If you’re planning some coffee tourism, Poland probably isn’t at the top of your list. Yet the country might just surprise you… Because specialty coffee is flourishing, and not just in the major cities, either.

Poznan is the country’s fifth-largest city, situated in western Poland midway between Berlin and Warsaw. The fifth largest city in the country, it’s famous for… well, actually, it’s not really famous for anything.

But with the rise of specialty coffee, that’s changing. Poznan might be small, but its coffee offerings are mighty. Here’s our list of three essential specialty coffee shops to visit next time you find yourself there.

SEE ALSO: 5 Specialty Coffee Shops to Visit in Barcelona

Uno Espresso

Poznan’s first specialty coffee shop, Uno Espresso, started out selling espresso machines and some branded coffees. Soon enough, the owner decided he ought to create a space for specialty coffee lovers.

The head barista, Maciej Muryn, is a competitor in the Polish barista championships. Opened by a coffee lover for coffee lovers, Uno is a resource any town would be lucky to have.

Uno Espresso, Poznan’s first specialty coffee shop.

Uno’s hard to find at first, but it’s worth the hunt. A quiet café, it’s visited mostly by regulars and those looking to open their own coffee business.

They serve two different espressos each day and offer filter coffee from nearly every brewing method available (V60 and AeroPress being the most popular). And in addition to a range of coffee accessories, Uno offers whole bean coffees from the best Polish roasteries.

Uno Espresso takes their brewing seriously.

Where	Prusa 4
Style	Modern and clean, stone and glass bar with wooden floor
Espresso Machine	Iberital Expression
Grinder	2x Casadio Enea On Demand
Coffee Offerings – beans to brew at home	Espresso and filter coffees from top Polish roasteries (Audun, Coffee Proficiency, Coffee Lab)
Coffee offerings	Espresso, V60, AeroPress
Food	Cakes and sandwiches

Brisman Kawowy Bar

Brisman is home to Polish Barista Champion 2015, Polish Latte Art Champion 2015, and Milano Latte Art Challenge 2015 winner Agnieszka Rojewska (oh yeah… that’s me!).

Mateusz Gaca, formerly of Uno Espresso, opened up this shop with me. What started out as a small café space in a basement is expanding this year to a place three times its original size. Filled with LEGO bricks, comic book-inspired drawings, and Star Wars toys, it has a unique design that you just have to see to believe.

Brisman’s crazy design will give you more to consume than just your coffee.

Brisman serves three different espressos—while the regular is a medium roast Brazil Santos, the rest depend on your luck! – and three filter coffees.

There’s also a few more unusual drinks and drink sets on offer. There’s Kofi Beer (my signature beverage from the 2015 WBC in Seattle) or our coffee ‘sets.’ 2uSET is an espresso and cappuccino served together and made from the same coffees – and there’s a 4uSET too.

Brisman’s 2uSET, an espresso and cappuccino serving made from the same beans.

Where	Mickiewicza 20
Style	Creative and unusual vibe with orange walls, LEGO blocks, and Star Wars toys
Espresso Machine	Faema Ambassador
Grinder	3x Mazzer Robour,
Coffee offerings – beans to take home	Espresso and filter roasted by Apro Trade
Coffee offerings	Espresso, filter coffee, cascara-based beverages
Food	Homemade cakes and sandwiches

Stragan Kawiarnia

With a wall decorated with all the coffee bags they’ve used since opening up, Stragan Kawiarnia is a visually exciting café. But don’t let that distract from how excellent the coffee is.

Stragan Kawiarnia, where you’re literally surrounded by specialty coffee.

Here, you can get coffee made with any brewing method, prepared for you on the spot. The thoughtful interior design with a long wooden bar means you can easily watch the barista work on your coffee. Besides coffee, Stragan also serves burgers and breakfast.

So, what brew method will it be today?

Where	Ratajczaka 31
Style	Cosy and clean with a stylish long wooden bar
Espresso Machine	La Marzocco Linea
Grinder	Mazzer Super Jolly, Mahlkonig Guatemala, Mahlkonig EK43
Coffee offerings – beans to take home	Espresso and filter coffee from Kofi Brand, sometimes others
Coffee offerings	Espresso, V60, Chemex
Food	Homemade cakes, range of breakfast dishes and burgers

These three cafés will give you an excellent introduction to the specialty coffee scene in Poznan, Poland. Yet there are plenty more worth exploring, if you have a little bit more time to spend in this city. An honorable mention goes to the the well-known Café La Ruina and Raj (famous for its cheesecakes and Asian food), while Minister Café is a good choice for those of you that also like beer.

Poznan is seeing more and more coffee shops with enormous potential opening. New in town are Hygge, Czarne Mleko, and 239. It’s thrilling to see so many shops opening up here, and we hope you give them a try if you’re stopping by.

See you in Poznan!

Edited by S. Parrish.

All views within this opinion piece belong to the guest writer, and do not reflect Perfect Daily Grind’s stance. Perfect Daily Grind believes in furthering debate over topical issues within the industry, and so seeks to represent the views of all sides.

Perfect Daily Grind.