Where to sip in four cities famous for coffee
Our experts have traveled the world sipping coffee and experiencing international coffee cultures, and these trails are worth seeking out for any caffeine fiend. From the home of Starbucks to the land of Geisha, these destinations have shaped coffee drinking everywhere, but host distinct farms and cafes that reflect the local community.
Seattle
Seattle is synonymous with coffee. The coastal gem has so much more to offer than just Starbucks or Seattle's Best, though. Citizens of the Pacific Northwest have the kind of love affair with coffee that is usually reserved for art or wine. Browse the gallery above for a few standout coffee bars in the Emerald City for travelers looking past the iconic chains.
Panama City, Panama
Connoisseurs of caffeine have known what the rest of the world is just discovering now: Panama produces some of the finest coffees in the world, and it's become increasingly easier to enjoy in the country. Easier to enjoy in Panama, you wonder? Because of the high quality and cost of the raw materials, coffee growers have largely exported their goods to markets capable of appreciating them — and paying premium prices for them.
But the revival of Panama City is underway, especially in the historic Casco Viejo district. Now that the city’s gaze has returned to its historical roots, local products have enjoyed increased appreciation. Browse the gallery below for how to visit a number of farms in the region, local cafes and more Panamanian coffee destinations.
Bogotá, Colombia
For travelers attracted to experiential drinks tourism, whether wine or whiskey, exploring the provenance of coffee is the next frontier. Colombia, a country almost synonymous with this vital daily beverage (and the leading producer of arabica beans in the world), is the place to do it.
Most international visitors arrive in the capital, Bogotá, a growing metropolis undergoing a third-wave coffee surge. Recently, a handful of native coffee lovers have begun campaigning to transform the drinking habits of a nation, which sold the good stuff abroad for years, by opening local cafes dedicated solely to higher quality Colombian caffeine. Follow the city-to-country trail in the gallery below to discover why Colombia is the perfect place for a first-time foray into coffee travel.
Seoul, South Korea
Coffee is ubiquitous in Korean culture. Little tubes the size of a pencil are filled with powdered instant coffee, sugar and creamer. They're then poured into tiny Dixie cups filled with hot water and served at nearly every social junction. It is common to be handed a cup of piping hot instant coffee while waiting at cell phone shops, after a meal, when entering a shop or during a meeting. This hits the very heart of Korean coffee culture. Coffee itself is secondary to the experience. It is the social aspect of the drink that is first and foremost.
Korean cafes can be inelegantly jammed into three major categories: themed cafes, major chains and serious indie shops. While the dynamic nature of Korea is inherently against round-ups, here are a few of the coffee shop names you should know in Seoul.
Contributing: Captain and Clark and Lauren Mowery