You may well not know, but Papua New Guinea is famous for its coffee, with Kongo Coffee being at the top of the tree. And while it can be purchased it can be purchased pretty much anywhere, the best place to do so is at the factory itself.
And said factory and distribution center is on the dive from Mount Hagen to Goroka. This makes it a great place for a wee rest on your PNG travel journey.
To read about street food in Mount Hagen click here.
What the Kongo Coffee?
Kongo Coffee from Papua New Guinea? Now that’s a story worth telling. You might think coffee and PNG don’t mix, but you’d be wrong. The coffee industry in Papua New Guinea dates back to the 1920s when seeds of the Kongo Coffee variety were brought over from Africa, particularly from the Congo region. It wasn’t long before these beans took root in the highlands of PNG, a place with the perfect elevation and climate for growing high-quality coffee.
What makes Kongo Coffee from PNG stand out is the combination of its African origins and the wild, rugged landscape of Papua New Guinea. The beans grow in small, remote farms, often in tribal communities where coffee cultivation has become an essential part of local life. It’s still mostly done by hand, with farmers carefully tending to the plants and picking the cherries.
But here’s where it gets interesting: the flavor. Kongo Coffee from PNG offers a bold, earthy profile with rich chocolate notes and hints of fruitiness. It’s a taste of the highlands, a bit of African history, and a whole lot of Papua New Guinean spirit in every cup.
And the Kongo Coffee Shop and Stop?
So, this is a factory and coffee plantation, so you would think that you could look around, but not only would this be wrong, but they are really sensitive even about taking photos. One can though take photos when you go the toilet, which offers a great view, as well as being a great plop stop.
Now the cafe is an interesting one! As you would expect they serve coffee, but not shit like cappuccino, nor even tea it would appear. I learned this when I asked and was told “no this is a coffee shop”. I then politely explained they also sell pies!!!! Therefore me asking for a Coke was not all that ridiculous.
The pies though are very good to be fair. And you can visit Kongo Coffee with me on one of my PNG Tours.