(Photo: Jonas Jacobsson / Unsplash)
While Japan has long been associated with its rich tea culture, Tokyo’s burgeoning coffee scene is making waves on a global scale. The city recently received second place honors on Food & Wine’s 10 Top Cities for Coffee list, beaten out only by Copenhagen in Denmark. The publication stated that “Tokyo’s coffee scene is just like everything else in the Japanese capital — perfection.”
Tokyo is often lauded for its blend of tradition and modernity, and this is the case for the coffee scene, too. A number of historic coffee shops dot the city, serving up meticulously brewed siphon coffee with a side of nostalgia – but the coffee culture isn’t bound by tradition alone. It’s also home to a thriving third-wave coffee movement, with modern cafes pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with a humble bean and serving as laboratories of experimentation.
Fuglen is a popular third-wave coffee shop in Tokyo. (Photo: Suzi Kim)
One place that was mentioned by name was Koffee Mameya, a minimalist spot in the Omotesando area which is known for its quality brews and beans for sale. While the original store doesn’t have the ability to sit down and enjoy your caffeine fix, the newer Koffee Mameya Kakeru in the city’s Koto Ward has ample seating space. Of course, this isn’t the only place that serves up great coffee – some other favorites across the city include the likes of Nakameguro’s Onibus Coffee, Little Darling Coffee Roasters in Minami-Aoyama, and Fuglen in Shibuya.
Koffee Mameya was directly mentioned on the list. (Photo: Antonio Fadel / Unsplash)
For more Tokyo-based coffee inspiration, feel free to peruse our site.
You can explore the full list of the Top 10 Cities for Coffee (and additional categories from the 2024 Global Tastemakers lists) via Food & Wine’s website here.
