The roasters writing the coffee scene in Tokyo: who they are, where they source from and where to drink it.
The roasters writing the coffee scene in Tokyo. who they are, where they source from, and where to drink the result.
Blue Bottle Coffee opened its first overseas roastery in Tokyo's Kiyosumi-Shirakawa in 2015. Converted-factory flagship roasting beans on site.
Tip: Saturdays queue out the door by 10:00; weekday mornings are the calm window. The drip flight tastes three single-origins side-by-side.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala, Kenya
How they serve: Espresso, Pour over, Whole bean retail
Onibus Coffee in Tokyo's Nakameguro roasts imported beans on-site in a renovated wooden house by the Toyoko Line. Menu: espresso, americano, latte, drip.
Tip: Order an Ethiopia hand-drip and take it to the second-floor wooden bench by the open window above the train tracks.
Sources from: Rwanda, Guatemala, Ethiopia
How they serve: Espresso, Pour over, Whole bean retail
Glitch Coffee in Tokyo's Jimbocho is Kiyokazu Suzuki's light-roast specialty room, surrounded by secondhand bookstores. Pour-over flight is the morning order.
Tip: The light roasts read more like tea than espresso. Order a Geisha pour-over and the staff will walk you through it.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Panama
How they serve: Pour over, Espresso, Whole bean retail
Fuglen Tokyo in Tomigaya is the Norwegian Oslo roaster's first international outpost, opened 2012. Cafe by day, cocktail bar after 19:00, Oslo beans.
Tip: Drip coffee until evening, when the same room flips to a Scandinavian cocktail program. Weekend brunch queues from 09:00.
Sources from: Norway-roasted (Oslo), Ethiopia, Kenya
How they serve: Pour over, Espresso, Cocktail bar evenings
Koffee Mameya in Tokyo's Omotesando is a bean specialist counter behind a wooden door, with 15 to 25 roasts from Japanese and global roasters.
Tip: There is no menu; the barista asks what you like and matches you to a bean. Plan 15 minutes for the conversation.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, El Salvador
How they serve: Pour over, Whole bean retail, Bean consultation
Switch Coffee in Tokyo's Meguro is Masahiro Onishi's micro-roastery and standing cafe. Light single-origin roasts, eight spots and a back roastery.
Tip: Beans roasted on site Tuesday and Friday. Order an Ethiopia or Kenya hand-drip and take it to the doorway.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Brazil
How they serve: Pour over, Espresso, Whole bean retail
Streamer Coffee Shibuya in Tokyo is Hiroshi Sawada's home cafe. Latte-art champion-trained baristas; espresso-forward menu with the matcha Military latte.
Tip: Multiple Streamer branches; Shibuya is the original. Order the Military or any latte-art-trained pull.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Honduras
How they serve: Espresso, Whole bean retail, Latte art
Nozy Coffee in Tokyo's Sangenjaya is the single-origin roastery Hidetake Iuchi opened in 2010. The Roastery at Cat Street is the public-facing branch.
Tip: Calmer than the Cat Street roastery. The Ethiopia espresso and the Kenya pour-over are the canonical orders.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Brazil
How they serve: Pour over, Espresso, Whole bean retail
Obscura Coffee in Tokyo's Sangenjaya is Daisuke Miyahara's pour-over-focused roastery. Hand-drip-only counter at the front, in-house bean retail at the back.
Tip: Pour-over-only menu, no espresso. Pair an Ethiopia hand-drip with a butter cookie.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya
How they serve: Pour over, Espresso, Whole bean retail
Little Cloud Coffee in Tokyo's Mukojima is the husband-and-wife roastery near Sumida River. Light single-origin roasts and a roaster window in back.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Take a cup to Sumida River. Beans roast Tuesday and Friday for the freshest in-store.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia
How they serve: Espresso, Pour over, Whole bean retail
From Afar in Tokyo's Yanaka is the antique-furniture-selected roastery cafe near Yanaka Cemetery. Light single-origin filter and antique-buyer-stocked retail.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. Counter seats and a back-room antique gallery; weekday afternoons calmest.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Honduras
How they serve: Pour over, Espresso, Whole bean retail
Raw Sugar Roast in Tokyo's Hatchobori is the boutique roastery cafe between Tsukiji and Tokyo Station. Naturally processed light roasts, four-seat counter.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. The hand-drip-focused tasting flight is the way to read the rotating bean list.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Indonesia
How they serve: Pour over, Espresso, Whole bean retail