Coffee is reaching new levels in the kingdom. From the humble brew mixed with a sizeable dollop of sweet milk to the cutting edge of barista talent, there is much to be said of the progress of coffee culture in Cambodia.
Cambodia’s National Barista Championships have been running for several years. Many of Cambodia’s best coffee places have baristas competing.
Battambang’s Kinyei Cafe have won repeatedly and have some of the best coffee in the town, partnered with Feel Good Coffee who have a focus on organic, fair trade coffee from around the region, and also multiple winners of the competition. At their cafes your coffee can be beautiful, delicious and ethical.
In Siem Reap, The Little Red Fox, Sister Srey Cafe and Footprint Cafe have also been involved in the competition, as well as many contenders from the big chains in Phnom Penh.
While the competition is more about quality, texture and flavor, however, it opens doors to the world of Latte Art.
Kofi offers latte art courses and says it takes around seven hours to improve skills. With offices in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Siem Reap, it’s clear there’s a market for it!
At Little Red Fox, Espresso, Pheara and Thea are their best latte artists; creating a variety of designs from love hearts to baby bear faces. They use YouTube for inspiration and try out different designs — request one next time you go.
Last year was the first time that there was a competition for latte art and there are rumors that there might be one in Siem Reap. For sure, Pheara and Thea will join when it’s possible, either in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap.
Numerous baristas are taking their art to social media with Instagram being the main showroom for their experiments and successes. Check out these local artists:
@lanha_barista
@ratanrecord
@pheakdeyvon
@pomex
@brotherbong_cafe
