9 Southeast Asian coffee shops among world's 100 best

By Hoang Phong March 1, 2025 | 03:00 pm PT

People sit at Apartment Coffee in Singapore. Photo courtesy of the cafe

Southeast Asia had nine representatives featured in this year's World's 100 Best Coffee Shops list, with four from the Philippines, three from Malaysia, and one each from Singapore and Indonesia.

Apartment Coffee in Singapore ranked sixth in the list.

Founded in 2018 by 34-year-old Yeo Qing He, who also won the Singapore Brewers Cup Champion title that year, the coffee shop is known for its serene, minimalist aesthetic. It offers a menu focused on pour-over brews made from beans sourced from Ethiopia, Brazil, Rwanda, and Costa Rica.

Malaysia’s ONO Specialty Coffee & Matcha took the ninth spot.

Founded by a team including Shaun Liew, the two-time Malaysia Brewers Cup Champion (2017 and 2019), Kent Wong, the head roaster, and Syun Hattori, the founder of Niko Neko Matcha, the café serves both specialty coffee and specialty matcha, offering patrons a variety of drinks and food.

A set menu at Malaysia’s ONO Specialty Coffee & Matcha. Photo courtesy of the cafe's Instagram

Other Malaysian coffee shops on the list include Ome by Spacebar Coffee at 56th and Sin See Tai at 73rd.

Yardstick from the Philippines secured 18th place.

Founded in 2013 and located in Makati City, this coffee shop is known for its minimalist design and a diverse range of single-origin coffees and espresso blends. It also serves as a training and workshop space for baristas and coffee enthusiasts.

Three other coffee shops from the Philippines included on the list were El Union Coffee at 61st, Single Origin at 83rd, and Crema & Cream Coffee Roasters at 86th.

Indonesia's sole representative was Anomali Coffee at 78th.

With multiple outlets across Jakarta, this café is a local and tourist favorite, focusing on Indonesian beans with its signature Black Pearl, known for its deep, chocolaty notes.

The ranking, based on public votes and expert evaluations, aims to identify the world's best coffee shops by assessing the quality of coffee, food and pastries, barista skills, customer service, innovation, ambiance, and consistency, according to its official website.

The list was first announced during CoffeeFest Madrid, an international coffee exhibition and summit held in Spain from Feb. 15 to 17.

Topping the list is Toby's Estate Coffee Roasters in Australia, a renowned specialty coffee roaster committed to sustainability and ethical sourcing. Onyx Coffee Lab, a U.S. favorite with multiple locations across Arkansas, ranked second.