Camped out on a crossroads of caffeine exist four coffee contenders for the heavyweight title of Tashkent’s best cafe.

On one corner stands all-rounder Chaykof, a popular meeting spot for diverse breakfasts and leathery lattes. Across the street is Breadly, Tashkent’s original and premium bakery, which has no issues bringing in the city’s wealthier clients with their croissants, avocado, and salmon-based breakfasts.

The third contender is corporate pretty boy Costa Coffee, which opened only in August 2023. Needing no introduction this international coffee chain is second only in size to Starbucks. From day one, this cafe had no issues drawing out the masses of drones with its heavy marketing and bland coffee (my wife included…).

So what does Beanberry Coffee have to offer? Its Thai curry is tasty, but its breakfasts can’t compete with its neighbours. Neither does it have a marketing department bigger than that of most countries. Instead, they compete on coffee. It’s the only cafe in the area that offers a choice of coffee bean varieties and actually sells the beans separately. Whilst its competitors offer a one-size-fits-all flavour of coffee, Beanberry offers a variety. Brazil is my favourite for its tangy taste.

I’d even go as far as to say it’s probably the best place for coffee in all of Tashkent. Coming from a fool who drinks several cups a day and then wonders why he can’t sleep, this is no understatement.