A freshly brewed cup of coffee is the perfect way to recharge yourself that instantly refreshes you and gears you up for the day. A café is the best place to unwind, catch up with friends, have informal meetings, or relish a good cup of cappuccino, Latte, a Macchiato, or any other coffee of your choice.
Finding such a refreshing coffee shop especially on the go is a challenge in itself. Do we go for the coffee flavors or the uniqueness of the cafés? There are innumerable cafés around the world and to help you narrow down a go-to café when you travel, below is a list of 10 unique café across the world.
These cafés are a must-visit when you are in the country or the town. These will surely find a place in your travelogue for their quirkiness and uniqueness and be a part of your memories.
Brigit’s Bakery Bus Tour (London, England)
When in London, a visit to this café is a must. To relish a good cup of coffee on the wheels, this café inside a double-decker bus is an extended outlet of the main Brigit’s Bakery in London. The tour of the bus lasts for about 90 minutes and passes by some worth seeing landmarks like The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Downing Street, and Westminster Abbey. Afternoon Tea can wait as Brigit’s Bakery Bus Tour, without a doubt, tops the most astounding cafés.
The Attendant (London, England)
Credit: Somethingdifferent.london
Another must-visit café in London is by two friends in England who redesigned, renovated and transformed a public washroom which was underground into a café called the Attendant coffee shop. They transformed the urinals and converted them into countertops. Quite a start, worth the visit!
The Laundromat Cafe (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Credit: Facebook the laundromat cafe
Visiting Denmark on your next holiday? Well! Established in 2004, this unique café in Copenhagen called the Laundromat Café is a must-visit. It is a combination of a coffee shop and a laundry. You can eat, socialize, read, surf and well, do your laundry.
Avocaderia — (New York City, New York)
If you love avocado, this unique café based in New York City in New York is a must-visit. The food here is all prepared based on this one fruit. They serve bowls, toasts, wraps, and much more made out of avocado.
Tori no Iru (Tokyo, Japan)
If you are a bird lover then café Tori no Iru is the right place to pay a visit. You can enjoy your cup of coffee interacting with different kinds of birds flying over your head. Out of many, you can surely feel the presence of parakeets, owls, and several birds of prey such as hawks.
The Note Coffee (Hanoi)
The note café is unique in itself as it is decorated by thousands of notes which have been written by visitors all over the world. The chairs, tables, and walls all are covered with these notes describing the liveliness and the ambiance giving a homely feeling. All the guests coming to this amazing café leave messages on colorful papers for visitors in the future.
Disaster Café (Lloret de Mar, Spain)
Apart from enjoying the Spanish tomatoes and salsa, a uniquely located café is the Disaster café. It adds to its uniqueness as it creates an earthquake of a magnitude of 7.8 along with every order. This splendid café, known for its craziness, is anything but disastrous.
Shakespeare and Company Café (Paris)
Hear ye, Hear ye, Bibliophiles! When in Paris, a must-visit café for all the book lovers is the Shakespeare and Company café which is located inside the book store which is more than a century old. So, you can browse through books while enjoying a stimulating cup of coffee. Heaven!
Dans Le Noir (Paris)
Can you hear the vielle à roue playing in the background by now or is it just us? Another unique visit should be to this café which is different from others as the entire dining is without any light and nothing is visible. The food served is from a surprise menu and thus the guests have no idea about what they are going to eat. All the people serving the food in this exclusive café are blind.
Chill Out Ice Lounge (Dubai, UAE)
After a gazillion reasons to love Dubai, there sure is another. The entire interior of this café is totally made of ice. The chairs, tables as well as all sculptures inside the café are totally made of ice. As it is very chilly on the inside and it becomes difficult to enter the café without adequate clothing, all the appropriate clothing, as well as other material, are provided by the café before entering the cool lounge.
When you plan your next trip, don’t forget to visit these exceptional cafes around the world and capture some crazy memories while enjoying some exquisite food and coffee. Each of these cafés that have made it to the list has something special to offer whether in terms of ambiance or terms of food or location. Take your pick or visit them all. Happy Globetrotting!
In the times that we live today, our life is full of commitments, responsibilities and to do multiple roles. And, with life moving at a very fast pace there are so many deadlines to meet that maintaining a work-life balance becomes a task. This is when a cup of hot coffee benefits comes to the rescue where you can take a moment to relish and rejuvenate in your busy day.
Coffee is considered to be a great stress buster that can instantly fight sleepiness, alerts the mind and energizes the body. A good cup of freshly brewed coffee is the perfect way to start your day and energize yourself.
The biggest dilemma which most coffee drinkers face is, how many cups of coffee should one drink that is healthy and beneficial. Several studies and researches have been conducted on the amount of coffee to be consumed and its effects.
There are many coffee benefits such as-
It is good for the heart
Prevents certain tumours
Increases alertness
Good for the respiratory system
Variants of Coffee
Coffee benefits also depend on choosing the right amount of caffeine consumption based on the size of the cup and the quantity of black coffee it contains. The way the coffee is prepared, the type of bean used and the brewing method determine the quantity of caffeine which will eventually be consumed.
Coffee comes in several variants, but Robusta and Arabica are the most popular and known. The least amount of caffeine is found in Arabica which is grown in South and Central America. Compared to this Robusta contains caffeine which is almost two times the amount present in Arabica.
Methods of Preparation
The way the coffee is prepared affects caffeine concentration present in it as well as giving essence and flavour to it along with coffee benefits.
Infusion or Immersion Method
In this process, water is heated till it reaches the right temperature after which it is infused with ground coffee till the compounds are released into the water.
The extraction of caffeine depends on the temperature of the water. Some of the coffees prepared by this method are
Boiled coffee
Cold-brew
Turkish coffee
French press
Machine Prepared
While preparing this coffee, water is heated in the chamber that is lower which has a different pressure than that of the upper chamber which is open. The heated water rises due to this method and the coffee granules are extracted instantly. This kind of coffee is made in the vacuum coffee maker, the Italian coffee maker and the espresso machine.
Being machine prepared, each cup of coffee has a varied caffeine concentration.
Filtered and Percolated Coffee
The combination of gravity and the high temperature of the water is used to produce coffee in percolators as well as filter coffee. The hot water is slowly allowed to drip in the filter which has ground coffee in it and letting it fall on its own.
Appropriate Caffeine Estimation
The recommended quantity of caffeine which can be consumed in a day is 400 mg. Most of us tend to drink our coffee in the same way and use the same kind of mug or cup, therefore, the best way to keep a track of the caffeine consumption is to make a note of the amount of coffee we use and the number of cups we take in a day.
To calculate an estimated consumption of coffee that is good for everyday use, we can get a fair idea by the method in which it is prepared and the amount of caffeine it contains. For example
A small cup of filter coffee has a caffeine concentration of approximately 69.2 mg/100 ml which rounds up to 21 mg of coffee in a cup of 30 ml.
Coffee prepared in an espresso machine has a caffeine concentration approximately of 420 mg/100ml which rounds up to 126 mg of coffee in a cup of 30 ml
A cup of cold brew has a caffeine concentration of approximately 224mg/100 ml which rounds up to 67 mg of coffee in a cup of 30 ml
Coffee brewed in an Italian Mocha pot has a caffeine concentration of approximately 219.2mg/100 ml which rounds up to 66 mg of coffee in a cup of 30 ml
A cup of French press coffee has a caffeine concentration of approximately 74.2mg/100 ml which rounds up to 22.5 mg of coffee in a cup of 30 ml
These estimates of the amount of caffeine in each kind of coffee above will help coffee drinkers to consume coffee as per the quantity recommended and not exceed the limit hampering one’s health.
Yes, now you can assess coffee benefits by making an estimate of the number of cups you drink. Enjoy your favourite cup of coffee and begin the day with renewed energy and freshness.
The finest cup of coffee can only be prepared if the coffee beans are the best and of fresh quality. Selecting the best quality coffee beans can be compared to buying a bottle of good wine. Buying coffee beans requires careful selection.
It is important to have some basic knowledge about the world of coffee. It is important to sample the taste and aroma of different types of coffee before you finally decide on which coffee – Availability to take home. There are some more features which you should keep in mind when you go out to buy coffee beans. One of them is the acid content in the coffee. All coffees require a certain amount of acidity to prevent them from being flat or dull. The coffee having less amount of acidity is also called “mellow”.
The second factor to consider is the aroma as the aroma of coffee can be flowery, earthy, fruit-like, earthy, smoky or it can even have the aroma of certain nuts or berries.
TASTE: the regions where the coffee beans grow have a lot of impact on their taste. This depends upon the elevation and farming methods, the soil, and whether the coffee beans are organic or have been grown in the shade.
Now let’s dive into understanding the different types of coffee beans
Arabica Coffee Beans
Another name for Arabica is Arabian Coffee. It is considered to be the first species of coffee that was cultivated and comprises a major part of global production. It is the most popular coffee in the world. These coffee beans are grown all over the world but have their origin in the southwestern islands of Ethiopia. It is also grown in areas around the equator, Brazil being the largest producer in the world. They have a balanced taste which is not very strong. It comes in a slightly sweet flavor with a tinge of nuts, chocolate, caramel, fruits, or berries. It can be slightly acidic and bitter in taste.
Some of the most common kinds of Arabica coffee beans are
Bourbon which is a bit of a chocolaty and fruity in flavor
Typica is one of the first coffee variety and today most of the varieties we see come from this
Caturra coffee has a light body and a citric flavor, and many more.
Some of the benefits of this coffee are:
Low calorie without added milk and sugar
Rich in anti-oxidant
Contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals
Can be used as a skincare product
It is best enjoyed as a cold beverage.
Robusta Coffee Beans
Robusta coffee is commonly known as coffee Cenephora which owes its origin to Africa. It is generally used in espresso, instant coffee, and also as a filler while blending certain kinds of ground coffee. The taste of Robusta coffee is between neutral and harsh. It is considered to have a very bitter taste. These coffee beans grow at a low altitude. It requires a very low production cost and is not susceptible done by pests. The farmers use the mono-cropping method for growing these coffee beans.
Some of the benefits include
More caffeine and less sugar
Low acidity
Cheaper in price
Liberica Coffee Beans
Liberica coffee is also known as “Barako” meaning manly. The country of origin for this coffee is the Philippines. The beans of Liberica coffee are large in size and irregular in shape. The coffee beans have an aroma that is fruity and floral. It has a full body and a smoky taste. This coffee is strong in flavor due to the distinct smell it carries while it gets roasted. The taste of this coffee is considered to be woody by most people.
Benefits
It is a great anti-oxidant
Used as a body scrub in the spa treatment
Reduces the chances of Alzheimer’s and heart diseases
This is one of the rarest and least found coffee in the world today.
Excelsa Coffee Beans
Excelsa is also known as Coffea dewevrei or dewevreié and owes its origin to Central Africa where it was first cultivated. It is known to grow best between the altitudes of 1000 to 1300 m.a.s.l. in a much vertical space as it is a tree-like plant and not a shrub.
The coffee beans of Excelsa coffee are small and round and are mostly used to blend with other coffees. It possesses a fruity and tart body and has a roast taste.
Benefits
Contains lower levels of caffeine
Excelsa tree is resistant to many diseases like coffee leaf lust, minor moth on coffee leaves, nematodes, etc.
Diving into different types of coffee, Robusta and Arabica hold more domination in the world of coffee, and sometimes these coffee beans are mixed to give a more interesting flavor, aroma, and texture to help you with a cup to enjoy.
In the end, the idea should be to measure life with coffee spoons whether you choose to drizzle mocha or vanilla.
