Which city (worldwide) is the best coffee city?

[Olings]

This is starting to get repeatative, but I'm in with Styles on this one too. It annoys me that people have this romantic notion that espresso is best in Italy.

From my personal experience, and I've been to Italy, Copenhagen (and Oslo), does it for me.

Many places in Italy might make good espresso, but I know for sure that a couple of places in Copenhagen makes GREAT espresso.


Ola

[bruceb]

Espresso is the standard coffee drink in Italy. It is not usually thought of as an art form there. There is no question that you can get great espresso in Seattle, Portland, New York, London and Copenhagen. The best you can get in those places may actually suit you better, be more "artsy" than the best in Italy. Nonetheless, you can get a good shot in nearly every city in Italy, the coffee will be freshly roasted (ignoring tourist traps) and the barista (who may be an 18-year old kid) will know how to pull a good shot. It matters not whether you are standing in front of a little lean-to shack on a back street or sitting in a nice restaurant, you won't get a bad shot. I don't know of any other country in the world in which that is true.

[Olings]

Then I guess it's down to defining what the question that started out this thread asks for. Is it: Which city offers the most coffeebars that serve good espresso? or is it: Which city has the most coffeebars (hidden gems) that offers great espresso but not necessarily every bar you bump into will be gold?

Me, I chose to interpret the question as the latter. I think the "coffee scene" in Italy is driven by tradition, whilst the "Third wave" (I really do hate that phrase) espresso scene is driven by innovation and the will and want to improve on the current.


Ola