By Marta Simonet

Most of these are shops with a carefully tended aesthetic, and some of them combine their passion for coffee with other attractive offerings. What almost all these businesses have in common is their presentation: cafés offering latte art, sandwiches, breakfast, all sorts of things...with presentation worthy of a food stylist.

 
I have explored some of the specialty cafés in my birth city, Palma de Mallorca (Spain). These shops go beyond being mere cafés as we know them, transforming into veritable temples dedicated to the enjoyment of specialty coffee, a calm atmosphere, sandwiches made with real bread and all sorts of delicious toppings.

 
Rosevelvet Bakery, an establishment run by a young couple where in addition to the high-quality specialty coffee on offer, guests can enjoy gourmet treats: cakes, bagels, quiche and even hamburgers. Can you imagine drinking a specialty coffee accompanied by an Angus burger with pesto and gorgonzola cheese? I don't know what the tasting committee would say, but I can't think of a more trendy plan.

 
La Molienda, a small picturesque coffee shop that some customers consider 'the best café in Palma'. Here you can enjoy matcha tea and a substantial menu of toasts and other dishes focussed on local, ecological and vegetarian products.

 
Cafè Riutort, a natural shop at heart, where the original stones and floor are left uncovered (or so it seems). Some of the tables are large and shared, while others are intended to be enjoyed in more intimate company. The minute you enter, you are greeted by the scent of coffee, and apart from drinking a cup in the shop you can take away ground coffee to brew at home. Here I savoured an avocado toast crowned with a poached egg cooked to perfection as I peacefully read the local news. An oasis in the epicentre of the city.

 
It seems as if the coffee revolution is not confined just to cups. These beans with their hypnotising aroma are being reborn as an essential ingredient in countless projects committed to promoting the product and sustainability.

 
In Madrid, we encountered Cientotreinta°, a workroom and coffee roastery where brothers Alberto and Guido Miragoli have succeeded in uniting their passions. We were also enthralled by Café Angelica, an old coffee roastery (1948) that has evolved into a contemporary café, offering modern healthy dishes, artisan pastries and wine on tap, along with many other delights.

 
The increase in consumption of decaffeinated coffee marks a revolution in the sector, and I'm not sure if it's related (laugh) but there is already a café in Barcelona where you can seek relief from the effects of caffeine deprivation. It's called Nappucino, and it's the first café in the world where you can take a nap.

 
The revolution also includes broccolatte, a pseudocoffee made using broccoli, and mushroom coffee. I'm not sure what the purists will think of this. I suppose that, in the same way non-diary milk can't be called 'milk' but rather has to be 'X drink', we will also have to seek out a different name for these pseudocoffees. As you can see, I've already christened them.

 
We will also be hearing more about coffee flour, a product born from what could be classified as 'converted coffee' since it is produced from the waste left over when harvesting coffee and they say it doesn't taste anything like coffee (I haven't had the chance to try it yet).  Not to mention coffee wine, coloured coffee, coffee in edible cups and the coffee bike.