The World's Best Coffee Shops Were Announced, And No. 2 Is In This Unexpected American State

There is nothing quite like finding the perfect cafe while traveling, whether you prefer something traditional like the coffeehouses in Vienna or more modern coffee shops where the beans are roasted in-house and espresso shots are pulled to precise perfection.

In the vein of the The World's 50 Best Restaurants and The World's 50 Best Bars lists, which put out new rankings every year that shake up the culinary and hospitality worlds, we now have The World's 100 Best Coffee Shops. Using a mixed system of public voting and input from a panel of experts over the course of a few months, each cafe was judged for the quality of the coffee and food, barista expertise, customer service, ambience, sustainability practices, and more. The shops were recognized at CoffeeFest Madrid 2025.

First place went to the Australian chain Toby's Estate Coffee Roasters, but the U.S. took home the No. 2 spot, and it's not where you might think. You won't find this Onyx Coffee Roasters in any of the best destinations for coffee lovers in America, but you will find it if you head to Arkansas.

Headquartered in Rogers, Arkansas, Onyx Coffee Lab is an independent coffee shop that has been accruing accolades long before the World's Best Coffee Shops list came out. Since 2014, the shop's superstar baristas have competed and placed nationally and internationally in competitions like the U.S. Barista Championships and the World Barista Championship.

Founded by Jon and Andrea Allen in 2012, Onyx Coffee Lab came to be after the couple decided to experiment with roasting their own beans in-house. Today, it has five locations in Northwest Arkansas with more on the way. Onyx also ships its award-winning roasts domestically and internationally for wholesale and personal home use.

It's clear you're in for a good cup of joe here, prepared under the exacting care of one of their trained baristas. But when you step into Onyx Coffee Lab, you also can't deny the urban-chic atmosphere brought to life by eye-catching murals and a sleek design. As one Google reviewer writes about the Rogers location: "This coffee shop is like nothing I have ever seen! This place is AMAZING! The atmosphere is serene and peaceful even though it is buzzing with energy and people. ... Coffee and food was perfect and the service was outstanding!" Across the board, the Onyx locations have gotten great reviews, with all five locations sitting at 4.3 stars or higher on Google at the time of writing.

The World's 100 Best Coffee Shops list doesn't specify how Onyx won the No. 2 spot, but on the sustainability front, we can assume Onyx did well. The company emphasizes that it pays premium prices to source beans from ethical producers using organic fertilizers and groundwater-friendly processing methods. Not to mention, solar panels and carbon-neutral practices are used to roast their beans in-house. Even the packaging is sustainable, with recyclable boxes, plant-based compostable mailers, and bags that are 60% compostable.

The list doesn't specify which Onyx location is the best coffee shop, or if it's the brand in general, but the HQ in Rogers, Arkansas, is probably the top contender. Located in a spacious and historic building, Onyx shows off its impressive roasting room and offers a taqueria and a mezcal bar in addition to the standard cafe and bakery. Coffees are advertised by their origin and tasting notes, which you can have as a pour-over or in one of their seasonal drinks like the Salted Honey Oat Milk Flat White, or go for a classic latte or nitro cold brew. The pastry menu has all the classics (croissants and muffins) but you can also get your breakfast here as well as internationally inspired lunches like a chicken tikka masala bowl. Be sure to stop by Onyx if you're seeking out secret gems in Arkansas — it's a coffee aficionado's heaven.