Cafes and bars in Kagurazaka, Tokyo
Tokyo's own pocket of France, cobblestone lanes and old geisha-district charm dressed up in French bistros and patisseries. The coffee here is quieter and more uneven than the neighbourhood's reputation suggests, with one clear exception: a take-out stand tucked into the corner of a building off the main street, roasting its own beans. Around it, a fair-trade Thai roaster holds steady in the middle of two rooms better known for what's on the plate: genuinely good sandwiches at one end, a French toast worth the trip at the other.
4 venues reviewed in Shinjuku.
- Donish Coffee Company Kagurazaka Steep PickKagurazaka, Shinjuku · Steep Index 8.6/10
A take-out coffee stand tucked into the corner of a stylish Kagurazaka building, roasted in house by a Q Grader, with outside benches that suit a solo visit to read or watch people go by.
- AKHA AMA COFFEE KAGURAZAKAKagurazaka, Shinjuku · Steep Index 8.3/10
A Chiang Mai coffee institution's Tokyo outpost, tucked into a picturesque Kagurazaka backstreet and serving beans sourced directly from Thailand's Akha hill tribes alongside homemade pastries worth ordering.
- Arbor CoffeeKagurazaka, Shinjuku · Steep Index 7.9/10
A small, quaint cafe in an upscale corner of Shinjuku, held back by coffee that has consistently lacked flavor and balance across two visits.
- Shimada CaféKagurazaka, Shinjuku · Steep Index 7.8/10
A chic Kagurazaka brunch spot on the third floor of an unmarked building, better known for its two-day-marinated French toast than for its coffee. Order the toast, skip the latte.
Walk it as a route
- Kagurazaka, Thursday to Sunday Half day