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Poll
Best Coffee Shop?
Starbucks
28%
 28%  [ 10 ]
Coffee Bean
28%
 28%  [ 10 ]
Kommune
5%
 5%  [ 2 ]
Vienna Cafe
20%
 20%  [ 7 ]
Jamaica Blue
17%
 17%  [ 6 ]
Total Votes : 35


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thewalrus
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Post  Posted: July 07, 2006 - 09:38 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

I can not justify HOW people call Starbucks, UBS nor Coffee Bean a COFFEE SHOP. They are friggin' zoo's..the coffee is s##t (and this is putting it very nicely). The best thing for Coffee Bean is they have wireless... but Vienna wins this hands down. As for Kommune its also very good - but it's more of a Sunday brunch type of place. I am in shock people.... Vienna has personal service, can you say that about Starbuck or freakin' UBC? . Over commericalized consumer crap.

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matOffline
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Post  Posted: July 07, 2006 - 10:37 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Here here.

Mate, i think as Aussies we must be spoilt for good coffee shops back home. Southbank, Lygon St, Carlton, St Kilda.

Maybe all of these people who voted believe Coffee is something that comes in a green and white paper cup with frappa and grappa and mocha and shita and whatever, or it comes from Mc Donalds.

Maybe mate, me and you are just lucky that we have a plethora of good choices back home.

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Post  Posted: July 07, 2006 - 02:42 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Well we most certainly arent back in Melbourne now. However the coffee at jamaica blue is in actual fact roasted in Melbourne!

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aquagirl
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Post  Posted: July 09, 2006 - 12:44 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

vienna cafe has the best coffee i have ever had in this city. i think the location and atmosphere are simply perfect. the cafe can feel very warm, friendly and cheerful, or quiet and refelctive.... it seems to fit nicely with my shifting moods.... unfortunately, the place is too crowded for me on the weekends. but i have never ever had to wait for a table during the week.

still, my vote for best tasting coffee and best atmosphere. it is not a place to be working away on a laptop. go to coffee beanery for that. vienna is a place to meet people, talk to the exceedingly friendly owner, or just sit quietly reading. and that is what i love about it. (also, they always have a vegan homemade soup and excellent dark bread. and soy milk!)

hc -- how do you get free refills??! i don't get refills and i know the staff and am way more charming than you!! are you talking about the brunch?

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Post  Posted: July 09, 2006 - 12:52 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Yeah, everyone put your votes in for either Vienna or Kommune. There is NO WAY Shanghaiexpat can publish Starbucks or Coffee Bean as the best coffee shop. By definition they are chains, not shops.

Come on you good thing, boot Vienna Cafe home to a win! (But i agree they need to get more seating in there).

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Post  Posted: July 09, 2006 - 02:37 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

I wouldnt vote for any of them because, these days I dont think you can get great coffee in certainly not starbucks but also, most other places.

The best coffee beans go to make chocolate liquors these are mainly blue mountain which has not been available for many years, the nearest is high mountain. Most of the chains blend up with Mysore probably the cheapest bean on the market and often used for contintental coffee. Continental coffee is an over roasted bean so you use the cheapest you can buy.

Gone are many of the coffee shops where they have a selection of beans which you can mix and match to suit your own tatse. I guess if your under 30 years old you wont remember what coffee used to taste like. just my 10 pennies worth. Very Happy

PS: The best coffee in my opinion is served in Italy and maybe Spain, French sucks and so does the coffee in the States.
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Post  Posted: July 09, 2006 - 02:41 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

lazyyorkie wrote:
I wouldnt vote for any of them because, these days I dont think you can get great coffee in certainly not starbucks but also, most other places.

The best coffee beans go to make chocolate liquors these are mainly blue mountain which has not been available for many years, the nearest is high mountain. Most of the chains blend up with Mysore probably the cheapest bean on the market and often used for contintental coffee. Continental coffee is an over roasted bean so you use the cheapest you can buy.

Gone are many of the coffee shops where they have a selection of beans which you can mix and match to suit your own tatse. I guess if your under 30 years old you wont remember what coffee used to taste like. just my 10 pennies worth. Very Happy


worth 20 minutes.

PS: The best coffee in my opinion is served in Italy and maybe Spain, French sucks and so does the coffee in the States.
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Post  Posted: July 09, 2006 - 02:46 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

vague,sarcastic,profound...

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Post  Posted: July 09, 2006 - 02:47 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

shgillusion: Whats your point? am I wrong to have my own opinions or what. occurs to me there is a distinct lack of intelligent replies in a lot posts. Wink
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Post  Posted: July 09, 2006 - 02:48 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

everything is ok.

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Post  Posted: July 09, 2006 - 02:49 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

your famous one liners?
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Post  Posted: July 09, 2006 - 09:06 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Sad to think Star bucks is on this list, still if you have never had real coffee i understand how the sweet confection might fool the unitiated. i have quietly worried that good coffee is apparently not common here but hope i will find some freshly roated, aromatic quality expresso somewhere. will try some of the suggestions here but please think seriously about the longer term future damage to shanghai cafe culture by voting for star bucks!
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aquagirl
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Post  Posted: July 10, 2006 - 12:17 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

huh. well, i think the beans they use at vienna are quite good. i forget where they get them from, but i think they are pretty good quality. i am quite fond of espresso and i am a hypercritical consumer. i have had a few worthwhile espressos here in shanghai, and i must say that vienna was the best. [and no, i don't think they need more seats. they just need to always have a seat for me...]

and sorry, but some of the best coffee i have ever had was in seattle. stop knocking the u.s.. there are many fine small cafes in most major cities. and seattle certainly has the cream of the crop. but there is no point of waxing poetic about the u.s., italy, spain or whatever. because we are in shanghai. china, you know, where they drink tea, not coffee......

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thewalrus
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Post  Posted: July 10, 2006 - 12:29 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Quote:
vague,sarcastic,profound...


U're a tool!

Quote:
Well we most certainly arent back in Melbourne now. However the coffee at jamaica blue is in actual fact roasted in Melbourne!


Is that right? Jamaica Blue saved my arse one day when the server crashed at work. It was either there (close to the office) or go down to Senses (close to the office too but with alcohol). Botth have wireless. I chose Jamaica - aka Coffee. It was OK - but I should have chose alcohol.

The seating issue is a drama on the w'ends at Vienna. What can you do though? It's tight in there - but I reckon if they got any bigger it would hurt the atmosphere. And the Sacher Torte Peter does is AMAZING.

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aquagirl
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Post  Posted: July 10, 2006 - 12:53 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

[peter doesn't bake. that was hedda, the manager. but now she is gone. there is a new manager. you will have to test out her sacher..]

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Post  Posted: July 10, 2006 - 02:09 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Aquagirl: aand sorry, but some of the best coffee i have ever had was in seattle. stop knocking the u.s.. there are many fine small cafes in most major cities. and seattle certainly has the cream of the crop. but there is no point of waxing poetic about the u.s., italy, spain or whatever. because we are in shanghai. china, you know, where they drink tea, not coffee......

Everyone drinks coffee in the states but, i failed to find a good coffee there most of it is like well, i would describe it as a breakfast coffee very ordinary, maybe Chicago where there is a big Italian influence yes!

Given America is close to Costa Rica and Columbia then you would expect better, I think.
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yu888
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Post  Posted: July 10, 2006 - 04:28 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

coffe culture here is young and immature...it will get better...eventually

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Post  Posted: July 10, 2006 - 04:52 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

yu888: Yes you are right, there is an opening for some good Itallian coffee shops with great snacks. There is a good chain Cafe Nero but, i dont think they got to SH yet.

PS: I have to smile when people order those Latte they are paying coffee prices for warm milk.
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