The G318 Sichuan-Tibet Highway is known as "the Chinese people's scenic avenue," with magnificent views along the way, but enjoying a freshly ground coffee during the long drive has always been a luxury. Now, Starbucks has officially opened at the Tianquan Service Area in Ya'an, Sichuan, bringing classic drinks such as lattes, Americanos, and Frappuccinos to travelers on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, along with drip bags, the VIA portable series, and exclusive special blends. The Tianquan Service Area itself is already a popular check-in spot for Sichuan-Tibet road trippers, and Starbucks' arrival makes travel refueling even richer. Drivers have been sharing their surprise encounters with the new store on social media—some drew fun coffee catchphrases, and some became the 318th lucky customer. From now on, driving the Sichuan-Tibet Highway means you can wake up your caffeine anytime and enjoy a cup of hot, freshly ground coffee. [more…]

Popular specialty coffee brand o.p.s. has officially launched its "On The Move" city tour program, with the first stop at the Awakening Coffee Festival in Shenzhen's Excellence Center. The event runs from April 29 to May 5, a total of seven days. After the announcement, fans flooded the comments section calling for the brand to come to their cities, and the founder responded that future stops would be arranged based on the number of likes. On opening day, a long line formed in front of the o.p.s. booth early in the morning, and even the 30-degree heat and the constraints of a weekday could not dampen everyone's enthusiasm. Some people queued for over four hours just to taste the legendary "ceiling of specialty coffee." This time, o.p.s. brought two seasonal sets, each containing three specialty drinks, one of which is alcoholic, all priced at 118 yuan. [more…]

Latte is just one member of the milk coffee family—from Rome's cappuccino to Melbourne's flat white, from Spain's cortado to Vietnam's egg coffee, "coffee with milk" has evolved into a vast family across the globe. Each milk coffee is a unique local cultural solution to the ratio of milk fat, and behind each solution lies a different [more…]

When people mention Panamanian coffee, most only have two words in mind: Geisha. After the Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha rose to fame, Panama almost became synonymous with Geisha. But what is truly interesting is its complex terrain and scattered micro-regions—it is precisely these hills and valleys that have propelled Panamanian coffee to the forefront of specialty coffee. [more…]

TVB renowned actor Moses Chan is known as a "coffee fanatic." After hosting the "Taste Coffee" series in 2009 and 2012, this year he has once again teamed up with Benjamin Yuen to launch a brand-new coffee-themed program, "Coffee Tour." From visiting production origins such as Italy and Jamaica to introduce coffee culture, to founding his own coffee brand, and now in his new program discussing specialty coffee with industry practitioners and consumers, Moses Chan has witnessed and taken part in the popularization and development of specialty coffee over more than a decade. This article will take you through the evolution of these three programs, allowing you to feel Moses Chan's unwavering passion and professional attitude toward coffee, as well as his persistence in ensuring that good coffee should be accessible to the general public. [more…]

The Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling is not only famous for its premium tea, but its Burra Bungalows and Water Lily Bungalow also offer visitors a unique accommodation experience. This article will take you into this historic tea estate, from picking "two leaves and a bud" to touring the complete tea-making process of withering, rolling, fermentation, drying, and sorting, and then to tasting the seasonal flavor differences of black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and white tea. You will also learn about the estate's accommodation environment, the surrounding natural scenery, and information on related products recommended by Front Street Coffee, for a full experience of the unique charm of Glenburn Tea Estate. [more…]

The processing method of coffee has always been the key link in the refined processing of green coffee beans. With the development of market demand and the exploration of the industry, on the basis of the mainstream "three major processing methods", [more…]

Mexico, as the world's tenth-largest coffee-producing country, has seen its coffee industry go through a winding journey from its introduction during the colonial period to its modern development toward specialty coffee. Thanks to its superior geographical and climatic conditions, the state of Veracruz has become one of Mexico's four core production regions, nurturing numerous high-quality estates. Among them, La Perla Farm won the 2024 Mexico Cup of Excellence washed category championship with a score of 90.79, growing varieties such as Bourbon, Geisha, SL28, and Pacamara. Front Street Coffee takes you deep into the terroir code and industrial transformation of this land. [more…]

The African continent occupies a pivotal position in the global coffee landscape. Beyond the well-known Ethiopia and Kenya, it is also home to several distinctive coffee-producing countries. This article focuses on Tanzania and Rwanda, guiding you through the coffee-growing history, industry evolution, and flavor characteristics of these two nations. Tanzania has earned the reputation of "coffee gentleman" thanks to its Typica coffee beans from the Kilimanjaro region, while Rwanda has re-emerged after a period of turmoil, showcasing unique potential through its Bourbon varieties. Meanwhile, Front Street Coffee's Kenya and Tanzania products will also provide you with tasting references. [more…]

The African continent, with its exceptional natural conditions, has nurtured numerous coffee-producing countries. Beyond the well-known Ethiopia and Kenya, Burundi, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo also deserve attention. Burundi, known as the "Heart of Africa," showcases bright acidity and full-bodied sweetness through varieties such as Bourbon; Cameroon is dominated by Robusta, with Arabica accounting for only a small portion; the DRC, as the birthplace of Robusta, offers coffee with a wild flavor rich in fruity notes. This article will guide you through the coffee cultivation history, producing regions, variety characteristics, and industry status of these three countries, along with relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee, to provide reference for your coffee exploration journey. [more…]

Costa Rica is famous for its coffee exports, and this time I had the opportunity to visit Doka Coffee Estate, which has a history of more than seventy years, to observe the entire process of coffee from tree to processing plant firsthand on the highlands at an altitude of 1,500 meters. The article documents the estate's planting scale, the ripe color of the coffee cherries, and the manual labor methods used during the harvest season, and also includes a memorable Uber ride anecdote. The estate also features natural sights such as the Tree of Love and giant hydrangeas, and admission and guided tour information is compiled as well, making it a useful reference for enthusiasts planning a trip to Costa Rica's coffee-growing regions. [more…]

Costa Rica is world-renowned for its unique natural environment and exquisite coffee processing techniques, especially the honey processing method, which gives coffee beans a distinctive sweetness and body. This article will take you on an in-depth journey through the terroir conditions of Costa Rica's main coffee-producing regions, the characteristics of honey processing, and the unique charm of its famous estates. Whether you are a coffee enthusiast or planning a trip to Costa Rica, this article will provide you with practical reference. Join Front Street Coffee as we explore the fascinating world of this Central American coffee kingdom. [more…]

Tea, this magical leaf of the East, has evolved into a dazzling array of regional variations as it traveled across borders. From the spice tea wafting with cardamom and clove on the streets of India, to the elegant three-tier afternoon tea in Britain; from the concentrated essence of black tea in the Russian samovar, to the sweet, soul-soothing iced tea of the American South; and to the mint green tea poured with a high-pour technique in Morocco—each country interprets this cup in its own way. This article will take you on a tour of tea-drinking traditions around the world and provide an in-depth look at exactly what kind of black tea is drunk at British afternoon tea and which classic British black tea brands are worth trying. Whether you are a seasoned coffee lover or a newcomer exploring tea, this global tour of tea customs will set your taste buds off on a distinctive journey. [more…]

Shanghai's popular specialty coffee brand o.p.s. teamed up with Guangzhou-based local brand JPG to create a three-day pop-up event in Shenzhen's Nanshan OCT, serving as the first stop of this year's city tour plan. As soon as the news broke, it ignited the enthusiasm of Shenzhen coffee lovers. However, the first day of the event unfolded in a way that caught everyone off guard: the official poster stated a noon start time of 12 PM, but in reality, it kicked off early at 9 AM. A large number of fans who arrived on time were left empty-handed as the number tags had long been distributed. Even those who managed to get a number tag had to wait in batches until 4 or 5 PM to actually get their drinks. The organizers neither issued a formal notice after the time change nor promptly announced the sell-out information. This highly anticipated collaborative pop-up sparked widespread dissatisfaction on its very first day due to poor organization. [more…]

A cafe named Mina in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, has sparked widespread controversy with its "one-way blind date" model. Male customers can observe female customers through one-way glass, while the women are completely unaware of it. This practice, imitating old-style cafes in Japan, has been criticized by netizens for objectifying women as window-display merchandise. Even more worrying is that the shop also offers a so-called "companion tour" service, and incidents of male customers secretly photographing women have occurred. On June 3, Vietnamese police raided the shop. Although no direct evidence of harm to women was found, multiple violations were discovered, including the absence of labor contracts, lack of a food hygiene license, and breaches of fire safety regulations. Whether this cafe can continue to operate remains unknown at present. [more…]

Huaihua in Hunan Province quickly went viral on social media thanks to the sincere service of hairstylist Xiaohua, attracting over 200,000 visits in total, with more than 60 specialty shops already set up locally, and the culture and tourism authorities also rolling out supporting perks such as free admission to scenic spots. Amid this wave of traffic-driven dividends, a woman from Guizhou who had originally planned to get a haircut from Xiaohua queued for several days in a row but failed to get a reservation number, so she simply set up a temporary coffee stand beside her self-driving car, serving passersby pour-over coffee and reaching daily sales of around 700 yuan. This impromptu entrepreneurial move sparked heated discussion among netizens, with some praising her creativity and drive, and others questioning whether it was an elaborately planned marketing stunt. [more…]

New Zealand is not only famous for its wine; its coffee culture is equally captivating. Local travel itineraries often feature food and wine themes, and private guides can take you to find the best cafes in the city. If tourists are quite knowledgeable about coffee, travel agencies can even provide a detailed explanation of New Zealand coffee terminology. Among the many coffee varieties, flat white is widely recognized as a New Zealand invention, known for its lesser amount of milk and textured microfoam, and it has gained fame on the world coffee stage. Many New Zealanders and Australians go to major cities like London and New York to open cafes, which has indirectly promoted the popularity of flat white in the UK, the US, and elsewhere. Front Street Coffee believes that understanding the origin and characteristics of flat white is an important gateway to appreciating New Zealand's coffee culture. [more…]

Blue Mountain coffee has long been hailed as the "black gem," revered by coffee lovers as "the coffee beauty that combines all the virtues of good coffee." Why does it hold such a status? The answer lies in the unique climate, volcanic soil, and altitude conditions of Jamaica's Blue Mountains. Only coffee grown at elevations between 900 and 1,700 meters qualifies to bear the Blue Mountain name. This article will guide you through the flavor characteristics of authentic Front Street Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, and follow a 2013 field visit to the historic Mavis Bank Coffee Estate, restoring the true face of this legendary coffee—from tasting and production to identifying counterfeits. [more…]

Jay Chou's 2024 Carnival concert tour Nanjing stop will be held from September 26 to 29 at Nanjing Olympic Sports Center Stadium, with four consecutive days of performances expected to attract 120,000 spectators. At the same time, a Jay Chou-themed coffee shop called "Love in Coffee" has officially opened at Nanjing Xinjiekou Golden Eagle, making its debut alongside the concert. This coffee shop focuses on estate-grade coffee beans and Michelin three-star desserts, with an interior design infused with the poetic fantasy of "Love in Coffee," where greenery and stone intertwine, and mirrored light and shadow create a dreamy atmosphere. Many product names are taken from Jay Chou's classic songs, allowing fans to taste "lyric" drinks while listening to their idol's music. The first Beijing Sanlitun store had previously attracted a large number of fans to check in, and the operator, Star Plus, has close ties with Jay Chou. This article takes you through the features, prices, and fan experience of this celebrity coffee shop. [more…]

Coffee, tea, and cocoa are the world's three major beverages. Coffee beans from different producing countries exhibit distinctly different flavor characteristics due to differences in terroir. In this article, Front Street Coffee reviews the world's top ten single-origin coffee bean producing regions, covering Brazil, Indonesia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Kenya, Guatemala, Jamaica, Hawaii, and Yunnan, China. From variety selection and processing methods to flavor performance, it analyzes the core characteristics of each producing region one by one. It also introduces the blending concepts and brewing performance of several representative coffee beans under the Front Street brand, providing coffee enthusiasts with a systematic guide to regional flavors. [more…]