steep — a global guide to specialty cafes and bars
Honest, opinionated reviews of the world's best cafes and bars. Tokyo, Lisbon, Oslo, Madrid and beyond.
352 venues reviewed across 36 cities. Every one visited and paid for in person. No one pays to be featured or ranked higher.
Steep Picks
- Baobá Café Bica Steep PickBica, Cais do Sodré · Lisbon · Steep Index 9.1/10
A Brazilian family farm grows the beans in São Paulo, ships them to Lisbon, and roasts them on-site on a narrow Bica street beside the funicular. The specialty espresso is €1.50. This is, without argument, one of the best reasons to be in Cais do Sodré before 9am.
- Brew Lab Steep PickChrist Church / Portobello · Dublin · Steep Index 9.1/10
A clean, vibrant specialty cafe in Dublin 2, with single-origin coffee, a brilliant latte and exceptional pastries, run by Irish barista champions.
- Komet Café Steep PickKungsholmen · Stockholm · Steep Index 9.1/10
Stockholm's best cafe, full stop: exceptional filter coffee and espresso, homemade pastries that set the neighbourhood standard, and staff who make you feel like a regular on the first visit.
- Brown Sound Coffee Steep PickTsudanuma, Narashino · Chiba · Steep Index 9.0/10
A compact, carefully considered specialty cafe in Tsudanuma with latte craftsmanship that has no business being this good in a room this small. The best reason to come to Narashino.
- Brother Baba Budan Steep PickMelbourne CBD · Melbourne · Steep Index 9.0/10
One of the heavyweights of Melbourne coffee, a tiny Seven Seeds room with wooden chairs hanging from the ceiling and a flat white to match.
- TAKAHARA COFFEE ROASTERY Steep PickKumoji · Naha · Steep Index 8.9/10
A hidden, art-gallery-fronted roastery up a dramatic stone staircase in central Naha, serving aromatic single-origin Ethiopian espresso tonic and flat white in locally crafted ceramics and a proper wine glass. A genuine espresso pilgrimage stop and a quiet escape from Naha's busiest street.
- RØST Bakery Steep PickRotermann Quarter, Kesklinn · Tallinn · Steep Index 8.9/10
A Scandinavian-influenced sourdough bakery and specialty coffee shop in the heart of Tallinn's Rotermann Quarter, anchored by a cardamom bun worth the trip alone.
- Bad Mother Steep PickDowntown St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.9/10
A dark, posh coffee bar inside the Station House, with a balanced, chocolate-and-berry flat white and staff who will talk about the beans.
- Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills, By Hyatt Steep PickToranomon, Minato · Tokyo · Steep Index 8.9/10
The rooftop bar on the 51st floor of Toranomon Hills Mori Tower where the Tokyo skyline does the heavy work and a genuinely imaginative cocktail program does not let it do all of it alone.
- Capela Incomum Steep PickBaixa · Porto · Steep Index 8.9/10
A deconsecrated 19th-century chapel turned wine bar in the heart of Porto, serene enough to make the crowds outside feel far away.
- Booínga Steep PickMatosinhos · Porto · Steep Index 8.8/10
A one-man roastery in Matosinhos where you smell the beans, pick the one you want, and the owner talks you through what happens next.
- The Bvlgari Lounge Steep PickYaesu, Chuo · Tokyo · Steep Index 8.8/10
A 40th-floor afternoon tea lounge inside Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo, built around Italian-inspired sweets, scrumptious scones, and a genuinely exceptional tea list.
Cities
- Tokyo200 venues reviewed
- Kyoto4 venues reviewed
- Osaka2 venues reviewed
- Chiba6 venues reviewed
- Kamakura3 venues reviewed
- Yokohama3 venues reviewed
- Naha6 venues reviewed
- Onna Village2 venues reviewed
- Iwaki1 venue reviewed
- Sapporo0 venues reviewed
- Taipei4 venues reviewed
- Taichung1 venue reviewed
- New Taipei City1 venue reviewed
- Bangkok16 venues reviewed
- Seoul0 venues reviewed
- Melbourne2 venues reviewed
- Lisbon7 venues reviewed
- Porto7 venues reviewed
- Cascais1 venue reviewed
- Granada2 venues reviewed
- San Sebastian2 venues reviewed
- Madrid8 venues reviewed
- Stockholm2 venues reviewed
- Oslo3 venues reviewed
- Helsinki3 venues reviewed
- Tallinn2 venues reviewed
- Edinburgh3 venues reviewed
- London2 venues reviewed
- Dublin4 venues reviewed
- New York0 venues reviewed
- Jersey City15 venues reviewed
- St. Petersburg25 venues reviewed
- Tampa3 venues reviewed
- Sarasota1 venue reviewed
- Mexico City9 venues reviewed
- Buenos Aires2 venues reviewed