Ethiopian Coffee in Set, Yerevan

Coffee culture is strong here in Armenia, but one thing is certain: Armenians don't like to buy coffee from a cafe. There's a number of reasons for this: coffee from cafes is often expensive, and Armenian men generally don't have the greatest taste and would prefer to buy cheap instant coffee from the many vending machines that surround the residential areas of the city, lurking around them in the night as they have their discussions about whatever. Cafe culture in Yerevan is more of a Russian influence that came with the influx of Russian migrants in recent years due to the conflict with Russia and Ukraine, leading to many leaving their lives in the country to escape the conscription, or merely to avoid supporting the government. With an odd cafe culture here, I have to say that generally my experience at these cafes is often rather weak. No matter how many times you ask them to ensure the coffee is actually hot, you'll get your overpriced coffee a few minutes later at a barely warm temperature, nothing changed despite the request and acknowledgement from the staff.

Though recently I stumbled into a cafe on the outskirts of the city called Set. A Russian speciality cafe that holds a mixture of Armenian and Russian workers. They're generally very kind and efficient staff, which is again quite rare for the service industry here due to it still being a relatively new idea. Set is a beautifully designed cafe both in the interior and exterior side of things. Floral, offered water upon arrival for free, and with plenty of places to sit and work on your laptop with many charging plugs around to choose from. Somehwat beneath the surface of the city, you're slightly tucked away from the rest of the world, in a more quieter area that is mostly seen by those on foot passing through. This makes it another reason to visit: Yerevan's over populated car reliance means it is a stupidly loud and discomforting city sometimes. Car horns everywhere, and loud cars from people attempting to be cool by booming trash music from their cars or simply speeding through.

While Set offers some great options for food, it's the coffee side of things that really surprised me: you actually get too choose between three bean types: Ethiopian, Brazilian, or Colombian. I am quite familiar with the last two options, so I tend to visit and grab the Ethiopian option. There is no difference in cost between them, just the type of coffee you want. I tend to grab a cappuccino, coming in at around $4. A bit on the pricey side of things, but feeling a bit more justified giving the comfort of the place, as well as the aforementioned ability to actually choose the beans; plus they actually will make it hot if you ask for them to do so!

Located at 15 Martiros Saryan St, Yerevan, it sticks out in comparison to the other buildings nearby. It's incredibly hard to miss as a result.

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