10 Must Visit Coffee Houses Around the World

Coffee houses have evolved quite a bit from what used to be: A place with some sofas, predictable sandwiches and Wi-Fi.

Roasting coffee beans is now the work of artisans, and baristas are "coffee chefs" who approach their work with an eye for detail and a heart for perfection.

Like coffee?

Here are 10 interesting coffee spots around the world, some lesser known than others, but all worthy of checking out if you're ever in the neighborhood:

Prague. Ebel Coffee (Karprova 11). This country is home to philosopher Franz Kafka, whose last name is the Polish word for "little coffee." Many people are coming to appreciate the coffee culture of the Czech Republic. One place in Prague that takes its coffee seriously is Ebel Coffee. More than 30 coffee types are available, including Jamaica Blue Mountain.Many people, both tourists and locals alike stop to buy 250 g of their favorite delicious ground coffee. Others come to have their coffee with a bagel. This place has only one sitting place for 14 customers, but they have great respect for their coffee, which is extraordinarily aromatic and delicious.

Paris. La Cafeotheque (52 rue de l'Hotel de Ville). La Cafeotheque is both a store and a café. The coffeehouse itself is quite homey and runs like a country inn. It serves about 20 varieties of coffee. La Cafeotheque has its own equivalent of Indonesia's Kopi Luwak (the most expensive coffee in the world, which is harvested after it has been digested by a civet) -- the Jacubird Special. The beans for La Cafeotheque's Jacubird Special are gathered by hand, one bean at a time, after they have been digested by Brazil's local Jacu bird. This is a mellow espresso which purists will love. The beans are roasted in-house.

Seattle. Though Seattle is the home of Starbucks, and Starbucks' are on every corner in Seattle, another (some say, better) coffee option is Victrola Coffee Beacon Hill (3215 Beacon Ave S). This place is quaint and community oriented. It has a library and Wi-Fi. Its world famous brew is the Streamline Espresso with brick red-brown cream that is thick and billowy. The Streamline also has notes of pine and caramel, along with toasted hazelnuts and bittersweet chocolate. Other good choices are their cappuccino and the French Press coffee.

Brazil. Isabela Raposeiras. The café is named after its owner, Isabel Raposeiras. She is a Brazillian barista competition champion who has worked with many growers and companies in her country. This woman loves to travel around the world to learn everything she can about coffee. Her advantage is that she is familiar with coffee growing (since there are so many coffee plantations in Brazil) and this is equally balanced with her skill in the art of roasting and blending. Recently she collaborated with Tim Wendelboe of Norway to make an espresso blend, which they call the infamous Isabela Norwegian/Brazilian espresso blend. It's a blend of the following coffees: Cielito Lindo No. 4, Finca la Lomita and Aricha. The result is a very well balanced blend that is sweet and fruity, with aromas of amaretto and berry.

Tokyo. Macchinesti. Japan is a tea drinking nation, but there are a growing number of specialty coffee shops. If you want a smooth cappuccino from fresh ground beans, a very good place to go is Macchinesti. It is about a minute's walk from the Hiroo Subway Station. The owner is a Japanese architect who lives in Seattle. Many of Macchinesti's drinks are made with the owner's original blend of Indonesian, Central American, East African and Indian beans. A good choice here is the Romano, an espresso shot. Other good options are the macchiato, espresso with milk, and their dry cappuccino. The Cubano is an interesting sweet drink with its shot of espresso, water, sugar, caramel and cardamom.

Norway. Tim Wendelboe. Named after its owner, this place at Grunersgate 1 at Grunerlokka in Oslo, Norway has a roaster, training centre and espresso bar. Their menu changes every day and they will only sell what is on the menu. This place is not intended to be a café or a place to have lunch or to be a local hang out. They only see themselves as a place where people can learn and experience good coffee. The staff at Wendelboe are very knowledgeable about coffee and will be glad to give advice. Wendelboe imports their coffee from places that they believe view as the best coffee growers in the world. They prefer variety which is why they buy smaller coffee lots based on their philosophy of quality, traceability, innovation and social responsibility.

London. Flat White. Located in the heart of Soho, Flat White (17 Berwick Street) won the UK Independent Coffee Bar of the Year in 2007. Its name is derived from an Australian idiom, flaat whyette, which refers to an antipodean style coffee which is served as a strong shot of espresso and served in a small cup with textured milk. The coffee is really strong. It embodies the coffee culture of Australia and New Zealand. Because the coffee is so powerful, different and good, a lot of Soho locals, travelers, Aussies and Kiwi expats come here. Their better choices are the cappuccinos and the macchiatos.

Philippines. Figaro. You can find Figaro Coffee in most malls and even in top college campuses. This is the leading local coffeehouse in the country. Some of their good choices include their own Metro Blend which is a medium roast of two coffee varieties and is sweet and nutty. The Barako Gold is 100 percent pure local barako coffee with a powerful and flavorful punch. A more tempered choice is their Barako Blend with Arabica to even off the almost alcoholic kick of Barako. Finally, their Flavored Beans include flavored syrups and cream. The coffees are made through a special process that cures the flavors into the bean just after roasting so that you get a delicate yet lingering flavor.

New York City. Stumptown Coffee Roasters café (Ace Hotel Café 18 W 29th St.) is great for delicious coffee and people watching in New York. The baristas are friendly and will chat with you when they are not busy. Stumptown has good cappuccinos made with their classic Hair Bender espresso blend. Their Guatemala Bella Carmona is also good, sourced from several small farms, fermented, washed and then dried on patios in Guatemala. It has a rosehip aroma with notes of raisin, milk chocolate and Minneola orange. You might also want to try buying their Rwanda Vunga and Colombia El Jordon whole bean coffee (check the roast date on the bottom), and their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe.

San Francisco. Blue Bottle Coffee Co. (66 Mint Street) is a bright place with tall ceilings and tall windows. Their barista focuses on timing a slow, deliberate espresso with rich texture and patterned cream. Try the Brazilian Camocim Bourbon, it has an exquisite aroma. The cream is rich and frothy with a medium brown color. It has great texture. An interesting choice is their Kyoto cold-brewed coffee, which is the first of its kind in San Francisco. Blue Bottle also has great cappuccino. Other brews are its 100 percent Yemen coffee which is intoxicating and makes a great espresso; 17 ft. Ceiling which uses higher end organic coffees; and Amaro Gayo Natural from Ethiopia.

If you can't make it to Brazil or any of these exotic places, check out GourmetFree.com, where you can earn points in exchange for gift cards at some of the most popular coffee retailers out there.