International Coffee Day is held every year on October 1 to celebrate and promote coffee. Believed to have originated from wild coffee plants in the Ethiopian plateau region known as Kefa, the hot drink today registers the highest sales globally in its category. In India, the speciality coffee market is booming as homegrown businesses like Blue Tokai Coffee and Third Wave Coffee Roasters compete with more established rivals like Starbucks and Café Coffee Day. Between 2023 and 2024, coffee consumption in India amounted to over one million bags, each weighing 60 kilograms. However, the popular drink’s future is threatened by climate breakdown’s impacts, even as the changing climate enables different varieties of coffee beans to come to the fore.

　　Get your caffeine fix on the go with these five top places that every coffee lover should visit in their lifetime, plus a recipe on how to make Banderful's "Monkey Mellow."

　　Melbourne

　　This city is a no-brainer for coffee lovers. Both Australia and New Zealand vie for the crown of inventing the flat white—where creamy steamed milk is poured over a single or double shot of espresso—but it is Melbourne’s baristas and independent café owners who have arguably perfected it. The city’s coffee culture took off when Italian immigrants brought their espressos and café culture during the World War II migration boom. In the 1980s, Melbourne’s famous laneways sprang up, allowing visitors and locals to meet, savour the atmosphere and drink coffee together. There are plenty of enterprising Australians who have brought their coffee culture with them to the thriving hubs of New York (Bluestone Lane, Little Collins), London (Brunswick East, Kaffeine) and other global metropolises.

　　If you’re in Melbourne, visit Pellegrini's Espresso Bar, Marios, Market Lane, the Disciple Cellar Door, Clement and Patricia Coffee Brewers for your daily cup of joe.

　　Vienna

　　For International Coffee Day 2024, Vienna should be a must-visit on your itinerary. Since October 2011, the "Viennese Coffee House Culture" is listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, with its origins dating back to 1683. The first coffee houses already had several of the characteristics that are still typical of a Viennese-style coffee house today—waiters serve a glass of water with every cup of coffee and the establishments are equipped with card games and pool tables. Around 1890, the Café Griensteidl became the regular meeting venue of a group of literary figures called "Jung Wien" (Young Vienna). An illustrious group of young writers such as Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Karl Kraus and Arthur Schnitzler met at the café and gave birth to coffee house literature. The Viennese, who mostly lived in tiny, crowded flats, regarded the elegant coffee houses as their "extended living rooms" or second homes where they could meet friends and other people.

　　Today, the city’s coffee culture is on the rise after decades of coffee house closures due to prevailing economic conditions. Go to Café Central, Café Schwarzenberg, Café Hawelka, Kleines Café and Café Sacher Wien for your caffeine fix.

　　Istanbul

　　The very first coffee house in history opened in Istanbul in 1554. With nearly 600 coffee houses doing business by the mid-17th century, this Turkish city lays claim to the origins of coffee culture. Istanbul’s coffee shops, or kahvehane, were once vibrant meeting places for intellectuals and locals, fostering discussions, debates and cultural exchanges. In recent years, the city has witnessed a burgeoning trend in speciality coffee. Dedicated coffee houses and artisanal roasteries have emerged, introducing locals and visitors to a world of single-origin beans, pour-over techniques and latte art. In fact, Turkish coffee was inscribed in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2013. While you’re here, take part in the kahve falı, the ancient art of reading fortunes from coffee grounds.

　　Drop in at Mandabatmaz, Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, Kahve Dünyası, Fazil Bey’s Turkish Coffee and İhsan Kurukahvecioğlu Halefleri for a variety of coffees.

　　Reykjavík

　　Iceland’s coffee culture is deeply ingrained in the fabric of its society. Grabbing a cup of coffee in the country is often a social occasion where the drink is enjoyed in the company of others. The capital of Reykjavík is at the heart of Iceland’s coffee scene as it is home to a plethora of unique cafés, each with its own character and offerings—expect plenty of cosy cafés and great conversation when you visit. The people here love their coffee so much, they have different words depending on when you drink it.

　　For International Coffee Day 2024, check out Kaffibrennslan, Mokka Kaffi, Reykjavík Roasters, Kaffitár, Café Babalú and Reykjavík Röst in the city.

　　Cape Town

　　Cape Town’s coffee culture is as much a part of city life as a visit to the beach or a hike up Table Mountain. Whether it’s found in unassuming hole-in-the-walls, city centre cafés, roasteries or friendly neighbourhood coffee shops, coffee is a key part of the city’s daily life. Coffee-loving visitors can expect precision excellence with every sip. Here, shops place a significant emphasis on bean origins and sustainability.

　　Head to Truth Coffee Roasting, Origin Coffee Roasting, the Four and Twenty Café, Espressolab Microroasters and Deluxe Coffeeworks for a wide range of coffees.

　　If you're unable to visit these destinations right now, don't worry. We bring a taste of adventure to you. Here are some delightful coffee based drinks to try at home.

　　Make Bandarful's 'Monkey Mellow'

　　Bandarful is an artisanal cold-brew coffee liqueur crafted by Himmaleh Spirits. The secret behind Bandarful’s exceptional flavour starts with the beans—the heart and soul of any great coffee liqueur. It is made of 100 per cent single-estate Arabica coffee cherries sourced from Chikmagalur. These beans, roasted in-house and cold-brewed to perfection, deliver a bold, concentrated flavour that leaps in with the rich undertones of the liqueur. Slip into your mixologist mode and whip up a smooth, velvety "Monkey Mellow" using Bandarful. This signature cold-brew coffee liqueur adds a sophisticated touch to your cocktails, leaving you both caffeinated and captivated!

　　Ingredients

　　30ml Bandarful Liqueur

　　15ml caramel sauce

　　15ml coconut cream

　　1 marshmallow, for garnish

　　Method

　　Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.

　　Add the Bandarful Liqueur, caramel sauce, and coconut cream.

　　Shake vigorously until well-chilled and combined.

　　Strain the mixture into the edible waffle kulhad or glass.

　　Skewer a marshmallow on a toothpick and carefully char the surface with a kitchen torch or open flame, creating a toasted, caramelised effect.

　　Garnish the drink with the charred marshmallow.

　　Coffee Cocktails by Aditya Sharma, Co-founder, Pour Over, Khan Market, Delhi

　　Prometheus

　　Ingredients

　　Tequila – 45 ml

　　Cold Brew Coffee – 45 ml

　　Yuzu Purée – 10 ml

　　Agave Syrup – 5 ml

　　Tonic Water – 60 ml

　　Method

　　Take a glass and add tequila, cold brew, yuzu purée, and agave syrup.

　　Shake the mixture well to combine all the ingredients.

　　Top with tonic water.

　　Serve and enjoy

　　Tropical Tango

　　Ingredients

　　Gin – 45 ml

　　Kaffir Lime Cordial – 25 ml

　　Cold Brew Coffee – 45 ml

　　Tonic Water – 60 ml

　　Method

　　In a highball glass, combine gin, kaffir lime cordial, and cold brew coffee.

　　Shake the mixture well.

　　Top up with tonic water.

　　Serve chilled.