Coffeeshops: The World at Large

Café Lavande, Central, Hong Kong

Skopje

• Cafe Amica *** Gradski Trgovski Centar, 2 sprat, Skopje. A great cup of espresso or cappuccino, and excellent sweets. The new location is pleasantly decorated and offers beautiful views of the city. Very attentive owners and waiting staff. 1/2006
• Blue Cafe **½ Plostad Makedonija, Skopje. Fashionable, yuppy decor, good looking chairs, sofas, people, everything. Illy's coffee reigns supreme. Blue Cafe advertises free wireless, though it isn't the kind of place where you would find oblivious souls hunched over their laptops. You go there to see and be seen. (Other locations in Trgovski Centar and Kapishtec.) 1/2006
• Broz Cafe **½ Bul Partizanski Odredi bb (across from Univerzalna Sala), Skopje. An odd cross between a wannabe Starbucks and a display case of memorabilia from the time of the late Josip Broz, also known as Tito. Nice layout, with informal seating downstairs and a trendier setting upstairs (where, unfortunately, smoking is allowed).
• Slatkarnica Palma **½ Trgovski Centar Ramstor, Skopje. An unpretentious pastry shop inside a recently opened shopping mall serving good cappuccino, but also a great glass of boza. 1/2006

Seattle

• Caffe Ladro Queen Anne *** 2205 Queen Anne Ave N. On my first day in Seattle I woke up at 4.30 in the morning, and roamed around the house patiently till 6.30 waiting for some coffeeshop to open up. Little did I know that the local Caffe Ladro starts serving fantastic cappuccinos as early as 5am. The inside has a small but pleasant sitting area, a bit dark (when it rains) but unpretentiously decorated. The real feature (when it doesn't rain) are the loungy chairs outside, ideal both for daydreaming and yuppy-watching. 5/2006
• El Diablo Coffee Co. ***½ 1811 Queen Anne Ave N, Queen Anne. When I was growing up, I was taught to believe that coffee and sugar are two things that should not be mixed. Sweet coffee is, as the saying goes, for those whose lives are bitter. I don't know much about life and bitterness, but the sweet taste of the caffe con leche at El Diablo is out of this world. Yes, it takes them about 10 minutes to make your drink, so be prepared to spend a good part of your day here if there is a line. Not that you'll regret it. As advertised, the downstairs is devilish, with murals reminding you that perhaps the inferno is not so bad after all. In case you want variety, there is a pleasant outside patio, a bookstore next door, or—you guessed it—a glimpse of paradise upstairs. 5/2006
• Stickman Coffee (formerly Fremont Roastery) **** 621 N 36 St, Fremont. I am so crazy about this place that I was reluctant to put it on the review page. So readers, if there are any of you, I beg you, please don't ruin it by blabbering all about it to your friends, friends' friends, etc. The Fremont Roastery is the essential anti-coffeeshop, if there was ever such a thing. It is the ultimate fantasy, the private coffeeshop party, something that does not happen, not even in your wildest dreams. In my five or so visits, I was the only customer in there. So how do they stay in business? Perhaps it has something to do with their patron saint: A certain Vladimir Ilych Lenin of Fremont. Oh, and if you do go, try the macchiato. 5/2006 (Update: This must be the best coffee in the world. 8/2008)
• Fremont Coffee Company ***½ 459 N 36th St, Fremont. This place is a converted house; the seating space is divided into little rooms, and it feels really cozy in there. If the rooms feel too claustrophobic, there is also a small bar, a porch (favored by smokers), and a terrace with tables overlooking all the hip Fremont activity. Cappuccinos and macchiatos carry the day. 5/2006
• Gypsy Trader *** 3517 Stone Way N, Fremont. Another unique phenomenon, the bulk of the space at the Gypsy trader is occupied by a secondhand items store. Some of the items from there have drifted away into the coffeeshop area, and you have a curious feeling of drinking coffee inside something that looks like a cross between a hip hangout and your grandmother's house. (But more like your grandmother's house.) The service is great, and the snacks are made with care. 5/2006
• Cafe Allegro **½ 4214 University Way NE, U District. A nice small coffeeshop near the UW campus. The most amusing thing we found in there is a collection of currency from around the world. 5/2006
• Espresso Vivace *** 901 E Denny Way, Capitol Hill. This is the true coffee connoisseur hangout, and it shows: The macchiato is a piece of art. The space is decorated so as to appeal to the local Capitol Hill specimen. This is not a bad thing. 5/2006
• Victrola Cafe *** 411 15 Ave E, Capitol Hill. In any other city, this could be a three and a half, even four star coffeeshop. But come on guys, this is Seattle, where Victrola is just another place to have coffee. 6/2006

Cafe Diablo, Seattle

Beijing

• Sculpting in Time *** West of Wudaokou subway stop, Haidian. (Walk straight through the clothing store.) Coffee is a luxury item in Beijing, and some places that serve it feel like enclaves of expats with no connection to the real world. Sculpting in Time isn't; it is a very cozy and nicely decorated space, populated with students from the nearby colleges, that serves very good coffeeshop fare. Unfortunately, my favorite everyday drink – the americano – is not their best selection, so I usually opt for the smooth, European style latte. 12/2007
• The Bridge **½ West of Wudaokou subway stop, Haidian. When Sculpting in Time moved to its new location next door, this place simply changed its name to Bridge Cafe. The two still look almost indistinguishable. This one is bigger, a bit too big for my taste so I prefer the other one. 12/2007
• The Bridge 2 **½ Wenjin Hotel, 1 E Zhongguancun Rd (at Chengfu Lu), Haidian. This new edition of The Bridge goes to great length to resemble the original, up to the small blue tiles at the counter. The new Bridge is generally less crowded than other shops in the area, but it might still be difficult to find a table on weekends. The space is pleasant enough to sit in, and this is a decent alternative if you don't feel like doing the 10 minute walk to Wudaokou. 10/2008
• Paradiso Coffee at Tsinghua ***½ School of Economics and Management (near East gate), Tsinghua University Campus. After moving out of Beijing I was finally told of this remarkable little coffeeshop a mere 5 minute walk from my former office! There is no going back in time, so be wise and stop by for a little refreshment at Paradiso every day if you have a chance. At 3 yuan for an espresso (yes, 3 yuan, even though the board says 4) and 5 for an americano, you won't break the bank. The place seems to be usually empty, and you can choose between cozy little tables inside, an old couch in the building that houses the coffeeshop, or — if it is nice and sunny — alfresco coffee on the Tsinghua main quad.
• O2 Sun Bookstore Cafe **½ 1 Huaqing Jiayuan at Chengfu Lu (West of Wudaokou subway stop), Haidian. One of the rooms inside this popular bookstore is a very pleasant coffeeshop. Everyone in there quietly reads a book or types on a computer. If the chatty, smoky atmosphere of Sculpting in Time becomes too much, this is a great alternative. I find their coffee is better too, and sometimes they give away free cookies. 12/2007

Sculpting in Time, Beijing

Los Angeles

• Kerckhoff Coffeehouse **½ Kerckhoff Hall, UCLA Campus, Los Angeles. Don't be discouraged by the slow service; yes, it is typical to have 15 baristas behind the counter all run into each other and your drink goes through least 6 hands in the making. The great thing about this place is the outdoor seating. Enjoy the sun and the cheerful students around you, forget your worries, and sip your latte with pleasure. 10/2006
• The Bourgeois Pig **½ 5931 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles. The drinks are mediocre, the service is snappy, the crowd almost hostile, but there is nothing quite like an evening with your friends at this trendy locale in Hollywood. The vintage furniture and purple walls give this place a remarkable atmosphere, and one could waste countless hours in the comfortable plush armchairs. 3/2004
• Insomnia Cafe ** 7286 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles. This place has a lot of character with its velvety couch, yellow walls and high ceilings. The service, however, is horrendous, and unless you fit the image of an aspiring writer or artist or whatever, don't expect to feel welcome. Not a great place for the conversationalist either. The coffee is okay. 5/2008
• Zephyr Coffee House *** 2419 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena. This coffeeshop and creperie is located in a beautiful house on Colorado Boulevard. Each room has a few tables, and there is also nice seating in a garden outside. Zephyr doubles up as an art gallery, and it is not hard to imagine spending the whole day in these pleasant surroundings. 10/2006
• Zona Rosa Caffe **½ 15 South El Molino Ave, Pasadena. Zona Rosa advertises itself as a coffeeshop just like in Mexico City, so I gather that coffeeshops in Mexico City are set to look like living rooms. The roasts are European style (they use Danesi brand), so if you are one of these types that find American coffees too bitter you might enjoy it in there quite a bit. 10/2006
• Europane Bakery and Cafe **½ 950 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena. Nice atmosphere, good coffee, excellent baked goods. 3/2004

America

• Red Emma's Bookstore Coffehouse **½ 800 St. Paul St, Baltimore, MD. This bookstore and coffeehouse turned out a very pleasant surprise in an otherwise dreary town. Teas, espresso drinks, and mattes (an incredibly bitter brewed drink not to be confused with a latte) can be sipped in the company of anarcho-socialist-radical lesbians enjoying their free wireless connection to the world. 5/2005
• Big Sur Coffeehouse *** Big Sur, CA. Excellent espresso drinks, and locally baked goods, at yuppy prices in a beautiful setting. 5/2005
• Caffe Carpe Diem *** 3401 1st Ave (at Upas St), San Diego, CA. The round windows, the mirror in the gilded frame, the safe deposit boxes vaulted into the back, and other extravagant objects give this place an unusual feel. These curiosities work well and the space is very pleasant. If it is too much, there is also a nice porch looking out on the street. The coffee is excellent (organic, free trade, etc.) 6/2008
• Toscanini's ***½ 899 Main St, Cambridge, MA. Renowned well beyond Cambridge for its fantastic ice cream, Toscanini's also serves superb coffee and a good selection of breakfast bites. The modern decor is original but not tacky, making Toscanini's a very pleasant place to spend time reading, relaxing, meditating, or chatting with your friends.
• 1369 Coffee House *** 757 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA. Located about halfway between MIT and Harvard, this coffeeshop appeals to urbanites from both institutions, more often than not immersed in their laptops or thick stacks of paper. The lattes are excellent, and the bagels here make a perfect breakfast.
• The Salt Lake Roasting Co **½ 320 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT. Situated in a spacious two-story building, this shop boasts offering "the perfect cup of coffee", which unfortunately I didn't have a chance to try. The place itself, however, is quite plesant, and offers beautiful views of the spectacular library building just across the street. 5/2004

China

• Cafe Lavande *** 4 Princes Terrace (near mid-levels escalator), Hong Kong. This is a small and cozy place on a side street with no traffic, with decent coffee and some nice looking pastries which I didn't have a chance to try. There are only a few tables so it might be hard to find a spot. Spots can usually be found inside, outside is a bit difficult. Their cappuccino and viennese coffee are very good for European-style coffee. 1/2008 (updated 10/2008)
• Cafe Little **½ 105 Wing Lok St, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. This little store on a narrow street advertises home-brewed coffee. The coffee is quite good, but most of the customers (not many) seem to be there for the snacks. Cafe Little has the feel of a family-run place, and the bistro-like setup makes it a good place for activity watching outside.
• Sakura*do Cafe **½ 142 Xinle Lu, Shanghai. This Japanese coffeeshop is set in the ground floor of a nice, pleasant old building in a fashionable neighborhood that attracts mainly foreigners. The drinks are outrageously expensive but quite good — the cappuccino (sometimes) comes with a pastry and a little chocolate. The service is sometimes too slow, but if you have some time to waste it is a good place to hang out for a bit. Keep in mind that they open only around noontime. 2/2008
• Uma Cafe ** 3rd floor, Yinzuo Plaza, Beijing Lu, Guangzhou. On a weekend, Beijing Lu might be one of the busiest streets in the world; it looks like the whole town of Guangzhou, and more, is out there shopping. So finding this half empty coffeeshop tucked away on the upper floor of a little shopping arcade was a welcome respite. Other than that, it is nothing special: it is pretty dark in there, the drinks are expensive, and the coffee is just okay. 1/2008
• Take Five Café *** Pátio de San Lázaro, Macau. Finding this place in the narrow, crooked streets of Macau was a true delight. It is tucked away from the busy part of town, in a peaceful neighborhood of small houses, greenery, and flowers. The espresso, at 10 patacas, is as cheap as you will find anywhere in China and it tastes good. 3/2008

Take Five Café, Macau

Eurasia

• Classic Cafe Pajton ***½ Maršal Tito 85 (Širok Sokak), Bitola, Macedonia. Decorated in a tasteful cross of classic European and Balkan / Ottoman style, serving excellent cappucinos, featuring great service, Pajton is arguably the most pleasant coffeeshop in Macedonia. Ideally located for observing Bitola's nightlife. 9/2006
• Flawless Coffee **½ Rabin Sq (SW corner), Tel Aviv, Israel. This is more of a lunch place serving sandwiches and all, but the coffee is nice and the service is great too: warm and pleasant but not too chatty. Inside there are a couple of tall chairs and tables, good to sit and read if you come alone. The outside seating has views of the nearby square. 1/2007
• Segafreddo *** Dizengoff St (at Frishman), Tel Aviv, Israel. I don't know if this place has a real name other than this popular Italian brand that it serves, but it appears to be better known for its cookies than for the coffee. The two go together very well; the food, on the other hand, is mediocre. Nice patio if you are not bothered by the cigarette smoke. 1/2007
• Cafe Gramofon *** 3 Tünel Meydanı (next to the Tünel funiculary entrance), İstanbul, Turkey. This looks like a popular music venue in the evenings (charging a substantial cover). However during the day it is a beautiful coffeeshop in a city where finding a decent shot of espresso can be a challenge. 1/2007

Cafe Amica, Skopje

Writen by: www.projectamericano.com