The Venue Report is out and with it another esteemed list with the world’s best cafés for 2018. Amongst the top rated establishments that take up the 10 first places, there is not one but three venues that hit close to home.
The first one, and according to The venue Report the best one in the world at the moment, is right here in Australia, located in Melbourne’s most hipster-friendly and bustling with life suburb of Fitzroy.
Formerly located on Napier Street, Julien Moussi is putting his own Inglewood Coffee Roaster’s to the test out of Bentwood.
Bentwood café, true to its name, pays homage to the legendary Thonet furniture showroom thanks to its rustic dining room filled with Melbourne’s most iconic wooden chairs.
With experience gained from Moussi’s previous successful ventures (Elsternwick’s Penta and Northcote’s Tinker) Bentwood boasts the most highly rated caffeine concoctions but also a menu that will make even the most hardly convinced tastebuds explode when it comes to breakfast, brunch and lunch options.
The most sought-after items on the menu are still the meringue hotcakes and a variety of egg options as well as the cafe’s signature dark rye bread.
Moussi’s big on making the most of seasonal produce, sourced locally which him and his team prepare meticulously and plate up with love. The braised beef cheek and poke-style bowls are also a must-try.
Ypsilon
Ypsilon
Ypsilon
Ypsilon
Ypsilon
Not that far from the top, in third place sits one of Thessaloniki’s gems, the stunning café Ypsilon, housed in a heritage-listed building dating back to 1870. Ypsilon is conveniently located in the old Kirtsi Han palace on Edessis Street in the Ano Ladadika area.
The building was renovated -preserving its identity- into a multi-purpose art space venue hosting creative workshops, exhibitions, performances and concerts. Ypsilon is co-owned by six young entrepreneurs aimed at bringing more novel and ground-breaking projects to Greece’s second largest city.
Apart from great food juxtaposing fresh and organically sourced products with modern techniques and aesthetic, at Ypsilon one can find the best balance between a cultural hub and a neighbourhood café.
Acclaimed chef Dimitris Tsoukas is responsible for the menu that, when styled onto a plate, matches the artistic vibes of the space and its industrial design. Ypsilon is open all day and most hours of the night and several creatives use the open plan space as a workstation for meetings over coffee or drinks. On the second level there are specially designed rooms, from meeting rooms to a lounge, which can be used as a work space ideal to shape a wide range of projects. On the ground floor there is also a gift shop selling mainly decorative items and a quiet library offering a long list of new and old treasures for bookworms.
“Thessaloniki is a haven for all-day coffee shops, yet the architectural detailing and light-filled setting at Ypsilon make this new Greek café stand out. Opened last August, the café offers coffee, small bites, and cocktails in a space that aims to be known as an art space too,” Venue Report said.
Papillon
Papillon
Papillon
Papillon
Papillon
Papillon
Papillon
Papillon
Last but not least in the top 10, we find Papillon Bistro in Athens. Papillon Bistro has been around for a while and is one of the most loved venues in the capital’s northern suburbs. Located in a key spot in Neo Psychiko, the all-day bar and restaurant brings a retro vibe to the aristocratic suburb combining elements from Paris and New York, a cross-over between Belle Époque and the Jazz Age with a more upbeat attitude that better suits Athens.
“Papillon’s beautiful bistro space opened in late December in Athens. The all-day dining spot is an easy place to land for a coffee, a lavish lunch or an evening pick-me-up,” the magazine wrote, praising Papillon’s eclectic and beautiful environment, the chef’s creations, not to mention the sophisticated cocktails and aperitivos the bar team will concoct.
“The word ‘Papillon’, an accessory which was always connected with significant personalities, underlines the atmosphere of our restaurant. A unique place with an aristocratic mood and retroelements,” it continued.
Bentwood
Bentwood
Bentwood
Here is the full list featuring the world’s hottest 10 new cafes for 2018, according to Venue Report:
1. Bentwood Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia
2. Café in the Drifter Hotel, New Orleans, US
3. Ypsilon, Thessaloniki, Greece
4. Great White, California, US
5. Flora Caffe, Mexico City, Mexico
6. La Mercerie, New York, US
7. Cooking Bar Café in Long Story Short, Czech Republic
8. Maison Chatenet, Bangkok, Thailand
9. Houndstooth Coffee, Austin, US
10. Papillon Bistrot, Athens, Greece