NOTE: Google changed their maps making them a little more annoying to keep updated, so I haven’t been keeping this map current. Saved here for posterity. If you have suggestions for a new map tool to use, I’d love to hear it – talk to me on Twitter!
Map Legend:
Green: Superlative, a must visit. These are cafes that typically source exceptional coffees direct from the farmer, roast themselves to highlight the terroir above the roast, or use coffee from a well-regarded roaster who does the same. Their baristas are highly trained and consistent, and most of the time you’ll have an exceptional coffee here!
Yellow: Good or Very good: shops that are making a strong effort to ensure high quality. This may include some cafes that can be inconsistent, or that I haven’t visited enough to judge consistency. Read the individual reviews for more detail.
Purple: Honorable mention: above average (or quirky coffee experiences), worth a visit if you’re nearby.
Note that these rankings should be taken as rough guides and are relative to their local context. Things change over time, staff and management changes, and this can all affect the coffee for better or for worse. If you have a good or bad experience, leave a comment and let everyone benefit from your knowledge!
Zoom in and scroll around each city. You’ll find the best specialty coffee and cafes I’ve reviewed in Seoul, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Malmö and beyond!
EUROPE:
View FRSHGRND – Global Cafe Guide in a larger map
ASIA:
View FRSHGRND – Global Cafe Guide in a larger map
NORTH AMERICA
View FRSHGRND – Global Cafe Guide in a larger map
Follow the link to the larger map on your iPhone or iPad to bookmark it, then you can access this guide whenever you’re out.
Also, if you want a more comprehensive map of the best cafes in Tokyo, check out Masahiro Onishi’s great map here.
22 comments
Kalle Freese says:
Nov 14, 2010
Here’s a blog post and quite a comprehensive coffee map I put together on Stockholm: http://coffee-crusade.com/2010/08/08/stockholm-coffee-map/
Aaron Frey says:
Nov 14, 2010
Hey! Thanks for sharing the map, whenever I make it up to Stockholm I’ll have to check out some of these places and drop you a message. Enjoyed checking out your blog, hope you’re having fun with the Synesso, I’m envious!
Sam says:
Nov 24, 2010
That map is exactly what I’m after for Seoul. Cheers.
Aaron Frey says:
Nov 25, 2010
Great! Don’t forget to share your experiences in the comments for whatever cafes you visit, it’s good to have multiple perspectives :)
Drew says:
Apr 3, 2012
That giant gap in the middle of the United States map must be resolved! Come to Chicago, I’ll take you to the best shops the entire universe has to offer.
Yeah – I said it.
Aaron Frey says:
Apr 3, 2012
It definitely needs to be addressed :) I hope to road trip some day and fill in the gaps!
Survival Guide to Korean Coffee Part I: The Basics | ZenKimchi … | Easiest Way To Learn Korean says:
Apr 4, 2012
[…] FRSHGRND and check out the places he explored (it’s slightly out of date since he moved away, but his google map may still be the best way to locate a good coffee shop near you, if you’re in Seoul.). Kiss my […]
Evan Cooper says:
Apr 6, 2012
If you’re ever in the midwest, specifically a state shaped like a mitten, you should check out madcap out of grand rapids. They are doing really amazing things there.
Aaron Frey says:
Apr 6, 2012
I’ve heard good things about Madcap, hope to visit some day :)
Mapping the Rise of Café Culture: Part 1 | Hawk Eye Maps says:
Sep 20, 2012
[…] best coffee in the world” mapped out at the coffee enthusiast blog FRSHGRND’s Global Cafe Guide. Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like […]
Korean Cafe Interior Design | FRSHGRND says:
Oct 8, 2012
[…] World’s Best Coffee Map Best Coffee in the World! […]
pokai says:
Nov 26, 2012
I love this blog. If you go to Taiwan, welcome to our coffee shop.
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Survival Guide to Korean Coffee Part I: The Basics | ZenKimchi Korean Food Journal says:
Apr 12, 2013
[…] FRSHGRND and check out the places he explored (it’s slightly out of date since he moved away, but his google map may still be the best way to locate a good coffee shop near you, if you’re in Seoul.). Kiss […]
NPR Coffee Week | FRSHGRND – Coffee Reviews, Travel, Photography says:
Apr 22, 2013
[…] Maps to Best Coffee in the World! […]
Blog Profiles: Coffee Blogs | Beyond Bylines says:
Jul 21, 2014
[…] It’s written and managed by cultural analyst and ethnographer Aaron Frey, who already has trekked through parts of Asia, Europe, and the US for great coffee. You even can check out his list of best cafes in the world. […]
Amit Ahuja says:
Aug 3, 2014
I live in India were coffee is popular as instant coffee, not the freshly roasted one. I had to manage on either the coffee beans or the ground coffee. Do you have any ideas for India Aaron?
karim birimumaso says:
Dec 29, 2015
hello there my name is karim and i m working with mr örn,we looking business with you We are working to raise awareness to the lack of education in uganda and poor job opportunities. Our goal is to provide education and create more jobs. We want to make a difference we are working with farmers we buying coffee straight from farmers Arabica and Robusta also we are supplying frozen fruits and fresh fruits and other kind of food and need on the daily basis we provide a free samples and our quality matters regards Karim, http://farmersfriends.is
Bisuzs Coffee says:
Apr 2, 2016
Great recommendations! I’ll make sure to check out those cafes if I go to the countries!
Matt Bertram says:
Aug 15, 2016
Cool website, Im begging my MACA this fall in Denmark! Now on to coffee lol, here are the three best places I have been to, if you’re looking for new ideas. 1. %Arabica in Kyoto, Japan 2. Barista Parlor in Nashville, Tennessee 3. Spyhouse Coffee in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Best wishes :)
Supanun says:
Sep 12, 2016
Oh! it’s very helpful! I’ll absolutely use it when I visit these countries. Thank you!
Learning about the coffee and coffee shop industry | cafespaces says:
Mar 15, 2017
[…] made a great effort to explore the world of cafes on offer, and has even made some maps of the ‘Best Cafes in the World’. I first discovered this site when researching café culture in […]
firstphoenix says:
Apr 13, 2017
Wow… beautiful photos here. Do you know what brand of roaster that is sitting on the cupboard in the photo above?