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TOPIC

Coffee

Coffee
From bean to cup, we look at all aspects of the global coffee industry, taking in crops, stocks, cafes and more.
highlights from
100 Top Tables 2026 Restaurant Directory
100 Top Tables 2026 Restaurant Directory
Tourists crowd Bangkok’s Chinatown. Photo: Reuters

Bangkok’s culinary stars dim as costs rise and tourists dwindle

Lavitt Ko and Theo Ko are revitalising their family cha chaan teng in Tai Wai with milk tea raves and beatbox parties. Photo: Sam Tsang

From milk tea raves to night tea: how Hong Kong restaurants fight to survive

Auspicious symbolism is thoughtfully woven throughout The Eight dining room.

Cantonese cuisine gets a contemporary makeover at The Eight in the Grand Lisboa Macau

In partnership with:SJM Resorts
Sea cucumber, tofu fish mousse and Mapo minced pork represent different cultural traditions all brought together in a single dish at Hong Kong Cuisine 1983. Photos: Handout

What truly defines the melting pot that is Cantonese cuisine?

Drinking and listening are treated as equals at Bar Sepia in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong’s listening bars beat the noise with vinyl vibes

More from 100 top tables
Content from SCMP's Specialist Publications
Rikuto Tanaka is the head barista of Philocoffea in Japan. Photo: Rikuto
Food and Drinks

5 new Hong Kong cafes and coffee shops to try in October, plus must-visit events

International Coffee Day on October 1 kicks off a month of new openings and fun events for coffee obsessives and casual drinkers alike.

Mainland China

Blue Bottle bets that premium coffee has room to grow in China

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Food and Drinks

The Hong Kong Gen Z coffee boss filling market gap with her can-do attitude

Food and Drinks

5 new Hong Kong cafes and coffee shops to try in September 2026

A home-grown cafe returns to Kwun Tong, a Wan Chai pawn shop gets a caffeine kick and new spots open in IFC Mall, Sai Ying Pun and Tai Hang.

The Aerocano at Brown Heart. The Sai Ying Pun coffee shop is one of several exciting new cafe openings in Hong Kong this month. Photo: Instagram/coffeelovenat
Food and Drinks

6 new cafes and coffee shops to try in Hong Kong in August 2026

Enjoy film-inspired drinks in Yau Ma Tei, visit a coffee shop with old-fashioned vibes, head out to Sai Kung for seafood pastas and more.

Food and Drinks

12 new Hong Kong restaurants, bakeries and cafes to try in August 2026

A flashy food court at Harbour City, a modern Korean joint and a Japanese yakitori chain’s new branch are among the new openings in August.

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Food and Drinks

Where does your coffee come from? Starbucks buyer on drink’s complex journey

Christian Hackenberg shares why coffee growing and buying is far from simple, and the challenges farmers face from Indonesia to China.

A cup of coffee is an essential part of the morning routine for millions of people around the world, but have you ever wondered how the drink got from the plant to your cup? Starbucks coffee buyer Christian Hackenberg opens up on the challenges, including the ones coffee farmers face from China to Indonesia. Photo: Shutterstock
Food and Drinks

Forget pho: Da Nang food tour spotlights a different Vietnamese noodle dish

Vietnamese food expert Helen Le takes us to her favourite restaurants in Da Nang for mi quang noodles, banh mi, banh xeo and more.

Food and Drinks

Your Hong Kong weekend drinks guide for July 9-11

67 on Hollywood offers a taste of members-only wines, Orchard’s latest libations let fruit spirits shine, and Coffeelin in Fortress Hill unveils a new cocktail menu.

China consumption

After hooking China on coffee, Starbucks ramps up consumer strategy

Now that the chain has Chinese consumers hooked on coffee, it is attempting to become part of local consumer culture, analysts say.

A woman checks her phone next to a Starbucks cart in Beijing. Photo: AFP
Food and Drinks

5 new cafes to try in Hong Kong in July 2026

Enjoy a matcha drink in a Sai Ying Pun cafe, relax in a space steeped in Hong Kong nostalgia, grab a coffee on the go in Central and more.

As well as coffee, Ditto is becoming known for its matcha cloud with coconut water. Photo: Instagram/@girl.blushy
China-Africa relations

Coffee, chillies and cashews: a new recipe to rewrite China-Africa trade

Blanket relationship with all African nations is viewed as a precedent for partners like the EU.

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Food and Drinks

1 in 5 coffees sold in Europe contains pesticides: report

The report also warned that the ‘standard reassurance’ given by companies – that residues are destroyed by roasting – is not always true.

US-China relations

How Chinese drink chains are testing the limits of soft power

New tea and coffee brands from China are winning customers across America, but their broader influence remains unclear.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
Food and Drinks

5 new cafes and coffee shops to try in Hong Kong in June 2026

From Blue Bottle Coffee’s new branch and Sang Roastery’s airport outpost to a newcomer in Sham Shui Po, here are 5 cafes to stay cool at.

Blue Bottle Coffee’s Kyoto-style espresso is exclusively available at its new branch at Cityplaza in Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong. It is one of five new cafes opening in June 2026 where caffeine fans can go to escape the heat. Photo: Blue Bottle Coffee
Food and Drinks

Unsung Eats: 5 best places to eat and drink in Taipei

Fresh takes on Taiwan’s famed fried chicken and breakfast, to tea cocktails and artisanal coffee, here are our Taipei foodie picks.

Food and Drinks

5 new cafes and coffee shops to try in Hong Kong in May 2026

From new branches of established coffee brands to newcomers offering comfort and even flowers, these 5 new Hong Kong cafes are worth a visit.

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Food and Drinks

5 new cafes and coffee shops to try in Hong Kong in April 2026

From fruit-flavoured brews to vinyl background music and HK$30 lattes, here are 5 new coffee shops worth a visit in Hong Kong in April.

Online shop NovemberSix Bakery has launched its first cafe space, Yelo Cake Coffee, serving coffee in addition to its signature cakes. Photo: Instagram/yelocakecoffee.hk
China’s private sector

Chinese coffee brands need more than low prices to compete globally: analysts

Luckin, Lucky Cup, Cotti and Nowwa are expanding quickly overseas, but analysts warn success depends on consumer experience and quality.

Food and Drinks

Drink in Focus: Tropical Spicy Brew at Friday After Class

Friday After Class, one of the latest additions to buzzing Peel Street, is launching a new cocktail menu that features fruity, tropical creations that evoke summer holidays.

Trending in China

China café sells coffee made with eggs brewed in child urine; considered a delicacy

Maker of bizarre caffeine brew says it prevents sleepiness in spring and heatstroke in summer; experts say it is toxic and of no benefit at all.

A Chinese café has been selling a unique coffee blend which features eggs brewed in child urine, selling over a hundred cups a day at weekends. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote
Singapore

How Southeast Asia’s coffee chains are brewing cross-border success

Home-grown brands such as Zus Coffee are betting on cultural fluency, halal positioning and digital tools to make further inroads.

A Kenangan Coffee outlet at a shopping centre in eastern Singapore. The Indonesian chain has opened about 10 outlets in the city state. Photo: Kenangan Coffee
Food and Drinks

5 new cafes and coffee shops to try in Hong Kong in March 2026

Whether you’re a fan of rich brewed coffee, delicate tea cocktails or matcha drinks, these five new outlets have something for you.

Thailand

Why Thailand is cutting back the sugar in coffee and tea

With Thais averaging 21 teaspoons of sugar a day – triple WHO limits – officials urge cafes to cut syrup to lower diabetes and obesity risks.

China’s private sector

Luckin’s 30,000th store milestone adds buzz to China’s brewing coffee battle

Xiamen-headquartered chain pushes to integrate supply network worldwide and accelerate growth in markets from Asia to the US.

Luckin Coffee’s store network spans more than 300 cities across mainland China. Photo: Handout
Food and Drinks

6 new Hong Kong coffee shops to welcome the Lunar New Year in February 2026

From a Korean-style cafe to a Japanese toast joint and new branches of cult favourites, there’s a lot to excite coffee lovers this month.

A hot cacao at Brisa in Causeway Bay. The chocolate-forward coffee shop is one of the exciting new openings in Hong Kong this month, as well as new branches of old favourites EN Coffee and By the O. Photo: Instagram/brisahk
Food and Drinks

Why are Korean-style cafes proving so popular in Hong Kong?

With immersive themes and Instagram-worthy interiors, Korean-style cafes offer comfortable ‘third places’ for Hong Kong’s busy populace.

Technology

Singapore, Beijing land in top 10 of Savills’ Matcha Index of global tech cities

Even with its premium-priced matcha drinks, Singapore ranks among the world’s most ‘liveable’ cities for tech workers.

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