There is more than meets the eye when brewing a perfect cup of coffee, and different coffee beans mean different experiences. Tucked away discreetly in Hamrun lies C & M Borg, a mini coffee haven which gives you the opportunity to do just that, offering a variety of coffee beans from all around the world.

The company has actually been trading raw coffee since 1886, and the store was opened in 1956 by the grandparents of the current owners.

“I was brought up in the coffee environment, and so it was natural for me, together with my family, to carry on this trade,” Mary Borg, one of the fourth generation shop owners, tells GuideMeMalta.

The shop specialises in a specific type of coffee; Arabica coffees. “Each coffee bean holds its own flavour and taste,” says Mary. Arabica coffee is also known as Arabian coffee and is the most common coffee which is cultivated, making up about 60 per cent of global production.

An expert in the flavours each bean brings with it, Mary explains the differences between her products. "Whilst, for example, Costa Rica coffee is distinguished for its crisp, fruity and bright acidity, Santos coffee has a smooth flavour and contains moderate acidity, and mocha coffee is a full-bodied coffee with a rich, winey acidity," she says. “The taste of the coffee beans comes from the soil and the ambience of the plantation."

According to a recent report by Eurostat, the European Union’s statistical body, Europe mostly enjoys coffee from South America too, with 29 per cent of all the coffee imported at the time of the study (2017), coming from Brazil, followed by Vietnam (23 per cent).

Besides Arabica Coffees, decaffeinated and fair trade organic varieties of coffee are also stocked by the shop. Oh, and you can also go there to buy a variety of nuts, herbs, spices too!