On the evolution of cafes in Hong Kong

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Walking in Causeway Bay, in just a few months, several chain groups have hung up the opening promotion of "boutique coffee flagship stores". Rent giant shops in a busy city full of tourists to promote fine coffee that advocates fine taste. One fast and one slow, the contrast is strong.

The traditional European cafe was regarded as a gathering place outside the bar by people at that time. According to their needs, members of the public will go to cafes with different clientele to discuss current affairs and talk about business. This played an important role in the development of western society in the future. The predecessor of the London Stock Exchange (London Stock Exchange) was the Jonathan's Coffee-house Cafe in the bank business district.

Starbucks brings "Public Space"

In the past, cafes in Hong Kong were places where ordinary people rested, watched horse races and ate egg tarts. As for turning coffee into a fashion, it is Starbucks coffee that has swept Hong Kong since the millennium. I still remember that my first visit was in Beijing in 2000. About half a year later, the opening of a branch in Hong Kong aroused the expectation and excitement of the author and my classmates. The comfort created by soft lighting, combing and brisk music has emerged in shopping malls, hospitals and street corners, providing "public space" for students, insurance brokers or people who want to cool air-conditioning. Next, as long as there is room for an Italian coffee machine, the restaurant also joined the ranks of Italian and flower-pulling. Even hamburgers start selling coffee and sandwiches.

You know what? The international coffee industry has entered the third wave, and local shops have also begun to become boutique in recent years.

When many people travel to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, they will notice that there are many local coffee shops and a hundred flowers bloom. Do you follow the trend? The American Fine Coffee Association and the European Fine Coffee Association award certification in Hong Kong, as well as the promotion of public knowledge. Like a coffee shop near Taikoo Fong, the owner works as a baker, offering a light-roasted, fruity single espresso (Single Origin espresso) in addition to the popular blending recipe (house blend). In the basement of the old shopping mall two blocks away, there is a shop specializing in siphon pots. The owner of the coffee is not only qualified as a tester, but he also bakes the coffee in the store to make sure it is fresh.

A rotating roaster and a barista who is willing to share the characteristics of beans with guests are all proof of a boutique cafe.

A delicate journey from hot to cool

Boutique coffee is the epitome of region, soil and climate. Drinking boutique coffee is a delicate journey from hot to cold. In an ideal cafe, there are professional cup surveyors to choose and buy farm-level raw beans, professional baking techniques for self-baking, and baristas for scientific and quantitative extraction. Boil and liberate the treasure in the beans. Coffee has changed from a supporting role who used to be only responsible for refreshing to a protagonist, and cafes have also changed from being the soil of culture to experiencing the art of taste.

Patrick Tam (owner of the boutique coffee shop Knockbox, approved barista of the American Fine Coffee Association and European Fine Coffee Association, CQI recognized cup tester, Cup of Excellence's first Hong Kong judge)

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