Whether you're building a quaint coffee shop on your island or designing an extravagant cafe in Happy Home Paradise, making a cafe in Animal Crossing New Horizons is a fun creative challenge. From the layout to the decor, there are so many ways to build an inviting cafe with personality. In this article, we'll go over how to construct a coffee shop on your island step-by-step. Then, we'll explore the most creative and popular cafe design ideas that will help you make a one-of-a-kind cafe in ACNH.

How To Build Up A Coffee Shop in ACNH 2023?

While you can't build actual shops on your island in New Horizons, you can transform rooms in houses to make cute cafes. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Pick a Location

First, choose where you want to build your cafe - this could be one room in your own house, a vacation home in Happy Home Paradise, or even a villager's home that you remodel. Think about how much space you need and whether you want an indoor or outdoor aesthetic.

Lay Out Floorplan

Sketch out the floorplan with the different areas, like the service counter, kitchen, seating sections, etc. Decide if you want separate rooms or an open floorplan. Make sure to leave enough walk space between furniture areas.

Craft Essentials

To start, you'll need a place to make and serve coffee. Craft key cafe gear like a stall, brick oven, kitchenette, sink, and espresso maker.

Choose a Theme

Pick a style, color scheme, or theme to guide your design. A bright retro diner? A minimalist coffee bar? A magical pixie cafe? Keep your theme in mind for all design choices.

Add Seating

Every cafe needs places to sit! Add seating areas with items like log chairs, iron garden chairs, stools, couches, and customized variants. Group seating in twos, threes, or fours.

Decorate and Display

Make your cafe stand out with decorations and displays. Place plants, artwork, shelves, menu boards, candy machines, candles, clocks, and other decor.

Finish With Details

Final touches like rugs, windows, fencing, music, and outdoor elements like brick flooring, trees, and fairy lights add flair. Get creative with custom designs as well.

With this general guide in mind, let's check out some specific cafe ideas that exemplify creative and unique design in Animal Crossing!

Top 10 Most Creative Cafe Design Ideas in Animal Crossing New Horizons 2023

Here are some of the most inspired and well-executed cafe designs in ACNH made by talented players:

1. Zen Garden Tea House

This serene build by @Kinoto surrounds guests with bonsai trees, bamboo, ponds, and a tranquil rock garden. The moss and vine flooring paired with maple leaf piles make it feel nestled in nature. It's a stunning and calming oasis ideal for sipping tea and practicing mindfulness.

2. Sunken Library Lounge

For bookworms, @xcozycornerx designed an underground cafe with a cozy reading nook vibe. Log furniture, and scattered books create a relaxing lounge space. The sunken design lined with stone and vines feels like a secret hideaway to study and unwind in.

3. Tropical Juice Bar

Want an island getaway? @peppycrossingplay made a lush open-air tiki bar overlooking the ocean, perfect for sipping fruity cocktails. Custom pathing, coconut trees, hibiscus plants, tiki torches, and surfboards deliver tropical vibes, while outdoor furniture invites you to sit back and soak up the views.

4. Fairy Forest Teahouse

This magical woodland teahouse by @chaitea.acnh looks straight out of a fairy tale. Mushroom furniture, glowing moss, and giant flowers make the surrounding forest ethereal. String lights lining the entrance guide you to the charming gazebo serving herbal teas and sweets. It's whimsical design at its best.

5. Steampunk Robot Cafe

For a futuristic cafe, @Nono_acnh9 turned his robot hero themed basement into an awesome steampunk cafe. Gears, pipes, metal furniture, and flickering lights give off industrial sci-fi vibes. The giant mech statue presides over an array of high-tech coffee makers crafting caffeinated concoctions.

6. Mushroom Bar

If you love fungi, @chaitea.acnh also designed this magical mushroom-shaped bar with a glowing moss floor. Fairy ring tables, glowing DIYs, and mushroom stools surround the central bar crafted from stalls. It's an inventive, fantastical build that feels plucked from a fantasy realm deep in the woods.

7. Retro 50s Diner

For a blast from the past, NickAA44 from Reddit made a decked-out 50s-style diner with a checkered floor, bright red bar stools, and accent walls. Vintage touches like a diner counter, jukebox, and retro gas pump capture the nostalgic soda fountain shop vibe. Very cherry!

8. Natural History Museum Cafe

This museum cafe by @horizoncrosser combines a cozy library ambiance with natural history. Fossils, fish models, and a T-rex skeleton make up the dinosaur exhibit, while bookcases and globes add old-world charm. It's a creative take on a museum cafe that is equal parts educational and inviting.

9. Witch's Potion Shop

Double, double toil and trouble! @acnh.mari.crossing brewed up a magical witch-themed cafe brimming with potion ingredients. A tarot card stall, spell books, potion bottles, candles, and crystal balls give this shop a mystical ambiance. It's bewitchingly creative and perfect for the magic practitioners of ACNH.

10. Final Fantasy 7 Cafe

For gaming fans, Thiago from Reddit recreated the 7th Heaven cafe from Final Fantasy 7 as a nostalgic gaming eatery. The pinball machine, arcade games, and Cloud and Tifa models capture the atmosphere of the original cafe. Now players can gather and reminisce about this iconic in-game hangout spot.

So whether you want a zen garden, fairy forest, sci-fi lab, or retro diner, there are endless possibilities when designing your own cafe in Animal Crossing New Horizons. Use these creative cafe builds by talented ACNH players for inspiration, and tap into your inner interior designer to make a coffee shop uniquely your own! From the layout to the theme to the furniture, every detail can reflect your personal style and turn your cafe into a delightful in-game destination.