Today’s post is from Cate, the Caffeinated Traveller. So yeah, you can guess what we’re talking about…
Café culture may be viewed as being pretentious and money wasted but there is something about sitting in a café with atmosphere enjoying a delicious coffee, that can’t be put into a few short sentences. To be able to understand why people like me seek simple pleasures in coffee is a matter of going out and trying it yourself. Coffee and cafes is not about sitting around to be seen, it’s about appreciating the talent and art of the barista, the perfect roasting and blending of beans and bringing the two together. It tells a story of how the café came about, influencing factors, and even the owner’s background can come through if you look close enough. A good café is well worth a visit no matter where you travel: homeland or distant shores.
A feature in my travels is to find cafés with “personality”. Places that from the moment you walk into them, makes you want to stay for as a long as possible. Places that can not only produce quality food and good music, but can make some of the best tasting coffee ever.
Personality also means sizing up the people controlling the espresso machine. With luck it’s a trained barista, maybe a perfectionist; or someone who is passionate about coffee. Language, age, gender don’t come into play. A person who knows how to make a fine coffee doesn’t need to have other credentials except to be well versed in beans, brewing techniques and ashamed to serve up an insipid brew to anyone; including their mother.
New Zealand Café Culture
Being from New Zealand has given me plenty of opportunities to experience good and bad coffee. Over the years New Zealand’s café scene has grown and matured. Coffee has become a part of the New Zealand psyche, tea features highly as well. Quality coffee is expected and when a barista doesn’t deliver a quality cup it is usually sent back.
I don’t have a special type of café preference, décor is nice but it doesn’t really matter. In New Zealand I tend to avoid the overly modern style and seek out the older eclectic looking places, because I know it has a specific clientele who like character and of course good coffee.
Café culture in Asia
Living in Asia has given me a front row seat in the development of café culture. Southeast Asian countries have their own coffee known as kopi, which is a mix of coffee and condensed milk; and there are some great boutique cafés worth visiting. Singapore’s Coffee Connoisseur is famous for its gourmet coffees like rose latte.
Korea’s capital, Seoul, is one of the newcomers to this scene. It is a fledgling market still finding its feet, coffee chain stores currently dominant, but the small boutique cafés are fast becoming focal points in the city. Baristas, once a rarity, can be seen more often behind the controls, and finding a café that can serve up quality coffee is also becoming easier.
Café culture has yet to filter down to the smaller provincial cities in Korea, just like other areas in Asia—Japan, China, SE Asia. People’s preference for tea particularly green tea, means teahouses and shops are more popular; or postwar style coffee shops once designed to serve US servicemen, continue to brew up a dirty water type of coffee.
How Coffee Will Travel
On a recent trip to Beijing, it was a pleasant surprise to find cafés other than the US coffee giants. Small café chains have opened their doors, slowly working their magic on international visitors and the younger Chinese generation. Even though I enjoyed visiting Chinese teahouses, to be able to sit down somewhere in a city like Beijing and enjoy a good coffee was also a treat. Finding a café that made coffee blends found largely in Australia or New Zealand showed just how far coffee travels; not only the beans, but the ideas and concepts.
It did take me over a day to find a place that didn’t have a mermaid sign on it, but when I discovered that place, in the basement of a large shopping plaza, both delight and relief crossed over me. Call me an addict, particular, whatever, but discovering a good café can turn a trying day into a great day and have something to share with like-minded coffee lovers who also love to travel.
About Cate
Cate (aka ‘the Caffeinated Traveller’) originates from New Zealand and has spent the last six years living and travelling around Asia. Her passion for photography, travel and coffee keeps her broke but content. Cate has recently relocated to the US ready to explore and write about the Americas, and indulge in caffeine.
Andy’s Note:
Thanks for those insightful comments. You didn’t mention Europe, but I’d have to say each country is pretty different. The UK is full of brand names but also has some amazing boutique places; but in places like the Netherlands or Belgium it’s mostly boutiques where it’s a treat to linger.
Readers, what’s your view? How are the cafes in your part of the world?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post – your first paragraph sums up my feelings exactly! There is nothing quite like sitting in a boutique cafe and enjoying a quality cup of coffee.
One of the best things about being a freelancer is being able to take the laptop and go out to enjoy a coffee in quirky surroundings – that first sip always seems to help the ideas flow.
I do love a good café. When we have been on the road roughing it for awhile, I just love it when we pull into a city and find a great little café to relax in. However, some of my best coffee experiences were in the Sudan and Ethiopia at little shacks on the side of the road. They really knew how to make a great cup of coffee.
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@Jonathan – It is one of those things I do *everywhere* I go. Velvet lounge chairs and a newspaper in Hong Kong? Tick. Typical Starbucks haunt with fantastic Kiwi food before a day of adventure? Tick. Tucked away writing on a wet dreary day in Edinburgh? Unfortunatley, tick.
@ Dave & Deb – You two are well travelled so you deserve a good cup of brew. Extra shot?
Sorry Andy I didn’t mention Europe but it is pretty common knowledge that countries in Europe do coffee well. nNt sure about the UK though???
@Cate – Hmmm… not to offend anyone in the audience, but I’d say that Europe’s coffee scene is far better than in the UK.
My wife and I are huge coffee fans! That is what we do when we travel, we walk from cafe to cafe. We also take photographs of all of our travel coffees to remember our trips.
I was thinking of creating a website with photos of coffees from around the world. Do you think that would be popular?
I would definitely agree with Andy, that the UK is a lacking in decent cafes and restaurants for that matter.
My favorite city in the world for unique cafes with personality is definitely Budapest. The quality of restaurants and service are also amazing.
And for the record, drip coffee doesn’t compare to espresso made in a high pressure machine. You need the caramelized brown foam to have a really good cup of joe. Also, if you put sugar in your coffee than you don’t really appreciate what good coffee is.
That is like putting sugar in a good glass of wine.
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@John – Yes, I’m pretty sure that would be a really popular site. I’ve got a few photos if/when you get started.
I used to put sugar in coffee but now I savour the rough, bitter taste… especially with a really good brew. Although a splash of milk for me please!