12 Unusual Cafes Around the World Worth the Trip — Add Them to Your Bucket List.
A cafe is so much more than a place to grab a cup of coffee. It’s where you meet friends, discover a little piece of local culture while traveling, get some work done, or simply take a break from the rush of everyday life.
And then there are cafes so unusual that the experience itself becomes a reason to visit — places you won’t want to leave even if you’re not a huge coffee lover.
We’ve rounded up 12 unique cafes from around the world that definitely deserve a spot on your bucket list. Some stand out for their incredible interiors, others for their unusual history, location, or concept — but all of them offer something you probably won’t find at your local coffee shop.
1. The Attendant — London, UK
The cafe that used to be a Victorian toilet
Imagine walking into a beautiful little coffee shop and realizing that you’re sitting inside a former Victorian public toilet. That’s exactly what happened to this unusual space in Fitzrovia. Built in the late 19th century and abandoned for decades, the underground toilet was transformed into a specialty coffee shop while keeping much of its original character — including the Victorian tiles and porcelain urinals, which now form part of the seating area.
Thankfully, everything has been thoroughly restored, and today The Attendant serves specialty coffee, breakfast, brunch and lunch. It’s certainly one of the strangest places in London to stop for a flat white.
2. Truth Coffee Roasting — Cape Town, South Africa
A steampunk coffee experience
Some cafes have a theme. Truth Coffee feels like you’ve stepped into an entire alternate universe. Located in a historic building in central Cape Town, the cafe is famous for its dramatic steampunk-inspired interior, filled with metalwork, vintage details and industrial machinery. It’s also a working specialty coffee roastery, so the impressive setting comes with seriously good coffee.
Even people who aren’t obsessed with coffee will probably want to visit just to see the place.
3. Lhong Tou Cafe — Bangkok, Thailand
A cafe built upwards
This tiny cafe in Bangkok’s Chinatown has found a very clever way to make the most of a small space: build upwards instead of outwards.
Lhong Tou Café uses stacked wooden seating areas and narrow stairways to create different levels inside the café. The traditional Chinese-inspired decor makes the whole experience feel more like stepping into a tiny maze than sitting in an ordinary coffee shop. It’s compact, photogenic and very different from the usual Bangkok café scene.
4. Dreamy Camera Cafe — Yangpyeong, South Korea
Have coffee inside a giant camera
This may be one of the most recognizable cafes on the list. Dreamy Camera Cafe looks exactly like what its name suggests: a giant vintage twin-lens camera placed in the middle of the Korean countryside. The two-story building was designed to resemble a huge camera, with panoramic windows and a collection of photography-related objects inside.
The cafe is surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, making it feel less like a coffee stop and more like a quirky little day trip from Seoul.
5. The Note Coffee — Hanoi, Vietnam
A cafe covered in thousands of little notes
What happens when visitors leave messages everywhere they go? At The Note Coffee, they become part of the interior. The cafe in central Hanoi is covered in colorful sticky notes left by customers — on walls, furniture and other surfaces around the building. Some contain funny messages, some are personal thoughts, and others are simply little memories from travelers passing through.
Instead of traditional artwork, the cafe has gradually created its own constantly changing decoration, one note at a time.
6. Le Cafe des Chats — Paris, France
Coffee with a dozen furry residents
Paris has plenty of beautiful cafes, but this one comes with its own residents. At Le Cafe des Chats, around a dozen cats live freely inside the restaurant. The cats were adopted through animal-protection organizations and are considered residents of the café rather than attractions.
Visitors can enjoy homemade food, desserts and drinks while the cats wander around the space. The café is currently open Tuesday through Sunday, and no reservation is required.
7. Forever Rose Cafe — Dubai, UAE
A cafe that looks like a drawing
This one almost doesn’t look real. Forever Rose Cafe was designed as a 2D illustration brought to life. The floors, furniture, walls and even parts of the tableware are designed in black and white, creating the illusion that you’ve walked directly into a drawing.
The food, drinks and visitors provide the only real splashes of color, making the whole space look like something from a fairytale or an animated movie. The Dubai location is currently open daily, and the concept is one of the most visually unusual cafe experiences in the UAE.
8. El Ateneo Grand Splendid — Buenos Aires, Argentina
Have coffee on a former theatre stage
This is technically a bookstore with a cafe — but we absolutely had to include it. El Ateneo Grand Splendid occupies a former theatre dating back to 1919, and much of the original architecture has been beautifully preserved. There are ornate balconies, a painted ceiling and the original stage, which is now home to a café.
You can browse thousands of books and then sit down for coffee where performers once stood. It’s the kind of place where even buying a book suddenly feels like a travel experience.
9. BOOK AND BED TOKYO — Tokyo, Japan
Coffee surrounded by books
What could be better than a coffee shop inside a library? How about a place where you can actually sleep among the books? BOOK AND BED TOKYO combines a bookstore-inspired lounge, cafe and accommodation into one unusual concept. The café is open not only to overnight guests but also to day visitors, so you don’t need to book a room to experience it.
The Tokyo Shinjuku location is surrounded by shelves of books and offers coffee, desserts and light meals — making it a perfect stop for anyone who likes their coffee breaks quiet, cozy and slightly bookish.
10. Majestic Cafe — Porto, Portugal
A cafe that feels like a movie set
Some cafes are unusual because of a bizarre concept. Others stand out simply because they have managed to preserve another era. Majestic Cafe in Porto dates back to the early 20th century and is famous for its ornate Belle Époque interior, complete with carved wood, mirrors and chandeliers.
Today, you can still walk in, order a coffee and experience the atmosphere of historic Porto in one of the city’s most iconic cafés. It’s elegant rather than eccentric — but definitely not your average coffee shop.
11. The Grounds of Alexandria — Sydney, Australia
More like a little world than a cafe
The Grounds of Alexandria is the kind of place where going for coffee can easily turn into spending half a day. The sprawling venue combines its café with gardens, greenery, food spaces and constantly changing themed installations. The atmosphere is designed to feel more like a little village or fantasy garden than a conventional coffee shop.
It’s also very visitor-friendly: the main café accepts walk-ins, and the venue is currently open seven days a week.
12. Sky Coffee Buenos Aires — Miami, USA
Have coffee inside a real airplane
This one is definitely not what you expect to find on a Miami street. Sky Coffee Buenos Aires has transformed a real retired aircraft into part of its cafe experience. The aircraft itself is the star of the show, turning an ordinary coffee stop into something that feels more like visiting a tiny aviation attraction.
The cafe is currently operating in Miami and serves coffee, pastries and meals.
Sometimes, the Cafe Is the Attraction
Not every memorable travel experience happens at a famous landmark. Sometimes it’s a tiny cafe tucked away on an ordinary street, a bizarre building you never expected to find, an unforgettable interior, or a place you simply can’t stop talking about afterward. And that’s exactly what makes unusual cafes so much fun.
Have you already visited any of these cafés? Maybe one of them is right near you — and you actually stop by all the time? Share your favorite spots and stories in the comments! ❤️
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