Localeur’s Guide to Coffee Shops
“But first, coffee,” they say. It’s a prerequisite to virtually any good day, whether you’re headed to work or out on a choose-your-own-adventure for the ages. But what about the coffee itself? Like any art, the art of caffeination cannot be achieved by simply checking a box. From the latte neophyte branching out in earnest to the espresso purist who’s long considered their morning ritual to be downright sacred, these local coffee spots are here to help you wake up – and lead you towards an awakening.
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Sensory Lab
Melbourne, Australia
In Melbourne, meticulously crafted coffee is widely considered to be the only coffee worth drinking – so simply having the chops to brew an artful cup of joe isn’t enough to set any one shop apart from the rest. That means you’re never far from an excellent coffee shop, but for an elevated experience, pop into Sensory Lab’s Collins Street outpost. Foolscap Studio designed it to fit the description of “a futuristic, Japanese meets 1950s American diner,” and while that may sound like a meaningless pile of words, you’ll get it when you walk in. It’s a real blink-and-you’ll-miss-it establishment, easily overlooked by the under-caffeinated but always worth the effort. If you love it (you will), grab a bag of beans to take home.
Caffe Vita
Seattle, Washington
In a town obsessed with its brews, Caffe Vita holds the top spot as far as Seattle coffee is concerned. Example: Securing a job as a barista in Seattle often requires being “Caffe Vita-trained,” even at shops besides Caffe Vita. With plenty of locations throughout the city, Vita’s your best bet for a flawless cup of joe. The Capitol Hill location is especially overflowing with hardcore, coffee-guzzling hipsters — it’s a true Seattle scene.
Spitfire Coffee
New Orleans, Louisiana
One of the first shops for specialty coffee in New Orleans when it opened back in 2013, Spitfire is an excellent find for anybody strolling through the French Quarter in need of a jolt. Friendly and knowledgeable staff serve up local beans alongside some of the most noteworthy roasters from around the country – and coffee purists love and respect Spitfire for offering a range of brew methods for its standalone cups of black. If your coffee habits land you squarely in the land of inventive lattes, you’ll love signature drinks like a brown butter mocha and a latte made with lavender milk, orange blossom syrup, and rose petals. The only catch is that you won’t find food here, but you’re never far from an incredible meal in the French Quarter.
Urbanity
Dublin, Ireland
Situated just next to Smithfield Square, Urbanity has a fearsome reputation built on serving excellent coffee and innovative food. During the week, this cafe keeps Dublin caffeinated, while on weekends it becomes a brunch hub for nearby hipsters living in Stoneybatter. The grilled halloumi and eggy all-day breakfast comes highly recommended, as does the butterbean hummus with ancho popcorn. In an area packed with good coffee shops, Urbanity does well to stand out from the crowd.
Devoción
New York, New York
Devoción makes great coffee and has a formidable reputation for doing so, rivaled only by their impressively appointed shops in Brooklyn and Manhattan, which each feature a unique, highly styled aesthetic. The Williamsburg shop is perhaps the best example of this, with its huge skylights, lofty couches, and hordes of plants that seem to grow lusher by the minute. As for the beans, Devoción is sourced from Colombia and is well known around town; if you love what you taste, you’ll also love that you can find their varietals in a number of small shops in the city. As for the food, anything on the menu is a great selection and the pastries pair well with whatever you’re drinking. Get here early to snag a seat – and keep in mind that on weekends, they cut the Wi-Fi.
Azahar Coffee
Bogotá, Colombia
There was a time when all the best coffee was exported outside of Colombia, and it was no small feat to find specialty coffee in Bogotá. One of Azahar’s cafés is based inside an old shipping container that used to be used for exports; their philosophy is that the best coffee should be served inside Colombia. A gimmick we don’t hate: Each bag of coffee on display at their shops has a QR code; scan this with your phone and you can watch a video clip showing the region where that coffee was produced. Check out Azahar’s Parque de la 93 location for a lovely green space perfect for lounging in the grass, or try the San Felipe outpost to grab a coffee after you wander through the area’s many independent art galleries.
Cafe Streets
Chicago, Illinois
Plenty of coffee shops that excel at taking themselves too seriously do so at the expense of their ambience and approachability. Not so at Caffe Streets, a great shop in the heart of Wicker Park where the only thing that rivals the amazing pour-over is the Grade A people watching on offer throughout the day. Stylish, discerning locals descend upon this shop each morning and stay for hours – which, admittedly, can make things a little too loud for anyone on their laptops to stay productive, but that’s not always a bad thing. The slogan of this shop is “drink local” and if you go, you'll be doing just that.
Tryst
Washington, D.C.
Tryst isn’t just a coffee shop – it’s also a bar and lounge, and it’s one of the only places we know of that earns high marks across the board. All the trappings of a coffee spot are in view to your left: dessert display, espresso machine, baristas. To your right, you’ll see a giant living room area with comfy couches and chairs, making it easy to start things off with a caffeine fix and stick around long enough to justify ordering a cocktail. Cakes and pies are the perfect sweet treats to complement whatever it is you might be drinking – and on a cold winter’s day, there’s no place cozier than Tryst to post up for hours.
Cafe Don Ruiz
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ready for something different? The inimitable Cafe Don Ruiz is situated inside Ballaja, a military complex turned educational oasis where you’ll find the Museo de las Americas, a must for anyone looking to up their knowledge on the vast history of Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and beyond. If that weren’t enough, the cafe itself is also something of a museum, with various coffee implements on display to tell the history of Don Ruiz’s four-generation evolution. Grabbing a cup of joe at Don Ruiz is an experience that goes far beyond your basic caffeination – and since they also just so happen to turn out an excellent array of brews, there’s no better place near El Morro to get a pick-me-up.
Pum Pum Cafe
Madrid, Spain
If you find yourself in Lavapiés, skipping Pum Pum is not an option. The coffee is outstanding, yes – but so are the breakfasts, baked goods, and 10-out-of-10 brunch made with organic, local ingredients in lots of vegetarian-friendly dishes. On weekends, it’s almost impossible to get in – waiting isn’t an option; they’ll simply turn you away without a reservation – so come on a weekday for much more manageable crowds. If, god forbid, you do encounter a queue, pop over to the nearby Hola Coffee to caffeinated while you wait (doing so means you’ll need to order a mimosa with brunch, of course, in order to offset all that caffeine).
Dinosaur Coffee
Los Angeles, California
Silver Lake locals and arty visitors stream into Dinosaur Coffee like clockwork each morning to start their days off right: With a sunny, airy shop full of cutesy-minimalist touches, excellent coffee, and a genuine “we’re glad you decided to pop in” mentality. Going the standard pour-over route is a fail-safe way to caffeinate – but for those looking to add a little bite to their morning rituals, a dash of Dinosaur’s coffee bitters are in order. It’s made up of roots, herbs, and, yes, a liquor that weighs in at 100 proof or higher. (Just a drop’ll do you, of course.)
Quentin
Mexico City, Mexico
At the multiple outposts of this local shop, coffee is perfectionism in its purest form. Quentin offers great beans from throughout Mexico (and from all over the world), and what's available is in constant rotation – meaning the baristas are always eager to share what's new with and help find the perfect drink to satisfy whatever it is you’re craving. If you’re in no mood to fuss over such a thing, make things simple and go for whichever cold brew they’re most excited about at any given moment. Just make sure that, under no circumstances, you forget to buy a piece of their excellent lineup of chocolates.
More of Our Coffee Shop Favorites
Isla Coffee
Berlin, Germany
Deluxe Coffeeworks
Cape Town, South Africa
High Five Coffee
Asheville, North Carolina
Smoking Barrels
Jakarta, Indonesia
Mothership Coffee
Las Vegas, Nevada
Slow By Slow
Boise, Idaho
Little Nap Coffee Stand
Tokyo, Japan
Riscioli Caffe
Rome, Italy
Coco and the Director
Charlotte, North Carolina
J. Hornig Kaffeebar
Vienna, Austria
Coco Espresso
Hong Kong
Commonplace Coffee
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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