Coffee Anthology has been named as one of the world’s ten best coffee spots
The cafe credited for kickstarting Brisbane’s specialty coffee wave has secured a spot at the pointy end of the inaugural The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops list. Coffee Anthology placed eighth on the list, which included coffee spots in Singapore, Norway, France, Colombia, Venezuela and Japan. And it wasn’t the only Brisbane cafe to make the list – here’s what we know …
Earlier this week, the first-ever The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops gala took place at CoffeeFest Madrid in Spain. The event saw some of the best coffee slingers in the globe recognised and ranked based on a comprehensive set of criteria, and Australia was well represented in the final list. A total of nine Australian coffee shops were named, with Toby’s Estate’s flagship Chippendale cafe and roastery taking out top spot. Slightly down the list at number eight was Coffee Anthology – Brisbane’s own cutting-edge caffeine dispensary long hailed by many local aficionados as one of the city’s best coffee spots.
Credited for helping spark a city-wide frenzy for specialty sips when it first opened in 2014, Coffee Anthology’s multi-roaster offering is renowned for showcasing a rotating selection of Australia’s finest coffee producers. Even after relocating from its original Margaret Street home to a sleek new site at Inter/Section on Mary Street, Coffee Anthology has only further dialled in its execution, which has now been recognised on the world stage.
“It felt like our hard work has been appreciated,” says Coffee Anthology owner, Adam Wang, on the inclusion. “People recognise all the hard work that we’re putting in. I’m super proud of our team and, at the end of the day, everyone that’s involved in the business made this happen. It’s not a one person kind of effort – it’s everybody.”
Cafes were judged on a broad range of criteria, including the quality of coffee, barista experience, customer service, innovation, ambience and atmosphere, sustainability practices, food and pastry quality, and consistency. Coffee Anthology wasn’t the only Brisbane cafe to earn a spot on the prestigious list – Fonzie Abbott’s Albion HQ came in at number 70, while top-tier cafes like like Proud Mary (4), Veneziano Coffee Roasters (19), Calere Coffee (28), Exchange Coffee (37), Vacation Coffee (71) and Seven Seeds (87) rounded out the Australian contingent.
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The award comes at a watershed moment for the coffee industry as a whole. As cost of living pressures increase, greater scrutiny is being placed on household spending (including our latte expenses). Coupled with a spike in the cost of coffee production due to supply shortages and regulations, operators are finding it harder to absorb the financial impacts.
“It’s actually a pretty tough time right now compared to like when we were named the Best in Australia [by Beanhunter] in 2017,” says Adam. “There are people still optimistic about the market itself, but for the majority of the us, we are actually just trying to stay above the water.”
That said, Adam believes Australia’s strong showing is a testament to the country’s dedication to the craft, even in the face of industry-wide crisis.
“I think everyone that does it, it’s not just about making money – there’s actually so much passion and love involved in this,” says Adam. “We are definitely super competitive … but I think as an industry overall, I’m super proud of everybody that’s working hard together.”
For Coffee Anthology’s operating hours and other details, head to The Directory.