Malaysian Café Ranks 2nd Best in Asia, 8th Best Globally

By Danial Martinus • 09 Mar 2026 in News

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Malaysian café, Story of ONO, has officially been named the second-best coffee shop in Asia and the eighth-best in the world by The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops, a major international nod that reflects Malaysia’s booming specialty coffee scene.

Malaysia has spent the past decade or so quietly building a reputation for serious coffee culture, with specialty cafés sprouting up everywhere you look. Though some tend to miss the mark (as you normally find when competition is fierce), there are those that prove their excellence.

A real milestone for Malaysia’s coffee scene

The rankings evaluate cafés worldwide based on a few important criteria, including obvious ones like coffee quality and barista skill to more intangible factors like innovation, customer service, sustainability practices, ambience, and food offerings.

70% of the overall score is determined by an expert panel of judges, while the remaining 30% is made up of public votes. If a café lands in the global top 10, it’s a pretty big achievement.

Story of ONO, located in SS2 Petaling Jaya, has a somewhat unusual reputation in the local café scene. It’s known for its specialty coffee and premium matcha, whereas most coffee shops in Malaysia tend to focus on one or the other, not both at the same time.

But ONO treats both drinks with equal seriousness, sourcing high-quality ingredients and preparing them with an almost surgical precision. The result is a café experience that feels thoughtful and intentional as opposed to trendy and artificial.

The drinks themselves prioritise balance and flavour instead of assaulting your taste buds with something that’s very obviously gimmicky or half-baked (though there’s definitely a crowd for the latter).

While Story of ONO is in the top 10, another local name has also made it onto the list. Coffee Stain, with outlets in Publika, Bangsar, and Gardens Square Rawang, has secured 84th place worldwide, adding another feather to Malaysia’s coffee cap.

At the very top of the list sits Onyx Coffee LAB (USA), followed by Tim Wendelboe (Norway) and Alquimia Coffee (El Salvador). And if you’re wondering how our small neighbour to the south did, Singapore’s very own Apartment Coffee ranks sixth globally, taking the top spot in Asia.

Check out the rankings here.

Story of ONO

Opening Hours: 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. daily
Location: 47, Jalan SS 2/30, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya

Coffee Stain (Publika)

Opening Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Location: D4-G3-01, Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur