Tokyo 東京 Espresso エスプレッソ

Nid Cafe >>MAP 3-13-23 Aoyama TEL: 03-5772-7639 東京都港区南青山3-13-23 [UPDATE: Nid Cafe is permanently closed for business.] From the same group responsible for the fetching Eau Cafe in Daikanyama, Nid can be a bit hipper-than-thou at times and the place is something of a smokers' paradise. However, the espresso is often good to very good and the food, like lamb curry, is subtle and a step-up from pedestrian cafe fare. First visit: August 14, 2009

da Gino >>MAP 1-2-3 Minami-Ebisu TEL: 03-5723-8877 東京都渋谷区恵比寿南1-2-3 [UPDATE: da Gino is permanently closed for business.] After all the time spent "laboring" in Ebisu, I can't believe I missed da Gino. Thanks to Jeremy S. who brought this two-year old wine and espresso bar to my attention. Is it great espresso? No, not yet. Does it show extraordinary promise? Yes. My single espresso was more akin to a double pour. The barista was well-meaning and admitted to have only just started to really study how to make good espresso. He flushed the Cimbali about 10 minutes prior to my pull and my shot suffered. The result was an over-extracted pour. da Gino's massive Cimbali simply gets the water too hot and a flush is absolutely required prior to each pull. Otherwise , his technique was good (grinding fresh for the shot, swiping the portafilter, etc.). What da Gino also has going for it is the fact that it is roasting and using its own beans (it even sell...

Pelle’s Espresso >>MAP 3-1-4 Kanda, Ogawa-cho, Chiyoda-ku TEL: 03-5283-0332 千代田区神田小川町 3-1-4 [UPDATE: Pelle's is permanently closed for business. Its last day was on August 25, 2009. According to the manager, there are no current plans to reopen.] I’m enamored of this place. It’s espresso in Tokyo by way of Melbourne , Australia . The owner is Japanese and splits his time between the two cities. A gorgeous Faema Legend E61 is the shop’s pride and joy and it’s easy to see why. Faema re-introduced this machine in 2001 (it first came to market in 1961). (See this fascinating article on coffeegeek.com by Paul Pratt documenting his own efforts to restore a Faema.) Pelle’s beans are roasted by a father of one of the employees. His espresso blend, although largely a secret, consists largely of some Brazil and Sumatra Mandheling. (That’s as much info as I could get!) The staff is a gregarious bunch and matches macchinesti’s seriousness when ...

Fukunchu Organic >>MAP 1-50-3 Kita-senzoku, Ota-ku 大田区北千束 1-50-3 UPDATE: THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED . In a charming converted home just minutes from Ookayama station on the Meguro line, Fukunchu is a rarity. It’s an organic (whether 100% or not is unclear) vegetarian restaurant that’s only open for lunch. Be warned, only 20 or so meals are prepared a day. I’m partial to this place because I’ve gotten to know the owners through their organic grocery, Rinya (also in Ookayama). On my first visit, I was shocked by the volume and price. For 1000 yen, I had a refreshing gazpacho, grilled vegetables, great bread from nearby Itokito bakery, salad, and banana cake for dessert (not to mention iced coffee). An added bonus is a visit by Fuku-chan, the owners' baby boy.

Cubstar >>MAP 1-4-7 Komazawa, Setagaya-ku TEL: 03-3418-3534 東京都世田谷区駒沢1-4-7 [UPDATE: Cubstar is permanently closed for business.] The kind of café one wishes were in the neighborhood, Cubstar surprises with its superb espresso. Boasting a Faema E92 Elite 2 Group espresso machine, Cubstar takes its espresso seriously and the results are impressive. Snag one of the two seats on the front porch, take in the lonely commuters walking to and from Komazawa-daigaku station along with Wootan, Cubstar’s resident pooch, and you have yourself a very enjoyable afternoon.

Caffé Cuore >>MAP 18-8 Daikanyama, Shibuya-ku TEL: 03-3464-6740 東京都渋谷区代官山町 18-8 2F UPDATE: THIS CAFE IS CLOSED . If you can put aside the antiseptic feel of this second-floor café in Daikanyama, there is much to recommend here in terms of espresso. The first thing that catches the eye when you enter (other than the grand piano) is a gorgeous copper Elektra espresso machine. Your hunch is right--the owner is serious about his espresso and his pours are everything espresso should be: mysterious, multi-faceted, complex, and silky.

Asuka Café >>MAP 12-34 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku TEL: 03-3464-0125 東京都渋谷区猿楽町 12-34 UPDATE: THIS CAFE IS CLOSED . Opened in July 2007, this cafe is devoted to organics--from food to coffee. Unfortunately, that laudable aim coupled with a gorgeous La Marzocca couldn't save my espresso from a severe case of over-extraction.

Zoka >>MAP 3-2-2 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo TEL: 03-3560-7251 東京都港区赤坂 3-2-2 アマンド赤坂ビル [UPDATE: This Zoka location is permanently closed for business.] A little bit like putting Starbucks up on your blog, but Zoka’s attention to coffee and barista training far exceed anything “Staba” is doing. It's also probably the only place to try a cup of coffee produced by a Clover (a coffee system that brews each cup to order) (see picture).

Ben's Café >>MAP 1-29-21 Takadanobaba Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo TEL: 03-3202-2445 新宿区高田馬場1-29-21 [UPDATE: Ben's is permanently closed for business. It will be missed!] Ben’s bills itself as Tokyo’s only New-York style café. I’ve had some uneven pulls of espresso here, but, all-in-all, Ben’s is truly a community café (poetry readings, open mic, go lessons, etc.) that gets a wonderfully eclectic mix of people in the door. The hummus plate will transport you home. Free Internet and Wi-Fi too (a rarity in Tokyo ).

Café Vostok >>MAP 6-20-1 Okusawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo TEL: 03-6379-8155 東京都世田谷区奥沢 6-20-1 ユタカフォレスト UPDATE: THIS CAFE IS CLOSED . Quirky café and restaurant located in an antique store or vice versa. The coffee is serviceable but the real attractions are the pirozhki (a Russian meat-stuffed bun like a pierogie) and the borscht. Both are homemade and wonderful.

macchinesti >>MAP 5-15-14 Minami-Azabu TEL ： 03- 5739-1852 東京都港区南麻布5-15-14 UPDATE: THIS CAFE IS CLOSED . If you're serious about espresso, macchinesti should be on your hit list in Tokyo . [Pictures are from the Azabu-Juban location, now closed. The address above applies to the Hiroo location.] Updated: January 28, 2010