Acid Coffee Tokyo
Uehara, Shibuya · Tokyo · Steep Index 8.6/10 · Steep Pick
Forty-odd beans in vials on the counter, a wine glass instead of a cup, and a barista happy to talk you through all of it.
The Steep Index
The coffee is the whole premise here and it is treated that way, from the vials you smell before choosing to the glass it arrives in. Value is the soft spot, because the better beans get expensive quickly and the price tag is worth reading before you commit. The room is small and shuts for an hour in the middle of the day, so time it.
- Coffee / Drink Quality: 9.2/10
- Atmosphere: 9.0/10
- Solo-Friendliness: 8.5/10
- Value: 7.7/10
- Staying Power: 8.6/10
- Overall: 8.6/10
Perfect for: espresso pilgrimage
The Space
A small, quirky room a minute from Yoyogi-Uehara station, vials of beans lined up along the counter and records turning behind them. You end up choosing by smell before you choose by name.
The Coffee
The Colombian decaf is the surprise, berries and chocolate, and better than most of what is not decaf. It arrives in a wine glass, and the glass changes with the bean, Bordeaux for some and Burgundy for others.
Order the Colombian decaf, even if you never order decaf.
The Vibe
Baristas who know all forty beans and will happily narrow them down for you. Ambient records on in the background, low enough to talk over.
The Verdict
Read the price tag before you commit, because some of these beans get expensive. Then let them pick something fruity and take your time with it.
Practical information
- Address: 101, 1-29-5 Uehara, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-0064
- Price: ¥¥
- Type: specialty
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