The Place

Tucked away in the backstreets of Causeway Bay is one of Hong Kong’s premier coffee destinations. With a heritage from coffee hotspot Taiwan, the team of young guns opened Artista Perfetto (AP) with the fanaticism of true coffee aficionados.

You know you’re in for a treat when one of the main guys has represented Hong Kong in the World Barista Championships and has even placed 4th in the Latte Art category. It means that there is going to be a level of attention to detail that you’re not always going to find when getting your morning brew.

If you’ve ever had the good fortune to visit one of the many great coffee houses in Taiwan, then you’ll recognise the set and setting of AP… The little corner store is reminiscent of the type of shop you’ll find in the much flatter and distributed Taiwan.

The Equipment

It’s the first time I’ve seen an MVP Hydra by Synesso in Hong Kong, and it’s a great looking two grip head espresso machine. Theres also a couple of Anfim grinders; a Super Ciamano and what looks to be an SPII.

The Beans

AP uses a combination of beans from the major producing companies. I wasn’t able to detect the percentages, but there were beans from Colombia, El Salvador and Ethiopia. The roasting process ensured that they produced a medium roast for strong flavour.

The Package

I’ve never had bad coffee at AP and that’s got a lot to do with the dedication and precision in the approach from the whole team. While Noddy wasn’t in the shop for my latest visit, which meant that I didn’t get a wild and pretty piece of latte art, my brew was still on point.

The medium bodied, yet full flavoured latte was perfect. The milk was a lovely with a velvety consistency and presented in small glasses with adequate (yet simple) latte art. Our coffees were decently strong with a chocolate caramel hint underlying the earthy flavour of the beans.

Full fat Meiji milk was used, so it was delicious and creamy. It was unfortunate that Noddy was not on site as I’ve become accustomed to his spectacular efforts when putting together a latte, in particular, his perfect technique when presenting a cup of joe. I do love the coffee at AP.

My only complaint, which is minor, is that the lattes only come in one size, which is pretty small; it leaves me not quite satisfied and almost needing another hit as the experience is over after such a short couple of sips.

The Rating

The Details

Where: G/F, 3 Sharp Street West, Causeway Bay
Web: https://artistaperfetto.com/
Cost: A little pricey for the size of the latte
Visit: A definite must visit but try to pick a day where Noddy is in-da-house