For many Malaysians, their morning cup of coffee is sacrosanct. Furthermore, statistics show that last year alone, about 300,000 60-kilogramme bags of coffee were consumed by Malaysians. Doubtless, coffee culture and Malaysians are inseparable. Perhaps this is why three Malaysian coffee shops have clawed their way onto a list touting a hundred of the world’s best coffee shops.
The list published on Instagram by @theworlds100bestcoffeeshops on 21st February features coffee shops from around the world. These establishments were judged based on their coffee quality, barista expertise, customer service and several other criteria. A panel of judges and public opinion also decided on which coffee shops would make the list, with 30% of the score depending on public votes and 70% on the judges themselves. With that in mind, let’s see which of Malaysia’s myriad of coffee shops makes the best brews.
1. ONO Specialty Coffee & Matcha, Petaling Jaya
Image Credit: Jonathan Lee on Google Review (Left), Aizzie Balkisha on Google Review (Right)
Coming in at an impressive No. 9 is ONO Specialty Coffee & Matcha, a coffee shop located in SS2, Petaling Jaya. Its founders are Shaun Liew, a two-time Malaysia Brewers Cup Champion, Kent Wong and Syun Hattori, who also founded Niko Neko Matcha. The cafe is known for its inventive drinks, creative Japanese sandwiches and striking dining atmosphere.
ONO serves several types of coffee, with specialities including medium-roast houjicha, mixed-heirloom flat whites, and The Champion’s Reserve filter coffee. Other crowd-favourite menu items include the ceremonial matcha and the egg sandos. ONO has since acknowledged its placing on the list with an Instagram post which reads, “We can’t thank you enough for making us No. 9 in the world. Our story continues as we keep brewing.”
Address: 47, Jalan SS 2/30, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening Hours: Open Daily, 10:30am – 6:00pm
Halal Status: Pork-free | Alcohol-free
2. Ome by Spacebar Coffee, George Town
Image Credit: Eugene Liew on Google Review (Left), Im Im on Google Review (Right)
Ranked at 56th place is Ome by Spacebar Coffee, a small coffee shop in George Town, Penang. Just a stone’s throw away from the city’s renowned clan jetties, this coffee shop was founded by baristas Joachim Leong and Shean Tan, who had envisioned creating a “dream workplace.” They first opened a small pop-up in Kuala Lumpur before developing a full-fledged coffee shop in Penang.
Drinks-wise, Ome has a fine selection of coffees, espressos, teas and cocoa-scented chocolate drinks. These beverages are best accompanied by the shop’s large selection of pastries. These include zucchini bread, butter pound loaf, bread pudding and apple cake. In addition to being a dining establishment, the cafe doubles up as an art and event space sometimes. Ome has also acknowledged its accomplishment, with an Instagram post reading, “While getting here has its ups and downs, earlier this week we were awarded No. 56 in the world by The World’s Best 100 Coffee Shops, recognising our efforts building this community.”
Address: 1, Lorong Toh Aka, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Opening Hours: Saturday – Wednesday 7.30am-4pm | Closed on Thursdays and Fridays
Halal Status: Pork-free | Alcohol-free
3. Sin See Tai, Melaka
Image Credit: CK Okama on Google Review (Left), Harry F on Google Review (Right)
Occupying the lofty 73rd place on the list is Sin See Tai, a coffee shop based in Melaka. Founded by Julian Yeo and Sung Soo Teng, the name is Hokkien for “new generation” or “new era”. Previously, Yeo and Sung had no experience in the food and beverage industry. However, in Australia, they chanced upon such a well-brewed espresso that it inspired them. So, they decided to bring the experience back to Malaysia.
Sin See Tai is said to serve some of Melaka’s best croissants and coffee, both of which draw crowds regularly. Every Wednesday, the shop has a selection of bagels, with flavours announced several days in advance. And on weekends, “weekend donuts” are a highly sought commodity which often sells out by noon.
Address: 18, Kampung Jawa, 75100 Melaka
Opening Hours: Open Daily, 10am – 5.30pm
Halal Status: Pork-free | Alcohol-free
Image Credit: @theworlds100bestcoffeeshops on Instagram
What do we think?
From these successes, it is obvious that Malaysian coffee culture will only grow by leaps and bounds over the next few years. As more Malaysians figure out the secrets of coffee brewing, the likelier Malaysian coffee shops will be internationally recognised over time. Moreover, marking Malaysia on the map using our amazing coffee is a good direction to work towards. So, keep up the good work, Malaysian baristas!
You should also check out: This underrated cafe in TTDI has picture-perfect sandos that are anything but neutral
Feature Image Credit: Lim Xuan on Google Review (Left), Sid Hung on Google Review (Right)
