- 28th October 2011
- Cafes |
The Winnipeg Free Press in Canada, has opened a news café in the city centre where some of its multi-media employees now work permanently. The paper aims to create an environment which allows the public direct engagement and dialogue with the newspaper including its journalists and editors. The paper also organises on-site Q&A sessions with cafe guests. This interesting jump for the paper has created plenty of content for their social media activity and helped attract a more younger demographic.
Source: www.springwise.com
Whilst there has been a consistent growth in coffee chains in the Western world, the same can be said of bubble tea chains in Asia.
Bubble tea, also known as boba tea was founded in Taiwan and essentially is sweet tea with tapioca pearls in the bottom. Similar to coffee where you have tons of choice from regular Americanos to fancy frappuccinos there are endless types of bubble tea. Customers can choose from various favours such as hazelnut and coconut, can go for 100% sweetness to 0% sweetness and can also have it without the tapioca balls if they prefer.
One chain which is expanding quite successful in Asia is called KOI Cafe and can be found in other Asian countries such as Singapore. Although bubble tea can be found in the US and in some places in Europe we reckon that more bubble tea cafes will be popping up.
Science Cafes have been around for a while but the network is constantly growing. Cafe Scientifique is an international organisation that has spearheaded the concept in the UK, USA, Asia and Australasia. Experts on an array of scientific subjects such as evolution, global warming, the Big Bang theory speak to an audience at a venue outside of the traditional academic context, often in cafes but can they can also be in bars, restaurants and movie theatres, often once a month. People get to freely debate in a relaxed, informal setting and these events also allows cafe owners to offer a calendar of events to promote throughout the year. The concept has even spread to schools where students can get to hear a speaker outside the normal classroom setting and therefore enabling them to learn about science in a whole new way. We reckon the concept could spread to other topics outside of science and enable people with common interests to get together and share their ideas in a fun way.
FEATURE: LONDON TOP 7
#4 The Troubadour is steeped in history and just oozes charm. Established in 1954 as a coffee house the Troubadour grew to become a place for live music and entertainment. This was the first place Bob Dylan performed in London. Other musicians who have graced the stage over the years include Jimi Hendrix and Joni Mitchell. Today the Troubadour is a place to have coffee, food, drink and be entertained. It has a relaxed vibe, bohemian decor and there is even an idyllic garden too, so rare to find in London. It was also recently voted 2nd in the Daily Mail's best restaurants in London for its authentic menu and genuine service. This is definitely a place to return to.
263-267 Old Brompton Road, London. SW5 9J
www.troubadour.co.uk
If you are looking for something more than your regular coffee shop chain then the place to be is the Hongdae region of Seoul, in South Korea. The Charlie Brown Cafe pays homage to the well loved cartoon, with the cafe filled with photos of Snoopy and all his friends. If Hello Kitty is more your thing then you will be in kitty heaven, with the Hello Kitty cafe decked out from head to toe with the famous feline (lattes naturally coming with a stencil of the glamour puss on top). Keeping on the cat theme it is common place to find cat cafes in Seoul where you will find cafes with resident cats, equipped with cat toys, scratching areas and perching posts. The idea is people in the city who are not able to have their own pets can go to cat cafes and share affection with the cafe cats. One such place is Gio Cat. If you are more of a dog person, no need to worry there are the equivalent dog cafes too, try Bau House Cafe.
Source: www.seoulcityblog.com
If you like all things vintage, quirky and coffee by the bowl - and you happen to be in London then check out The Haberdashery. From its retro cups and saucers, music supplied through vinyl and a little garden to pass your day away, it is always refreshing to come across places like this.
www.the-haberdashery.com
The Blue Bottle Coffee Company originates from California, established by a musician and self-confessed coffee lunatic. Blue Bottle is a micro-roaster of organic coffee, served from its growing network of cafes, expresso carts and coffee kiosks. What makes Blue Bottle different is its use of vintage roasting equipment and chemisty-set inspired iced coffee apparatus. Blue Bottle opened a new café in Brooklyn, NYC last year and is one of the few places coffee lovers in NYC can get served their coffee straight from the roastery. Blue Bottle also keeps it local - buying its supplies such as chocolate for its pastries from neighbouring businesses.
www.bluebottlecoffee.net
Hybrid business models are not uncommon with intelligent clothing, heathy snack bars and now also popping up across various cities are the cycle cafes, a fusion of café culture with cycling culture. The Ride Studio Café in Lexington, Boston is a good example, a high-end cycling retailer with sophisticated cafe. Established by Rob Vandermark, who designs, builds, sells, and services high-end bikes for commuters and racers. Ride Studio Cafe serves as a bike showroom, retailing bikes from anything between $400 to $12,000. High-end threads from sportswear designers Rapha and Campagnolo are also on offer.
This trend towards retail cafes for cyclists is transcending across other bike cities in North America and Europe. Lance Armstrong opened up Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop in Austin with a coffee bar inside a couple of years ago.
The Ride Studio Café offers top-end service as well as its coffee - including 24-hour turnaround on most repair work on bikes, extended opening hours and even a personal shopper service.
www.ridecyclecafe.com
