Cafés We Found & Loved

High on the Tibetan plateau, I stumbled upon a hand-painted café that seemed impossibly out of place—its bright colors cutting through the mountain mist like a quiet invitation. Inside? Lobsang, a young Tibetan boy with no formal training. Just a cracked espresso machine, a warm grin, and a sack of roasted qingke (Tibetan barley).

With steady hands and pure instinct, he brewed me a Tibetan barley latte—no recipe, no scale, just soul. The result? Smooth, nutty, slightly malty. A perfect latte crowned with a sprinkling of roasted barley on top. Comforting. Surprising. Entirely unforgettable.

That day, I didn’t just drink a latte—I was reminded why we travel, why we stay curious, and why KŌHĪ KORABO exists:

To honour the unexpected, and to celebrate how coffee—like culture—is endlessly reimagined through the people who make it their own.

This café isn’t listed anywhere. But here’s the Google pin drop — just in case you find yourself 3,500 meters closer to something new.

— Jessica, Co-founder