It’s a Sunday morning in Milan and the line to get inside Nowhere is halfway down the block. It’s something of a nightmare scenario for any barista; “in the weeds” in hospitality industry slang. It surely doesn’t help that most of the people in the queue are those most judgmental of customers: coffee professionals in town for the World of Coffee tradeshow.
But the team at Nowhere handles the rush with grace and poise. Once seated, our coffees arrive quickly. The service is warm if understandably rushed. Most importantly, the coffees taste great.
Nowhere describes itself as “Future coffee roasters.” The hot pink interior certainly makes it feel like a brave, new post-Hygge world. There are zero nods to the classic Italian espresso bar. There’s not even any sugar.
Instead, there is a serious food program, a small selection of natural wine, and a selection of house-roasted coffee that leans toward the juicy and exotic. Think funky, spicy anaerobic-fermented Indonesia with a side of Turkish-style poached eggs & yogurt.
Of all of the coffee shops we visited in 2022, Nowhere was perhaps the most memorable. If you’re looking for the stereotypical Italian espresso bar experience, then Nowhere may not be for you. But if you want to see the future of specialty coffee, you’ve come to the right place.