December 7, 2024 | 1:09pm
MANILA, Philippines — Coffee shops are cool places to be primarily because it is where you get your regular supply of caffeine fix—all brewed to perfection and whipped up to your favorite hot and cold coffee concoctions.
There is also an endless selection of sandwiches, breads, pastries, cake slices for when you get hungry. Truly, nothing can be as satisfying and indulgent as sipping Iced Cappuccino while reading a good book.
This is why many authors are inspired to set their stories in coffee shops or at least stage major scenes in their stories in coffee shops. Coffee lovers are able to relate, and thus, such books set in coffee shops make for cozy reads that, according to Fully Booked, “feel like warm hugs on a chilly day.”
One such book is the global sensation, “Before the Coffee Gets Cold,” which has been translated into 35 languages, with over 3 million copies sold. It even spawned five sequels.
Fully Booked recommends nine must-read books (which are either set in coffee shops or feature unforgettable coffee shop scenes that are integral to the story and rare too memorable to leave out):
‘The Full Moon Coffee Shop’ by Mai Mochizuki
This Japanese best-seller, written by Mai Mochizuki and translated by Jesse Kirkood, is set in a whimsical, mysterious café run by talking cats that appear only to a lucky few (here’s to hoping we’ll be one of them!).
‘Legends & Lattes’ by Travis Baldree (New Edition)
Find your spot in ‘Legends & Lattes,’ a newly-opened coffee shop owned by Viv, an orc, retired swordhand, and Thune’s first coffeemaker. If you’re ever in the area, Viv and her magical friends who help run the shop recommend a hot cup of latte, paired with a cinnamon roll, a biscotti or a chocolate croissant. Soon available in this new luxe edition!
‘Moments Like This’ by Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Palaha
Who hasn’t fantasized about dropping everything and moving to a beautiful island?
In this swoony romance, Andie, heartbroken and in need of a fresh start, relocates to Oahu, Hawaii, to help run her friend’s coffee shop. There, she meets a handsome and mysterious man named Warren, and the chemistry between them slowly sparks into something unforgettable.
‘At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities’ by Heather Webber
It’s one cozy read with a shot of second chances and a dash of magical realism!
This novel is set in a small coastal town in the south, where Maggie runs Magpie’s, a shop of coffee and curiosities passed down to her by her recently deceased mother. Beneath her cheerful demeanor, Maggie struggles with unprocessed grief. When her path crosses with Ava, a newcomer in town burdened with regret, and as Magpie’s fills with its eccentric regulars, will Maggie finally find her way to healing?
‘The Healing Season of Pottery’ by Yeon Somin
This forthcoming Korean best-seller hit is set not in a coffee shop but in a pottery studio where coffee is also served, much to the delight of the workshop participants who come to the studio to awaken their senses and find solace from the fast-paced and stressful life outside.
This cozy and comforting read (which also features four-legged felines) is now available for pre-order.
‘Norwegian Wood’ by Haruki Murakami
This worldwide best-seller, a coming-of-age and love triangle story, has plenty of coffee shop or café scenes.
Most of the chapters with Toru and Midori occur either in a coffee shop (where Midori usually orders a whole meal, and Toru often just orders a cup of black coffee) or a bar that also serves coffee.
In fact, the bar that the characters frequent is a real-life bar in Shinjuku called DUG, which became so popular that many tourists and Murakami fans flock to the place to order vodka and tonics and take photos. (Trigger warning: Themes of suicide are present in this book.)
‘Fleabag: The Special Edition’ by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Among all the fictional cafés, Fleabag’s quirky guinea pig-themed café takes home the crown.
The Emmy Outstanding comedy series may have long wrapped up, but fans can relive the show and its magic through “Fleabag: Special Edition and Fleabag: The Scriptures,” available at Fully Booked.
Wishing you could visit the café from Fleabag? Here’s some good news. While the original location is now a Turkish restaurant called Bold Cafe & Restaurant, research reveals that a Fleabag guinea pig café opened at Waterstones, Piccadilly, filled with memorabilia from the beloved show.
‘Dream Dallergut Department Store’ by Lee Mi-ye
It doesn’t get cozier than this Korean best-seller about a department store that sells dreams in a town known for its sleep products.
Across the department store is a café that doles out tea and coffee drinks blended with every sleep and relaxing concoction imaginable (such as calming syrup pumps), and also where Penny, the main character, is reviewing her notes and preparing for her job interview for a chance to work at the dream emporium.
‘Days at the Morisaki Bookshop’ by Satoshi Yagisawa
Well, just like Dream Dallergut, this isn’t specifically set in a coffee shop. But a coffee shop does play an integral role in the story.
Takako, reeling from a bad breakup, moves to Jimbocho, Japan’s book district, to help manage her uncle’s second-hand bookshop.
Initially reluctant and fretful, Takako’s heart begins to soften as she discovers a passion for books and makes new friends in a coffee shop she frequents, so this book earns a spot on this list. (Plus, the author released a sequel, “More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” July this year.)
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