Espresso or Flat white? Cold brew or Drip coffee? What about Siphon? Tokyo has it all. The problem, I dare say is that there aren’t enough days in the year to visit all the fantastic coffee shops in the city.
It is incredibly hard to even begin to consider writing a (short) guide about Tokyo’s coffee shops. Even in a saturated market, new places keep opening year after year. Most look similar or follow a tried and tested formula, which in my books, isn’t interesting enough to write about. But even if I remove those from the equation, the ones left standing, the original ones, the ones that present a style I didn’t know I wanted, are still too many.
So, how to approach this task? Highlight the ones I visited more than once. Even if on my list there was another nearby I had yet to try. Coffee shops that make me return – whether for coffee quality, friendly staff or atmosphere – are those I like to write about.
Flugen Asakusa
I confess that is was happenstance to visit the Flugen Asakusa. I only knew of the Yoyogi location – the first in Tokyo – but as luck (or a rainy stroll through Senjo-Ji) would have it, their white bird in a bright red roundel called me in. Like a lighthouse calls a drifting boat in stormy weather.
A favourite of Monocle Magazine, the original Flugen in Oslo, Norway is a blend of café, cocktail bar, eatery and even design shop. The Asakusa branch is right next to a 9h Capsule Hotel, so a lot of the hotel guests use the place as a lounge. And who can blame them, the exquisite mid-century decor is so cosy that I wouldn’t be surprised if people walking through the doors would immediately cry “Hygge!”.
From brown leather couches, egg chairs and, 50s Biri-straw wallpaper and an array of designer posters and illustrations make it easy to forget that we are in Tokyo. As for the coffee, while their café au lait is nothing to write about (more lait than café), they do have soy milk and make a delicious cappuccino. And for stronger stuff, there’s always their espresso made of Blue Hora beans from Ethiopia, with a soft and sweet aftertaste.
Don’t be fooled the think only tourists frequent the café; Although Asakusa is a tourist hot-spot, Flugen is well known and as a glowing reputation amongst locals. Expect to wrestle with local couples at the weekend for a spot in a comfy couch.
Bear Pond Espresso
I struggle to find the words to describe Bear Pond Espresso in Shimokitazawa. As espresso goes, in Tokyo, it is hard to rival with Bear Pond. But for everything else, when I visit, I always leave with a strange feeling that there is more that could be done to elevate the experience in this tiny and cosy café.
The staff, which I’ve heard can be unfriendly, are more interested in preparing drinks than making conversation. While it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is at odds with the small space atmosphere. Furthermore, the little and slightly passive-aggressive signs asking patrons to refrain working on their laptops (there is no space, anyway) or from taking photos to add to the “too cool for school, don’t @ me” attitude of the place.
However, don’t be discouraged from making the trip to try their coffee; The espresso is rich and creamy and the espresso macchiato, for those who can drink cow’s milk, as been said to be mild-melting. As for the attitude of the place, take is like an ironic hipster joke. If there’s not space to sit, as for takeaway and explore Shimokita.
Onibus Coffee
Between a playground and the Tokyu-Toyoko Line at Nakameguro station, lives my favourite coffee shop in Tokyo.
Occupying a renovated, traditional-style house, Onibus focus on fostering community-driven culture, through good coffee.
You can read my (raving) review of it here.
Sidewalk Stand
Sidewalk Stand, despite the name, is more than a coffee stand. It is a place to relax with an excellent cup of coffee, of a busy Tokyo avenue, and it offers a glimpse of the impermeability of the seasons. Not something most coffee shops can say.
The location of Sidewalk Stand is, therefore, paramount. In a short distance of Nakameguro station, and with views to the cherry-lines Meguro river promenade, this café offers Allpress beans roasted in-house. Their (very fancy) Rolling roasting machine makes sure that the heat transfers to each bean’s core, without excessive damage to the outside. Which, in turn, keeps the coffee’s aroma and smooth sweetness.
A double-shot (soy) latte taken upstairs, to the sitting area with views of the river, for people-watching is my small ritual whenever I visit.
Chop Coffee
Chop Coffee is the brainchild of Paik, one of Tokyo’s most celebrated design directors that while working for the likes of Yohji Yamamoto to UNIQLO found the time to build a coffee brand with two locations. While celebrity-owned businesses are a cause for raised eyebrows, Paik has an in-depth knowledge of coffee. And he still allocates time each day to the coffee roasting process!
Of the two locations, one in the Gyre building in Omotesando, the other on an alley behind Cat street, I prefer the latter.
Cosier, with a small outdoor space, is the perfect spot to engage in a bit of people watching while enjoying a delicious soy latte. And while Chop technically is on Cat Street, it couldn’t feel farther removed. It’s my secret spot in Tokyo hidden in plain sight, just like the very best spots often are.
Deus Ex Machina Café
The Japanese obsession about American brands meant there had to an outpost of the popular Deus Ex Machina café somewhere in town. Located on the corner of a small, gently slopping hill, the black building with a large graffiti of a bike rider stands out in this quieter part of Harajuku.
With an outdoor area, that when the weather is nice is buzzing with locals and foreigners alike, Deus Café exudes an air of sophisticated cool, very different from all the other coffee joints in the area. Perhaps it’s the bike culture, and the second floor motorcycle shop, that the brand is known for. As it’s not unusual for powerful bikes going up the slop and parking in from of the shop entrance.
The café interior is cosy, with a dark colour palette and a concrete and wood table in the middle of the space. Like the outside area, it get’s crowded with people working on their laptops or tucking in into a BBQ burger. As for the coffee, regardless of how you take it, Yoshi, the barista, will make sure that you know you’re drinking an expertly roasted cup of joe.
Just like the sound of one of the bikes exhaust pipes, a sip of coffee from Deus is an explosion of energy. Strongly recommended.
LATTEST
Omotesando is coffee shop central; Blink and two more places will appear out of thin air. While most are located around the main avenue, LATTEST (yes, in uppercase) stands in the criss-cross of backstreets off Omotesando. The good thing about the location is that it makes it less busy than the others in the area. And is also one of the best coffee shops to work from, with unlimited and fast internet (a rarity if you can believe it), long communal tables and a well-lit airy space.
LATTEST is a sister shop to Streamer Café and employs an excellent all-female barista roster which makes me love it even more. When it comes to the coffee itself, their signature drinks, the ‘lattest’ is a shot of espresso in cold milk. They have both soy and almond milk and also make a delicious cappuccino.
Other cool cafés:
The Works
Saturdays NYC
Slow Jet Coffee
Coffee Supreme Tokyo
Allpresso Espresso Tokyo
About Life Coffee Brewers Stand
Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo
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