Coffee Holidays – Part II – Lisbon, Paris, London and Copenhagen
Let’s talk about coffee…Each cup tells its own story.
In the first part of our coffee trip, we visited Rome, Milan and Vienna, three cities where coffee has long been a part of everyday life. However, it looks slightly different in each of them. One time it’s a quick espresso drunk at the bar, another time it’s an excuse for a longer meeting.
This time we are heading towards the west and north of Europe.
Four cities await us that show a completely different side of coffee culture. Lisbon combines traditional „bica’ with a burgeoning specialty coffee scene. Paris is increasingly bold in moving beyond the classic café au lait model. London has attracted roasters and baristas from all over the world for years, and Copenhagen is one of the important points on the map of modern coffee – the differences are especially visible when we compare Italian and Scandinavian roasting styles.
So if you enjoy checking out not only what’s worth entertaining but also what’s worth trying during your vacation, write down these addresses.
LISBON between tradition and the new wave of coffee.
Lisbon has everything you would expect from a summer city: sun, ocean, colorful facades, old trams and narrow streets where you can stroll without a specific destination.
There is also coffee.
And although Portuguese coffee culture has a long tradition, Lisbon has also become an important destination for specialty coffee in recent years. Alongside classic cafes, modern roasters have appeared, paying increasing attention to the origin of the grains, processing methods and methods of their preparation.
The most characteristic order remains the bica – a small, intense coffee similar to espresso. However, it is also worth trying drip coffees during your stay. These are the ones that show how much Lisbon’s coffee scene has changed.
One of the more interesting places is Hello, Kristof, which combines a café, its own roastery and a more contemporary approach to coffee. Their current location in São Bento also allows you to see the roasting process itself.
It’s also worth checking out Fábrica Coffee Roasters, one of the roasters that played an important role in the development of Lisbon’s specialty scene. The company roasts its own beans and works with coffees from Ethiopia, Colombia, and Brazil, among others.
Where else is worth checking out?
Copenhagen Coffee Lab – an interesting example of how Scandinavian coffee culture found its place in Lisbon. SO Coffee Roasters – a suggestion for people who want to try specialty coffees in a more minimalist version.
What to order?
If it’s your first time in Lisbon, start with a whip. And if you want to see how the Portuguese coffee scene is changing, choose a drip coffee made with specialty beans and be sure to pair it with Pastel de Nata. This connection is hardly accidental, it is simply part of Lisbon.
Pastel de Nata – these are mini tarts popular in Portugal – custard cupcakes baked in perfectly crispy puff pastry, the perfect combination with espresso. If you like this profile, see also our Espresso Premium LIne .
PARIS coffee between tradition and modernity.
Paris has its classic images: tables lined up by the sidewalk, a cup of coffee, a newspaper, a croissant, and a few hours of observing the city.
And indeed – the traditional culture of Parisian cafes is still going strong. But if you’re interested in contemporary coffee, it’s worth looking at Paris a little differently.
In recent years, the city has become an important destination for specialty coffee. Small roasters and cafeterias have emerged where more attention is paid to the origin of the grains, the roasting profile and the extraction method.
One of the most characteristic examples is the Substance Café. It’s a small coffee shop and roastery that consciously puts coffee at the center of its command. There is no music or classic menu full of extras. Guests sit at the bar and the barista talks about the origin of the coffee, the recipe and the nature of the beans. The venue is currently operating on a reservation basis.
This is an interesting approach because it shows the change that has taken place in the world of coffee. It’s no longer just about whether the coffee is good. We increasingly want to know where it comes from, who grew it, how it was processed, and why it tastes this way.
Another important address is Terres de Café, a brand founded in Paris in 2009 by Christophe Servell, which is one of the pioneers of specialty coffee in France. The company works with producers and co-operators in Africa, Latin America, and roasts its coffees in France.
Opposite the Luxembourg Gardens, Le Choupinet attracts attention with its Parisian brasserie with its floral facade and distinctive teddy bears at the tables. It’s a good place to stop for coffee and experience the atmosphere of Paris’ Rive Gauche for a while.
What to order?
In Paris, it’s worth doing a little experiment.
One day, sit down at a classic coffee shop and order a traditional coffee. The next day, choose a specialty coffee shop and try an espresso or a pour-over made with light roasted beans.
Same coffee? NO.
Same culture? Neither.
And that is why Paris is worth discovering not only with your eyes.
LONDON city where coffee does not have one style.
London is huge, diverse and a bit unpredictable. The same can be said about his coffee scene.
You can find everything from small espresso bars, to roasters in industrial spaces, to modern cafes where coffee is treated with the same care as food.
One of the most famous London addresses is .Monmouth Coffee Company. The company’s history dates back to 1978, when coffee was roasted in the basement of a small shop on Monmouth Street in Covent Garden. Today, the company still roasts its own coffee and uses beans from individual farms and plantations.
It’s places like this that show that the specialty coffee craze didn’t appear yesterday. London has been developing its own culture of quality and conscious grain selection for decades.
The second address to save is WatchHouse. The brand started in 2014 in a small building on Bermondsey Street. Today, its spaces combine a café, a smoking room and coffee education. At the Maltby Street venue you can see the roasting process and even take coffee preparation courses.
If you find yourself in East London, Ozone Coffee Roasters is worth checking out. Their London venues work with both single origin coffees prepared by drip methods and their own espresso blends.
What to order?
London is a good place to go for a classic espresso. Try filter coffee or ask a barista about current single origin. If you like milk coffees, flat white is a good choice. And if you are interested not only in the taste but also in the process of making coffee, choose a place with its own roaster.
Then the cup becomes part of a larger story.
COPENHAGEN when coffee becomes part of the lifestyle.
Copenhagen is different.
Not because coffee tastes better here than anywhere else. Rather, because it is difficult to find a clear boundary between a café, a bakery, a meeting place and an everyday lifestyle.
Coffee is just part of it.
There are many specialty coffees in the city, and the coffee culture is so developed that it is difficult to speak of a single style. There are minimalist and very modern places, there are small neighborhood cafes, there are roasters where you can observe the process of roasting the grains.
One of the most important names is The Coffee Collective. It is not only a cafe, but also a smoking room that pays great attention to quality.
The next address is Prolog Coffee Bar located in the popular Meatpacking District. This place combines a café and a smoking room, and its location clearly shows the character of contemporary Copenhagen – industrial spaces, design and very good food meet here at one table.
If you are interested in coffee made from beans roasted on site, it is also worth visiting April Coffee. The café is located in Østerbro and its characteristic feature is its own smoking room.
What to order?
Here it is worth being led by a barista
Ask about the coffee of the day and find out where the beans come from. If you usually drink espresso, try a transfer. If you usually choose cappuccino, order black coffee this time.
Copenhagen is a good place for a little coffee experiment.
Four cities, four ways of looking at coffee.
Lizbona pokazuje, że tradycja może bez problemu spotkać się z nowoczesnością.
Paris reminds us that coffee can be part of urban style, but also a subject of real interest and knowledge.
London is proving that the coffee scene can thrive on many levels, from a small espresso bar… to a large roastery.
Copenhagen, on the other hand, shows how strongly coffee can be incorporated into everyday lifestyle.
And perhaps that’s why traveling in the footsteps of coffee is so interesting. You don’t have to be an expert to do this. You don’t need to know all the varieties of coffee or recognize the notes of jasmine in the first sip. Just curiosity is enough. Next time you’re planning a vacation, try adding more than just a museum, beach, or restaurant to your list.
Add one cafe.
Maybe that’s where you’ll discover the flavor that will remind you of the entire trip.
A little guide for coffee travelers.
If you are starting your coffee discovery journey, don’t try to visit all the recommended places in one day. In coffee, as in traveling, more isn’t always better…
Pick one or two seats and give yourself time.
Notice a few things:
Where does coffee come from? A good coffee shop should be able to tell you at least what country or region the beans come from.
How was it burned? The smoking profile has a huge impact on taste. A light roast can emphasize fruitiness and acidity more, while a darker roast often produces more chocolate and caramel notes.
How was it prepared? Espresso, V60, AeroPress, batch brew or French Press allow you to extract completely different features from the same beans.
Can you talk to the barista? This is often the best way to experience coffee. You don’t need to know specialized vocabulary. Just say what flavors you like.
And most importantly: don’t try to drink coffee „correctly.” Try drinking it consciously. Pay attention to the aroma. For the first taste. For what remains after swallowing. Consider whether your coffee is fruitier, chocolateier, nuttier, sweet, or perhaps drier. It is with simple observations like these that the real exploration of coffee begins.
AND WHERE TO THIS TIME?
Our journey is not over yet.
Europe has a long history of coffee, but the real fascinating differences begin to emerge when we cross its borders.
So in the next part we will go much further – to OSLO, TOKYO and MELBOURNE.
Three cities, three completely different cultures, and three different ways of thinking about what good coffee can be.
And perhaps this is where we will find the answer to the question of what the coffee culture of the future will look like.
Have a good day! ☕️
