Best Coffee Chains Around The World (Slideshow)
Best Coffee Chains Around the World
Keep an eye out for these coffee chains when you need a cup of Joe on your next trip abroad.
Aroma Espresso Bar
Aroma, opened about 20 years ago, was the first espresso bar in Israel. There are now more than 100 branches around the world, including some in the U.S.,, Canada, and Ukraine. You won't find crazy coffee concoctions here; Aroma is more about perfecting timeless coffee classics. The chain is also respected for frequently employing special-needs employees in their locations across the globe.
Café Coffee Day
Café Coffee Day is an Indian café chain that started in 1996 in the city of Bangalore (now Bengaluru). There are now more than 1,000 Café Coffee Day locations across India, and it has also made its way to a few other cities around the world, including Karachi, Dubai, Vienna, and Prague. Run as a friendly local neighborhood café, Café Coffee Day has as its stated goal to rival the quality of worldwide chains like Starbucks, but remain affordable, keeping its shops an option for locals even at a lower income level.
Caffebene
Caffebene began in Korea and has had an extremely successful breakthrough year here in the U.S. The first store opened in South Korea in 2008, and today there are 23 in the U.S. and over 1,400 worldwide. Aside from providing quality coffee, Caffebene locations offer guests a respite from the fast-paced lifestyle of major international cities. Across the globe at the various locations, you'll find unique and seasonal menu offerings, cozy ambiance, and a laid-back style reminiscent of European coffee shops.
Caffè Nero
Based in London, this European-style coffee chain was founded in 1990. There are now over 600 locations worldwide, including Cyprus, Poland, Turkey, Ireland, various parts of the Middle East, and the United States. The chain is known for working mainly with Fair Trade farmers, and for offering a personal touch: the barista who takes your order will always be the one who makes your coffee and then serves it to you.
Cinnzeo
A Canadian chain based in Calgary, Cinnzeo now has locations in 20 countries including Canada, the U.S., Mexico, the U.K., Chile, and throughout the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The brand got its start as a franchise of a cinnamon roll chain and then went on to become its own company, expanding worldwide. Cinnzeo is still known for having awesome cinnamon buns, in addition to an array of coffees and coffee concoctions.
Costa Coffee
Perhaps to the U.K. what Starbucks is to America (and, well, everywhere), Costa has been around since the 1970s, becoming the largest coffee chain in Great Britain and employing the country's only three Italian Master Roasters. There are now Costa locations in 35 countries, where specialized coffee varieties are offered.
Gloria Jean's
This chain was started in Chicago in 1979 as a small coffee and gift shop, but is now owned by a company based in Singapore, making it a truly international effort. Gloria Jean's is now found in 39 international locations worldwide. It is particularly popular in Australia, home to almost half of its 1,000-plus locations.
Juan Valdez Café
Colombian coffee, said to be the richest in the world, is honored by this chain named after a fictional coffee grower invented for use in Columbian coffee commercials in 1958. The chain launched in 2002 in Bogotá. Today, besides Colombia, Juan Valdez may be found in Aruba, Mexico, Spain, Panama, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and three American cities — Miami, New York City, and Washington, D.C.
Lavazza
Let's be honest: no one does coffee better than the Italians. Lavazza was founded in Turin in 1895, and the brand, now world-renowned, is still owned by the Lavazza family. Lavazza has locations in eight countries, meanwhile remaining the leading coffee in Italy.
Nairobi Java House
This Kenyan chain is a great local coffee brand that's been around for over a decade; in fact, it was the first real coffeehouse in that region. Before this brand launched, it was rare for the "good" coffee to be kept in-country; Kenya's famous beans were mostly for export. The chain is not only popular for its variety of Kenyan coffees and teas, but home-baked bread and free wireless Internet access, neither of which are common in the area either.