Traveling with an Aussie has been a constant search for some good coffee. Coffee is just one of those things that Jack can’t live without–he NEEDS it! While traveling, this can become a bit of an issue–more so for Jack. Especially in Asia, a good coffee has been an everlasting endeavor, a hunt for nearly 2 hours just for that one delicious coffee.
So we have saved you some time by listing some of the best coffee finds that has pleased the Aussie coffee enthusiast! We obviously haven’t had a coffee at every coffee place, but we have still found a few gems.
We hope you enjoy the list. If you have any coffee recommendations, please feel free to contact us! We love to try new places and most importantly share the best places to go!
Australia’s Best Coffee
Melbourne
Axil Coffee
Axil Coffee is a great little café in Glenferrie, which is a little out of the city but defintely worth the trip. Axil Coffee roasts its own beans and serves a mean meal. A coffee and poached eggs with avocado mash was almost ideal for breakfast…or even lunch!
Market Lane Coffee
Market Lane Coffee has got to be one of the most reputable coffees in Melbourne. The owners have been so successful, that they have opened up a second store- Prahran and Carlton. You have to try it when in Melbourne! It is hands down one of the best!
Proud Mary’s
Proud Mary’s is also one of the leading cafes in Melbourne. The place itself is quirky and interesting. They have a very obvious high standard for quality and taste and use some of the best beans for their coffee. Every time we go, we are always impressed by their flat whites and mochas. This is another place where the breakfast is quite good ̣especially the QUINOA avocado mash!
America’s Best Coffee
Los Angeles
Intelligentsia Coffee
Intelligentsia is a great café located on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, Los Angeles. The baristas are knowledgeable and know heaps about the beans and how to properly brew a good coffee (which is pretty rare in The States!). It offers an unusual layout where we can look into the coffee shop and see where the magic is made! They also play some good tunes. Intelligentsia is a must go to get your coffee fix in LA!
Bar Nine
If you are looking for the best of the best, you can not go past Bar Nine. These guys measure out every grind and have the coolest coffee machine ever. We had a flat white and it was wonderfully strong with the perfect milk consistency.
how to make coffee to at least provide you with a good one!
San Francisco
Saint Franks
Saint Franks was actually named as a top 50 coffee shop in all of America! Rightly so! Those who work at Saint Franks know how to make a mean coffee. Milk was at perfect heat, bean roast was delicious, and the milk froth pouring was on point. We could have spent all day in there! The Aussie was very happy with this find.
The Coffee Bar
The Coffee Bar was one of our first stops in San Francisco. It had a really cool layout, an outdoor patio, the coffee bar, and an upstairs with tables, couches and a bar to eat, drink coffee, and work at. The best was that this coffee shop had selected tables for laptop use only and non laptop use. Not to mention, the coffee did not disappoint. A mocha, a flat white and strong wifi kept the Who Needs Maps team satisfied and ready to work!
Cambodia’s Best Coffee
Siem Reap
Common Grounds
Common Grounds is a great little cafe that is a little out of the city center, located in the old French quarters. It serves huge food portions and a strong creamy cappuccino (Australian Coffee). The cafe is also full of people working away on laptops as the wifi is quite reliable.
Cafe Central
Cafe Central is a little pricer, however the quality is worth it. They roast and barrist a mean flat white, which is an Australian type of coffee. The food is also a little pricy by Cambodian standards but of good western standard.
Phnom Penh
Brown Coffee
Brown Coffee is a great place to chill out and relax with a nice coffee. There are a few cafes under the Brown’s brand and they are all large and have a high barista standard. The food is also discounted at the end of the day!
Koh Rong
Tree House Bungalows
If you are looking for a quiet getaway, you can stay in the Tree House Bungalows. The restaurant attached to this accommodation is the only place on the island to get a decent coffee. They do a very nice filtered coffee with local cambodian beans.
China’s Best Coffee
Beijing
Café Flat White
Cafe Flat White was an Aussie’s paradise ̣̣(most likely owned by one…). It is located near the famous silk market, which is one of the best places to snatch up a bargain on some fake shoes, shirts and electronics. This café makes one of the best flat whites, which is extremely rare in China, so make sure you try one!
Starbucks – (Craziness, we know!)
We thought it would never come to this, but China is a strange place. Starbucks coffee has actually improved their standards in China (or maybe we just lowered ours). It seems that they train their barristers properly and use fresh milk. The coffee chain is everywhere, so if you are really hankering for a coffee in China, you might as well settle for Starbucks!
Hong Kong’s Best Coffee
18 Grams
18 Grams has a few stores in parts of Hong Kong. You can tell they hire baristas that know what they’re doing, use fresh milk, and provide coffee with high standard beans. Although a bit pricey, 18 Grams is definitely one of the better places in Hong Kong to get your coffee fix.
The Coffee Academics
The Coffee Academics is a cool little coffee house in Causeway Bay. It is also a barista school and restaurant. The food was some of the best, but the coffee was even better. You can expect a place that teaches how to make coffee to at least provide you with a good one!
Philippines Best Coffee
Bohol
Art Café
Art Cafe is one of the few places to get a coffee in the small town of Bohol, on Panglau Island. We opted for a cold drip coffee and were happily surprised! They had used a really nice bean and had a smooth creamy texture. However, the cold drip coffees tend water down a little too much once the ice starts to melt, but nonetheless, tasty and refreshing on a hot and humid day!
Vietnam’s Best Coffee
Hoi An
MIA Coffee
MIA coffee house is a 10min walk from the river. They only serves drinks, however, they are incredibly talented at making a good a coffee. We would recommend a morning walk along the river followed by a latte in MIA’s nice little French inspired café. We went about 3 times during our 5 day stay. In short, the Aussie was pleased.
Hanoi
Joma
Joma is a chain in Asia that has their coffee down. You really need a good coffee to wake you up for the hustle and bustle of Hanoi! They have decent barristers, providing you with a great little latte. The breakfast burrito and bagels also went very well with our morning coffees!
Align 3D Graphics Cafe
Align cafe is a hidden gem tucked away down a back alley but it is well worth the search. We discovered what is called a yogurt coffee. Sounds weird, but it is definitely a beverage that you have to try while in Vietnam. Align cafe just happens to be the best place to get one!
Read more on our favorite Vietnamese Cafes!
Indonesia’s Best Coffee
Bali
Sacred Ground
Sacred Ground have got their coffee down to perfection, even though you may be paying $3-4 for a cup of coffee, it is worth it! Not only do they serve my favourite ‘Flat White’ but they also have a clever name, check out their website here.
Petit Cafe
Petit Cafe is summed up in the name really, this is a great little place that is fun to hang out and grab a morning cup of coffee. It is close to the beach and up the quiet end of Denpasar in Seminyak.
Lombok
Lombok Coffee House
Lombok Coffee House is a very cute little coffee hangout. It offers a huge selection of brews and the staff are well informed on what is the best bean for that time of year (we went in July). The coffee house has a lot of the best local beans and FREE wifi for all you backpackers. A cup of coffee will set you back $3-4 but you can easily waste a good hour or two here!
