My 13 (+1) favourite cafés in Tokyo

Café culture in Tokyo is a vibrant and diverse scene that blends traditional Japanese aesthetics with international influences. From sleek, minimalist coffee shops serving meticulously brewed speciality coffee to themed cafés featuring everything from cats and owls to anime characters, Tokyo offers a unique café experience for every taste. Many Tokyo cafés emphasize quality, with expert baristas crafting pour-over coffee and matcha lattes using locally sourced ingredients. The city’s café culture is also deeply tied to social experiences, providing spaces for quiet solo reflection, study sessions, or lively conversations with friends. Whether seeking a peaceful retreat or an Instagram-worthy aesthetic, Tokyo’s café scene offers an unforgettable experience.

Today, I’m recommending 13 (+1) cafés in Tokyo. Of course, this list is not exhaustive and it reflects the limited time I spent in Tokyo (as well as my personal preferences).

文房堂GalleryCafe

This is one of my favourite cafés in Tokyo. It is located on the 3rd floor of the Bumpodo store in Jimbocho, and is also a gallery. There are 2 seating areas, one by the window overlooking the street, and another one where the gallery and the counter are. I came here for coffee and breakfast (I had toast, which was delicious!!!).

Book House Cafe

This café is located inside a children’s bookstore in Jimbocho. I came here only for coffee (500 yen, less than £3), but they also serve food.

Jimbocho Book Center – Book Café Work

Almost next to Book House Café, there’s Jimbocho Book Centre. This is a bookstore with a café on site. They also do food, but I only had coffee.

Otonari Coffee

It’s a small café located on top of a laundromat in Jimbocho. You actually need to enter the laundromat to go upstairs to the café, so it’s tricky to find, unless you know! I had an espresso tonic and a pudding.

Café de l’ambre

This is a relatively small but very atmospheric café in Ginza. I believe the capacity is about 20 people. I went there by myself (right before watching a 4-hour kabuki performance at the nearby Kabuki-za theatre) and got seated right away. They only serve coffee and it’s cash only. Worth stopping by.

Bam Bi Coffee

Bam Bi Coffee is a beautiful café in Shinjuku. I went there for coffee and something to eat (I had the pancakes) as soon as it opened at 11.00. There was a small queue but managed to get a seat right away, without waiting.

Sotseki

This is another one of my favourite cafés in Tokyo. It is located inside the Natsume Soseki Memorial Museum, a museum devoted to the work of the esteemed Japanese novelist. Unfortunately, it is rather inaccessible to the non-Japanese speaker. Sotseki is very close to the Yayoi Kusama Museum, and worth stopping by on your way to the latter (which is exactly what I did). If you’re going to the Yayoi Kusama Museum, make sure you book your ticket in advance.

Bundan Coffee & Beer

This café is located inside the Museum of Modern Japanese Literature (another small museum rather inaccessible to the non-Japanese speaker). They serve both drinks (coffee, tea and alcoholic) and food. I only had coffee though. All the items on the menu are inspired by literary works. For example, I had the ‘milk coffee of Torahiko Terada’, inspired by ‘an introduction to the philosophy of coffee’ by Torahiko Terada (850 yen, about £4.5).

Sidewalk Coffee Roasters

Sidewalk Coffee Roasters is close to the Museum of Modern Japanese Literature, which I visited shortly after. This is a modern café located in the lobby of a hotel and opens before 11.00 (quite a rarity for cafes in Tokyo). I came here for breakfast and had coffee and a bagel (matcha and white chocolate).

Good Sound Coffee

This is a beautiful café close to Meguro River, which I visited after the Museum of Modern Japanese Literature. I only had a coffee, but they also do food/alcohol. It’s also a good place to work remotely, as it’s spacious and there are many seats available. Soft jazz music was playing in the background.

Recoco Record Café

Recoco Record Café is another one of my favourite cafés in Tokyo. It is a place where you listen to records (of your own choosing) through headphones. It’s more of a café than a bar and they also serve desserts. I listened to a record (Hatsukoi 初恋) by Japanese artist Hikaru Utada. It was such a unique experience that it was certainly worth it!

Flipper’s

I went to Flipper’s in Shibuya for coffee and pancakes. Although I had not made a reservation, I managed to get a seat right away, without waiting.

Tully’s Coffee Sumida Park

Tully’s Coffee is a coffeehouse chain with many stores around Japan. This is the first one I visited due to its prime location, overlooking the Skytree Tower. I had a coffee and a hotdog.

Starbucks at Tsutaya bookstores

Starbucks warrants no introduction. The American coffeehouse chain is one of the most popular in Japan. Tsutaya, on the other hand, is a bookstore chain that is not well-known outside of Japan. Around the country, many Tsutaya bookstores have a Starbucks in situ. In Tokyo, there are currently ten, including one in Nakameguro (close to Good Sound Coffee). There are also several in Shibuya.

Further reading

You might also want to check out my post ‘My 10 (+1) favourite bars in Tokyo‘.

To prepare for my trip to Japan, I used the Lonely Planet Japan Travel Guide.

Alex

(the Traveling Psychiatrist)