A Coffee Aficionado's Ever-Expanding List of Notable Coffee Spots in Kyoto
If your day doesn't feel right without a good cup of coffee to start your day, I got you. There are a ton of places that serve coffee, but it can be a bit tricky to find one that's worth your time. A lot of tourists are wearing rose-tinted glasses when they post reviews onlin, or worse, they're just trying to dash something out about the basics in order to get a free slice of cake or something from the owners for writing a review.
I live here, so I'm gonna give you a few spots that'll ensure that you're going to get the coffee experience you're looking for. Just a note, this is not my list of notable cafes in Kyoto. I'll tell you if there's food there, and the variety of food options, but I'm saving any evaluations of the food for the cafe article. Just some notes about my coffee preferences, right now I'm generally a fan of lighter roasts and more of a fan of coffee that has that sort of "fruity" or "funky" complexity. If coffees say that they have "chocolate" notes, I can never taste them.
Windy
Address: 〒605-0981 Kyoto, Higashiyama Ward, Honmachi, 1 Chome−48 本町ビル 2F
Hours of Operation: 9am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday. (not open on holidays)
Closest Train Station: Shimizu-Gojo
English Speaking: No, Japanese only, but the owner can flow with your phone translator.
Credit Cards Accepted: No, cash only
Food Available: No (At least when I was there, but they seem to have a couple post-coffee desserts on the menu now.)
Smoking Allowed: No
Website: https://windy.main.jp/menu.html
Price Range:￥650 - ￥850
Windy is a crazy throwback. Walking into the place feels like you got cast in a 70s period drama. The owner serves up a very clean cup of coffee using a cloth filter, and does an individual pour for each cup. If you're looking for a solid cup of coffee in a setting that you definitely wouldn't see in another part of the world, this is a spot you should check out.
Major Coffee Shop Characteristics: Craft Coffee, Photogenic Ambiance
Kitaoji Roastery Lab
Address: 〒603-8142 Kyoto, Kita Ward, Koyamakitakamifusacho, 40-2 アイ・ビルディング 1階
Hours of Operation: 10am to 6pm, Friday to Tuesday, closed on Wed/Thurs. (not sure on holidays, consult calendar on website)
Closest Train Station: Kitaoji (Karasuma Line)
English Speaking: Yes, basic level.
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes, but cash is not accepted.
Food Served: Yes, a token amount.
Smoking Allowed: Unknown, but I'd guess no.
Website: https://kitaoji-roastery-lab.com/
Price Range: ￥500 - ￥2500
If you would affectionately refer to yourself as a "Weird Coffee Person" a la James Hoffmann, you are probably going to enjoy this place. If you're someone who is starting down the road of possibly getting way too into coffee, this is also a place I'd suggest that you go. Seating in the building is kind of limited, with the place having a very minimalist vibe.
Every time I've gone in to buy either a cup of coffee or a bag of beans, there's always someone meticulously roasting a batch of beans on their super high-tech looking roaster. The higher end coffees here are some of the most fragrant roasts I've ever smelled. Take a whiff, find one that's interesting, and take some souvenirs home. Friends have raved to me about the beans I gave out as gifts. This is where I go when I want to treat myself to a nice bag of beans
Major Coffee Shop Characteristics: Exceptionally Good Craft Coffee, Souvenir Shopping
Bread, Espresso &
Address: 〒604-0095 371 Sashimonoyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-0095
Hours of Operation: 8am to 6pm, every day. (Last order’s at 5pm) For holiday hours, consult website.
Closest Train Station: Marutamachi (Karasuma Line)
English Speaking: Yes, basic level with English menus.
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes
Food Served: Yes
Smoking Allowed: Unknown, but I'd guess no.
Website
https://bread-espresso.jp/shop/kyo-to.html
Price Range:￥500 - ￥2500
The Kyoto branch of this chain has some of the most immaculately curated vibes in all of Kyoto. You can sit at the bar which has a very interesting modern layout that playfully blends nature and construction. From here you can watch the folks make your espresso-based drinks or tea. If the tatami room is unoccupied, you can have your drinks in there, and get an outstanding view of the gardenscape they've set up out there. Even a trip to the restroom here is an experience.
For fans of unadulterated mugs of coffee, this isn't a spot for you. They do serve up some good seasonal coffee drinks here (the basileus was my favorite) and they've got a pretty substantial variety of baked goods to sate your hunger.
Major Coffee Shop Characteristics: Coffee Drinks (as in not straight coffee), Exceptional Ambiance, Baked Goods
Okaffe
Address: 235-2 Shinmeicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8092
Hours of Operation: 9am to 8pm, every day. (Last order at 5pm)
(not sure on holidays, consult calendar on website)
Closest Train Station: Shijo (Karasuma Line)
English Speaking: Yes, with English menus.
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes
Food Served: Yes - Dessert and full meals
Smoking Allowed: Unknown, but I'd guess no.
Website: https://okaffe.kyoto/
Price Range:￥1000 - ￥2500
If you're not really paying attention, you'll walk right by Okaffe and not realize it. There's a big sign with a silhouette of the proprietor making a pourover, but you probably won't recognize it unless you know what you're looking for. After walking down the interesting hallway, you'll make your way to the actual shop.
The main barista here is Akihiro Okada, the 2008-09 Japanese Barista Champion. I've been here twice, but I've yet to see him. The place is pretty interesting, the coffee's not bad, and if you're lucky, you can have a champion barista preparing your cup of coffee. If you enjoy the coffee here, you can head to his "Roasting Park" not too far away. I haven't been yet, so I can't say whether it's worth the trip.
Major Coffee Shop Characteristics: Coffee, Ambiance, Food, Notable Barista
Karasu Coffee Stand
Address: 552 Higashiaburanokojicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8235
Hours of Operation: Noon to 6pm, Monday through Friday, 8am - 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, CLOSED ON WEDNESDAYS.
Closest Train Station: Kyoto Station
English Speaking: Yes, English menus and a variety of coffee tasting guides on their site are in English.
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes
Food Served: Yes, snacks
Smoking Allowed: Unknown, but I'd guess no.
Website: https://kurasu.kyoto/pages/kurasu-kyoto
Price Range: ￥1000 - ￥2500
Karasu's a pretty interesting sweet spot for most everything. The coffee they have is pretty good, though not as great as the Kitaoji Roastery Lab. The view's nice, but the space is crowded, so it's not as good as it is at Bread, Espresso &. It is the closest notable place to Kyoto Station, so it's very convenient to get to. The point that this shop excels at is that they are quite willing to talk about coffee in English. Check their website and socials for some very English-friendly coffee guides.
Major Coffee Shop Characteristics: Good Craft Coffee, Ambiance, Good English, Souvenir Shopping
Blue Bottle Coffee - Kyoto Rokaku
Address: 〒604-8135 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Sanmonjicho, 226-1
Hours of Operation: 8am to 7pm, every day, check website for holiday hours.
Closest Train Station: Karasuma Oike (Karasuma Line)
English Speaking: Yes
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes
Food Served: Yes, Snacks
Smoking Allowed: Unknown, but I'd guess no.
Website: https://store.bluebottlecoffee.jp/pages/kyoto-rokkaku
Price Range:￥1000 - ￥2500
If you'd rather see how an American shop in Kyoto is faring, or you just wanna get a cup you know is reliably good from your coffee hunting in the US, you can stop by any of the Blue Bottle locations in Kyoto. All the standalone ones in Kyoto seem to have really nice views with old-school wood buildings and sliding doors. I went to this one and got a window seat on the 2nd floor so I could see all the people walking up and down the main avenue below. It's got 25 seats, so it's not exactly cramped in there, but it's not spacious, either. They've got a small variety of sweet and savory backed goods to pair with your coffee, and given that it's an American operation, they tend to staff people who are capable of talking to customers in English.
Big Coffee Chains
There are a few major coffee chains in Kyoto that are sort of unique to this area. Starbucks, Doutor, and Tullys are all here, too, but you might be wondering about some of the other chains that you may not have seen in Kyoto, so here's a quick breakdown:
Inoda Coffee: If you check out the main shop, it's got some nice ambiance, and they will charge for it. Coffee was bad, cakes were unremarkable, no separation between smoking and non-smoking areas. Would not recommend.
Kohikan: Slightly better coffee, food is just as unremarkable, but you can definitely post up here to avoid the weather.
Hoshino: If you must pop into a chain coffee shop, this is the one I'd recommend. I liked the cake better here, coffee's still not great, but it's all a step above the other Kyoto chains. Downside is that people seem to agree with me, which makes this the most busy of the Kyoto chains.
And that pretty much sums up my opinions on the Kyoto coffee scene at this point. You should easily be able to find a good cup here, or some souvenir beans, or a spot to snap some very sharable content. As I discover more, and if people seem to like this, I'll keep some ideas ready to follow up with a Part 2. Cheers!