6 Most Unusual Specialty Coffee Shops Around the World

You’ve been to your fair share of coffee shops—but have you ever walked into a cafe that doesn’t serve coffee? Or one built inside a bird’s nest 32 floors up? The world is full of extraordinary coffee experiences that go far beyond the usual espresso-and-pastry formula. If you're a true coffee enthusiast looking for something radically different, here are six globally renowned cafes that redefine what a coffee experience can be.

In short: Six globally recognised coffee venues offer wildly unique experiences—from selling vitamin-infused water instead of coffee, to cafes built inside towers, designed by star architects, or dedicated entirely to chocolate. These are must-visits for any curious coffee lover.

1. Molecule Water Cafe – New York City’s Vitamin-Enhanced Water Bar

Opened in May 2012 in New York’s East End, Molecule Water Cafe doesn’t serve coffee at all. Instead, it offers filtered water enhanced with vitamins, herbs, and other natural additives. Using a $25,000 purification system that turns tap water into ultra-clean drinking water, the cafe lets customers customise their bottled water. A basic glass bottle costs $2.50, each vitamin additive is $1, and natural blends or herbal infusions cost $2. The menu details each ingredient’s benefits and suggests wellness formulas for different needs.

2. 100% Chocolate Cafe – Tokyo’s All-Chocolate Experience

Located in Tokyo Solamachi, the 100% Chocolate Cafe by Meiji is a fully chocolate-themed cafe. It serves drinks and desserts based on chocolate, featuring 56 varieties made from global cocoa beans—the cafe’s standout feature. The entire space, recently renovated, is infused with chocolate aromas, with ceiling decor mimicking a giant chocolate slab and colour-coded shelves styled like international paint charts. The ‘chocolate wall’ showcases all 56 flavours, while the colour-indexed display makes it fun to pick a chocolate based on your lucky number.

3. Le Nid Cafe – A Bird’s Nest Café in France

Perched on the 32nd floor of the Brittany Tower in Nantes, France, Le Nid Cafe (The Nest Cafe) spans just 430 square feet. Designed by artist Jean Jullien, the interior features bird and egg-shaped furniture including tables, chairs, and the bar. The colour palette includes whites, yellows, and creams to reflect eggs and maintain a relaxed atmosphere. The cafe’s layout resembles a swan, with the bar forming the body, partitions mimicking a bird’s neck and head, and the eggs doubling as adorable stools and tables.

4. Starbucks by Kengo Kuma – A Wooden Masterpiece in Fukuoka

In Fukuoka, Japan, architect Kengo Kuma (known for his innovative wooden structures) designed a Starbucks that breaks away from the brand’s typical uniform design. The cafe uses carefully arranged wood elements that create a flowing, non-repetitive spatial feel. The structure embodies Kuma’s signature style without overwhelming the customer. This Fukuoka location reflects his approach to organic flow and natural materials, offering a serene and architecturally distinct coffee environment.

5. Starbucks Amsterdam – A Historic Coffee Theatre

This 430-square-metre Starbucks in Amsterdam looks more like a heritage site than a chain cafe. Its design uses weathered stone walls and raw wood to evoke Amsterdam’s deep coffee history. The space functions almost like a small theatre of materials, combining a coffee shop with performance areas for local bands and theatre groups. Beyond serving coffee, the cafe embraces its location’s cultural roots through material storytelling and community use.

6. High Coffee – Parisian Designer Café with Top Roasters

Located in Paris’s L’Hôtel de Vendôme, High Coffee is a luxury-designed café created with top-tier designers. Each afternoon, renowned French roasters Antoine Netien and Tom Clark serve premium-quality coffee. Interior designer Michele Bánáan crafted the space to deliver high-fashion comfort, using black-and-white patterned sofas with pink satin cushions, grey velvet sofas, white ceilings and walls, and Italian textiles from Dedar for carpets and curtains. The refined aesthetic matches the calibre of the coffee being served.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Molecule Water Cafe and why is it famous?

Molecule Water Cafe, located in New York since 2012, is a water bar that sells filtered water customised with vitamins, herbs, and natural ingredients. It uses a $25,000 purification system and offers bottled water starting at $2.50, with add-ons like vitamins ($1 each) and herbal blends ($2 each). It’s known for turning basic tap water into custom 'energy water' and for its detailed menu of health benefits.

What makes the 100% Chocolate Cafe in Tokyo unique?

The 100% Chocolate Cafe in Tokyo Solamachi is entirely dedicated to chocolate. It offers 56 global cocoa-based chocolate varieties, along with chocolate drinks, coffee, tea, juice, and desserts. The cafe’s interior is saturated with chocolate aromas and features design elements like a ceiling that looks like a chocolate bar and a colour-coded chocolate shelf inspired by paint charts.

Where is Le Nid Cafe and what does it look like?

Le Nid Cafe is on the 32nd floor of Brittany Tower in Nantes, France. It covers 430 square feet and features bird and egg-shaped furniture created by artist Jean Jullien. The decor uses white, yellow, and cream colours to reflect eggs, with furnishings resembling a swan—including the bar as the body and eggs as stools and tables.

Why is the Fukuoka Starbucks designed by Kengo Kuma special?

The Fukuoka Starbucks, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, breaks from standard Starbucks design. It uses natural wood arrangements to create a flowing, non-linear space. The design highlights Kuma’s signature organic, flowing aesthetic with wood textures and avoids the typical chain store uniformity.

What is special about the Starbucks in Amsterdam?

The Amsterdam Starbucks spans 430 square metres and is designed with rough stone walls and untreated wood to reflect the city’s coffee heritage. It combines a coffee shop with performance space for bands and theatre groups. The café emphasises historical and cultural context through its material choices and community-focused design.

Who serves coffee at High Coffee in Paris and what’s the interior like?

High Coffee in Paris’s L’Hôtel de Vendôme is served daily by master roasters Antoine Netien and Tom Clark. The interior, designed by Michele Bánáan, features high-end fashion-inspired comforts like black-and-white patterned seating, pink satin cushions, velvet grey sofas, and Italian textiles. The luxurious design complements the premium coffee offerings.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Unique Cafe Experiences

For coffee adventures matching these creative cafes, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui for floral, juicy complexity; Panama Huacai for bright citrus and almond notes; or Yirgacheffe for classic berry-toned brightness. Each highlights origin character—perfect for appreciating craft like the roasters at High Coffee or the curated flavours in Tokyo’s chocolate-centric cafe. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.