This Unassuming Neighborhood Cafe Was Just Named the Best Coffee Shop in the World—and No, It’s Not in Italy

The line snaked down the sidewalk behind a velour rope as if it belonged to a nightclub. But it was noon on a sunny Tuesday afternoon in Sydney, and these patrons were seeking an entirely different buzz.

The eager anticipation was for a hot spot that’s steaming all day. Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters in the artsy Chippendale suburb might look like an unassuming neighborhood cafe—but it’s just been named the world’s best coffee shop.

Fighting off thousands of rivals, Toby’s Estate scored top marks in categories from coffee flavor, baristas, and innovation to food quality, sustainability, and ambience, before being crowned champion by a panel of bean counters at the inaugural World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops gala in Madrid last month.

Inside the bright, sun-drenched cafe, it was immediately apparent this place was different. Unlike most coffee shops, the baristas here worked among the customers, like an Apple Genius Bar, while overhead dentist-style mirrors showcased their intricate handiwork. Behind an enormous glass wall, the daily grind in the on-site roastery was visible, too, as apron-clad workers readied, aimed, and fired their precious beans. The whole place had a whiff of Willy Wonka about it: joyful, upbeat, inventive and, well, caffeinated.

And then there were the drinks. Toby’s Estate rotates specialist and experimental beans from around the world, sparking wide-eyed delight among java junkies when each monthly menu drops. Asking to be “surprised,” I was handed an aromatic Panamanian Altieri coffee in one of Toby’s signature goblets, and was blown away by the full flavor and craft beer-like hoppiness of the brew.

Grabbing my steaming drink in both hands, I headed across the bustling cafe to a spare seat by the window, overlooking luscious Victoria Park and the sandstone turrets of the University of Sydney beyond. Here, I started chatting to one of the regulars, local artist and studio owner Melissa Tan-Lu.

“I’ve been coming here for eight years, and I’ve never seen this place so buzzing,” said Tan-Lu. “Sydneysiders are serious about their coffee, and now they’ve all discovered how good this place is. I’m proud of these guys for winning the award, but I’m also sad our secret is out because we all have to queue now.”

The Sydney coffee scene is celebrated for its cool vibes and the competitiveness of its baristas, locked in an eternal struggle with Melbourne, the self-proclaimed “Coffee Capital of Australia.” This award should go some way to righting that balance.

It’s a rivalry that Jody Leslie, the general manager of Toby’s Estate, was keen to play down, as any true winner would.

“This is a win for Australian coffee as a whole, not just for us or Sydney,” said Leslie, as we chatted in the state-of-the-art tasting lab above the cafe. “Australians are passionate about their coffee and we’re equally passionate about serving them the best product. That’s why we’re constantly scouring the globe for new and interesting beans.”

Some of those beans are more interesting than others, particularly when it comes to infusion and fermentation at source. Toby’s Estate has a network of global talent scouts that would put many professional sports teams to shame, unearthing potential from as far afield as El Salvador, Guatemala, Kenya, and Brazil. The fruits of those labors adorn the cafe’s rotating menu, which has seen everything from strawberry and coconut espressos to butterscotch pudding and crème brûlée lattes.

“Each time we taste a new bean, it has to score at least 80 out of 100 on the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) scale, and then we look at the best ways to serve it,” said Leslie. “We’re always tasting for the same four criteria: acidity, mouth feel, flavor, and finish.”

It’s a process that’s served the business well since it began with a wantaway lawyer (the eponymous Toby) roasting beans in his mother’s garage nearly 30 years ago. It has now expanded to a small network of shops, although it was the Chippendale flagship itself that won the award.

Since that announcement, a lot has changed. Now, Leslie said, there’s always a line when the doors open at 7: 30 a.m., and there are even plans to open a Manhattan outpost later this year. But despite the current hype, there’s one reliable constant here in Harbor City.

“We’re way busier in the mornings now, but everything still goes quiet, like clockwork, at 3 p.m.,” said Leslie. “There’s just something in the Australian psyche that switches then; that’s when everybody starts thinking about beer instead.”