Back in August, Kyoto's enduringly popular %Arabica announced that its flagship Bangkok coffee shop would be located in IconSiam. The cafe hopper-favorite was slated to open in January this year, however due to delays and the current mall closures, that date was pushed back. They are now teasing via their Facebook page that the shop is ready to serve once the malls are given the green-light to reopen.

%Arabica's stated philosophy is "See The World Through Coffee" and it uses high-quality beans from at least three continents—including growers in Ethiopia, Panama, Guatemala and Hawaii (where founder Kenneth Shoji owns a farm), among other locations. Its state-of-the-art roasting machines are also of note; custom-made Slayer espresso machines manufactured in Seattle.

Shoji founded %Arabica in 2014 in Kyoto, and just five years later, the specialty coffee shop and lifestyle brand already counts 38 stores in 11 countries, including Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Germany, and Kuwait. Shoji works closely with the brand’s global head barista—and World Latte Art champion—Junichi Yamaguchi.

Meanwhile, further plans for expansion are already underway and include new shops in the United Kingdom and several of Thailand’s neighbors—Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia.