‘World's best' coffee shop for 2025 named
At least that's what a new list ranking top cafés globally found, with the Australian city beating out perennial rival Melbourne for the top spot.
Sydney-based Toby's Estate Coffee Roasters was crowned the best coffee shop in the world, followed by Onyx Coffee Lab of Arkansas, Gota Coffee Experts of Vienna, Austria, Proud Mary Coffee of Melbourne and Tim Wendelboe of Oslo, Norway.
The top 10 coffee shops also hailed from Singapore, France, Malaysia and Colombia.
Cafés worldwide were judged on a variety of factors, ranging from quality of coffee and food, sustainability practices and customer service, according to the ranking's website. Both public opinions and experts' evaluation were taken into account to reach the final selection, according to the 'World's 100 Best Coffee Shops.'
Jody Leslie, general manager for Toby's Estate, told CNN Travel that her whole team was 'completely stoked' when they learned about the result.
'We've been in the coffee game a long time and we know what we do is amazing and we try very hard to be consistent and so to be recognized like this is just amazing,' she said.
Its flagship shop, located in Sydney's southwest Chippendale neighborhood, earned the recognition, but it has branches across Australia and Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia and the Middle East.
Leslie said sales have surged since the announcement, attracting more visitors eager to try her team's coffee. To thank customers for their support, Toby's Estate will host a free coffee day on February 27.
The Toby's Estate flagship shop features a brew bar where coffee is made in front of customers and a roastery on-site, roasting fresh beans daily.
The coffee chain began in 1997, when lawyer Toby Smith started the business from his mother's garage in Woolloomooloo, a harborside eastern suburb of Sydney.
Arkansas-based Onyx Coffee Lab ranked second. The company has three branches in Bentonville, Fayetteville, and Springdale, but it wasn't clear which made the list. Vienna's Gota Coffee, ranked third, also took to social media to express gratitude for the recognition.
'We are honored to share this award with not only the top 100 shops around the world mentioned but all the cafes throughout the industry who get up each morning to offer the best hospitality and service to their guests,' Onyx Coffee Lab posted on its Instagram.
'This journey has been fueled by passion, precision, and the incredible support of our coffee-loving community,' Gota Coffee posted on its Instagram. 'Here's to pushing the boundaries of coffee culture, one brew at a time!'
Australia's cafe scene is famed for its cool vibes and the competitive spirit of baristas chasing the perfect brew.
Australian cafés have popped up in major cities worldwide, offering up avocado toast and flat whites — both of which originated in the country (though many New Zealanders dispute the flat white's origin).
Within Australia, a long-standing rivalry exists between Sydney and Melbourne – not least over which city brews the better cup of joe.
Melbourne has traditionally been regarded as the country's coffee capital — with a coffee history that dates back to the post-World War II era, when Italian immigrants brought their espresso machines and café traditions to the city.
In recent years, Sydney's coffee scene has punched above its weight, bruising the pride of Melbourne fans. The Harbor City overtook Melbourne last year in a list of the top 10 best cities worldwide for coffee, published by American magazine Food & Wine. Sydney took home the number three spot, while Melbourne landed at number 10.
The magazine named Melbourne's Proud Mary a 'standout' café, which also ranked fourth on the world's 100 best coffee shop list.
That wasn't the only blow to Melbourne's coffee reputation. In 2023, Australian travel site Wotif.com awarded the title of 'best flat white' to The Cupping Room in the national capital of Canberra, despite calling Melbourne the 'unofficial coffee capital of the world.'
If there's one thing the lists can agree on, it's that Australia wins.
'I think our win is a win for the country. Australian coffee is, I think, the best in the world and so it doesn't come down to Sydney and Melbourne,' said Leslie of Toby's Estate. 'We want to be strong as a country, and that helps everyone.'
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