These are the most remote coffee shops around the world

Coffee is known for its robust ability to beckon a person from the depths of sleep every morning. More than two billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide, per day. While some penchants for a particular flavor profile may be region-specific, the global affection for coffee transcends borders and boundaries.

Traditional coffee shops are a dime a dozen in cities and towns across the globe, but the farther a person gets from civilization, the harder it is to find a good cup of coffee. However, it is not impossible.

A fresh genre of coffeehouses intentionally designed for off-the-beaten-path experiences has recently sprung up. These cafes are inaccessible by car and are intended to meet the java needs of hikers, bikers, and explorers mid-trail. These woodsy establishments are for people who want to sip a cup of coffee at a remote, trailside java bar, away from the crowds.

Airship Coffee Roasters, Bentonville, Arkansas

Nicknamed the “mountain biking capital of the world,” Bentonville is home to the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, which boasts a integrated trail system that welcomes riders of all levels. For everyone, though, the popular mid-trail stop is Airship Coffee Roasters.

Built with only three walls, the scents of seasonal drinks, craft brews, and quick bites waft out toward the trail, inviting riders and hikers to kick back on one of the triple-person swings or relax on the rooftop terrace. Airship is independently and locally owned and it’s quite clear that the choices to set up shop without Wi-fi—but wide open to dogs—were intentional, intended to protect a nature-driven atmosphere that communicates peaceful retreat into nature. A book would be a delightful companion for the one who wants to settle in here.

(How this sleepy Southern town transformed into an art lover’s paradise)

Riverbank Coffee, Manchester, United Kingdom

In 2020, a group of four friends began noticing that hikers, bikers, and locals would regularly collect at one particular bend in the River Mersey, on the Trans Pennine Trail in Manchester. The foursome tossed around the idea of opening a coffee shop on that very spot. Eventually, the dream became a reality and they set up a small red vintage trailer just next to the river bend.

Now, the woodland coffee shop is hopping every day of the week. Instead of traditional tables, open air huts built with cozy cabin silhouettes serve as covered gathering spaces to keep the drizzly British rain from ruining the fun. The situation of the outdoor coffee shop next to the river means not only bikers, hikers, and dog walkers stop by, but also boaters and even paddle boarders. One of the owners is a yoga instructor, and she offers on-site outdoor yoga classes.

Goûter Hut, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France

With its own helipad ready to receive food and supplies, the Goûter Hut requires five hours to reach on foot , and it stands as the highest-guarded refuge in Europe. Perched gingerly on the ascent path, the Goûter Hut is used by 75 percent of the mountaineers who attempt to summit Mount Blanc, a well-trod path that is also known as the “normal way.”

This strategic map dot has been home to a one-night retreat since 1854, when it housed four climbers at a time. In 2013, what was once the Goûter Hut was transformed into the spaceship-looking creation that it is now housing 120 people each night while hovering precariously above the cloud line. Unlike any of the other coffee shops on this list, the cafe opens at 2 a.m., offering a hot breakfast and cup of coffee for those looking to summit by sunup. 

The Giant Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Whether an adventurer is transported on the 60-kilometer switchback journey from Chiang Mai to The Giant Chiang Mai treehouse by songthaew taxi or tuk-tuk, a swinging bridge finishes the journey. But even with the help of these automobiles, the last portion is an uphill hike requiring a pair of steady legs, and a willingness to press forward.

Originally opened in 2014, the treehouse was a community project intended to promote the rich history of coffee in the area and to bring much needed utilities to the village nearby. Locals worked together to build the café as a set of intertwined platforms positioned in the nooks and crannies of the tree and overlooking the vast valley below. Views of the lush forest canopy below are epic, making the challenging trip to the tree well worth the effort.

(Coffee naps might be the weirdest—and smartest—way to recharge)

Coffee Afloat, Cairnmuir Gully, New Zealand

Docked in the Cromwell River Gorge right next to “New Zealand’s most spectacular bike ride” is a pair of pontoon boats known as Coffee Afloat and Burger Afloat. The 55 kilometer Lake Dunstan Trail is a new and wildly unique set of bridges, clipped to the side of stunning river gorge cliffs. Because of the way the bridges have been set, some hikers and bikers feel the exhilaration of sensations that comes when dangling over the water while athletically moving the body outside. In other sections, the trail grows calmer, meandering through the vineyards of Bannockburn.

Originally models for the Lake Dunston Trail promotional material, Afloat owners Jolanda and Richard Foale are committed to sourcing both the beans and the food locally.

Finca Rosa Blanca Farm and Inn, Santa Bárbara de Heredia, Costa Rica

Deep in the cloud forest of Costa Rica and perched at a slant on the Poás Volcano and the Barva Volcano sits Finca Rosa Blanca, a three generation family-owned coffee farm. Beans from this farm are grown in the shade at altitude, which is at least part of the reason Finca Rosa Blanca coffee has won first place ribbons five times in the last three years.

Carlos Nasillo, CEO of the motorbike rental company Riderly, recalls sipping the best cortado of his existence at Finca Rosa Blanca. “As it is with cycling, half the experience is the journey itself—having to snake along single-track roads through thick jungle before unexpectedly emerging in front of terraces of coffee plants perfectly etched into slopes. I hiked uphill for 20 minutes to get to the café, [and reached a] covered platform that looks out over the entire plantation. The family of the owner grows, roasts and serves it all on site. I recall watching workers handpick beans from slopes so severe that one must marvel at how they stay vertical.”