CAFE > Turret, Tokyo

It doesn’t seem that long ago that finding a decent espresso in Tokyo was quite a difficult thing. There were a few Tully Coffee Shops and a few Starbucks but that was it. A wasteland for those needing a real caffeine fix. Turret Coffee was the exception, down by the Tsukijii Tuna…

ByEd ItorApril 10, 20240Comments

CAFE > KYOTO

CAFE > Common Well, Kyoto

Common Well opened to provide ‘Melbourne Style’ coffee experience in Kyoto and they are doing just that (in a Japanese way) at a newly opened cafe Just down the road from the Nishiki Markets. They serve long black, short black, flat whites, they even serve what's referred to as a "magic", …

ByEd ItorApril 8, 20240Comments

CAFE > KYOTO

CAFE > Goodman Roaster, Kyoto

Goodman Roaster opened in Kyoto in 2019, it is a small cafe and coffee roaster with 85 different coffees from all over the world. One of the key differences is the Taiwanese coffee, owner Ito-san travelled from Kyoto to Taiwan and was introduced to coffee from the Alishan mountain area. His…

ByEd ItorApril 8, 20240Comments

CAFE > KYOTO

CAFE > Blue Bottle, Kyoto

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…

ByEd ItorApril 6, 20240Comments

CAFE > TOKYO

CAFE > Verve Cafe, Roppongi Hills

Over in Roppongi Hills right next door to the excellent design store ‘Living Motif’ you will find an outlet for the popular Verve Coffee (and roasters) chain. Here they do an excellent range of pour over coffee’s (some of them are quite specialised and they are priced in line ~¥1,500 for a…

ByEd ItorApril 1, 20240Comments

CAFE > TOKYO

CAFE > Kitasando Coffee, Kitasando

Not far from the Meiji Jingue Temple in Yoyogi Park and sandwiched between the Shinjuku Goyen National Garden you will find the small suburban area of Kitasando (there is even a Kitasando station there on the Fukutoshin Line). In amongst the apartments and small shops you will find a coffee oasis Kitasando (it has…

ByEd ItorApril 1, 20240Comments

CAFE > TOKYO

CAFE > About Life Coffee Brewers, Shibuya

About Life is a funky coffee shop close to Shibuya station, probably the best coffee in that area. A simple menu the shop sells espresso, brews (hot and cold) and cold drip coffee. They have a small food menu and the space is ‘funky’ in that classic Tokyo way somewhere between design…

ByEd ItorMarch 30, 20240Comments

DRINK > TOKYO

DRINK > Mikkella Bar, Shibuya

Sharing the same space as the About Life Cafe (read our review here) in the evening they pull down some venetian blinds that cover the coffee shop and pull up the venetian blinds that open the bar. The rest of the space is the same… It is tucked in a back street of…

ByEd ItorMarch 30, 20240Comments

CAFE > TOKYO

CAFE > Sedai Coffee & Roasters, Shibuya

Sedai Coffee & Roasters is another place that might be a blessing when searching for an early coffee. Open from 9am to 7.30pm each day the simple store on Cat Street offers a range of fresh brews. This is a coffee store first and foremost it is not a fancy cafe or brunch…

ByCrispyMarch 29, 20240Comments

CAFE > TOKYO

CAFE > Bread, Espresso &, Shibuya

If you arrive in Tokyo early in the morning and go looking for coffee you are going to be a little surprised. This is a city where retail opens at 11am and many of the food and drink venues similarly don’t open. Sure you can find a Starbucks, Gloria Jean or similar…

ByCrispyMarch 29, 20240Comments