The line at this Sydney stalwart is about to get a whole lot longer.
Ask any caffeine-loving Aussie who has travelled internationally, and they’ll tell you, nothing compares to the coffee shops at home. In fact, I can almost guarantee that you or someone you know has righteously defended our cutting-edge cafe culture, declaring it the best in the world.
Well now, we’ve got the title to prove it.
Which Aussie coffee shop won best in the world?
While coffee lovers across the globe will argue their local on the corner is best, there’s only room for one shop at the top. And at the inaugural World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops Gala this week, part of Coffee Fest in Spain , that spot was claimed by a cafe in the NSW capital.
Sydney stalwart Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters knocked out the competition, voted number one by both public ratings and an expert panel of judges. The Chippendale-based venue has been on the radar of Sydneysiders ever since it opened, recognised as one of the best spots in the city for a caffeine fix. Now, it’s taken on the world.
But it’s not just the coffee served at Toby’s Estate that earned it this impressive new title. The decision was determined by a variety of factors, including quality, consistency, innovation, ambience, barista experience, customer service and sustainability practices. And it’s evident as soon as you arrive that this industrial-chic space delivers on all fronts.
Designed specifically by architecture firm Russell & George to be the brand’s flagship store, the sleek interior features state-of-the-art machines, a cosy seating area, and any coffee lover’s dream: shelves upon shelves of specialty brews. Giant glass doors at the back of the cafe also give customers a behind-the-scenes look into the roastery.
“At Toby’s Estate, coffee is at the heart of everything we do and I think that’s reflected in our customer’s experience," says Jody Leslie, the brand’s general manager. “Our whole team puts in an immense amount of effort to make the best coffee possible, so we’re absolutely delighted to be awarded this incredible recognition."
Who else made the list?
Impressively but unsurprisingly, two other Australian coffee shops appeared in the top 10. Proud Mary , one of Melbourne’s top cafes, came in fourth place, followed by Brisbane favourite, Coffee Anthology . Overall, a total of nine Aussie institutes made the list, proving once and for all that our island home reigns coffee supreme.
Onyx Coffee LAB in the United States took out second place, while Austria’s GOTA Coffee Experts and Norway’s Tim Wendelboe came third and fifth respectively.
