#like 10 different cups of coffee/tea from the cafe on campus

[spiderweb-bf]

i genuinely believe in another life I'd be someone's sugar daddy bc i have a crush on this dude and I can't stop getting shit for him

[gyeomsweetgyeom]

mr. worst cup

CollegeBarista!Jaemin x Reader

summary: Jaemin messes up your order and in turn messes up any chance at any sort of relationship with you (or so he thinks)

word count: 4.3k

A/N: I really hope you guys like it! 

Taglist! @eggbutnotyolk​

Mornings, Jaemin hated them. Yes, that was beyond cliche, but it was the truth. Especially right now. At approximately 7 am, Jaemin also hated being awake, Jeno, being cold, people, Jeno again, and work. 

Jaemin and Jeno both worked at a cafe near campus where Jeno worked the morning shift, had time for a quick workout, then went to school, all because he enjoyed mornings. On the other hand, Jaemin hated mornings, so he slept in, went to class in the afternoon for a few hours, and then came to work in the evenings. It was a schedule that just worked for the both of them, no downsides- usually.

But Jaemin was not in the comfort of his bed, dreaming, drooling, and snoozing away like he could have been this morning. No, he was working Jeno’s shift because Jaemin was the best friend on the planet and he would do anything for Jeno anytime Jeno wanted- no. Jeno had woken up with a high fever and a sore throat, and it was easier to wake Jaemin, his roommate, to ask for him to cover his shift than to text another coworker. Anything for the health of the general public, gag, Jaemin hated how nice Jeno was sometimes.

So after opening at a bright and early 6:45, helping only one customer in the 45 minutes that he had been open, Jaemin was starting to feel that anger from being up so early. He should have some coffee to give himself energy and help with the anger, but his brain just couldn’t seem to send the signals to his limbs to make him move. His eyes were locked on all the empty tables and chairs of the cafe, tables and chairs that were always filled during his normal evening shift. The emptiness paired with the godforsaken jazz song playing over and over and over again were driving him insane. After a five-minute war between his mind and body, he got to work making a drink for himself. His specialty iced americano with his precious eight shots of espresso. His priceless, liquid gold. He was so concentrated while making his drink that he didn’t even hear the door open to reveal his second customer of the day. 

“Oh my god, Jeno! Eight shots?” He heard a voice exclaim. “Oh, you’re not Jeno, I’m so sorry.”

“Just a minute please, I’ll be right with you,” Jaemin replied. 

He couldn’t keep you waiting forever, so he set his prepared drink aside and made his way to the customer at the counter. Oh, this cute customer. He quickly turned to the register, asking you for your order with a polite smile.

“Just a medium iced caramel latte with almond milk, double the caramel drizzle, and an extra shot please.” You recited your order.

He nodded, took the money, and began working on your order, but unfortunately, his mind was not on your order. He just wanted a sip of his coffee, for the energy to kick in. His body was craving it, the taste, the energy that would make him feel normal, like a human. He could have gotten a quick sip in if the bell over the door hadn’t distracted him. Another customer, same routine: smile, I’ll be right with you, finish one drink, new drink to make. He distractedly reached for the cup on the counter, calling out your name before turning to the new customer. 

You approached the counter hesitantly, this did not look like your drink. The bell over the door sounded again and again as you hesitantly reached for the drink that was supposedly yours. You could just ask him to remake your drink, but the line was getting longer with the morning rush beginning and you had to get to class soon. That and you would feel awful asking him to waste supplies to make a simple drink again. 

Okay, you reassured yourself, hopefully, this wouldn’t be too bad. Maybe this barista just makes it differently, much differently, than Jeno does. You grabbed the drink and a straw, calling out a “thank you” as you walked out of the cafe. Stopping beside a trash bin you unwrapped the straw and took a sip of the pitch-black drink. Your face scrunched up in disgust, you could barely fight back the urge to spit out the coffee, no matter how hard your body was screaming at you to get it out.. You could not bring yourself to even look at the poison in hand so you tossed it into the bin, what a sad waste of money and his work. 

The next morning you walked in a little later, as your first class of the day had gotten canceled. You joined the line, looking at the menu because you could not and would not order your usual today. Normally you wouldn’t have to look at the menu, Jeno knew how to make your drink perfectly, but Jeno was not there. The take on your drink yesterday had scarred you, perhaps a hot tea today. 

“Hello, the caramel latte again today?” The same barista from yesterday asked. Where the hell was this guy getting “again” from?

You smiled almost apologetically with a hint of apprehension, “No thank you, just a mint green tea with honey please.”

He nodded, tapping away on the tablet, taking your money, and getting straight to work. The bell over the door became the background noise as the rush of professionals and early risers came in for their morning caffeine fix. Jaemin looked at the clock quickly, just 10 minutes before another coworker would show up to help him, this rush was too crazy. He quickly stirred the honey into the cup, called your name, and got to the counter to continue taking orders. It was too bad he didn’t get to make more conversation or look at you longer. Not in a weird way, he felt like he had barely had a chance to even get a glance at you today.

You had barely made it on time to class, sliding into your seat just a minute before your professor walked in and began a quick review of your last class. You sat back with a sigh, taking a sip of your warm drink. 

Well, this was odd, your tea didn’t taste like tea at all. Maybe it was just the first sip? No, the next sip tasted like nothing but honey. Confused, you took the lid off the cup to take a look, only to be met with the sight of steaming water mixed with honey-no tea in sight. 

After class, you sent a quick text to your usual barista and friend, Jeno, to let him know that you had notes for him. Time to carry on with your day, sadly caffeine-free.

Jaemin had had no idea that he had messed your drinks up so badly. When he had given you his americano the rush had just come in so when he went to look for his drink later he had figured that his coworker had just accidentally tossed it. The second day, he could blame the rush again. He had haphazardly tossed a tea bag in the general vicinity of the cup before passing it in your direction. So it came as a surprise to him that for the rest of the week that he covered Jeno’s shift, the cute customer that came in right before the rush, that would be you, had stopped coming in. It was a shame, but he could continue on with his life with little to no regret. Maybe he would see you again or maybe another customer would catch his eye. There was no use in dwelling on something he had no control over or wasting time letting his mind run wild with anxious thoughts of why you hadn’t come back.

That was until he came home one day a week later to find Jeno on a loud call. Jeno smiled and quickly mouthed to Jaemin that he was on the phone with a friend. “Jeno, I’m telling you. That was the worst coffee I have ever tasted. Never in my life have I had a drink that could be used to run a car. I just don’t understand how you could mess up a caramel latte that bad.” He heard. 

Caramel latte? The voice sounded familiar but he was hopeful that maybe, just maybe it wasn’t you. 

“And the next day, god Jeno, I ordered a tea because I was so nervous to order a coffee and all I got was hot water, then I stopped going until you went back.” It was you, This was the worst-case scenario and it was you, the cute customer that he had developed a tiny, little crush on. He tried to remember how he had made your orders, and he swore he made them the way he asked. But how was he supposed to remember anything correctly when he was up before 10 every day and coming in contact with a hundred people?

“Yeah, I can do Friday morning, see you then.” Had Jaemin missed the rest of the conversation? It seemed so.

“So Mr. Makes the Worst Cup of Coffee, how was your day?” Jeno smirked.

Jaemin scoffed, “We don’t even know if it was me.”

Jeno burst out laughing immediately going to explain that those were the days that he was sick while Jaemin yelled over him stating that perhaps, perhaps, it was another barista you were talking about. But they both knew that no one else that worked in the cafe drank anything nearly as strong as Jaemin’s iced americano. Jaemin sighed having clearly lost the argument, “How do you know them anyway?”

“We’re the same major,” Jeno answered with a simple shrug. Maybe it wasn’t too late for a change in major.

This customer was so close to home and he had somehow ruined one of the things he prided himself on. He was so proud of his barista abilities, it was a passion of his. Customers constantly came back for his drinks specifically, left him tips (for his drinks or looks- he didn’t care), asked when Jaemin would be back on his days off, and he had gotten employee of the month a few times. 

After that night, you had not left Jaemin’s mind. It was like all he could think about was you. When he saw Jeno, every day, he wondered if Jeno had seen you. When he woke up every morning he remembered that you were up early, bright-eyed and ready to take on the day. At work, he constantly wondered if maybe you would come in and order something. Walking across campus he wondered if he maybe had a class in the same buildings as you. At this point, it was no longer a little crush on the cute customer that came in twice a couple weeks ago, it was a crush on a friend of a friend, someone that he could actually potentially meet one day. 

Maybe he could run into you on campus, leaving the library after studying so hard that he could offer to buy you a cup of coffee. There could be a party soon that the two of you would magically bump into each other at where he could blow you away with his bartending skills. It was such a weird thing for Jaemin to experience, imagining what might be with someone he didn’t know beyond being a customer. He had been in relationships before but never had there been a person that consumed his every thought. 

Granted the day after the call, Jaemin did feel a little- or really a lot of anger towards you saying he made the worst cup of coffee that he did actually let his anger fuel his day. He was flipping violently through textbooks, punching away at the keys on his computer, nearly ripping through sheets of paper with the pressure of his pencil. He didn’t like this feeling, he had to remind himself to calm down and take deep breaths. No one had ever made him feel this angry, if it was even anger that he was feeling or maybe just sadness poorly masked as anger. That made much more sense, it really did pay off to have taken that psychology class his first semester.

You had become so involved in every part of Jaemin’s day that he just wondered if in this very moment he was imagining you walking out of Starbucks while he sat at a red light on a sunny Friday morning. Had his mind become so powerful that he could now make things and people appear out of thin air? He hadn’t tried that since he was a kid, but maybe he had just become more powerful. It couldn’t be you though right? He knew there was no way he had super powers, but there was also no way it actually was you, it would be the biggest coincidence. He rolled down the passenger side window, leaning closer to the sidewalk where you were walking towards the parking lot and gasped when he realized that his imagination was in fact, not playing tricks on him, it really was you. 

“Are you cheating on us?!” He screeched. Uh oh, he wasn’t supposed to say that out loud. The stupid mermaid was just staring at him mockingly, he couldn’t stop himself from saying it. It was the worst word vomit he had ever experienced. 

You stopped and squinted trying to look at who had just yelled at you, lucky for you Jaemin was still in shock from actually yelling that he was frozen still with a hand clasped over his mouth. Yup, that would be the person that yelled. You looked him dead in the eye and took a long sip of the drink in hand. “Tastes better than yours.” You cheekily called back. 

Jaemin’s jaw dropped, he was so ready to defend his barista title, his locally-owned cafe, but the car behind him seemed to think the opposite thanks to its incessant honking because the light had been green for more than 10 seconds. Once again, you had plagued his thoughts, not necessarily in a good way though. You had betrayed him-no, you hadn’t but he was dramatic.

He could at least spend some time away from you, it’s not like he saw you out in public very often, ever saw you on campus, or came in during his shift. He was lost in his thoughts as he walked through the door to his apartment. He heard Jeno laugh, then a new voice. Very odd, but he put on a smile and reminded himself to be polite. 

“Hi- oh you,” Jaemin said. 

“Nice to finally meet you properly, please don’t yell at me again.” You smiled playfully. 

Jeno’s eyes widened comically in shock, immediately interrogating Jaemin. Why would Jaemin think it’s okay to yell at someone he doesn't know? Much less one of Jeno’s friends. Jaemin really did try to defend himself, but every time he tried to make a point it just didn’t make sense. He sounded so stupid. “I am so sorry about him.” Jeno apologized, elbowing Jaemin’s rib. 

“I’m sorry too, it was inappropriate and rude of me to yell at you.” Jaemin recited. This was not the first time he had had to apologize for yelling at someone in public. 

You waved the both of them off, “I was messing around, it’s nice to match a name to a face.”

Jaemin made his way to his room like a scolded child while you and Jeno returned to the screens in front of you, already typing away before the bedroom door even shut. Jaemin made a promise to himself that he would stay in his room until you left. There was no way that he would go out there and risk even more embarrassment in front of you, not just the customer he had a small crush on but the innocent pedestrian he yelled at that very morning. His mind was swirling with regret and thoughts of how badly he had messed up any chance he had with you. He could not go out there and ruin any remaining chance of friendship or even acquaintanceship, or even risk you going to Starbucks every day and never going back to the cafe. Half an hour later he pulled a pillow over his face to muffle his groans, these thoughts were making him crazy, one groan from his throat and a rumble from his stomach. There was no way he could wait until you left now, he had to get food. 

Jeno looked up as the door opened, “Right on time, does chicken sound good for dinner?” 

Jaemin nodded, ready to turn back and relax on his bed but instead he lingered in his doorway. He ignored the nerves in his stomach and decided that the best decision as a host in his home would be to not leave you alone while Jeno called in the order. Even if he did think you were a little bit of a treacherous snake- from a business standpoint of course.

He cleared his throat, effectively grabbing your attention, “So uh, what are you guys working on?”

“Jeno and I are partners for a project in a communications class so we have to analyze a bunch of sources and then explain why the audience could interpret each source in different ways.” You answered simply with a shrug, as if you had just told him how to make toast. 

“Well that’s cool…”

It was now or never. He could talk to you now and clear the air in hopes of perhaps forming a friendship or he could stay quiet and try his best to enjoy the awkward environment. He let out a breathy, nervous laugh, drawing your attention back, “So I think I heard you say I make the, what was it? Oh, the shittiest cup of coffee you’ve ever had.”

Your eyes widened, “No, no, no! I didn’t say that exactly, I did say though, it was the worst coffee I ever had.” 

“How badly could I have messed up your order? So badly that you had to go to Starbucks apparently.” 

“I had ordered an almond milk caramel latte and received a coffee with not only no milk at all, so it wasn’t even a latte, but also no form of sweetness. On top of that, I had one sip at the beginning of the day that kept me awake and energized until midnight. And! You gave me tea with no tea. Surprisingly though, you are not the worst barista in the cafe.” You responded with a playful roll of your eyes.

Jaemin choked on his spit, “What do you mean? I remember the first day you came in while I was making my coffee… you got my coffee.” He dropped to his knees, “Forgive me, please.”

You threw your head back with a laugh, “Get up, I’ve already forgiven you. Jeno talks about you a lot, so I was actually looking forward to meeting you anyway, even if we did start off on not so great terms.”

“They said about 20 or 30 minutes, you good?” Jeno asked as he reentered the room.

You smiled with a nod, “We’re becoming the best of friends.”

Jaemin blushed, ready to get your attention off of him, “So, you said I don’t carry the title for worst barista.”

“Wait really? Who is it then, best to worst go!” Jeno exclaimed. 

“First, is your owner, Johnny, right? Man, he makes a delicious caramel latte, the best I have ever had. Next, I guess would be Ren-”

“Renjun?!” Jeno and Jaemin interrupted. 

“Well yeah, he’s super nice and added caramel syrup to the milk I think? Not sure, it was really good, and he added the cutest little drawing on my cup. You guys aren’t last or anything though, Haechan is.” You told them with a shudder.

You all burst out laughing as you recounted the time that Haechan had yelled at you while taking a phone order and ended up sliding a half filled, kids size cup of water across the counter with your name. Another time he was so busy flirting with another customer throughout the whole process of taking and making your order that he had given them your drink too and just given you a pastry instead. Jeno told you guys about a time that Haechan had poured coffee beans on the floor, not once or even twice, but three times in one four hour shift. Jaemin added his own story where Haechan had convinced a handful of customers that they were out of coffee until Johnny came in from the back with a bag of coffee beans. 

You all wiped the tears from the corners of your eyes as you tried to catch your breaths from laughing so hard. Jeno sat up when he heard a knock on the door. It was probably the delivery man. 

Jaemin looked over at you, a happy smile still on his face. “You know, I would really like it if I could actually make it up to you.”

“Free coffee?” You asked excitedly. 

He laughed awkwardly, “Uh no, I uh, um- I think you’re really... cool?”

“This is fucking painful. Jaemin thinks you’re cute and this is his lame attempt at asking you out on a date.” Jeno jumped in, setting the bag of food on the dining table. 

You flushed, immediately feeling hot, “I would actually really like that.”

The dinner was clouded with awkwardness, little glances here and there paired with a little conversation. Now that you both knew you at least kind of liked each other, and were interested in one another there was no way he could ruin his chance by saying something embarrassing. All the conversations were basic, surface-level, first day of class icebreaker, boring. What’s your major? What do you want to do with your major? What year are you? How long have you and your best friend since birth lived together?

“Maybe it was better when you hated each other, I can practically feel the tension.” Jeno sighed, reaching his hands forward to “grab” the tension. Maybe Jeno would eat his words when the sparks began flying after the first date, maybe. Yeah, probably.

-

BONUS

“I’ve had a really good time with you.” Jaemin smiled down at the ground. The blush on his cheeks was hot while your hand in his was warm. 

“I’ve had a great time with you too, you really made up for all your little mishaps.” You replied.

Jaemin laughed, “Which reminds me, I have to finally show you that I am in fact the best barista, ever. Would you mind if we stopped by the cafe?”

You shook your head, holding his hand tighter on the walk to the cafe. He held the door open for you and guided you towards an empty seat close to the counter so you could both still talk to one another. 

“Welcome! Oh, Jaemin was this your date? I’ve seen you here before right? I’m Johnny, the owner.” Johnny greeted with a smile. 

“Nice to meet you too, I love your cafe. Jaemin is making me a replacement drink since he ruined the first couple of drinks. He doesn’t have to, but he practically insisted.”

“And you didn’t call and complain? You must have really liked him.” Johnny laughed.

You couldn’t fight the heat creeping up your neck, so you quickly looked away from the owner standing in front of you to avoid more embarrassment. 

“Ah, I’ve never made you this nervous! Here is your iced caramel latte with almond milk.” Jaemin teased as he set the drink in front of you. He looked at you expectantly, awaiting your verdict.

You took a sip, pleasantly surprised with the familiar taste of your favorite drink. “It’s so good! Thank you.”

“Better than Johnny and Renjun?” Jaemin asked.

“Maybe stop the questions while you’re ahead buddy, there’s no way it could be better than mine. Hope to see you soon.” Johnny smirked as you both left. 

Jaemin pouted the whole way back to your apartment, you had to reassure him that it was so good that soon he would get sick of seeing your face around the cafe.

He stopped in front of your door, “I don’t think I could ever get sick of your face, so I would really like to take you out again.”

“I would really love that, goodnight Jaemin.” You smiled, pulling him in for a hug before making your way inside.

Jaemin smiled, stepped back from your door and slowly began to make his way home. Walking slowly as his thoughts were filled with date ideas, your face, and just how amazing you truly were. He was so in his head that he didn’t even realize you had come back out to see him again until he felt you tug on his wrist so he could face you. 

“Can I kiss you?” You asked breathlessly.

He smiled widely, nodding energetically as he placed a hand on your waist to pull you closer, inviting you to do as you please. Your hands came up to the nape of his neck, nervously playing with his hair before you finally pressed your lips to his own. A short but passionate kiss, it was like your lips were made for one another.

“I’ll see you soon, text me when you get home.” You told him bashfully, holding onto his hand until it eventually fell from the distance between you two. He agreed, locking eyes with you until you were out of his sight and there was no possibility of you ever leaving his mind. Sparks indeed.

[softmakoharus]

makoharu story: day off

(based on the new art) imagine haru calls makoto one evening. m: ah, i was just about to call to ask if you want to hang out tomorrow, since it's our day off. h: i was calling for the same reason. m: (laughs) then i guess the answer is yes. there's this place tono-kun told me about. h: a cafe? m: it's a cafe where you can also play board games, darts, pool— h: pool? m: (laughs) like billiards. h: oh. m: it's for socializing, but i don't think people will be there early. h: ok. it doesn't really sound that interesting to haru, but he'll go if makoto wants to. m: was there somewhere you wanted to go? h: there's a new coral reef exhibit at the aquarium. m: ok! we could do that first and then the other place for lunch. h: sure. m: i'll meet you at your place in the morning. h: around 11? m: got it! see you then, haru. h: see you.

the next morning, they meet as planned and have a good time at the aquarium. haru was completely captivated by the colorful fish, and makoto couldn't stop himself from taking a lot of pictures of haru happily watching them. >>🐟 aquarium details 🐠<< on the train ride, makoto pulls up the cafe's menu so they can decide what to order for lunch. when they arrive, they're in awe of how nice it looks. soft sunlight shines in, illuminating everything with a gentle glow. it gives a relaxing and refreshing feel to the place. m: it seems we're the only ones here. h: mm. just us and... plants. m: (laughs) there are a lot. i wonder if they sell any. h: you don't need more. m: i'd like to get a big one for the balcony. h: just take one. they won't notice. m: (laughs) you're going to get us kicked out. h: should we order our food? m: i’ll do that. you can sit down. h: you don’t have to get mine... m: it’s fine! i kind of dragged you here. mackerel confit, right? h: right. m: ok, i'll meet you at the table. haru takes a seat near the pool table as an older couple walks in. the woman sits down at a small table next to the window, while the man grabs a jigsaw puzzle from the shelf. haru gets the impression that they must come here often, and he smiles while trying not to watch too intently. makoto soon returns holding bubble tea and a coffee cup. m: i asked and they said they only sell little succulents. h: like the ones on your desk? m: mm. why are you looking at me funny? h: bubble tea. is that why you wanted to come here? m: (laughs) well it was one of the factors. try your coffee. h: why are you being pushy? m: no reason! go ahead. h: suspicious. what is it? m: a new flavor they have. haru takes a sip. m: pumpkin spice. h: it’s good. what flavor did you get? m: pumpkin spice. h: popular flavor. m: (laughs) it is. do you want to try playing pool while we wait? h: you know how? m: there’s a place close to campus i’ve been to a couple times after class. i’ll teach you! h: oh, ok. makoto grabs a pool stick and hands one to haru. m: so to start, i’ll break, and then we’ll go from there. he positions the cue ball and leans down to take the shot but hits it too lightly, and the ball barely moves. m: ah... i’ll try again. h: is that allowed? m: (laughs) i think it's ok for new players. makoto hits it harder this time. the balls scatter, and haru stares a little too long at makoto's face that's beaming with pride. m: ah! one of them went in! h: (smiles) good job. m: oh, thanks. makoto blushes and rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed to be praised so blatantly by haru. h: i mean, nothing went flying off the table. yet. m: (laughs) i know my own strength! h: we'll see. makoto bends over to take another shot and successfully hits the blue #10 into the side pocket. this time, he doesn't react. haru can't help but marvel at how professional he suddenly looks. even though it's just a friendly game, he's become incredibly serious and focused. makoto puts his hand on his chin and ponders, thinking before taking another shot. this one is unsuccessful. m: ah, your turn. since i'm stripes, you're solids. h: maybe i wanted stripes. m: (laughs) it's too late for that! h: if i lose, that's why. m: (laughs) fair enough. haru smiles and spots what should be an easy shot. he tries to mimic how makoto was shooting, but it feels unusual enough that it can't be right. how does he place his hand on the table? how hard does he hit? why is he so nervous?! m: are you trying for the purple one? h: mm. makoto steps around to haru's left side and bends down beside him, as if he were about to take the shot himself. haru tightens his grip on the pool stick when he feels makoto reach over his back to set his own hand right behind haru's. m: hold it kind of loosely. h: r-right. m: and your other hand can go like this. makoto gently pulls haru's left hand over a little, positioning it behind the cue ball. he moves the tip of the pool stick to demonstrate how it glides over the top. m: (blushes) see? your hand makes a bridge. h: (blushes) got it. makoto folds his arms on the table and continues to lean down next to haru. haru exhales, and in an act of utter stupidity, he makes the mistake of glancing at makoto. his face is so close! and he looks so cute!! haru can tell he's sincerely hoping the ball makes it in. determined to elicit a proud smile and perhaps a congratulatory high five, haru returns his focus and— SHIT. somehow the cue ball jumps into the air and flies off the table. too much determination! h: s-sorry! makoto quickly fetches the ball, placing it back where it was. m: (smiles) i guess you don't know your own strength. haru can't conceal his smile at the playful jab. h: shut up. m: it was actually a good shot. h: it obviously wasn't. m: (laughs) no, really! just flatten your hand a little, and use less of an angle this time. haru sighs, frustrated, and bends down again to line up the shot. he does as makoto suggested. the ball he was aiming for just barely misses the pocket. m: ah, so close! h: did you set that up for me? m: what? h: your shot before. it didn't even come close to hitting anything. m: (laughs nervously) just a coincidence. h: i see. well, it's your turn again. m: oh, right. makoto surveys the table, pausing, thinking, planning. the intensity in his face shows that he's not holding back at all, and it makes haru's heart beat rapidly. the view from where haru stands is perfection. he doesn't want to take his eyes off of him, but he must, just for a second, so that he can take advantage of makoto's focus. he turns and quickly grabs his phone without being noticed and takes a picture as makoto leans down. he hopes the camera was able to capture not only makoto's resolve, but also the way his shirt hangs from his chest, the slightest narrowing of his eyes, and the small twitch of his forearm muscles. maybe that's asking too much. he'd be better off just hoping it's not blurry. really, a video would have been better. then he'd also have makoto's small satisfied smile when he makes the shot feeling haru's gaze, makoto looks up and sees him smiling. m: what? h: nothing. m: (smiles) what is it? h: you're a... what do they call it? pool shark. m: (laughs) shut up, i'm not that good. i haven't played much. h: you keep saying that. m: it's true! h: it's a little annoying. m: what is? h: how quickly you catch on to things like this. sports and games, that sort of thing. m: it's just hitting a ball with a stick. h: no, i can see you strategizing where to hit it. and you did set me up for that shot before. m: well, i might have... haru smiles again. it's too embarrassing to say something like "it's an admirable trait" or "you're amazing." he blushes, realizing he already said too much. back in school, their gym classes would rotate different activities and sports. somehow, makoto had a natural talent and enjoyment for all of them. he could have done anything, but he chose swimming—or rather, he chose haru. even back then, haru couldn't help but notice that. h: don't go easy on me. m: (laughs) i had to give you a chance. h: i got it now. m: ok. they continue the game while they wait for their food. haru starts to feel more like he's gotten the hang of it and even makes a few shots himself, but he's no match for makoto. they clean up and sit back down at their table. m: that was fun, right? h: it wasn't bad. makoto smiles and takes a sip of his bubble tea. the intense focus from before is gone for now. haru knows this cute smiling makoto makes his heart beat rapidly, too. m: maybe i'll tell tono-kun to invite us the next time he comes here. we could play on teams. h: you want me on your team? m: of course! h: we'll lose for sure. m: (laughs) no we won't! anyway, i don't care if we win or not as long as we can play together. h: (blushes) oh... m: i'm going to look around a little. i want to see what games they have. h: ok. haru watches him walk away. it's clear makoto planned this from the start and brought haru here alone so he could get a feel for the place without anyone else to bother them. that way, he'd feel more comfortable coming out when this place is busier. sneaky, but also effective. haru smiles a little as he realizes he's actually kind of looking forward to it.in fact, he and makoto should probably come back again soon to get in some more practice. makoto pulls a book from one of the shelves and starts to read it. quickly, haru grabs his phone. this is revenge for all the pictures makoto took of him at the aquarium. that's all. it's not like he's going to look at these later, repeatedly. maybe he should take a few more. makoto returns to the table just as the food arrives and sets down a box beside their plates. h: what's this? m: triple chocolate mousse! i ordered it impulsively at the last second. h: (smiles) i mean the game. m: oh! (laughs) does it look familiar? we played it a lot as kids. h: ah... that's right, i remember. the objective is to visit all the animals at the zoo. we're a little old for this. m: well, there's not really any strategy involved, so we have an even playing field. h: what's that supposed to mean? m: (laughs) either of us could win. h: fine, if i win, you have to let me buy lunch tomorrow. m: and what if i win? h: i'll buy lunch tomorrow. m: (laughs) ok. do you want to come back here? h: sure. m: oh, before i forget. makoto gets up and crouches beside haru to take a picture together. he returns to his seat. h: are you messaging that to someone? m: tono-kun. later will you send me the pictures you took? h: (blushes) me? i didn't— i didn't take any. m: really? the one when i was playing? and just now when i was standing over there? h: oh... those pictures. i forgot. m: (laughs) mm. h: are you going to make a photo album? m: there's a website that can print them into books. i thought it would be a nice way to organize my pictures. h: it's a good idea. m: actually, i... (blushes) i was going to give you one. h: really? m: it kind of became a book about us. h: (blushes) i have more pictures i can send you. m: ok! i'll bring my laptop tomorrow and show you what i have so far. h: (smiles) sure. they both return their attention to their food, finishing their meals in silence, embarrassment mitigated by unrelenting happiness. haru glances to the older couple finishing their puzzle. he supposes he'll see them again tomorrow. he smiles at how easy it is to imagine him and makoto in their places. that will be them someday. maybe not here, but definitely together, continuing to make memories with each other.

[kpopidolsarehumanstoo]

“Cherry Blossom Tree” Yang Jeongin (Jeongin) : Bullet point

Pairing: Yang Jeongin / Jeongin (Stray Kids) x male reader

Genre: Fluff

Relationship with reader: The both of you are long time best friends.

Quick Summary: Jeongin wants to confess to you. He asked help from the gang and finally had the courage to ask you underneath the cherry blossom tree.

Warning:  Mild cursing.

A/N: I’m so sorry anon that this took so long. We had so much going on in school. I also did not know how to do this since you didn't give a plot but that's ok UwU.

P.S.  I hope you like it tho <3

Word Count: 1030

Jeongin and you were the best of friends

You have always been there for each other

Now the both of you were in your last days of high school

And he just realized that he liked you

Like like-liked you (tf?)

He just realized this

When he kept ranting about you to the other members

How cute you were

How smart you were

And all of a sudden Chan teased him about it

‘Aww our maknae has a crush’

And like instead of rebutting

It was as if a cat caught his tongue

And instead he blushed

Of course the other members teased him about it

They continued teasing him for months

You would watch in confusion whenever the other guys would whistle and keep on cat calling whenever Jeongin gets near to you

You don’t even notice Jeongins flustered state every time they tease him

After all those months of teasing

He realized that he had liked you for quite a long time

And now were here

The both of you were enjoying a cup of tea/coffee in a cafe nearby the campus

You were reading your book

Slowly sipping your tea / coffee with your pinky finger out

And you noticed Jeongin

He was out of it

He was stirring his tea for almost 10 minutes now

Ten minutes of stirring while looking at nothing

'Hey’ You called out

He snapped out of it and started sipping at his cup

'Whats up?’ He asked

'Dumbass you have been staring at nothing for about ten minutes now and you have the nerve to ask me whats up?’

*sips tea*

'I honestly dont know. I guess Ive just been thinking’ he said as he takes a long and slow sip of tea

Of course you just shrugged it off

You knew that he needed privacy

You knew he will just tell you when the time comes

When school ended Jeongin went to Chans place to ask for help

He wanted help to confess to m/n

And what did you know Chan already thought about in advance 

When Jeongin went inside his house without permission he heard murmuring

When he went to where the murmuring took place

He saw all of them formed in a circle discussing about Jeongin and you

Nobody noticed Jeongin yet so he eavesdropped on their conversation

'So what if, just what if, we lock them in the Janitors closet’ Felix started

'I agree, it works all the time and thats how me and Felix got together’ Changbin added in while pointing at Felix

This made Jeongin accidentally snicker

Which in turn made Chan notice him

‘Oh my God Jeongin Hi! We were just making a ritual about you‘

*Jisung sips tea*

‘Lets be real yall were planning to lock me and m/n in the Janitors closet’

*Jisung sipping tea intensifies*

At this Chans eyebrows raised to the roof.

‘No we weren't-

‘I was here to ask for help anyway so hit me’

And with that Jeongin went and joined the circle

And that was when they decided that it would be romantic if he confessed at the cherry blossom tree at the top of the hill behind the school

So the day came

Jeongin had a hard time sleeping

He just couldn't believe that he was gonna confess to you

He texted you asking if you could come to the cherry blossom tree

You were confused

The both of you have never been there before

But you went anyways

And you saw him

He was just casually leaning on the tree

And your heart fluttered

The sun was just about to set

And the warm colors of the sun rays pass through the pink blossoms of the tree

The breeze blows the tree and the petals move in all directions

It was beautiful

The scene was beautiful

He was beautiful

He smiled when he saw you

And he ran towards you and took your hands in his while going back to the tree

The both of you lied down besides the tree and stared at the beautiful sunset

A stray petal landed on his nose and you giggled quietly at his cute attempts of blowing it away

And because of this he blushed the same pink as the petal that was on his nose

‘Its beautiful isn't it’ you said

‘yeah’

All of a sudden he stood up and reached out for your hand

You take it and he helped you stand up

He held the both of your hands and looked anywhere else except your eyes

He had this prominent blush on his cheeks and you just cant help but smile at him

Your heart doing different acrobatics

‘M/n you know that saying where when a couple are under the cherry blossom tree as the petals fall they will be together forever?’

With this your cheek brightened

‘Are-are you implying we’re a couple?’ you said barely able to come up with words

‘I want us to be’ with this he intertwined his hand with yours

‘I have always liked you m/n for a long time and now I finally have the courage to ask you’ He moved closer making sure all gaps between the both of you were closed

You could see in his face he was trying to be confident but a small twinge of red betrayed him

‘Would you like to be my boyfriend?’ He asked looking at you with hopeful eyes

This time you decided that you should do the first move

and moved your face forward and took his lips unto yours

You feel him jolt slightly but soon after he leaned in to the kiss

When the both of you pulled away his face was red and you were pretty sure that yours was too

‘So . . . is that a yes?’ He asked still not sure

You laughed ‘Dumbass’ and with that he laughed with you

The both of you lied back down again on the tree and just watched the sun as it sets letting the silence engulf the both of you.

The other members were watching the both of you with a smile on their faces

A/n: Im finally done Uwu. Sorry I took so long.

[fromstraykids]

crush

characters: you x jihoon

summary: falling in love with college senior!jihoon

quote: “you’re cute when you’re blushing”

7:56 pm – auditorium

As the lights dimmed, you found your seat next to your friend as they greeted you quietly. “The bus was running late,” you excuse as you greet them back. Waving off your excuse, they begin talking to you about the performers.

“Roh Taehyun is the center and leader of his group, can you believe it?” your friend squeals. Of course, everybody has heard of Roh Taehyun, the best dancer on campus, and it didn’t surprise you that he was performing on stage tonight.

The host steps out and starts to introduce the performers and the first team was Roh Taehyun’s team. They chose to dance to ‘Shape of You’ by Ed Sheeran and you weren’t going to lie when you say that they were the best group of the night, but then again, they were the first to perform. The next group went to perform ‘Right Round’ and again, you were stunned. Same with the group that performed ‘Pop’. You weren’t sure how they could pick a winning group since all three groups had performed so well.

Lastly, a group of boys in jeans stood on the stage. They looked around your age, but you couldn’t keep your eyes off of the brunette in the white jean jacket and ripped jeans. Somehow, despite the large audience, he meets eyes with you and a shy smile forms on his red lips. Waving slightly, he turns back to listen to the host and you were left wondering who the cute boy was.

“And last but not least, here is the performance for the ‘Get Ugly’ team!” Soon, the auditorium lights dimmed once again and music began playing.

9:03 pm – end of performance

After the team had finished their song, it was time to decide who was the best individual dancer. Of course, Roh Taehyun had won the title, but the boy, whom you had found out was Jihoon, placed twelfth.

“I thought Kang Daniel would place higher,” your friend sulked as she gathers her belongings.

“Samuel should’ve gotten more votes,” another says as they exit the aisle.

“Oh well, anyone hungry? I’ll treat you guys to dinner.” Cheering slightly, you follow your friends out of the auditorium to go to a nearby restaurant.

At the same time, Jihoon quickly changes out of his performance clothes and into sweatpants and a large hoodie before running out. Stepping into the warm spring air, he looks around for you, but couldn’t find you amongst the crowd of college students.

“Hey, Jihoon!” he turns around to catch Seongwoo waving at him. “Let’s go back to the dorm, I’m tired!”

10:00 am – ceramics i class

Sitting alone in the empty classroom, you hear the door open, revealing Seongwoo as he slides into the chair next to you.

“Good morning, y/n,” he chirps as he takes out his notebook. More people enter the room and began to fill up the classroom.

“Morning, Seongwoo,” you reply, “by the way, you were amazing at the showcase.”

Smiling brightly, he thanks you. “Do you want to meet my group?” he asks suddenly.

Confused at his sudden question, you take a few seconds to interpret his question before nodding, “Sure, when?”

“We hang out at the cafe on campus every day, so if you’re free after class, we could go today,” he suggests. As the professor walks in, you nod quickly before she begins lecturing.

11:23 am – cafe

Along the way to the cafe, you and Seongwoo start to converse on different topics, such as how the cafe’s cinnamon muffins tasted better than their blueberry ones and how your ceramics teacher was the most boring teacher ever.

“Oh, there they are,” Seongwoo says as the both of you enter through the automatic doors. Seongwoo points to the group of boys huddled at the back corner of the cafe, chattering away as you both walk over to him.

“Hey guys, this is y/n, my friend from ceramics,” Seongwoo introduces as he pulls out a chair for you. As you sit, you immediately recognize familiar faces, such as Kang Daniel and Kim Samuel.

“Hi,” you greet as the others greet you back. They begin to ask you basic questions, such as how you became friends with Seongwoo, which then led up to a full on conversation about how embarrassing Seongwoo was.

As you get to know Seongwoo’s friends, a boy comes rushing into the cafe and breathlessly takes a seat next to you.

“My...English professor…is a pain in the ass,��� he says as the boys laugh at him.

“Poor Jihoon,” Daniel laughs before gesturing to you. “This is Seongwoo’s friend, y/n, y/n, this is Jihoon.”

Hearing the name ‘Jihoon’, you turn your head to meet eyes with the same boy you had eye contact with at the showcase. Blushing slightly, Jihoon greets you shyly.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” As you and Jihoon are in your own worlds, you don’t notice the others immediately whispering. Smirking, Seongwoo grabs his cup of coffee and stands up.

“Well,” he says as he checks his watch, “Daniel and I need to go get cat food before the store closes.”

“But it’s only noon,” Jihoon says. Before Jihoon could finish his sentence, Seongwoo and Daniel quickly leave.

Turning to the other three, they immediately grab their bags, muttering something about their classes starting. “Bye, Jihoon! Bye, y/n!”

Tilting your head slightly, you were confused as to why the boys left to quickly. Shrugging them off, you quickly turn to Jihoon and continue to converse with him.

“That’s weird. Samuel’s class starts at two,” Jihoon whispers but shrugs it off. “Anyways, so how are you? I haven’t seen you since the showcase.”

“Good, and you were amazing at the showcase, by the way,” you compliment as a red tint forms on his cheeks.

“R-really? Thanks.” Resuming the conversation, you had gotten to know more about Jihoon and had even gotten his phone number.

1:34 pm – a few months later

“Hey, y/n!” Jihoon greets as he settles into the seat next to you. You and Jihoon had been meeting together without the others, who have been always leaving you and Jihoon alone whenever you all are together.

“Hey, Jihoon, what’s up?” you reply, sliding him the cold cup of iced tea.

Shrugging, he takes a sip of the tea. “Can you believe that we’re graduating college in a few weeks?” he asks. “I can’t imagine it, you know?”

“I understand,” you say as your heart slightly drops. You and Jihoon had two drastically different career paths, you as a physical therapist and him as a graphic artist. There was literally no way for you and him to be together, and you couldn’t help but be disheartened by the fact that you and him won’t be together in a matter of months.

Noticing your sudden shift in mood, Jihoon nudges your shoulder with his. “What’s wrong?”

Sighing deeply, you say, “When we graduate, we’re going to move onto our careers, so that means we won’t always hang out at the cafe after classes or have occasions sleepovers at each other’s dorm. And that sucks, because–”

“Because of what?”

Making eye contact with him, you see the same person you saw when at the showcase. “Because I’ll miss you, Jihoon.”

Pulling you into a hug, Jihoon runs a hand over your hair. “y/n, I promise that we are going to keep in touch no matter what happens, alright?” Nodding into his chest, he breaks the hug and pushes a stray hair away from your eyes.

In the brief moment, his breath hitches as he contemplates whether or not he should lean down and kiss you. Restraining himself, he removes his hand from his face as he tries his best not to blush. Of course, he failed as his cheeks turned red.

“Isn’t it a little hot in here? Let’s go get ice cream,” Jihoon quickly says as he grabs his backpack and leads you to the convenience store.

7:29 pm – graduation

“Park Jihoon.” Clapping loudly, you watched as Jihoon went up the stage to receive his degree. Despite the large number of graduating students sitting in the first few rows of the auditorium, Jihoon manages to spot you in the crowd and smiles slightly at you.

When it comes to your name, you hear loud whooping coming from the six mischievous boys as you take your degree and went back down to your seat. Turning around, you see Jihoon wave at you from a few rows behind you. Waving back at him, you turn back around and waited for the ceremony to end.

“We graduated!” Jihoon says as he picks you up from the ground and spins you around in the air. When he sets you down, his eyes flicker to your lips, but before he could make a move, you lean forward to give him a peck on the lips.

When you move away, a deep shade of red forms on his cheeks and ear as a large smile shows on his face. Behind you, you hear the boys holler at the two of you and heard Seongwoo say, “Told you y/n would make the move first, you all owe me twenty bucks.”

“y/n, I really like you and I promise that–” Before he could end his sentence, you pull him into a long kiss as a smile forms on your face.

Pulling away, you smile brightly at him. “I like you, too.”

[ask-svt-hearteu]

barista! Hoshi

Anon requested: can i request barista!hoshi?? the reader usually visits the cafe every morning and hoshi develops a pretty big crush on them? mutual pining is really cute! thanks, much love. <3

Genre: fluff

Word Count: 1114

A/N: asfljldskjfk im not okay -seri

works at the coffee shop near your university 

the hardest worker there, has the longest shift and takes the shortest lunch breaks 

makes the best caramel macchiato ever 

the guy who's trying to crack jokes 

and sadly some people just dont understand humor 

gets kinda annoyed when girls ask him "where's mingyu oppa?" or "is joshua oppa working?" 

just simply puts on a tight smile before asking them what they want again 

but the light of his morning is you

you never fail to come in around 10:00 am, dressed in your cute and comfortable outfits 

the way you would ponder on whether to try a different drink 

or talk about your major 

and damn he was so crushing hard 

because you never fail to smile, greet him good morning, and have a small conversation before telling him to have a nice day 

best of all, you never asked for the other baristas 

but obviously you were just a nice person because you talked the exact same way to the others 

because on this unlucky day, he was behind making a drink while jun stood at the cashier 

and something burns inside him when jun flashes his good looking smile at you 

"she probably's crushing on jun and just to nice to ask for him," he talks to himself while fiddling around 

he's never able to concentrate on making someone else's coffee while your here 

glancing from the corner of his eye, his gaze narrows in on your hand touching jun's when handing him the cash 

"why am i like this" he groans 

when you leave, he stares at your figure leaving the cafe 

he jumps slightly when you turn back, making eye contact with him, and form that oh so adorable smile of yours 

"if you hold that button down any longer you'll be giving them black coffee instead of a americano" 

jeonghan says, walking by him, smirking 

hoshi shakes his head and directs his attention to coffee making 

just after he hands the drink off, jeonghan pops up again 

"why don't you ask for her number?" 

he whips his head around and aggressively shakes his head 

"i'll never be able to show my face here again of she rejects me!!!" 

jeonghan makes a 'tsk tsk tsk' sound, "trust me when i say she likes you" 

soonyoung flashes a look of disbelief, "what do you know" 

jun suddenly appears from no where and swings an arm around his shoulder 

"dont worry!!! i'm absolutely positive she does, i have a feeling something will happen soon~" 

jun and jeonghan were both right 

more than right 

because you feel pathetic when you pray soonyoung will be the one at the cashier 

and swoon over the cutest smile ever 

and laugh at his jokes 

this particular day, you enter and find jun 

deflating a little because this means you wouldn't be able to have your morning conversations with hoshi 

and the small undetectable amount of flirting where it's driving you crazy because you dont know if it counts as flirting or not 

you go about your order normally and leave the shop, 

your heart kind of stops when your eyes meet soonyoung's when you glance back to look for him 

you think of his little doodle he puts at the end of your name 

looking down at the drink jun made, your heart leaps when you read the message 

"soonyoung works the friday night shift!!! you should come ;)" 

and the first time you do and squeal and dance around, not caring if the entire campus is staring 

friday comes and your heart is racing 

you nervously come in, laptop in hand, because you figured you should at least try to finish your essay 

you catch him sitting behind the cashier singing a song playing 

his stops and looks up at you in shock when you enter 

"you have a really voice" you say, walking up to the cashier 

he shakes his head smiling, "i dont think so" 

you internally scream when you notice his ears turning red 

"what are you doing here?" he asks, because he's never seem you at night 

you giggle nervously, you think to lie to be more casual, but of course you say, 

"jun told me you worked friday night so i came" 

forcing yourself to not cover you blushing face, you laugh lightly 

his mouth forms into a grin showing only his top teeth and your like omg

he just dips his head shyly and says, "so what would you like?" 

"ummm can i get that pastry and a cup of tea?" 

"okay just sit, i'll bring it to you" 

your heart flutters you can deliberately sit facing the him so you could watch him like a stalker over your computer 

while your looking, he glances up and make eye contact 

immediately, you give an embarrassed smile and duck you head 

and hear his quiet giggle 

your staring at the essay you've barely started until soonyoung sets your order down and slides into the booth beside you 

"so whatcha working on?" 

"my essay, but i think i'll do it tomorrow" you laugh sheepishly 

he makes a bright 'hehe' sound thats so adorable 

"so you came just because im here?" 

you nod shyly and look up at him 

his face goes blank and you start to mentally freak out 

omg he probably thinks im weird!!!' 

"i really like you!!!" he blurts, than immediately covers his mouth, cheeks a flame 

your doubts instantly go away 

"ah jinja mianhae, i'll go to the back now!!" 

he looks away from you embarrassed and starts rise 

until you grab his arm and push him back into the seat with a plop 

you make a sound of surprise and nervously giggle, 

"was i being too forceful??" you say worried 

he shakes his head, grinning 

you beam and take a breathe, "i really like you too!" 

he begins to shine, brightly showing off his smile 

"then can i take you out on a date??" 

"i would love too” you say, 

he dies a little inside at your twinkling eyes

your mouth twitches into a smirk after a thought 

"you know jun told me you worked this night" 

"ahhhh he was being a good wing man after all" soonyoung chuckles

"WELL OF COURSE" * jun yells, 

the both of you not seeing him, leap into each others arms 

"seee!!! im evening helping now!" as jun happily walks away 

the two of you ignore him and look at each other, still embracing one another 

"your adorable" 

he facial expression after lets you know he blurted it out 

laughing, you hug him closer 

"you know how to make a person's heart flutter"

MASTERLIST

[rozisblogbinder]

Istanbul Recommendations, Updated

You probably told me you’re going to Istanbul and asked about any recommendations I have for you! You’re in the right place. Here’s my compiled list, grouped based on neighborhoods and experiences.

I have two earlier posts from years ago, one list and another step-by-step list. Some info on there is outdated, so I’ll consolidate some of them here and also share some more substantial recommendations with my personal suggestions on things to do in Istanbul.

Also, if you wanted to know if it’s safe to travel to Turkey/Istanbul, here’s my (likely helpful but slightly on edge) response to that as well.

In Beyoğlu, there’s been quite a shift over the past 10 years -- so you won’t be able to see/experience what it was like a while ago when it was on the news/media. However, there are lots to see in the area anyway.

Taksim Square is usually packed with tourists (especially once you start walking down İstiklal Street,) and while it used to be the center of a lot of movement in the city, it’s been transformed into an awkward pedestrian square with too much cement and not much. However, it’s still a landmark.

My favorite cafe in the entirety of the city is Ara Kafe which is up Istiklal street from Tünel. you can also get there from Taksim Square. it's in the middle point between Taksim Square and Tunel, next to Galatasaray High School https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul/restaurants/kafe-ara/a/poi-eat/402334/360887

Right across from Ara Kafe there is the historical "flower passageway" aka Çiçek Pasajı which has a beautiful courtyard. I think it's worth seeing. http://www.tarihicicekpasaji.com/ on maps: https://goo.gl/maps/Hhk8KAYGJii2gEF96 

Behind Çiçek Pasajı there is a whole bunch of rakı-fish restaurants. I recommend going there for dinner. You might need to make reservations.

The center of the city “life” has somewhat moved to Şişhane/Pera areas, at least according to my friends. 

I recommend that you take the metro to the Şişhane stop, https://goo.gl/maps/z6AxeFzdcgYRDShB6 and just walk around on the side that goes towards the Galata Tower https://goo.gl/maps/n8pGa3ewC7Bfa7sAA You can walk up the steps to the top of the Galata Tower and see a view of the Golden Horn (which is like a side street of the Bosphorus.)

The Jewish Museum which is in Neve Shalom Synagogue is right there. The Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews Bereketzade, Büyük Hendek Cd. No:39, 34421 Beyoğlu/İstanbul https://g.co/kgs/RNv64Z

If you like a Western-style place to eat a meal, I recommend Big Chef. Our family eats here before/after weddings we attend at the synagogue.

It's a rather gentrified area so you'll see a lot of that. but know that you're walking in a historically Jewish & Greek-Orthodox area.

One of the few Turkish Nobel prize winners is Orhan Pamuk. He has a book called "The Museum of Innocence". If you read and buy the book there's a free ticket in for the actual museum, featuring different “artifacts” :) Here's the info for that. I heard good things: https://tr.masumiyetmuzesi.org/

Istanbul Modern Museum is a wonderful, off-the-beaten-path museum in that area. https://www.istanbulmodern.org/en They were originally based in Kadıköy, and I think they are now based in Beyoğlu for some time.

Then you can take the historic tunnel/funicular down all the way to Karaköy. (Alternatively, you can walk down the hill for like 30 minutes or so. It's a steep hill.)

The funicular stop in Tünel is located here https://goo.gl/maps/mhHNcjB6EDhRtBdD6 and drops you off here in Karaköy https://goo.gl/maps/xqiVxVA3vM51EWMM9. 

Here, I recommend that you take the underground walkway to Karaköy İskelesi (mini-port) and walk to Güllüoğlu Baklava and have some yummy baklava. https://www.karakoygulluoglu.com/  https://goo.gl/maps/VYWWe4fopkV1NrB96 

If you’re hungry, right next door is Namlı Gurme which has a selection of foods you can choose to eat. 

If you’re there over dinner time especially in the summer, Akın Balık is a good place to check out for a nice, chill, and local fish dinner. You might need to reserve a table. Azapkapı, Fermeneciler Cd. Gümrük Han 40/A, 34420 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey +90 212 244 97 76 https://goo.gl/maps/vo4dGCbyLT14ZVLa6

You can go back and take the underground walkway this time to Galata Bridge, and walk on the Galata Bridge all the way across. On the bottom floor of the bridge, there are fish-bread sandwich places. The sandwich is made with fried small fish and a half loaf of bread. It’s cheap and delicious street food. 

The bridge between Karaköy and Eminönü is a short bridge (because it crosses the Golden Horn). It should be a 15-20 minute walk depending on your pace. When you get to the end, you arrive at Eminönü. 

Take the underground walkway to cross the street and get to the Spice Bazaar, my favorite bazaar in Istanbul. https://www.google.com/search?q=spice+bazaar+istanbul&rlz=1C1GCEA_enIL868IL868&oq=spice+bazaar+istanbul&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.3020j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 

At the end of the Spice Bazaar, there’s the first store of Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, the largest Turkish Coffee distributor of Turkey. You can get a freshly ground batch of coffee, ground with the dibek. More info here: https://www.theguideistanbul.com/kurukahveci-mehmet-efendi/  www.mehmetefendi.com

There’s also the New Mosque right next to the bazaar, if you wanted to check out a Mosque.

Not so far from this area, there is a whole bunch of cool stuff to see in Eyüp.  

My favorite off the beaten path museum in Istanbul is the Koç Museum: http://www.rmk-museum.org.tr/istanbul/en/visit-us https://goo.gl/maps/7gMFiRSX7ZXzxvXK7

Right nearby there is an old power/electrical plant, turned into a college campus of Istanbul Bilgi University, called Santral İstanbul. They have a restaurant there and a college atmosphere. I think the entrance is free to the public, and there may be a small museum - you can just say that you're tourists to enter if there’s an issue. https://www.santralistanbul.org/en/explore/

If you want to overachieve in your sightseeing, you can also go to Miniaturk which has mini-models of different Istanbul landmarks https://www.miniaturk.com.tr/en

I suggest taking cabs here because public transportation can get confusing.

Other landmarks here are the Church of St. Stephen of the Bulgars and the Chora Church, but I’m not so familiar with either of them.

Kadikoy and Moda are more chillaxed/but still quite gentrified neighborhoods on the Asian side of Istanbul. 

You can get there by boat from any of the ports. You can check the schedule here: http://en.sehirhatlari.istanbul/en/timetable/timetables-338.html I recommend having a cup of Turkish black tea on this boat and watch the sea and the city. It's a lot more authentic than taking a touristy Bosphorus boat tour.

For when you get to Moda and Kadikoy, I asked some friends for ideas on what to do there.

In Kadikoy, there is a bar/pub area. The easiest way to figure out where that is to get to the Kadikoy Bull Statue (https://goo.gl/maps/KjDBaqnQtBMY3YRZ8) and walk up that pedestrian street. On the right-hand side, there are lots of side streets with tons of bars/pubs/cafes.

A most recent exciting spot to grab a beer is apparently Bina https://www.timeout.com/istanbul/bars-and-pubs/bina

There's another bar there called Karga, apparently, it's one of the oldest buildings in the area. My friends recommend taking a peek inside. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293974-d3602063-Reviews-Karga_Bar-Istanbul.html

Pendor is apparently also nice to get beers. They have a Taksim location as well, which is older. https://www.facebook.com/pendorkadikoy/?rf=1410643425710353

Near that area, there's a famous chocolate store that has a cute garden in the back, called Asuman https://www.asuman.com/ Could be cute to check out, have some lemonade and chocolate there.

There is a Chef's Table episode (on Netflix) about Çiya Sofrası. I went there a while ago with a group of people, the food was good, but I didn't know the significance of the chef's efforts to reinvigorate Anatolian cuisine until I watched the episode. I assume you'd need to call and make a reservation before you eat there. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul/restaurants/ciya-sofrasi/a/poi-eat/402382/1339754

In Moda, which is up the hill on that pedestrian street, a classic thing to do is grabbing some pastries from a stand (like simit, which is the round bread with sesame on it -- you'll see it everywhere -- and some cheese) and walking over to this "tea garden," ordering some black Turkish tea and have a peaceful and simple breakfast  https://goo.gl/maps/LzWpNM3pLQerigk3A  

Also in Moda, Cibalikapı Balıkçısı is supposed to be a great place to have mezes (appetizers) and some beer/rakı https://www.cibalikapi.com/ They also have breakfast.

Viktor Levi Wine House (note: not kosher) is supposed to have good wine. https://www.viktorlevimoda.com/

I recommend having a proper Turkish breakfast. 

One place is in the Beşiktaş “shuk”/bazaar (çarşı in Turkish). It’s a lot more chill, less gentrified, really local. Must have: menemen (Turkish version of “shakshuka”) and bal kaymak (honey and cream to spread on bread). There are tons of places to also have fish in a sandwich there. It’s a thing in Istanbul (especially in the Besiktas and Karakoy areas). You should try it.

Here’s a Beşiktaş recommendation for a breakfast place: Çakmak Kahvaltı Salonu Sinanpaşa, Çelebi Oğlu Sk. No:8, 34353 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Turkey https://goo.gl/maps/SuzYevpJaGYuD3hZ6

Some other nicer/more restaurant-like places to have Turkish breakfast:

Saray Muhallebicisi (multiple locations, though I recommend going to the one in Nişantaşı or Taksim) http://saraymuhallebicisi.com/ (You can type the restaurant name on google maps and it will show up). 

Another is Aşşk cafe in Bebek (on the water) Aşşk Kahve Kuruçeşme, Muallim Naci Cd. 64/B, 34330 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Turkey https://goo.gl/maps/xNxTED3c6qdAVs9fA 

In Bebek, you can take a nice walk around a well-to-do neighborhood on the sea. It’s the area where many of the famous Turkish soap operas take place.

Another off the beaten path museum is the Asiyan Museum. https://goo.gl/maps/X6j1mVw37tiPDJwd8 If you’re in the area I’d go there hike up the hill just for the view. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul/attractions/asiyan-museum/a/poi-sig/1591615/360887

You can walk back or take a bus back over to Ortaköy, walk around the pedestrian area and buy some souvenirs, take pictures in front of the Bosphorus overlooking the Bosphorus bridge and the local mosque, go up to the terrace of a cafe to have hookah/tea/beers. 

Beyond these, there are the classic, historical recommendations of things to do. General recommendations include: 

Checking out https://www.theguideistanbul.com/ this website seems to have good recommendations. 

I also like Lonely Planet's recommendations and find them to be authentic https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul.

Just so I don’t skip these, most first-timers do the old city tour of Istanbul. 

This generally includes the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia Church/Mosque, Blue Mosque (across the park from Hagia Sophia,) the nearby Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici,) and the Topkapi Palace. Here is a general description from Lonely Planet (I have no idea if the actual tour guide they’re advertising is good or not): https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul/activities/istanbul-old-city-tour/a/pa-act/v-8273P54/360887

My favorite palace is in Beşiktaş, called the Ihlamur Palace in Nişantaşı. I recommend going there, checking out the Palace, and having some tea in the garden. It is not touristy at all, still a palace, and beautiful. http://en.besiktas.bel.tr/entry/ihlamur-kasri/

And last but not least, if you want to get out of the city a little bit, and check out something completely different, I recommend going to the Princess Islands. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/princes-islands

And that’s all!

[michaelfallcon]

A Coffee Drinker’s Guide To Hanoi, Vietnam

Aerial skyline view of Hanoi. Hanoi cityscape at twilight

Across from a vintage French mansion, a small vanguard of young Vietnamese latte drinkers sit at tables spread along the sidewalk in the hazy late afternoon sun. Above, vines crawl up the sides of faded yellow walls towards quaint green shutters. Motorbikes whiz by beneath. The Vietnamese coffee mavens talk quietly over their coffee, observing the throngs going in and out of the well-known noodle soup shop on the corner.

Hanoi’s coffee culture, like much of its old charm, is connected to the legacy of French colonialism. The French first introduced coffee to Vietnam in 1857 and by 1950, the country was producing and exporting instant coffee, which placed the focus on Robusta. Vietnam is now the world’s second-largest coffee producer, harvesting over 1.5 million tons per year and accounting for as much as 40% of the world’s Robusta.

The city still maintains a sprawling and engrained everyman’s cafe culture. Until recently, the Vietnamese were firmly dedicated to their own coffee tradition, making an art of roasting and brewing thick, brain-shudderingly strong Robustas. But a string of Third Wave coffee shops across the city is building a new side to Vietnamese coffee. These shops find and roast the best of the country’s beans, supporting the small Vietnamese Arabica market while refining the classically fierce Vietnamese Robustas. They also import coffees from around the world to feed the Vietnamese desire for new profiles and inspiration. What follows are a few of these outposts of subtlety and creativity in the Hanoi coffee world.

Kafeville

The go-to specialty coffee spot for many in Hanoi, Kafeville has played a key role in driving the city’s movement for better coffee over the past three years. They were the first cafe in the city to specialize in pour-overs and they roast everything in-house. Today, they offer V60, AeroPress, Chemex, and Vietnamese-style phin drip coffee. They showcase single-origin beans from Vietnam but also import green beans from Burundi, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and elsewhere abroad. Kafeville’s main sources for Robustas, which they primarily use for phin drip, are farms in Gia Lai Province in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, but most of their Arabica comes from Colombia. They also serve cascara tea and homemade pastries.

While the cafe is fancier than most streetside coffee shops in Hanoi, the design is sparse and doesn’t feel built for Instagram. The shop sits down a dead-end alley across from a post office, between the Hanoi Botanic Gardens and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. They also have a smaller location just to the north in the Truc Bach neighborhood.

Kafeville has multiple locations in Hanoi. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Tranquil Books & Coffee

In some cities, the quiet inside the aptly-named Tranquil Books & Coffee might feel oppressive. But in the unending chaos of Hanoi, this cafe’s little corner of calm is much needed. Just west of the Old Quarter, their main branch is tucked down a short passage off the street: floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a small loft, exposed brick, an upright piano, and a John Lennon portrait.

Tranquil has been serving specialty coffee in Hanoi for years. Their commitment to both brewing high-quality coffee and creating a quiet space dedicated to books has caught on with the young Vietnamese crowd. They now have three locations and serve espresso and pour-overs. Their espresso drinks are an 80/20 blend of Vietnamese Arabica and Robusta, while their hand pours are 100% Arabica and their Vietnamese phin drips are full Robusta. Their coffees are primarily microlots from Cau Dat, an area in the coffee hub of Da Lat Province, as well as Dak Nong Province.

Tranquil Books & Coffee has multiple locations in Hanoi. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Blackbird Coffee

Blackbird Coffee sits on a quieter street near the Old Quarter, a warm orange storefront with a small group of chairs outside that are nearly always full. The place is busy nearly all day, open until 10 PM—the Vietnamese never seem too concerned about drinking their coffees late in the day.

Blackbird is both a roaster and cafe, focused on improving Vietnamese coffee and offering their own Vietnamese Arabicas and Robustas. The roasters and founders behind Blackbird are committed to working with every variety of bean they can, but they do have a focus on Arabica for now, offering it brewed with phin as well on a full slow bar, including AeroPress. Their Arabicas are primarily washed-processed beans from Lang Biang in Dalat, while their Robustas are natural-processed from Duc Co in Gia Lai Province.

The space is a staple of local specialty coffee in Hanoi, and it’s close enough to tourist areas to be easily accessible for people just stopping through.

Blackbird Coffee is located at 5 Chân Cầm, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of D’codeS Coffee Lab.

D’codeS Coffee Lab

D’codeS Coffee Lab is a specialty coffee training organization and cafe that works to improve the entire coffee supply chain throughout Vietnam. They’re focused on making coffee more sustainable and more accessible, by showing people that Vietnamese coffee is about more than just dark Robusta with sweetened condensed milk on ice. The name D’codeS is an amalgamation of “decoding the senses.”

The cafe offers every brew method a customer could ask for, and the space is set up to help customers learn all they can from the knowledgeable baristas or roasters—counter seats in front of the slow bar and plenty of beans to sniff.

Opened in 2017, D’codeS is the first Specialty Coffee Association Premier Training Campus in Vietnam. They’re all about helping people build relationships throughout the journey from seed to cup. They offer trainings at their location in Hanoi and on farms in central Vietnam. They research best practices for coffee cultivation and conduct trainings for farmers, traders, roasters, and baristas on how to improve sustainability, quality, and access to markets. They also offer standard SCA trainings, including CQI Q grader and specific classes on everything from extraction to processing and sensory skills.

D’codeS Coffee Lab is located at 127 Bùi Thị Xuân, Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of Simple Coffee.

Simple Coffee

Tucked away in the Tay Ho neighborhood to the north of the city center, Simple Coffee is a direct trade roaster and cafe that specializes in microlots from farmers in the northern and central highlands of Vietnam. Their producer-focused model helps Simple get to know their farmers’ production methods and work with them to refine their processing and growing methods.

The cafe itself is also set up as a social enterprise, employing young adults with intellectual disabilities and giving them training and support.

Most of Simple’s beans are Arabica and Catimor, though their espresso blend includes about 10 percent Robusta, sourced from a farmer in the northern highlands. They’re also working on bringing in heirloom varieties when possible, including Yellow Bourbon and Typica, as well as honey-processed coffees, a new addition to the shop. Their pour-over bar has around 10 different varieties and roasts on offer.

For regular customers, Simple has also set up a creative loyalty program: you can buy a bag of their coffee to keep on a shelf at the shop so that whenever you come in, they’ll brew from your bag and charge you just a small amount for service.

Simple Coffee has a location in Bangkok as well.

Simple Coffee has multiple locations in Hanoi. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of Atelier Coffee.

Atelier Coffee

Atelier Coffee is a roaster and cafe right near Hanoi’s famous train tracks, but they seem to have stayed off the tourists’ radar and they see a mostly Vietnamese clientele. The shop’s design is one of the most modern in Hanoi, with many locals coming to get work done over their coffee. Atelier does all their roasting in-house and focuses on Vietnamese Robustas and Arabicas, though they also highlight other microroasters from Vietnam and around the world.

For their Arabica, they partner with farms in Cau Dat, Lam Dong Province, in the central highlands. Wyatt Pham, found of Atelier, says they’re committed to supporting Vietnamese farmers to produce better cherries and improve their consistency. They rotate varieties every few months, having recently switched from an organic Catimor to full Arabica on their espresso bar.

Atelier Coffee is located at 65A Phố Tôn Thất Thiệp, Điện Bàn, Hà Nội. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Gấu Coffee and Bakery

Gấu Coffee and Bakery is hidden in the middle of the Old Quarter amid art stores, tailors, noodle shops, classic colonial architecture, and cafes from the old guard of Hanoi’s coffee culture. But unlike its neighbors, Gấu has no crowd of old Vietnamese men on plastic stools outside.

This third-wave roastery and cafe specializes in Vietnamese Arabicas, serving exceptionally good medium-light roasts, a rarity in Hanoi. On roasting days, a full fruitiness from the newest batch of beans coming out of the roaster in the back mixes with fresh croissants and baguettes. Gấu serves a mix of tourist and local clientele and offers visitors who are only in Hanoi for a short time a chance to explore the newest ideas in Vietnamese coffee or grab a bag to take home. A note on the baked goods: these are also in a whole different category from those in most Vietnamese bakeries or at bahn mi sandwich stands—take the chance while it’s there and get a loaf of sourdough.

Gấu Coffee and Bakery is located at 33 Hàng Bè, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Skylar Lindsay is a freelance journalist based in Southeast Asia. This is Skylar Lindsay’s first feature for Sprudge.

All photos by the author unless otherwise noted

Top image © Adobe Stock/Hanoi Photography

The post A Coffee Drinker’s Guide To Hanoi, Vietnam appeared first on Sprudge.

A Coffee Drinker’s Guide To Hanoi, Vietnam published first on https://medium.com/@LinLinCoffee

[shebreathesslowly]

A Coffee Drinker’s Guide To Hanoi, Vietnam

Aerial skyline view of Hanoi. Hanoi cityscape at twilight

Across from a vintage French mansion, a small vanguard of young Vietnamese latte drinkers sit at tables spread along the sidewalk in the hazy late afternoon sun. Above, vines crawl up the sides of faded yellow walls towards quaint green shutters. Motorbikes whiz by beneath. The Vietnamese coffee mavens talk quietly over their coffee, observing the throngs going in and out of the well-known noodle soup shop on the corner.

Hanoi’s coffee culture, like much of its old charm, is connected to the legacy of French colonialism. The French first introduced coffee to Vietnam in 1857 and by 1950, the country was producing and exporting instant coffee, which placed the focus on Robusta. Vietnam is now the world’s second-largest coffee producer, harvesting over 1.5 million tons per year and accounting for as much as 40% of the world’s Robusta.

The city still maintains a sprawling and engrained everyman’s cafe culture. Until recently, the Vietnamese were firmly dedicated to their own coffee tradition, making an art of roasting and brewing thick, brain-shudderingly strong Robustas. But a string of Third Wave coffee shops across the city is building a new side to Vietnamese coffee. These shops find and roast the best of the country’s beans, supporting the small Vietnamese Arabica market while refining the classically fierce Vietnamese Robustas. They also import coffees from around the world to feed the Vietnamese desire for new profiles and inspiration. What follows are a few of these outposts of subtlety and creativity in the Hanoi coffee world.

Kafeville

The go-to specialty coffee spot for many in Hanoi, Kafeville has played a key role in driving the city’s movement for better coffee over the past three years. They were the first cafe in the city to specialize in pour-overs and they roast everything in-house. Today, they offer V60, AeroPress, Chemex, and Vietnamese-style phin drip coffee. They showcase single-origin beans from Vietnam but also import green beans from Burundi, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and elsewhere abroad. Kafeville’s main sources for Robustas, which they primarily use for phin drip, are farms in Gia Lai Province in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, but most of their Arabica comes from Colombia. They also serve cascara tea and homemade pastries.

While the cafe is fancier than most streetside coffee shops in Hanoi, the design is sparse and doesn’t feel built for Instagram. The shop sits down a dead-end alley across from a post office, between the Hanoi Botanic Gardens and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. They also have a smaller location just to the north in the Truc Bach neighborhood.

Kafeville has multiple locations in Hanoi. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Tranquil Books & Coffee

In some cities, the quiet inside the aptly-named Tranquil Books & Coffee might feel oppressive. But in the unending chaos of Hanoi, this cafe’s little corner of calm is much needed. Just west of the Old Quarter, their main branch is tucked down a short passage off the street: floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a small loft, exposed brick, an upright piano, and a John Lennon portrait.

Tranquil has been serving specialty coffee in Hanoi for years. Their commitment to both brewing high-quality coffee and creating a quiet space dedicated to books has caught on with the young Vietnamese crowd. They now have three locations and serve espresso and pour-overs. Their espresso drinks are an 80/20 blend of Vietnamese Arabica and Robusta, while their hand pours are 100% Arabica and their Vietnamese phin drips are full Robusta. Their coffees are primarily microlots from Cau Dat, an area in the coffee hub of Da Lat Province, as well as Dak Nong Province.

Tranquil Books & Coffee has multiple locations in Hanoi. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Blackbird Coffee

Blackbird Coffee sits on a quieter street near the Old Quarter, a warm orange storefront with a small group of chairs outside that are nearly always full. The place is busy nearly all day, open until 10 PM—the Vietnamese never seem too concerned about drinking their coffees late in the day.

Blackbird is both a roaster and cafe, focused on improving Vietnamese coffee and offering their own Vietnamese Arabicas and Robustas. The roasters and founders behind Blackbird are committed to working with every variety of bean they can, but they do have a focus on Arabica for now, offering it brewed with phin as well on a full slow bar, including AeroPress. Their Arabicas are primarily washed-processed beans from Lang Biang in Dalat, while their Robustas are natural-processed from Duc Co in Gia Lai Province.

The space is a staple of local specialty coffee in Hanoi, and it’s close enough to tourist areas to be easily accessible for people just stopping through.

Blackbird Coffee is located at 5 Chân Cầm, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of D’codeS Coffee Lab.

D’codeS Coffee Lab

D’codeS Coffee Lab is a specialty coffee training organization and cafe that works to improve the entire coffee supply chain throughout Vietnam. They’re focused on making coffee more sustainable and more accessible, by showing people that Vietnamese coffee is about more than just dark Robusta with sweetened condensed milk on ice. The name D’codeS is an amalgamation of “decoding the senses.”

The cafe offers every brew method a customer could ask for, and the space is set up to help customers learn all they can from the knowledgeable baristas or roasters—counter seats in front of the slow bar and plenty of beans to sniff.

Opened in 2017, D’codeS is the first Specialty Coffee Association Premier Training Campus in Vietnam. They’re all about helping people build relationships throughout the journey from seed to cup. They offer trainings at their location in Hanoi and on farms in central Vietnam. They research best practices for coffee cultivation and conduct trainings for farmers, traders, roasters, and baristas on how to improve sustainability, quality, and access to markets. They also offer standard SCA trainings, including CQI Q grader and specific classes on everything from extraction to processing and sensory skills.

D’codeS Coffee Lab is located at 127 Bùi Thị Xuân, Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of Simple Coffee.

Simple Coffee

Tucked away in the Tay Ho neighborhood to the north of the city center, Simple Coffee is a direct trade roaster and cafe that specializes in microlots from farmers in the northern and central highlands of Vietnam. Their producer-focused model helps Simple get to know their farmers’ production methods and work with them to refine their processing and growing methods.

The cafe itself is also set up as a social enterprise, employing young adults with intellectual disabilities and giving them training and support.

Most of Simple’s beans are Arabica and Catimor, though their espresso blend includes about 10 percent Robusta, sourced from a farmer in the northern highlands. They’re also working on bringing in heirloom varieties when possible, including Yellow Bourbon and Typica, as well as honey-processed coffees, a new addition to the shop. Their pour-over bar has around 10 different varieties and roasts on offer.

For regular customers, Simple has also set up a creative loyalty program: you can buy a bag of their coffee to keep on a shelf at the shop so that whenever you come in, they’ll brew from your bag and charge you just a small amount for service.

Simple Coffee has a location in Bangkok as well.

Simple Coffee has multiple locations in Hanoi. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  Photo courtesy of Atelier Coffee.

Atelier Coffee

Atelier Coffee is a roaster and cafe right near Hanoi’s famous train tracks, but they seem to have stayed off the tourists’ radar and they see a mostly Vietnamese clientele. The shop’s design is one of the most modern in Hanoi, with many locals coming to get work done over their coffee. Atelier does all their roasting in-house and focuses on Vietnamese Robustas and Arabicas, though they also highlight other microroasters from Vietnam and around the world.

For their Arabica, they partner with farms in Cau Dat, Lam Dong Province, in the central highlands. Wyatt Pham, found of Atelier, says they’re committed to supporting Vietnamese farmers to produce better cherries and improve their consistency. They rotate varieties every few months, having recently switched from an organic Catimor to full Arabica on their espresso bar.

Atelier Coffee is located at 65A Phố Tôn Thất Thiệp, Điện Bàn, Hà Nội. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

  Gấu Coffee and Bakery

Gấu Coffee and Bakery is hidden in the middle of the Old Quarter amid art stores, tailors, noodle shops, classic colonial architecture, and cafes from the old guard of Hanoi’s coffee culture. But unlike its neighbors, Gấu has no crowd of old Vietnamese men on plastic stools outside.

This third-wave roastery and cafe specializes in Vietnamese Arabicas, serving exceptionally good medium-light roasts, a rarity in Hanoi. On roasting days, a full fruitiness from the newest batch of beans coming out of the roaster in the back mixes with fresh croissants and baguettes. Gấu serves a mix of tourist and local clientele and offers visitors who are only in Hanoi for a short time a chance to explore the newest ideas in Vietnamese coffee or grab a bag to take home. A note on the baked goods: these are also in a whole different category from those in most Vietnamese bakeries or at bahn mi sandwich stands—take the chance while it’s there and get a loaf of sourdough.

Gấu Coffee and Bakery is located at 33 Hàng Bè, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Skylar Lindsay is a freelance journalist based in Southeast Asia. This is Skylar Lindsay’s first feature for Sprudge.

All photos by the author unless otherwise noted

Top image © Adobe Stock/Hanoi Photography

The post A Coffee Drinker’s Guide To Hanoi, Vietnam appeared first on Sprudge.

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