• Bucharest, March 24, 2026. Between March 20 and 22, 2026, Bucharest hosted the third edition of COFFeEAST – the regional festival dedicated to coffee culture in Eastern Europe.
With 39.000 visitors, over 200 exhibitors, 3 stages and more than 50 workshops, tastings, competitions and other interactive formats, the edition confirmed not only the growth of the festival, but also the strength of an increasingly active and connected regional community.
For three days, the festival brought to Bucharest the community and practices that define the regional specialty coffee scene, establishing itself as a landmark of urban culture and transforming the city into the Eastern European capital of this lifestyle.
An international line-up. A festival where everything was in motion.
The 3rd edition of COFFeEAST brought together exhibitors, guests and visitors from 14 countries in Eastern and Central Europe, Western Europe, but also North America and Asia: micro-roasters, equipment manufacturers, green coffee importers, independent cafes, designers, artists and artisans.
Mihai Panfil, founder, states: "This edition made visible the maturation of COFFeEAST: a dense program, with content relevant to the industry and experiences accessible to the public, in which professionals and enthusiasts interacted naturally. The international presence, the diversity of formats and the interest in the content show that we are talking about an active regional scene, which, in an uncertain context, finds in such meetings a real space for dialogue, connection and trust."
What experiences shaped the 3rd edition of COFFeEAST?
GreatEast Cup, the creative competition with 16 jurors and 49 barista competitors
One of the most watched attractions at the festival was again GreatEast Cup, the barista competition that brought creative, individual and team challenges to the stage, judged by internationally recognized professionals and supported by a total prize fund of 4.000 euros. The competition attracted not only the interest of professionals, but also the attention of an audience increasingly familiar with the performance, precision and creativity behind the barista profession.
The GreatEast Barista title was won by Dorin Stancu (Baristro, Bucharest), in the individual Mastery Cup competition. Also in the individual competition, Ciprian Bașturea (Baristro, Bucharest) was awarded for GreatEast Skills, and Jake Diaz (Jacob Alexander, New York) for GreatEast Drink. In the team competition, the GreatEast Team & Skills trophies went to the duo of Denis Gheorghiu and Mihai Vizitiu (Boiler Coffee Shop, Bucharest).
Latte Art Throwdown, the competition that illustrates creativity in the cup on stage
One of the novelties of the 3rd edition, Latte Art Throwdown brought together 16 professional competitors and 13 enthusiasts, in a dynamic, 1-on-1 battle format, held on stage. The competition brought to the program one of the most spectacular and accessible expressions of creativity in coffee, and the winners of the two categories were each rewarded with a Sage espresso machine.
Acoustic concerts with local and international artists
The coffee experience was accompanied by live music, in a series of acoustic concerts on the festival's secondary stage. The line-up included: Dirty Boys DJs, Mara Halunga & Cauê de Marinis, Diana Căldăraru, Corina Sîrghi, Ana Coman, Om la Lună.
A bustling market with over 100 micro-roasters, artisans and local artists
Here, visitors had the opportunity to taste and buy an impressive variety of products for their homes, from freshly roasted coffee to sweet and savory dishes, beer, craft drinks, local wines, and design objects.
Community bars, with baristas from 30 local and international cafes
Independent coffee shops from Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Austria and Spain prepared and served coffee on a rotating basis, especially for visitors. Their active presence transformed the festival into a space for real dialogue.
GreatEast Coffee Awards, the competition dedicated to the best coffees at the festival
Introduced for the first time in the festival program, this competition highlighted the diversity and craftsmanship of the micro-bakeries present at the festival. The winners were Origo Coffee (Bucharest), in the Washed Coffee category, Radical Coffee (Oradea), at Natural Coffee and Nostos (London), at Fermented Coffee. The public also chose their favorites, and the Public's Choice trophies went to Origo Coffee, Radical, and Mabo.
14 guided tastings in the Tasting Room, a new concept in the festival program
Visitors were able to participate in guided tastings, pairing sessions and interactive workshops supported by festival taste artisans such as Maitri, Kooki, Gramofon, Thaicream, Agua de Madre, Crumb Bakery, Chef Sosin, Kofi Ti, Din Marea Noastră, Matcha Bar Shop, Auraskin, Energovita, French Revolution or Tonic Blend Kombucha.
A series of 9 short introductory workshops in coffee and mixology
Participants learned how to brew a good coffee at home, experimented with latte art techniques, explored the principles of coffee mixology, and learned how the choice of water and milk influences the final result in the cup. The sessions were supported by international guests such as Arnon Thitiprasert, Jolie Marlene or Katalin Bene – recognized professionals in international brewing, latte art and coffee mixology competitions.
12 conferences with impact for the industry and the community
Local and international experts addressed topics relevant to the current coffee scene: innovation in brewing, education and training, sustainability, mixology, industry perspectives and global trends. Speakers included Anne Lunell, Ben Morrow, Alan Jarrar, Jacob Thue, Anette Dine, Per Nodrby, Sorin Stoica, Răzvan Haratau, Florin Maxim, Ștefan Prigoreanu, Cosmin Mihailov.
12 cupping sessions, hosted by green coffee importers from around the world
International green coffee importers such as Mae, Ally Coffee, Sucafina, Forest, Ocafi, Cuprima, Primavera or Covoya hosted cupping sessions in the specially arranged area at the festival.
Tradeshow areas with 100 exhibitors, from emerging names to iconic brands
The festival hosted interactive stands from local and international brands, from emerging names to established players in the coffee industry and related fields. Visitors were able to explore creative activations, tastings, product launches and experiences that transformed the exhibition area into a space of interaction, discovery and inspiration.
More than a festival: an emerging hub of Eastern European coffee culture
With international design and branding awards obtained in 2025 – a Red Dot and two Graphis Awards – and with visible growth from one edition to the next, COFFeEAST is consolidating itself as an annual reference destination: for professionals looking for valuable connections, for brands that want to be visible in a growing market, and for an urban audience increasingly attracted to what coffee means as a cultural experience.
COFFeEAST continues with the 4th edition in 2027
The next edition of the festival will take place between April 16-18, 2027. The organizers will announce all the details on the festival's communication channels and on the official website. www.coffeeast.eu.
Partners
Supported by: Banca Transilvania, Napolact, Victoria Arduino, Alpro, Covoya, Cointreau, Sage, Carton Packaging, Bluid, Dalin Furniture, Oblic Studio, Barista Hustle, Kinto, Cookman, Perla Harghitei, Citroën, Sensio, Craft Ice
Cultural partner: Visit Oradea
Community partners: LIFT Learning, Brewtifi
Media partners: Radio Guerrilla, The Perfect Daily Grind, Urban, Press One, Modern Romania, De-Corina, News Office, PRwave
About COFFeEAST Festival
COFFeEAST is the regional festival dedicated to Eastern European coffee culture. With a social and professional character, it is the place where coffee culture intertwines with a cosmopolitan lifestyle. For 3 days, the festival becomes a destination with a modern and cool Romanian vibe for everyone who shares the passion for coffee, taste and design – from professionals to enthusiasts. With each edition, COFFeEAST aims not only to reflect the evolution of the Eastern European coffee market, but also to inspire and accelerate it. In 2025, COFFeEAST received international recognition through a Red Dot award for design and 2 Graphis Awards for branding.
About Mihai Panfil, founder of COFFeEAST
With over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, Mihai Panfil signs initiatives that shape the specialty coffee territory in Romania through: roasting and specialty cafes, business consulting, green coffee curation, authorized distribution for high-quality professional equipment, internationally certified educational programs, HoReCa retail, entertainment catering and hospitality.
Since 2013, pioneering in the specialty coffee field has resulted in the opening of Origo Coffee, the first specialty coffee shop with its own roastery in Romania. Today, Origo is a team of over 50 multidisciplinary experts.
Article and photo source: Press Release
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor-in-Chief Arta Albă
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