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Sam Chan leads NOC’s roasting & barista training efforts, having won the 2011 HK Barista Championship and worked previously as head roaster at Veneziano Coffee Roasters in Adelaide, Australia. NOC roasts on site at their flagship location, making it one of several Hong Kong specialty coffee companies who’ve determined that the no doubt significant investment required to have public-facing roasteries in this land-starved city pays off by visibly demonstrating a commitment to craft. It makes me wonder how important the theatrics of coffee roasting are in building a market for specialty coffee in this traditionally tea-focused culture? What is clear is that the market is booming, with places like NOC Coffee, The Cupping Room, Coffee Academics, and others serving an increasingly coffee savvy audience.

Dinosaur Coffee reminds me of what I enjoyed most about the cafes that prompted me to start this blog when I was living in Korea — the shop radiates idiosyncratic personality. Quirky creative touches, from art to plants to decorative dino merch, can be found all around the interior, which was designed by the same firm that created Intelligentsia’s unique Venice location. Light pours in through a giant skylight, diffused by suspended wood slats that give the whole place an inviting warm glow. It sounds like they’re also partnering with Ol’ Skool BBQ to offer some great looking barbecue on Saturdays.

Hidden in a nondescript tunnel attached to the Fulton St. subway station, Voyager is a refreshing change from the sort of samey visual aesthetic a lot of specialty cafes have embraced. It’s a challenge finding the right subway entrance, and you’re bound to get lost a couple times, but Voyager is worth the effort! When I stopped by they were serving coffee from Denver’s Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters, but it looks like they’ve switched to a Danish roaster called La Cabra. Despite the minimalist looking menu (above), Voyager serves most standards, plus things like espresso tonic and something called the “Barista’s Breakfast” that includes a single shot espresso, cappuccino, and a filter coffee – which sounds about perfect to me.

Earlier this year I stayed in Helsinki for a couple days en route to a conference in Tallinn (it’s easier and cheaper to take a ferry from Helsinki than finding a flight from NYC). While I didn’t get to try every well regarded cafe in the city, below are a few spots I did visit that I think are worth recommending if you’re lucky enough to spend some time in Helsinki. This outpost of the big Swedish specialty coffee roaster Johan & Nyström is located right on the water next to the Uspenski cathedral, near the presidential palace, and other tourist attractions like the Kauppatori market square and Helsinki cathedral. Friendly people, welcoming vibes, owners channeling Australian cafe culture, with serious coffee from roasters like Square Mile and Toby’s Estate.