There are plenty of places to grab a cup of joe, but the best coffeeshops do more than just serve up beans. They’re destinations that are a joy to be in, that inspire us to learn more about the world around them and that have a deep-seated sense of hospitality that makes them feel like home.
For instance, Kim and Scott Sohn have transformed a Highland Park strip mall into one of the city’s most forward-looking coffee shops with Kumquat Coffee, an airy cafe that serves the latest, greatest roasts coming out of America and beyond (with particular attention to Korea, home to one of the most advanced coffee scenes in the world). And at the other end of the country, Brooklyn’s La Cabra has managed to build a whole empire out of roasting and serving their own coffee with an emphasis on empowering employees and inclusiveness.
If you’re in Philadelphia, the cozy, comfortable, wood-paneled One Shot is one of the most popular spots for a cappuccino in Northern Liberties. Meanwhile, Old City Coffee has become a beloved institution in Reading Terminal Market, prioritizing freshness and roasting their own beans on-site.
And in Amsterdam, you can get a cup of coffee at the opulent Dolphins Café, which is clad in velvet-lined booths and offers a calming atmosphere for people-watching, journalling and mulling over a hickory-smoked s’mores latte with vaporizer in hand. In fact, the whole place feels very much like a Dutch version of Brooklyn’s Greenpoint Cafe.