On February 22, 2025, The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops unveiled its inaugural ranking of the top coffee establishments worldwide through an Instagram announcement. Claiming the coveted first position was the flagship café of Toby’s Estate, located in Chippendale, Sydney.
This newly released index featured an impressive 14 coffee shops from the United States, with Arkansas-based Onyx Coffee Lab proudly securing the second spot. The ranking was formally presented during the Coffeefest Madrid 2025, held from February 15 to 17, where coffee enthusiasts and industry experts gathered to celebrate excellence in the coffee community.
Evaluation Criteria for the Top 100 Coffee Shops
Coffeefest Madrid, the event’s third edition, attracted an astonishing 43,000 attendees, ranging from coffee aficionados to seasoned professionals. One of the highlights was the inaugural gala recognizing exceptional coffee makers from around the globe.
On February 18, @theworlds100bestcoffeeshops shared their excitement on Instagram, stating:
“We’ve travelled to the most remote places of the planet to bring you an exclusive list of the best coffee shops in the world with the following criteria to achieve EXCELLENCE.”
The selection process was meticulous, taking months to develop. The evaluation was based on eight key criteria, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of each café’s quality and service. While expert opinions were influential, the final compilation also reflected public sentiment, with global coffee lovers voting online. The evaluation weighted expert votes at 70% and public votes at 30%, ensuring a balanced assessment.
Highlights from the Top 100 Coffee Shop Rankings
The flagship location of Toby’s Estate in Chippendale rightfully earned its leading position. As a well-established specialty coffee roaster since 1997, the café offers an immersive brewing experience with its island brew bar, allowing customers to engage with baristas and witness the coffee-making process firsthand.
Additionally, this popular locale is known for its delectable toasties, baguettes, and pastries, perfectly complementing their coffee-based offerings. Celebrating this achievement, the roastery expressed its excitement on its website:
“We love our coffee—but now it’s official, the rest of the world does too! Our flagship café and roastery in Chippendale, Sydney, has just been crowned ‘The World’s Best Coffee Shop’ at the inaugural World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops Gala in Madrid, Spain.”
Furthermore, they emphasized:
“This global recognition wasn’t just about the coffee (though let’s be honest, it’s pretty damn good). The judges looked at everything—quality, barista experience, customer service, innovation, atmosphere, sustainability, food, and consistency—and we came out on top.”
The ranking showcased a total of 14 U.S. coffee shops. Among them, the top five, along with their respective global rankings, are:
- Onyx Coffee Lab—Global rank 2
- Prevail Coffee—Global rank 17
- Savaya Coffee Market—Global rank 21
- Panther Coffee—Global rank 30
- Push X Pull—Global rank 34
This historic ranking sets a standard for coffee enthusiasts and serves as a benchmark for quality and innovation within the industry.