its doors in Pike Place
Market.
But the green mermaid isn't the only reason the Emerald City's coffee scene is unique.
But the green mermaid isn't the only reason the Emerald City's coffee scene is unique.
The city is peppered with a host of indie
coffeehouses, many of which are locally owned.
According to the Daily
Beast, there are a wowing 35 coffee shops per 100,000 Seattleites—the
highest ratio of coffee shops to residents in the entire country.
Tel Aviv, Israel
Israel's coastal city brims with cafés which pour ice-café (iced coffee) in the summer and botz (hot coffee) in the winter.
(Photo: People's Council/Flickr)
Tel Aviv, Israel
Israel's coastal city brims with cafés which pour ice-café (iced coffee) in the summer and botz (hot coffee) in the winter.
Bear in mind, an Israeli hot coffee
is more like a Turkish coffee than an American one, meaning it's
dark, intense, and very rich.
To order a milkier brew, you'll need to
ask for an espresso hafukh.
Whatever you choose to sip, you'll no doubt fall in love with the Tel Avivian café culture.
Just like the city's laid-back beaches, the cafés in Tel Aviv impart a
mellow, hip vibe.
Also, many small shops spill out onto
sidewalk patios, so there will also be ample opportunity for
people-watching.
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne serves as Australia's coffee capital, and as such, the city boasts a host of coffee shops which serve up world-renowned cups of java.
(Photo: Andrea Schaffer/Flickr)
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne serves as Australia's coffee capital, and as such, the city boasts a host of coffee shops which serve up world-renowned cups of java.
The Aussies love their brew
so much that there's even a publication, the Melbourne Coffee Review,
dedicated to the thoughtful comparison of the city's many coffee shops.
You'll find Melbourne's coffee spots are as varied and eclectic as their clientele.
You'll find Melbourne's coffee spots are as varied and eclectic as their clientele.
For instance, the Proud Mary shop sits inside a converted
warehouse, and provides cold-dripped coffee to a cool, quirky crowd,
while the Lygon Street Café serves an Italian-style cup, paired with
tiramisu, to Melbourne University patrons.
Havana, Cuba
Havana, Cuba is the place to enjoy a café cubano, an espresso shot infused with demerara sugar.
(Photo: Roxana Gonzalez/Shutterstock)
Havana, Cuba
Havana, Cuba is the place to enjoy a café cubano, an espresso shot infused with demerara sugar.
With travel
restrictions waning, experiencing authentic Cuban coffee isn't as
difficult as it used to be.
The result is a small, sweet coffee packed
with a punch of caffeine.
If the flavor is too intense, try a
gentler cortadito, an espresso topped with milk.
You can savor these aromatic brews in a number of cafés, some with open-air seating like the famous Café de las Infusiones.
You can savor these aromatic brews in a number of cafés, some with open-air seating like the famous Café de las Infusiones.
Because "origin" is very
important to all coffee lovers, you'll be happy to know many of
these coffeehouses grind beans sourced directly from the
country's Escambray and Sierra Maestra mountains.
Paris, France
Some coffee purists complain Paris' brew is nothing special, citing overly roasted beans and low-quality machines.
Although these
aficionados do leave room for exceptions—La Caféothèque, to name
one—they say most of the establishments pour sub-par brew.
Paris
stands apart, because of its alluring cafés.
They practically call to you
with their open-air seating, cozy tables, and steaming petits noirs (espresso shots).
Time seems to slow down, and customers end up sipping their café au laits as they while away hours lost in thought or conversation.
Time seems to slow down, and customers end up sipping their café au laits as they while away hours lost in thought or conversation.
Any city which
can conjure up this kind of magic with its café atmosphere merits a spot
on this list.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The "birthplace of coffee" (incendiary as this superlative may be) definitely warrants a place on our list.
(Photo: Clive Chilvers/Shutterstock)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The "birthplace of coffee" (incendiary as this superlative may be) definitely warrants a place on our list.
If you find yourself in
the capital of Ethiopia,
you must partake in a coffee ceremony.
As a sign of respect and
friendship, Ethiopians might invite guests into their homes for one of
these lengthy rituals, which involve roasting and grinding the beans and
brewing them in a clay pot, called a jebena.
In Addis Ababa, the coffee is then drunk with sugar, but in the countryside, salt is added.
In Addis Ababa, the coffee is then drunk with sugar, but in the countryside, salt is added.
If you don't receive an invitation to a private ceremony, do
enjoy a Tomoca, an Italian-style coffee, commonly served in the
city.
Santa María de Dota, Costa Rica
Costa Ricans refer to coffee as their "golden bean" because it has paid such high dividends to the local economy.
(Photo: Erkki & Hanna/Shutterstock)
Santa María de Dota, Costa Rica
Costa Ricans refer to coffee as their "golden bean" because it has paid such high dividends to the local economy.
Since the 18th century, this
Central American enclave has cultivated the popular Arabica coffee bean,
which is generally thought of as the crème-de-la-crème of the crop.
We recommend visiting the actual coffee plantations of Santa María de Dota in Central Costa Rica.
We recommend visiting the actual coffee plantations of Santa María de Dota in Central Costa Rica.
This small mountain town sits amid leafy coffee
fields, and it might just be the most peaceful place to sip a local cafécito (black coffee).
This buzzing city
thrives on caffeine, in the form of cappuccinos, macchiatos, espressos,
and more.
Just like its pasta and paintings, Italy's coffee is a
form of art.
Great care is taken in choosing the beans, picking the machines, and presenting the drinks.
Great care is taken in choosing the beans, picking the machines, and presenting the drinks.
To taste a heavenly brew,
many coffee fiends recommend a trip to Rome's Caffè Sant'Eustachio.
This
popular caffè serves organic and fair-trade brew with zuccherato (sugar), unless otherwise requested.
You'll find this acclaimed coffee shop sitting under the shadows of the Pantheon.
Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii
The Pacific Ocean archipelago is known for more than just beauty—its coffee is some of the world's tastiest (and most expensive).
Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii
The Pacific Ocean archipelago is known for more than just beauty—its coffee is some of the world's tastiest (and most expensive).
Hawaii's volcanic soil and gently fluctuating weather conditions create an ideal climate for the Kona coffee crop.
To view these Arabica coffee beans up close, visitors can tour a number of the plantations, like the Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation, and Greenwell Farms, both located a short drive from the historic seaside town of Kailua-Kona.
To view these Arabica coffee beans up close, visitors can tour a number of the plantations, like the Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation, and Greenwell Farms, both located a short drive from the historic seaside town of Kailua-Kona.
To enjoy a cup of the elegant brew, all
you'll have to do is call for your hotel's room service.
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