Voted best barista in the world, the Sao Paulo native heads the Um Coffee Co. chain and reveals his list of places serving specialty coffee in Asia
Simple kaffaTaipei (Taiwan)
“OR Simple kaffa it is owned by Berg Wu, world champion barista in 2016. It is a place with a lot of history and which has given impetus to the specialty coffee industry in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. There are several units in the city, with different business models: from kiosks selling cheaper coffee, to a shop called Simple kaffa, the coffee one, where booking is mandatory (at least 14 days in advance). There the experience is personalized and this is the only bar in Asia that provides a bartender and a machine for each table. They have movable carts and this way they can move the machine espresso and frozen coffees. Having a bartender just for you who explains everything to you is phenomenal!”
The Coffee One: No. 177, Jinhua St., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106
See other addresses here
Weekend coffeeKyoto (Japan)
“A Weekend coffee it is an unmissable place, one of the pioneers of specialty coffee in Kyoto. The cafe is incredible because it is located in a very old house, which fits well with the city, which is so culturally rich. They roast their coffee on site, you can follow the process and taste it right away. Two addresses, one close to the other: the two-story coffee shop in the Nakagyo Ward, plus a space with a roasting counter in the Sakyo-ku neighborhood, open only on weekends; learn more.”
Nakagyo Ward, Honeyanocho, 560
682-7 Ishifudonocho, Shimogyo neighborhood
Mameya Kakeru CoffeeTokyo, Japan)
“OR Mameya Kakeru takes first place in the world when it comes to specialty coffee experiences. It is in fact a shop focused on selling coffee beans, but which also offers unique tastings with the drink. It is completely focused on omakase coffee, which is a personalized and unique service experience. Closed menus are available only for cocktails with coffee or filtered coffee or with a specific variety. It is located in the Shirakawa coffee district in eastern Tokyo. Unmissable.”
2 Chome-16-14 Hirano, Koto city
Oma coffee roastingHong Kong (China)
“OR Oma coffee It’s a roastery where the owner, who used to import fish and now works with specialty coffees, imports some of the most expensive green beans in the world. He roasts and serves everything right in the café, along with amazing desserts. It’s in the Tai Hang neighborhood, which has many other restaurants, bars and cafes.”
G/F, 9 Wun Sha St, Tai Hang
Oasis CoffeeTaipei (Taiwan)
“A Oasis Coffee It is also a coffee shop focused on roasting and is located in a small space. Taipei is an incredible city, with a lot of culture and a lot of influence from outside, so they bring a bit of Japan to the coffee shops here. The place is very small, but with very well crafted coffees from all over the world. The experience is great because you are in the middle of Taipei, in the old city area, with many restaurants and other cafes to visit around.”
No. 7-3號, Lane 199, Section 4, Xinyi Rd, Da’an District
No. 13-1號, Lane 335, Section 3, Nanjing E Rd, Songshan District
Terraform coffee roastingShanghai, China)
“Shanghai is a very internationalized Chinese city, with a lot of influence from other countries, so they convey this special coffee experience in a different way. Today there are at least ten thousand specialty coffee shops in the city, but I wanted to suggest the coffee shop Terraforming, which comes from an independent roaster. In Shanghai there are many restrictions on roasting within the city, so they are one of the few shops that can roast their own coffee. Furthermore, the design is unique and the high-quality coffees come from all over the world.”
No.79, Guanghua Road, Minhang District
The award-winning bartender from Sao Paulo Boram One is responsible for the Um Coffee Co. coffee shop, located in Bom Retiro, São Paulo. With five other units across the city, Boram handles roasting, quality control and new projects for the brand. In June 2023 he won the World Barista Championship, the “Coffee Olympics”, held in Athens, and took home the title of best barista in the world. Thanks to the award, he has completed a program of international commitments and travels more than ever to visit bars all over the world: at the moment Boram is even in China. In 2023, Um Coffee Co.’s Bom Retiro unit won the Best Coffee Shop award at VEJA SÃO PAULO’s Comer and Beber Awards for the fourth time.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
