Not that you needed an apology, but in honor of International Coffee Day 2020, we’d like to lift a cup. Our love of coffee extends beyond the Seattle purveyor, who added tall, tall, and sellable in our everyday vernacular.
Coffee is all over places– and the best comes from across the globe. The origins of coffee are, of course, global: Arabs in the 15th century were the first to grow coffee, and a Frenchman was behind the debut in 1843 of the world’s first commercial espresso machine that ever existed.
Since then, there have been a few leaps forward, not the arrival of Frappuccino. So get a refill, then read on about the best coffee destinations in the world and how they make them:
Wellington, New Zealand
While the ubiquitous white dish – much like a latte with less milk – was reportedly invented in Sydney, the drink was perfected in Wellington, New Zealand, where it has become the country’s unofficial national drink.
“Wellington-ites know their coffee and a very high standard is served all over town,” said New Zealand coffee maker Nick Clark of Flight Coffee Unlimited. Wellington is also a small town.
Local order: Flat white. It’s a best-seller.
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne’s Market Lane Coffee in Melbourne sources beans from all over the world – from Bolivia to Rwanda, and roasts the coffee there.
Market Lane Coffee in Melbourne sources its beans from around the world — from Bolivia to Rwanda — then roasts the coffee the moment it will be served.
Visions of Victoria
“The coffee culture in Melbourne is just amazing,” says Pete Licata, former world barista champion from the United States. Coffee is such an embedded part of Melbourne’s lifestyle that the city even hosts an annual coffee exhibition.
Local order: Piccolo latte.
While latte macchiato, cappuccino, and egg whites remain popular, a small latte (made with less milk to make the espresso taste stronger) is the drink of the day.
Hanoi, Vietnam
Do you want eggs with your coffee? In Hanoi, ca phe trung, or egg coffee, is a local favorite.
Coffee is deeply rooted in Vietnam’s DNA, and the country is one of the largest bean producers in the world. When Vietnam was a colony of France, the French founded coffee plantations across the country at the end of the 19th century, and, if you’re in the capital, Hanoi, you don’t have to go far for a fantastic mug.
Don’t expect a white dish or an Americano, however.
The coffee is prepared in a traditional filter that drips into a single cup underneath, producing a dense and intense infusion that is drunk black or enjoyed with regular sweetened condensed milk. It is something Vietnamese got used to when fresh milk was scarce.
Egg cafes are popular on Instagram and with locals ca phe trung, egg coffee, in which a creamy, meringue-like protein foam is placed on top of black coffee.
Local Order: Cape pine (thick black, slow-brewed), or caphe sua (black with sweetened condensed milk) or coconut coffee (frozen coconut milk mixture that contains rich black coffee topped with crushed coconut ice – like the egg coffee is more of a dessert than a drink).
London
Australians and Kiwis opened the city’s first espresso-focused bars about 20 years ago, bringing their beloved flat white wines – about 20 years ago, and more modern cafes have sprung up in the city since.
Tea may still be king in England, but Londoners also have some good coffee on offer.
Rome, Italy
Order an espresso when you are in Rome. Coffee is such a part of Italian culture that you will rarely meet a local who does not drink it. But whether you believe it or not, it’s not always so easy to find decent espresso in Italy, and critics whisper that Italians have resisted the adoption of modern barista techniques.
Rome is the best choice for a quality cup with the best of the country’s baristas living there.
Local order: Espresso. According to custom, coffee with milk should only be consumed with breakfast.
Singapore
Coffee has always been an essential part of Singapore – the ancient tradition of Kopitiam, or coffeehouse culture, dates back centuries. But only recently has the city embraced modern espresso technology – nowadays, the art of milk is an expected part of the coffee shop service.
We all know that coffee is the drink of Gods, and it’s all over the world! And now, what is your favorite?
