The World’s Most Unusual Cafes

You’re sitting at a charming table in a quaint café, sipping coffee, taking in the ruins in some romantic city like Rome. Across the room someone is staring at you alluringly. Nothing could be more perfect. And then you wake up, because, really, this would only happen in a café scene in a 1960’s Italian film.

And you probably won’t find any of that happening in the following cafés here either. In any one of these places you might not be able to sit at a charming table, study fabulous views, and have a stare down with an attractive stranger who quite possibly could be the fabled ‘one.’ But the coffee will be great for sure.  Here are some of the most unusual cafés around the world.  It’s up to you to make the moments count.

 

Cat’s Store, Tokyo, Japan:  The Cat Café

We’re letting the cat out of the bag with this one.  In this café the milk isn’t just for the coffee, the cats have been known to sneak some too. As the name suggests, this little café is filled with cats of all shapes and sizes that go about their feline business as you sip your coffee. The Cat’s Store, Neko no mise, does not serve food but provides its guests with complimentary beverages. What is valuable here is not the meal but the time spent with the cats. As bizarre as this may seem, the concept is great for crowded cities, where space is limited and most apartment buildings have a strict no-pets policy. You can find similar lounges in cities like Paris and Seoul. People come in to unwind, many regularly, ‘cause pets are known stress relievers. Most stay for over an hour, others for the whole day. Some have admitted to taking a sick day just to spend time with the cats. At about $9.00 an hour, it’s a pricey cup of coffee but an inexpensive therapy session.

 

Disaster Café, Lloret de Mar, Spain:  The Earthquake Café

This café and restaurant is strictly for those with a strong stomach, and not because of the food. While it seems like a run of the mill restaurant (the façade reveals little about it) serving food that’s been called ‘quite good,’ patrons here rarely say that their meal’s been a typical one. This is probably due to the simulated earthquakes that occur. Everything in the underground restaurant/ café is designed to withstand a 7.8 earthquake. The plates and glasses are heavy so they stay put, and the staff wears safety gear, though mostly for show. Don’t worry; there have been no injuries yet. This café in Spain has been known to attract adrenaline junkies and the curious alike. One tiny warning:  food and drinks have been known to spill during the seismic simulation so dress accordingly.

La Distributrice, Montreal, Canada:  The Tiny Café

Walking down Mont-Royal in Montreal you might miss this hole-in-the wall café, which is neatly tucked below a staircase. La Distributrice occupies the smallest retail space in the city, and claims the title of smallest café in North America. The barista makes three kinds of coffee – Americano, espresso, and latte – and serves it through a little window year round. If it weren’t for the bench and greenery neatly positioned around the tiny space outside you’d hardly call it a café. It’s a tiny coffee shop with big coffee taste.  And the hot chocolate is good too.

East Beach Cafe, Littlehampton, U.K.:  The Sand Dune Café

This café is easily recognizable walking down the Littlehampton beach. Converted from a tiny shack which served burgers and fries, the steel sculpture is an impressive architectural feat. The exterior was inspired by the surrounding landscape and imitates natural shapes, like driftwood, sand dunes, and waves. It’s constructed from four separate pieces which were assembled by a 2 person team over the course of 9 months. Since it was completed in 2007, the building has won over 20 awards for design, architecture, steelwork, craftsmanship, and engineering. What better place to get inspiration sipping inside a work of art?

Corner Perk, Bluffton, South Carolina, USA:  The Pay it Forward Café

This cafe is not unusual in décor or theme, it’s not home to cats and it’s standing on firm ground. What’s strange about it is that you’re likely to get your coffee for free. Sounds hard to believe? The patrons are just as surprised. It all started when a Good Samaritan, a woman who has chosen to remain anonymous, left a $100 bill with the owner, Josh Cooke, to pay for everyone who ordered after her until the money was gone. Her only condition was that Josh let everyone know to pay it forward. She continues to make the donation every few months and has inspired others to follow suit, some just stopping in to drop off their donation.