There's an ongoing liaison between design and coffee culture, and it's making every cup even more invigorating. Textural plaster walls, collector-worthy painting and photography collections carefully hung up on the walls, and surreal environments that, at least at first glance, are more akin to film sets than fit for caffeine serving, are only a handful of the signs of the global coffee industry's recent aestheticization.
Complicit, perhaps, the growing desire to turn every moment — starting from our hard-to-plan, long-awaited friend catchups — into spendable 'content' (an expression I personally hate using, but that, unfortunately, reflects the zeitgeist), cafés in London, as well as anywhere else in the world, have become the next design hubs. The result is new, inspiring coffee roasters and indie bakeries being unveiled every month, each bearing the signature of some of today's most imaginative architecture and interior tastemakers, and, therefore, well worth a pin on your maps.
To give you a head start on uncovering some of the coolest coffee shops in the world, we have rounded up five of our recently spotted, new favorite addresses across Paris, Los Angeles, Edinburgh, Kyoto, and, needless to say, London. So that the next time you find yourself wandering around an established or rising design capital, desperate for a shot of energy, you know where to go — to restore your mind and body, and feast your eyes on some captivating decor.
Oula Café, London
93 Mortimer St, London W1W 7SS
So, what makes an establishment one of the coolest coffee shops in the world? In the case of French-Tunisian chef and culinary creator Boutheina Bensalem's women-inspired experimentation platform at Fitzrovia gallery Ibraaz, Oula Café, it's the flair demonstrated in transforming the café into a heritage-rich space for conversation, leaning heavily on gastronomic traditions, artistry, and design to uplift and inspire on a daily basis.
Created by South African architect Sumayya Vally of Johannesburg-based practice Counterspace, the interiors instantly captivate thanks to their terracotta-pink palette. Textural plaster walls echo the fertile essence of nature and soil — from which all North African delicacies that are served up here ultimately originate — stone-topped, geometrically cut, matte chrome tables are made even bolder styled alongside lacquered fuchsia chairs with a rounded shape. On both the walls and the shelves, eye-catching photographs hinting at rituals of food and care are shown alongside products and crafty collectibles for a home-like effect. And what's better than feeling welcome, wherever you are?
Quartz Café, Paris
36 Rue de Bellechasse, 75007 Paris, France
With its 19th and 20th-century literary cafés still impressed in everyone's imaginary of what Paris stands for culture-wise, the French capital falls no short of truly spellbinding coffee shops, and that's never been truer than in recent years. Earlier this spring, though, residents of its artsy 7th arrondissement got another excuse to leave their panoramic apartments to sip their hot drinks outside — or, better, within the shimmering new interiors of the Sophie Dries-designed Quartz Café.
Envisioned with the design community in mind, the chrome-clad caffeine hub looks the part, particularly (prove me wrong if you think otherwise) for lovers of all things crystals and horoscopes. The connection between the coffee shop and the mineral world is openly stated in its name, which draws from the designer's own fascination with stones, and it's even more tangible in the countless Corten and polished stainless steel and bronze welds that dot the address in its entirety. And in the high-tech water filter system that, set up in the store, enriches it with magnesium and calcium for a restorative experience.
Here, even the pastries (courtesy of interdisciplinary culinary studio Toutia) look more like organically shaped collectibles than edibles, ranging from black sesame biscuits to date fondants and yuzu mochi for a taste of Middle East and Asia. Everyone's favorite green drink is sourced from Kyoto's KOMĀ KYOTO, while the earthy café curtains are l/uniform. Plus, a bespoke, retro-fueled sound system by Matéo Garcia gives the establishment hi-fi credentials, in line with the audio renaissance witnessed inside many of the world's hippest bars.
Twelve Triangles, Edinburgh
23 Market Square, Melrose TD6 9PL
Grounding ochre walls, lived-in wooden surfaces, and artisanal goods to pick from — whether to eat, to collect, or to savor at home. Scottish bakery and coffee shop Twelve Triangles will get to the heart of modern rustic decor at first glance, and rightly so. Since 2015, the beloved concept, which boasts nine locations across Edinburgh and Melrose, has carved itself a reputation within the local café society through its signature range of slow, cold-fermented sourdough loaves, viennoiserie, and baked goods, while also selling a curated collection of homewares and accessories.
While we can certainly recognize the value that lies in organically produced and freshly made dough-y things, it was Twelve Triangles' beautifully timeless look that made it land in this roundup on the coolest coffee shops in the world. The brainchild of former costume designer and self-professed foodie Rachel Morgan, Twelve Triangles translates its ingredients-first vision of bakery into spaces that feel rooted in old-style craftsmanship. The front of its Melrose outpost, painted a woody hue of brown with golden signage, and equipped with frame-like, floor-to-ceiling windows that let passersby peek inside, has in itself a romantic charm to it. One-off ceramics, rattan detailing, and raw florals will do the rest.
NOUN, Los Angeles
4065 Glencoe Ave #100, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, United States
Ever found yourself wishing that your favorite coffee shop could stay open until late at night? NOUN in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles, turns that dream into a reality, doubling up as a laidback-cool wine bar. Taking over a surface of 1,500 square feet, this day-to-night destination instantly reminded me of the design-heavy interiors of Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli's latest cinematic hit, The Drama, largely thanks to the Noguchi paper lanterns and plethora of postmodernist furniture inventively styled throughout.
The work of Warkentin Associates, NOUN offers a curated, high-quality menu of specialty coffee, matcha, natural wines, and light bites, seamlessly serving as a spot for working, catching up with friends, or lounging at night. Opened last September, it quickly garnered attention thanks to its artist's living room feel, blending geometrical lines and shiny touches with an authentic, industrial-chic vibe. Walk in, and you'll find yourself surrounded by the most iconic vintage finds, alongside custom-made designs and tropical plants. The menu pairs espresso-based drinks, pour-overs, and specialized matcha lattes, as well as Vietnamese coffee, with inventive cocktails, a selection of beers and natural wines, and snacky plates.
CHALLE, Kyoto
315-1 Shintomicho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-0875, Japan
I said it before and I say it again: some of the greatest examples of restaurant, hotel, and, like in this case, coffee shop designs carry the ability to transport us elsewhere. Kyoto's CHALLE, designed by UNC Studio, is one of them. Finding its home in a craftily renovated, traditional machiya townhouse, it caught my eye because of its color-blocked terracotta interior sets the scene for a memorable culinary experience, punctuated by specialty coffee offerings and a Japanese-infused selection of tacos and churros.
What I love most about CHALLE, though, is that, unlike many of the coolest coffee shops in the world, it doesn't look like one at all. Instead, it could pass for a minimalist residence, with corners carefully curated to accommodate unique artisanal collectibles, tactile accessories, and amenities. The walls themselves, boasting traditional persimmon tannin and iron pigment, and the bold neon sconces that segment them, clash with the down-to-earth atmosphere of similar establishments, immediately conveying a distinctive mood. Similarly decorated floors allow visitors to either enjoy their drink of choice while standing and mingling (first) or lingering (second), while a selection of minimalist homewares is available to purchase on site.
The coolest cafés in the world aren't the only foodie hotspots to be getting the design treatment recently. Whether in New York or London (and beyond), creative flair and gastronomy have never gone more hand in hand, and a new wave of artsy eateries is already demonstrating that.
