Revolver Espresso
Revlover Espresso is my go to place in Bali for a great coffee. The coffee is fresh, strong, well balanced and well made. The branding, atmosphere, staff and the food selection and quality is second to none. Located at Jl. Kayu Aya Gang 51 in Seminyak it has become very popular because of its combination of great coffee and food, because of this popularity getting a table can have a bit of a wait time. But it is definitely worth the wait.
Location: Jl. Kayu Aya Gang 51 in Seminyak.
D’codeS Coffee Lab and Roastery
D’codes Coffee Lab is a great change up with a great tasting, freshly roasted coffee, quiet location and great value coffee. Quiet little quieter out near Chiang Mai University located on Soi 4 Wat U Mong just of Suthep Rd. The coffee blend is a well balanced, strong, smooth and rich. They have single origin coffee on offer as well. They also offer coffee roasting courses on site, so you can learn the art of roasting coffee beans for yourself.
Location: Just of Suthep Rd.
Omnia Cafe and Roastery
Omnia Cafe and Roastery, is one of my go to cafes. Freshly roasted coffee beans, well balanced and well made coffee produces a super fresh clean coffee that I really like. The small cafe is always a nice quiet location, the coffee was always great and consistent. It is a little quieter than other cafes because it is located on Photharam Rd, north side of the super highway. Near the Chiang Mai National Museum. There is a small table and chairs outside, with the majority of the cafe inside with air conditioning, 2 good sized tall tables with bench seats and some smaller tables and chairs.
Location: North East Corner of Jed Yod Area.
Aka Ama
Aka Ama, became a regular stop with a great tasting, consistent, quiet location and great value coffee. It is a little quieter than many other cafes due to being located on Hussadhisawee Soi 3, outside the old city in the northwest corner. The coffee blend is a well balanced, strong, smooth and rich. It is a popular little place with many digital nomads and entrepreneurs living in the area, there is a nice outdoor area with low set tables and chairs as well as an air conditioned room with 4 good sized bench seats and tables.
Location: North Side of Huaykaew Rd.
Cozy Coffee Chiangmai
Cozy Coffee Chiangmai is a great little spot just a short walk from the Chiang Mai Gate, set back from the road make this cafe really quiet. The cafe area has comfortable, old style chairs and tables giving it a warm “Cozy” feel. The coffee is good, not quite as good as others in the area but the food on the menu and drinks from the friendly staff are amazing and great value for a quiet comfortable cafe.
Location: Chiang Mai Gate.
Fern Forest Cafe
Fern Forest Cafe is a great lush retreat in the North West corner of the Old City. The atmosphere is very relaxed and casual with the lush ferns and trees in the courtyard. The coffee is light smooth and good in a piccolo latte but a little weak in a cup. The food is really good and the cakes are fresh with many to choose from.
Location: Singharat Rd.
Coffee Time
Coffee Time is in a great location at the Chiang Mai Gate (Start of Saturday Night Markets). The coffee is awesome, strong, rich flavor and freshly roasted in small batches onsite, from local highland growers in Northern Thailand. Coffee Time has been one of the pioneers for great coffee in Chiang Mai, having had a consistently great tasting coffee for such a long time, even before the coffee scene really took off in the Nimman area. There are a few tables in the shop around the counter, but the best spot is upstairs to get a nicer view over the canal. The cakes that are available are fantastic, all are sourced from a local bakery called Butter is Better and they are really tasty and fresh, be sure to try one with a coffee and taste the Butter is Better difference.
Location: Chiang Mai Gate.
Roastniyom Coffee
Roastniyom Coffee is on Siri Mangkalajarn Road in the Nimman area of Chiang Mai. The coffee is very good and well made. They also have many cakes, slices and fresh biscuits that are exceptionally tasty. The frappe’s and smoothies are fantastic during the hot season as well. The cafe area is a decent size, really comfortable with good air conditioning and also has several outdoor tables. This makes it really good for checking those emails over a coffee in a great cool environment.
Location: Nimman.
Impresso Espresso Bar
Impresso Espresso Bar is a small, quiet coffee bar with some tables outside and bar style inside. It can get a little busy because the coffee is good and there are only limited tables. The coffee is very good, smooth, well balanced and well made, better value than some in the area. they also have a range of grinders and machines in the store as well.
Location: Nimman.
Ristr8to
Ristr8to, just behind the Specialty shop on the main road, otherwise known as Ristr8to Labs is a little quieter with the same quality without the single origin range of the main shop but the same staff and the same result, a sensational coffee. The house blend “Black Hand” is a full strength, smooth rich coffee that is so good you might forget that they even have single origin beans to try. The latte art is no different here the Satan Latte is an exceptional looking design and skill, it is almost a shame to ruin the look by drinking it, but with a coffee this good it cannot be wasted.
Location: Nimman.
Ristr8to – Specialty coffee
Ristr8to – Specialty coffee is exactly that, specialty coffee. The best coffee in Thailand, YES it is a big call, but in my opinion this is sensational coffee. Based on the best cups of coffee from all over the world, beans from all over the world both, single origin and blends that rotate depending on the season and availability. Combine that with creativity of the coffee’s on the menu, a fantastic atmosphere, awesome branding and some of the best latte art you will find anywhere. Ristr8to knows what they are doing and doing it very well. If find yourself in Chiang Mai make sure to seek this place out and try for yourself. You wont be disappointed!
Location: Nimman Rd.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Ristr8to – Specialty coffee.
Marzocco Handcrafted Coffee
Marzocco Handcrafted Coffee is located in Seacon Bangkae Shopping Center about a 5-10 min Taxi from Bang Wa BTS. The Coffee is sensational, some of the best latte art anywhere (Australian Latte Art Champion). It is only a very small coffee stall on the second floor, but don’t let that fool you the coffee, latte art and friendly service is a must try for anyone with a love of coffee. I miss the coffee already Mike.
Location: Bang Wa.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Marzocco Handcrafted Coffee.
Convent Cafe
Convent Cafe is located opposite the BNH Hospital and the Saint Joseph Convent School on Convent Road, or about a 5-10 min walk from Sala Daeng BTS. It is a great cafe that does good coffee in a relaxed atmosphere. Very popular with hospital staff and visitors.
Location: Bang Rak.
Pacamara
Pacamara is a small boutique cafe that does one of the best coffee’s in Bangkok (in my opinion). It is freshly roasted, very well made. The blend is a strong but smooth and very nice in both a piccolo latte and with the extra milk of a normal latte. It is located in Rain Hill Shopping Center, in between Phrom Phong and Thong Lo BTS stations. This is my favorite coffee in Bangkok.
Location: Khlong Toei.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Pacamara.
Tazzina
Tazzina is a nice small, quiet cafe that does fantastic coffee and is great value, compared to others in the area. The food is also very delicious with plenty of options. It is in a handy location just a short walk from Chong Nonsi BTS. the Piccolo latte is nice and strong, well made with fantastic service. The Eggs Benedict and the French Toast are amazing, a must try.
Location: Khwaeng Silom.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Tazzina.
Chu Chocolate Bar & Cafe Asoke
Chu Chocolate Bar & Cafe, Asoke is in the Exchange Tower on the diagonal opposite corner of Terminal 21. Well known for its chocolate delights, do not underestimate the quality of the coffee. Whilst it is not as good as a specialty coffee in a cafe it is still a great coffee with plenty of flavor. The hot chocolates that are on the menu are fantastic, the main reason to find this bar/cafe. The Spanish hot chocolate is so thick and rich you need a spoon to eat/drink it.
Location: Khlong Toei.
Quest Connaisseur-Cafe-Bangkok
Quest Connaisseur Cafe is almost under Phaya Thai BTS. It has plenty of room and offer a wide range of coffee’s. I had a V60 and a piccolo latte, I would recommend a V60 as it had plenty of depth and a good profile. The piccolo was a little weak and wasn’t to my liking but it was well made. The cafe has plenty of character and was a nice place to take a break in air conditioning from the busyness of Bangkok.
Location: Phaya Thai.
Rocket Coffee S.12
Rocket Coffee is a very popular place that offers some great, well balanced coffee. I had a V60 pour over and it was smooth with great notes of pecans and blackcurrant. I love the V60 racks, very well designed and customized. Well worth seeking out for a great coffee when you are in the area, not to far from Chong Nonsi BTS.
Location: Khwaeng Silom.
Mansons Lot Coffee House
A nice very small, quiet cafe that does a really good strong, well balanced coffee. I had a Piccolo and it was strong, smooth and well made. This is my favorite cafe in Hong Kong, if I have time I always make the jorney here, it is well worth it.
Location: Wan Chai.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Mansons Lot Coffee House.
18 Grams Roastery Lab
Very busy cafe around peek hour and lunch time, small cafe with a good strong coffee. I had a Double Shot Latte and it was nice and strong, well made.
Location: Causeway Bay.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- 18 Grams.
Craft Coffee Roaster
Went in search of Craft Coffee Roaster on a recommendation and was not disappointed. Such great coffee in Tai Kok Tsui.
Location: Tai Kok Tsui.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Craft Coffee Roaster.
N1 Coffee & Co.
N1 Coffee & Co. is a great little find, really good coffee in Tsim Sha Tsui district.
Location: Tsim Sha Tsui.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- N1 Coffee & Co.
Brew Note Coffee Roaster
A nice small but quiet cafe that does a really good well balanced coffee. I had a Piccolo and it was smooth and well made. If you prefer a strong coffee I would recommend ordering a double shot Latte or a double shot Cappuccino.
Location: Fortress Hill.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Brew Note Coffee Roaster.
Common Man Coffee Roasters
Common Man Coffee Roasters was highly recomended. This is by far my favorite cafe in Singapore, the coffee is always freshly roasted and well made. It can be very busy as a result, but it is worth the wait. There is a bar style area where you can sit and watch the barista behind the counter while you enjoy a sensational coffee.
Location: Behind Robertson Quay.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Common Man Coffee Roasters.
Toby’s Estate Coffee (Asia)
Toby’s Estate Coffee (Asia) has good coffee and has many different single origin beans, to get the best from those beans they have brewing methods including V60, Chemex and cold drip options.
Location: Waterfront at Robertson Quay.
- Toby’s Estate Coffee (Asia).
The Book Cafe
The Book Cafe was recomended but as a place to check out more so than the coffee. It has a nice quiet relaxed atmosphere with plenty of tables and lounges. The coffee was above average but not my favorite in the area, great place to meet or to take a break from the city.
Location: Behind Robertson Quay.
- The Book Cafe.
Artistry Cafe
Went in search of a recommended cafe and stumbled upon this great little find. Great freshly roasted coffee, good food with a groovy rustic atmosphere. On the edge of Bugis.
Location: Bugis.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Artistry Cafe.
The Velo Project
This cafe tucked away behind the main area of Mooloolaba is a busy yet quiet cafe that has a combination of good well made coffee and great food from a menu with plenty of very tasty options. It is very close to the school and a convenient childcare center. This makes the cafe a great place for parents to meet, catch up over a great coffee, or just to get a takeaway after dropping off or picking up the kids on the way to or from work. The Velo Project has plenty of room and tables with a great shabby chic/beach relaxed feel, I really like a lazy morning coffee and breakfast here.
Location: Mooloolaba.
The Birds and the Beans
This rustic cafe is on the main road in Buderim just past the main shopping area, It is well worth stopping here if you are in Buderim The Birds & the Beans make great coffee from freshly roasted coffee beans with great service in a funky, rustic old service station/mechanics garage (ex Vandy’s Garage). The cakes and snacks are also fresh and very tasty.
Location: Buderim.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- The Birds and the Beans.
Clandestino Roasters
This cafe/roastery is well worth a visit. Clandestino make some amazing coffee’s with many single origin beans on offer. Match the beans with a tasting paddle, you can try and compare several of the beans on offer, then pick your favorite one to buy and take home. Clandestino also have a loyalty program when purchasing beans in store or online (beans can be posted to you). There is also a fantastic organic grocer and deli in the same building which has fantastic produce as well, if the coffee wasn’t enough of a reason to check this place out.
Location: Noosaville.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Clandestino Roasters.
Francis Bean
This fantastic little cafe just of the main road near Alexandra Surf Club uses Campos Beans and is very well made, delivering a nice rich, full bodied strong coffee. It is a small cafe with a few tables inside and a few outside. If it is a bit to busy and the weather is nice it is worth getting a takeaway coffee and walking over to admire the view of the beach.
Location: Alexandra Headland.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- Francis Bean.
No Name Lane
This little cafe just of a small angled road not far from Kurrawa Surf Club makes one of my favorite coffee’s on the Gold Coast. It is a small cafe with a few tables inside and a few outside. It is really busy during the week around the morning peak times, with many people getting their takeaway coffee for work. The weekends can be very busy especially if the weather is nice, if there are no tables available I would recommend to get a takeaway coffee and walk to the beach.
Location: Broadbeach.
My pick of Cafe in the area:
- No Name Lane.
Elk Espresso
Elk was recommended to me by some friends and the recomendation was a fantastic one. The coffee is great, smooth and well made. Single origin and other various brewing methods are on offer to accompany some of the single origins beans. The food is also great with a good range on the menu to please just about any fussy eater. The only downside is that it is all solid furnishings inside, this makes it very noisy and difficult to talk to more than 2 people. This is only a minor negative on what is one of my top Gold Coast Cafe’s.
Location: Broadbeach.
- Elk Espresso
Hong Kong Cafe Scene
If you are in Hong Kong for a few days on business or pleasure the question is always which cafe do you go to for the best coffee?
It will always depend on your own taste and preference. Hong Kong for only a few days, like any new location it is not that easy to know which Cafe to try. Luckily I was given several tips by some colleagues that had spent some time in Hong Kong over various business trips.
The location you are staying in and if you have time to travel, will quite often determine if you can get to or search for a good cafe. Travelling short distances is very easy in Hong Kong, the public transport is very well laid out. When you figure it out, you just need to have a go. Once you have done it a few times you start to figure it out and it becomes second nature to you. Walking a short distance is not to difficult either, there are pedestrian crossings at traffic lights, footpaths, and underpasses to cross major roads.
Singapore Cafe Scene
A few days in Singapore. Which cafe’s to get the best coffee?
With only a few days in Singapore it was difficult to choose which Cafe’s to go to. I was given a list of several one to try by a few friends that had spent a bit of time in Singapore on business, who also appreciate a really good coffee.
It also depends on your hotel location and your ability or desire to travel in search of that great coffee. Getting around isn’t that difficult in Singapore though, the public transport system is one of the best in the world. Even walking a distance is relatively easy, with footpaths, pedestrian crossings and overpasses make crossing busy roads quite easy. The distance between place on any map is also not that great, especially if you are from Australia or the USA where distance between shops, towns or malls is much greater than you would like to walk.
Thailand – Chiang Mai Cafe Scene
Chiang Mai is (in my opinion) one of the best places in Thailand for coffee and is worth staying for a while to check out many of the great cafe’s. It is easy to get around by walking, Tuk Tuk or Songthaew. It won’t take you long or cost very much to get where you want to be, try that cafe on your list. In some areas there is a great cafe on every corner, you can even do what I like to call a Cafe Crawl, all in a few hours if you wanted to.
Thailand – Bangkok Cafe Scene
If you are in Bangkok for a few days or a long stay there are lots of great cafe’s to try out. Cafe’s making some great tasting coffee can be found all over the massive city that is Bangkok, it depends where you are located. Some are a little hard to find or tucked away out of the main traffic areas but some of those hard to find ones make the best coffee at good prices. The most difficult part of going to some of those harder to find cafe’s is the time it may take you to get there, as Bangkok is so large even though the transport system in Bangkok is very good. If you have a bit of time and are dedicated to finding a fantastic coffee there are plenty of choices.
Bali – Ubud Cafe Scene
Ubud has long been the home of traditional Balinese dance culture, handicrafts, beautiful terraced rice paddies, health retreats with natural organic foods and of course great coffee. The coffee in Ubud is fantastic, locally grown and freshly roasted to deliver a very delicious coffee. There are many cafe’s to choose from while walking around the village to explore everything Ubud has to offer. You might want to stay a while to take advantage of the laid back culture, great tasting food and hospitality of the local people.
Bali – Seminyak cafe scene
Seminyak has become a very trendy area with many of the top restaurants and bars in Bali now in the province. The Cafe culture is getting better all the time with many great cafe’s to choose from and new ones opening up regularly. The area has great boutique shops selling designer style clothes, furniture and home wares, art works and many cafe’s to match. All are easily accessible by walking around the streets of Seminyak, you may be surprised with what you discover.
Australia – Gold Coast Cafe Scene
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Australia – Sunshine Coast Cafe Scene
The Sunshine coast of Queensland in Australia has some of the best cafe’s with a trendy hipster vibe that are worth adding to your must visit list. There are several small coffee roasters that source local organic beans blended with other regions for a unique taste. These small roasters also supply a hand full of cafe’s in the area. There are no shortage of cafe’s to get a great coffee, outstanding coffee is still reserved to a select few but it is growing fast with many single origin beans available.