I'm curious what others may have to say about which regions have great independent shops (or franchises, if such exist). I'm lucky to travel all over the world for work, in part because I can taste-tour espresso culture everywhere. There are scant few places with consistently good espresso (read: flavorful, non-bitter shots with rich, oily crema). Australia has proven to be the steady best. I've been thoroughly disappointed by espresso in Italy, France, San Francisco, and so many other places.

I'm lucky to live close to one of the best espresso shops, which is the one which taught me that espresso shouldn't be bitter (Metto Coffee in Mount Pleasant, SC). They use beans from Zoka, specifically Espresso Cuatro, in combination with great equipment, water treatment, and mentorship from the owners.

In my experience at home, the beans make the most difference. Even a cheap grinder and equally cheap Krups espresso machine can give you a decent shot if you use distilled water and great beans (such as the Cuatro I cite above). As others have said, there's great joy in iterating your way towards pulling consistently good shots at home.