Onyx Coffee Lab Tops World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops List at CoffeeFest

Onyx Coffee Lab of Rogers, Arkansas moved from second place in 2025 to top the second edition of THE WORLD’S 100 BEST COFFEE SHOPS, announced at CoffeeFest Madrid on Feb. 16, 2026. Organizers presented the ranking at the Madrid event and declared Onyx the world’s best coffee shop for 2026.

The podium shifted notably: Oslo’s Tim Wendelboe jumped into the runner-up position after placing fifth in 2025, while San Salvador’s Alquimia Coffee was named among the top finishers that Onyx finished ahead of. Australia’s Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters, the 2025 winner, slipped to fifth place in 2026, with Sydney’s Only Coffee Project Crows Nest explicitly cited as placing ahead of Toby’s Estate.

Organizers and reporting on the competition described a structured judging method. The contest evaluated shops on eight criteria: coffee quality; barista experience; customer experience; innovation; ambience and atmosphere; sustainability practices; food and pastry quality; and consistency. Public voting accounted for 30% of the final score while an expert panel supplied 70% of the evaluation, and the competition was sponsored by DaVinci Gourmet.

Country representation underlined the list’s international reach: the United States led with nine selected coffee shops, Australia had seven, Peru five, and Spain, Honduras and Taiwan four apiece. GCR Magazine named several of the U.S. entries with numeric ranks: Arcane Estate Coffee at 12th, BlendIn Coffee Club 20th, Domestique 43rd, Prevail Coffee 66th, Push x Pull 72nd, Savaya Coffee Market 77th, and Story and Soil Coffee 86th, in addition to Onyx; the ninth U.S. shop cited in the aggregate count was not named in the GCRMag excerpt.

Onyx’s rise to No. 1 aligns with practices observers flagged in market write-ups: a specialty-coffee focus, technical innovation, origin sourcing, rigorous roast control, use of solar energy, and continuous barista and partner training. Onyx’s public posts, cited in local reporting, framed the achievement around hospitality: “Excellence in coffee requires knowledge, repetition, and intention. What truly defines us, however, is hospitality. A commitment to serving people thoughtfully and creating spaces where everyone feels welcome.” AYMag’s 2025 background noted Onyx’s multiple Northwest Arkansas locations and the team’s gratitude to customers.

Cesar Ramirez, CEO of The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops, placed the ranking in a growth narrative for the sector: “In the end, we are embracing global trends. Coffee shop culture continues to grow, and this ranking aims to give greater visibility to more coffee shops worldwide. Throughout the year, we will also unveil the continental lists that reflect this expansion.” Organizers said the full top-100 list is published by the competition; that aggregate ranking highlights growing geographic diversity even as Onyx secures the top spot.