La Cabra is perhaps the pinnacle of contemporary Danish coffee culture from the perspective of the rest of the world, at least. It’s coffee for people who don’t come to play. For well over a decade, this Aarhus-born institution has been perfecting a singular, uncompromising roasting philosophy that refuses to differentiate between espresso and filter. It’s as much a faith as it is a vision, that you can reach into the soul of a bean and pull out a singular profile that hits on its innate character. The result is a lineup of bright cups that entice the most discerning palates.

But their rigorous intentionality extends far beyond the coffee. Each cafe is beautifully designed, and coffee and pastries are served in tactile stoneware from the legendary Danish pottery studio K.H. Würtz. The pastry program might actually upstage the roastery. Their cardamom buns are legendary, but truly, everything is exquisite. La Cabra has redefined the standard of cafes the third wave coffee scene to be all about style and substance.