No.4

Yonbancho, Chiyoda · Tokyo · Steep Index 8.0/10

A glass-walled bakery cafe in Yonbancho with genuinely excellent bread and a brunch crowd that shows up early and stays late, held back only by a coffee order gone flat.

The Steep Index

Atmosphere and Solo-Friendliness lead here, a warm, wood-toned room with a terrace that fills fast and staff who make a solo visit feel easy. Coffee Quality is the clear weak point, the iced latte tasted watery with almost no coffee flavor coming through. Value and Staying Power both hold up well thanks to the bread and the room to actually sit in.

• Coffee / Drink Quality: 5.9/10
• Atmosphere: 8.7/10
• Solo-Friendliness: 8.8/10
• Value: 8.1/10
• Staying Power: 8.7/10
• Overall: 8.0/10

Perfect for: brunch, working alone

The Space

No.4 sits behind big glass windows on a quiet stretch of Yonbancho, all warm wood and open sightlines, with a small al fresco terrace out back that fills up fast on weekends. It reads more like a proper bakery-brunch-restaurant than a coffee stop, and the size of the room backs that up.

The Coffee

The fried chicken and bread carries the menu here, a genuinely wide spread of savory and sweet loaves baked fresh, plus a fluffy French toast that earns its reputation. The iced & hot latte, sourced from Nozy Coffee, was the one disappointment of the visit, thin, poorly extracted and watery with barely any coffee flavor coming through.

Come for the fried chicken sao sandwich & bread. Order anything but espresso based drinks.

The Vibe

Staff are warm and attentive, and the room manages to feel relaxed even when it is completely full, which it often is. It is an easy, comfortable place to sit alone, assuming you can get a table.

The Verdict

No.4 is a genuinely excellent bakery-brunch cafe let down by bad espresso drinks. Reserve ahead, order the fried chicken bao sandwich, and skip the latte.

Practical information

• Address: 5-9 Yonbancho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 102-0081
• Price: ¥¥
• Type: brunch cafe
• Wifi available
• Laptop friendly

Website

@no.4_kojimachi

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