My love affair with Tokyo’s brunch and coffee scene is as strong as ever, so I thought it was high time to share the updated post of my new favorite finds in the city. Refer to the Part 1 and Part 2 of Tokyo’s best breakfast cafes and coffee spots for more enticing options.
Not sure how I lived in Tokyo for almost three years and didn’t check this spot out. Mercer Brunch offers one of the most refined brunches in town. I have revisited multiple times and so far couldn’t fault a single dish, whether it is a lobster omelet oozing with flavor of the crustacean, the grilled homemade sausage or the brioche French toasts they are so famous for. They have multiple branches in Tokyo and one in Kamakura, with the newest addition in Aoyama offering a rooftop terrace seats. How better can a slow Sunday morning get?!
The freshest addition to Tokyo’s brunch scene, Bricolage Bread & Co. is a brainchild of Shinobu Namae, fantastic chef of 2-Michelin star L’Effervescence. Namae-san, made his long-time dream come true and finally opened a bakery in Roppongi. The bakery + cafe is a collaboration between Osaka’s boulangerie Le Sucre-Coeur, Oslo’s Norwegian coffee brand FUGLEN and Namae-san. It’s really hard to resist the mind-blowing whiff of the freshly baked bread when you walk in. Along with the variety of viennoiseries (classics with a unique twist), the pain de campagne bread is the specialty here. It’s made from a sweetly fragrant sourdough starter, using Japanese-grown wheat. You can either get yourself the rustic loaf to-go or get it as a generously sliced tartine in their cafe. I opted for the latter topped with tofu sour cream, asparagus and sunny side up (it comes with a salad and soup as a side) which didn’t disappoint. The mackerel tartine looked really good as well. I was also impressed with space and location that are very well thought-out (read: outdoor seating shaded with sakura trees for slow spring mornings!).
While I have written about them before, I wanted to mention this favorite coffee shop of mine because they recently opened a new location (oddly, very close to the old one) right by the Yoyogi-Koen station. The coffee is as good as ever, and the new place offers sourdough sandwiches instead of baguettes. Most definitely worth a visit.
Full disclosure, I was late for brunch both times I visited and had to “settle” for lunch menu, but based on their fantastic coffee, delicious lunch options, and very pleasant open space, I would not hesitate to recommend this spot to anyone. Located in the prime cherry blossom viewing spot, The Works comes with great views as well during sakura season. Hint, hint.
Perhaps the most European café in Tokyo, Elle Café is perfect for those guilt-free mornings as it offers plenty of healthy options like quinoa salads and veggie burgers. It is located right where the UNU Farmers Market is hosted every weekend so it might be a nice place to settle down after perusing the stalls.
If you crave something truly different, you cannot go wrong with Cicada which is one of the long-time hotspots in town serving delectable Mediterranean fare. My favorite is their chicken or lamb tagine, although, to be honest, their entire 3-course lunch tasting menu was excellent. Book in advance if you want to score seats on their terrace.
For those who prefer to start their weekend with something heartier than an avocado toast, I recommend Ruby Jack’s Steakhouse. We started with oysters (cause, why not?) and opted for steak and scrambled eggs for mains. The steak was excellent, with juicy texture and smoky flavor from the char-grill. I was disappointed with coffee though, so there is that.
DUMBO Donut & Coffee
This little hip spot tucked away in Azabu-Juban is the place to go if you prefer to start your day on a sweet note. Despite the ginormous size, the donuts are not overwhelmingly sweet and have a light texture. They have classic flavors alongside local specialties like matcha donut. Happy to report that coffee is also on point. Double win!
We all love a good cup of coffee, but this little shop in Nihonbashi steps it up a notch by offering the ultimate combo: coffee and ice-cream! A treat that is most definitely hard to say no to, who agrees?
Glitch Coffee & Roasters
It seems like I now have a favorite coffee shop in every neighborhood I go to, but I simply cannot help it. I discovered Glitch Coffee through my friend Katherine of City and Sea as we were heading to tour Jimbocho, Tokyo’s haven for used books. Owner and barista Kiyokazu Suzuki uses a creative roasting process to serve impeccable slow drip in a casual and laid-back space. It is a perfect place to decompress and enjoy a quality java on a slow Sunday morning.
Kayaba Coffee & Yanaka Coffee Shops
Both of these coffee shops are worth a visit if you find yourself in the old neighborhood of Yanesen. Kayaba Coffee is a family-run coffee shop which truly represents a legacy kissaten (dated Showa era coffee shop). The traditional wooden house in which it resides was built in 1916 and the coffee shop itself opened in 1938 by Kayaba Inosuke together with his wife Kimi and daughter Sachiko. Yanaka Coffee is Tokyo’s veteran coffee shop which offers over a dozen roasts sourced from around the world and now has branches all around the city.
I hope you get to visit one or a few of these spots when you visit Tokyo. If you do, do let me know what you think. I love hearing from my readers.
xoxo, nano
Let’s connect on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | BlogLovin’ | Pinterest
PIN FOR LATER:
Hello,
Thank you for your valuable information.
I could spend my days browsing through posts like this one (hmm maybe that’s what I actually do on my days off… guilty!!). My husband and I are thinking of travelling to Japan in the future (very future, in 2 years, for a special occasion if all goes well) but my mind is already planning so I hope we get to go! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you for the wonderful posting. The photos are all beautiful! Whenever I go to Kayaba Coffee in Yanaka, there is a long queue so I always give up entering inside. I envy you! Recently, there are many unique and interesting independent coffee shops in Tokyo so it’s always fun to walk around and find a new cafe. Shirakawa Kiyosumi and Kuramae are I think one of the most popular places for coffee lovers these days.
Seriously I have never seen anyone’s blog with pictures as beautiful as yours. Always makes me want to visit each and every one of the cafes and spots you have been.
Lynn, you’re a sweetheart. Thank you for reading and also reaching out. :) xx
What lovely brunches! I can study your pictures and figure out the recipe, so I’ll certainly try these over the weekend.
Let me know how it turns out! Wish I could try it too :) xx
Why am I not in Tokyo right now?
Haha you should come visit! xx
Your photos are all very tempting! I might try Kayaba Coffee & Yanaka Coffee Shops when I’m coming to Tokyo in October! Thank you for sharing your tips.
So glad you found the tips helpful! And very excited about your upcoming trip. Hope you have wonderful time :) xx
The photos are very tempting!
Haha I’m glad to hear that!
I’m so pinning this! Those doughnuts from dumbo looks yummie! I’m planning another trip to Tokyo later this year will have to try these spots out! :)
Oooh Dumbo donuts were crazy, so big and flavorful. And how fun that you’re coming back to Tokyo! Hope you have an amazing trip :) xx
So many things I want to eat 😍😍😍
You should plan a trip! ;) xx