CAFÉ & BAR B (FREUDE by BMW)
Azabudai, Minato · Tokyo · Steep Index 7.2/10
A BMW brand store with a cafe attached, where the room, the concept cars and the lunch all land, and the coffee very much does not.
The Steep Index
Coffee carries the low score on its own, and it earns it: an iced latte with no discernible coffee in it is a hard thing to defend anywhere, let alone in Minato. Atmosphere and staying power are where this place actually delivers, because the room is genuinely handsome and unusually spacious for central Tokyo. Solo is comfortable, value is dragged down by paying Azabudai Hills prices for a drink that did not work, and the lunch menu is the part most likely to bring you back.
- Coffee / Drink Quality: 5.5/10
- Atmosphere: 8.5/10
- Solo-Friendliness: 7.5/10
- Value: 6.5/10
- Staying Power: 8.0/10
- Overall: 7.2/10
Perfect for: slow weekend, reading
The Space
Part showroom, part lounge, with concept cars parked where other cafes would put more tables, inside BMW brand store that runs across two floors of Azabudai Hills Tower Plaza. It is a lot of space by central Tokyo standards, and the design earns the square metres.
The Coffee
The iced latte had no semblance of coffee taste, closer to milk cut with water than anything from an espresso machine. That is the whole review of the drinks list, and it is why the lunch menu, which is genuinely decent, is the thing to order instead.
Freude is German for joy. The coffee did not get the memo.
The Vibe
Staff are friendly and the room is calm enough to sit in for a long time without anyone hurrying you. If you like cars this is a good hour; if you came for coffee you will be counting the minutes.
The Verdict
Come for the cars, the room and the lunch, all of which are better than they need to be. Then walk somewhere else for the coffee, because this is not a coffee destination and does not really pretend to be.
Practical information
- Address: FREUDE by BMW, Azabudai Hills Tower Plaza 1F, 1 Chome-3-1 Azabudai, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0041
- Price: ¥¥¥
- Type: concept cafe
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