Yes it is a chain store. American even. But yes, they do make great coffee. They just tend to be very slow and have a very limited selection of food or snacks on offer, it is all about the coffee.
So if you are in need of caffeine, this is a fairly safe bet. They have stores that feature clean lines and modern design aesthetics so you will feel ok, as you queue up and wait for the slightly chaotic process to feed the coffee to you. This problematic process is made worse by the natural choke point of the room, conveniently where they decided to place the cash register…
This is not about a destination, this is about filling a need.
Image Credit | Crispy ALMANAK Magazine
One important point is it is not easy to find. You wander down the street and arrive at a small park with Astro Turf and people lounging around (well definitely on our last visit which was in the middle of Sakura season). Google Maps sends you to this location and all you will see is the lonely sign board with the blue bottle and likely a bunch of lost looking people. If this is where you are then look to the right at the entrance to the hotel because that is where it is!
hours |
Mon > Sun | 9.00am til 11.00pm
address |
Foyer of ‘The Gate Hotel’
Bizenjimacho, 310-2
Nakagyo Ward
Kyoto, Japan