"The annual ranking, now in its second year, evaluates more than 15,000 shops worldwide through a mix of professional judging and public voting, weighing factors such as barista technique and sustainability, as well as design and overall experience. Arkansas-based Onyx Coffee Lab claimed the top spot this year, with Oslo's Tim Wendelboe and El Salvador's Alquimia Coffee rounding out the podium. But for New Yorkers, the headline is closer to home: a moody, Panamanian single-origin shrine is now quietly climbing into the world's coffee elite."
"The small cafe has built its reputation on a laser focus: rare beans sourced directly from family farms in Panama's Chiriquí highlands, a region known for volcanic soil and highly prized varietals like Geisha. The menu rotates through micro-lot offerings, each highlighting different altitudes and processing styles, turning every pour into more of a tasting flight versus a grab-and-go latte."
Arcane Estate Coffee, a Panama-focused West Village cafe on Cornelia Street, earned the No. 12 spot on the World's 100 Best Coffee Shops list. The annual ranking evaluated more than 15,000 shops via professional judging and public voting, using criteria such as barista technique, sustainability, design, and overall experience. The cafe sources rare beans directly from family farms in Panama's Chiriquí highlands and highlights prized varietals like Geisha through rotating micro-lot pours that emphasize altitude and processing. The interior features dark wood, warm brass, vintage botanical prints, and collector-style shelving. Baristas present terroir and harvest details like sommeliers, and limited bag releases often sell out quickly. The global roundup was unveiled at CoffeeFest Madrid 2026 and included nine U.S. cafes, with Arkansas-based Onyx Coffee Lab placing first.
Read at Time Out New York
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