You get to build your perfect space for reading and writing. What’s it like?
I think it is going to look like one our favourite cafés.
Having lived in England for nearly a decade, my perfect space used to be a select few cafés I used to frequent every Sunday. Since being on the road for the past six months, this routine has morphed into exploring unique cafés that best fit our personality and temporarily making them our own.
We like places with great sunlight, preferably with outdoors sitting. They must serve great coffee and/or matcha. Unique concoctions are also appreciated, because why not try a Rose Espresso? Cats are preferable. It doesn’t have to be the quietest – we have earplugs and headphones – but quiet is always better. We generally avoid chain coffee shops, visiting them only when necessary.
We visited some cafés where staff watched us like hawks from the moment we entered. I have also visited places where I was treated less nicely than other customers, primarily Caucasians, before me. We generally avoid chain coffee shops, visiting them only when necessary. We prefer places with an authentic atmosphere, especially those appreciated by locals..
So, here are some of those places.
MINCKA, Haywards Heath, UK
We used to visit MINCKA every weekend. The coffee shop has become increasingly popular in recent years, making it difficult to find a table, especially on a sunny Sunday. The staff knew Cata’s favorite drink, and sometimes we would go in, have our drinks brought to our table, and pay later when when the snake of a queue subsided. Lovely, smiley staff and welcoming service is rather rare in the UK – so this might be a culture shock for some of you. Moreover, Matt, Head of Coffee, is a great guy. Oh, great cinnamon buns too.
IKIGAI, Brighton, UK
IKIGAI serves what I believe to be the best matcha in Brighton – I’m not saying this lightly. IKIGAI is a family-run coffee shop owned by a lovely family whose son loves Pokémon (who doesn’t. All their scrumptious earl grey or matcha cream rolls were made in store. If you haven’t had a Hong Kong-style pineapple bun, a sweet buttery bun that looks like a pineapple but has zero pineapple in it, give this place a visit.
SRRRK, Bratislava, Slovakia
Desperate for a refreshing and cooling drink on a steaming hot July in Bratislava, we stumbled across SRRRK whilst trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of the central area. Tucked away on an alley between two courtyards, SRRRK offered not just excellent homemade Kombucha but also some of THE best Bratislavský rožok we had tried to date. Both the walnut and poppy seed rožok were excellent. But nothing beats some poppy seed paste mixed with sugar!
Riad Atay Moroccan Brunch, Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is an extremely scenic and photogenic city. On one of our exploratory walks through the alleys, we ventured past Saint István’s Basilica and came across Riad Atay. What lured me in, was not just the promise of an excellent coffee but also their Morrocan Ghriba, a sweet and crunchy cookie with a walnut stuck in the middle. Extremely friendly staff, especially considering we walked in five minutes before closing time. Something we hadn’t noticed until much later.
MERON Central, Cluj, Romania
I first tried cascara, a coffee cherry tea, at MERON. The barista was passionate about his brewing technique, and the cascara was excellent. I later bought a bag for our family friend. We enjoyed the lively atmosphere of MERON, a lively energetic vibe of a younger generation, leading Romania further away from its socialist past.
Taiwan: 3 cafés
- Read here 👉 Coffee in Taiwan
Vietnam: 8 cafés
- Read here 👉 Coffee in Vietnam
