The most luxurious and beautiful Starbucks stores in the world include the Reserve Roasteries in Milan, Tokyo and Shanghai, the Kyoto Ninenzaka store in a traditional townhouse, the shipping-container store in Hualien, Taiwan, and Mumbai’s heritage store at Horniman Circle. These are cafes, not hotels, but many travellers plan visits around them for their design.
A quick clarification first. Starbucks does not run hotels. The places often called “Starbucks hotels” online are flagship cafes and roasteries, some inside historic buildings and some designed by well-known architects. Here are 10 worth visiting if you are a coffee or design lover.
Quick list
| Store | City | Why visit |
|---|---|---|
| Reserve Roastery Milan | Milan, Italy | Historic former post office building |
| Reserve Roastery Tokyo | Tokyo, Japan | Designed by Kengo Kuma |
| Reserve Roastery Shanghai | Shanghai, China | Two-storey bronze cask |
| Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya | Kyoto, Japan | Traditional townhouse with tatami rooms |
| Hualien Bay Mall | Hualien, Taiwan | Built from shipping containers |
| Horniman Circle | Mumbai, India | India’s first Starbucks, heritage building |
10 most luxurious Starbucks stores around the globe
1. Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya, Japan
Located on the stone-paved Ninenzaka lane near Kiyomizu-dera temple, this store sits inside a traditional Japanese townhouse. It has no large logo on the street front, only a small blue noren curtain at the entrance, to blend in with the historic area. Upstairs, customers sit on tatami mats in rooms that look onto a small garden.
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It opened in 2017 and quickly became one of the most photographed Starbucks stores in the world. Visit early in the morning to avoid long queues.
2. Starbucks Hualien Bay Mall, Taiwan
Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and opened in 2018, this store on Taiwan’s east coast is made from stacked white shipping containers arranged at angles. Skylights cut into the containers let natural light in. It is near the road to Taroko Gorge, so many travellers stop on their way.
3. Starbucks Boulevard des Capucines, Paris, France
This Paris store on one of the city’s grand boulevards stands out for its ornate interior, with painted ceilings, chandeliers and gilded details from the building’s 19th-century past. It feels closer to a palace salon than a coffee chain, which is why it is often listed among the most beautiful Starbucks stores.
4. Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan, Italy
Opened on 7 September 2018 in the Palazzo Broggi, a historic former post office building on Piazza Cordusio, this was the first Starbucks in Italy. It is the only Reserve Roastery in Europe and the largest Starbucks on the continent. Coffee is roasted on site, and there is a bakery and an aperitivo bar.
The opening carried symbolic weight, since Starbucks founder Howard Schultz has said that a trip to Milan in the 1980s inspired his idea of the coffeehouse.
5. Starbucks Prague Castle, Czech Republic
This small store is located near the entrance to Prague Castle, one of the city’s main landmarks. Its main attraction is its outdoor terrace, which offers sweeping views over the red rooftops of Prague’s old town. It is a good stop after a morning of sightseeing in the castle complex.
6. Starbucks Pike Place Market, Seattle, USA
Starbucks opened its first store in 1971 near Seattle’s Pike Place Market and moved to its current location at 1912 Pike Place in 1976. Today this store is known as the “original” Starbucks. It keeps an old-style look, including the brand’s early brown logo, and draws long queues of fans from around the world.
7. Starbucks Dewata Coffee Sanctuary, Bali, Indonesia
Opened in 2019 on Sunset Road in Bali, this large store was designed as a coffee experience centre. It includes a small coffee tree garden, brewing demonstrations and a large seating area. It is one of the biggest Starbucks stores in Southeast Asia.
8. Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo, Japan
Opened on 28 February 2019 in the Nakameguro area, this four-storey roastery was designed by Kengo Kuma using Japanese cedar. It is the only purpose-built roastery in the world, with a tall copper cask rising through the building. In spring, the cherry trees along the nearby Meguro River make the terraces especially popular.
9. Starbucks Reserve Roastery Shanghai, China
Opened in December 2017 at HKRI Taikoo Hui, this roastery covers about 2,800 square metres and was the largest Starbucks in the world when it opened. Its centrepiece is a two-storey bronze cask, and it has a long coffee bar where visitors can watch beans being roasted and brewed.
10. Starbucks Horniman Circle, Mumbai, India
Tata Starbucks opened India’s first Starbucks store in October 2012 in the Elphinstone Building at Horniman Circle in south Mumbai. The store is inside a heritage building near the Fort area, with high ceilings and design details that reflect the city’s colonial-era architecture. For Indian coffee lovers, it is the easiest store on this list to visit.
A note on changes
Starbucks regularly opens and closes flagship stores. Its original Reserve Roastery in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, which opened in 2014, closed in September 2025. Check the official Starbucks store locator before planning a visit to any store on this list.
- Arrive early at popular stores in Kyoto and Seattle to avoid queues.
- Roasteries often have exclusive drinks and merchandise not sold in regular stores.
- Respect local rules on photography, especially in heritage areas.
For more travel ideas, visit our travel section and our lifestyle section.
Frequently asked questions
Does Starbucks own hotels?
No. Starbucks runs cafes and roasteries, not hotels. The “Starbucks hotels” often shared online are flagship stores with striking design.
Which is the largest Starbucks in the world?
The Reserve Roastery on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, opened in November 2019, is the largest Starbucks in the world.
Where was the first Starbucks in India?
India’s first Starbucks opened in October 2012 at the Elphinstone Building, Horniman Circle, in Mumbai.
Is the first Starbucks still open in Seattle?
The Pike Place store, at the company’s location since 1976, is still open and is known as the original Starbucks.
Sources: Wikipedia: Starbucks Reserve, Wikipedia: Original Starbucks, Tata Starbucks India.
