Tokyo Guide : Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo & Blue Bottle Coffee
This vlog introduces the hidden local spot in Tokyo. This time, I will guide you two popular coffee places in Tokyo; Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Blue Bottle Coffee. For more information about each places etc, please read my blog from down below!
Do you like coffee, everyone?
I love coffee. I probably drink at least one cup a day. (I’m drinking while I’m writing this blog now.)
Introducing this time are Starbucks Coffee, which has about 1,400 stores in Japan and many enthusiasts, and Blue Bottle Coffee that attracts many coffee fans, which also came from the United States.
First is Starbucks. I finally visited the world’s largest Starbucks Reserve Roastery opened in Tokyo’s trendy Nakameguro area on February 28, 2019.
Where is Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo?
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo locates in Nakameguro area, which is between Shibuya and Ebisu.
Around 15 minutes walk from the Nakameguro station, accessible via the Tokyo Metro Hibiya line and the Tokyu Toyoko line.
What is the concept of the store?
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo is the fifth store following Milan, Shanghai, New York, and Seattle. The number of seats, including the terrace seats on the 4th floor, is the highest among them.
About the architecture & design：
Only the Tokyo store was built from the building, and Mr.Kengo Kuma, who is an architect and designed the stadium for the Tokyo Olympics, was involved in this project.
As you enter the shop, you’re welcomed by the aromas of roasted coffee and also freshly baked bread and sweets.
You can also see the giant copper cask just in front of you. When you look upward, you’ll find origami ceiling and the nail-free architectural techniques inspired by temples.
Quick introduction of each floors：
1st floor : There is a main bar that offers a variety of coffee enjoyments such as siphons and black eagle. There is the Princh bakery that offers the breads made from world’s best Italian flour and a shop that sells Starbucks Reserve Roastery’s original products.
* For babies: Diaper changed table on the 1st floor only.
2nd floor : The concept is conscious of the tea country “Japan”, and you can taste various teas and photogenic cream soda. Tea cup wall was really stunning!
3rd floor : There is a bar serving wine, whiskey and cocktails with a unique style. Among alcohol, Nakameguro Espresso Martini is popular. Don’t miss the Card Wall made of 5000 cards.
4th floor: There is terrace seats and the AMU inspiration lounge where baristas do trainings.
From any floor, you can see the Meguro River, which is famous for its cherry blossoms. I definitely would love to visit the shop again in Spring!
What is the characteristic:
There are more than 100 unique coffee and tea beverages (60 of them are Japan only) and also their original retail goods. The most popular is Barrel Aged Cold Brew, which has a whiskey scent.
Coffee beans collected from all over the world are roasted by the master roaster in the store, and the barista can make suggestions while telling the story.
The beans are roasted in a huge copper cask inside the store, and you can enjoy the beans moving through the stretched pipes.
While other roasteries are particular about espresso, the stores in Tokyo are particular about American coffee. Americano con Crema is a cinnamon-flavored, low-fat milk whipped cream on top.
Where is the first Blue Bottle Coffee in Japan?
The Blue Bottle is located in the Kiyosumi-shirakawa area. 10 minutes walk from the Kiyosumi Shirakawa station, accessible via the Tokyo Metro Hanzomon line and Oedo line.
The characteristic of Blue Bottle Coffee?
Blue Bottle Coffee started in Oakland, California in 2002 and now has coffee shops at locations on the East and West coasts of America.
They launched their 1st Japan store in Kiyosumi-shirakawa area as the main bean roaster location in February, 2015. Now, they have 15+ locations, hoping to add their small part to the specialty coffee culture in Japan.
・Quality first! – Blue Bottle Coffee never to make coffee for roasted beans over 48 hours old.
・Japan is the first country for their international expansion
・The siphon coffee is their strong point!
Inside of the store was so cool and has a good and peaceful vibe you would find in Brooklyn! The staff all very kind and friendly. They tried to talk to every customers to give their fullest service.
The 1st floor of the warehouse has seats and standing room for around 40 people max. The second floor of the warehouse houses the Blue Bottle Coffee office.
What I had at Blue Bottle Coffee:
I enjoyed a seasonal and popular cold coffee with ice cream on top. And, Japan-limited sweets called Yokan (Sweet red bean based jelly made of agar agar). Their Yokan also had apricot, cinnamon etc in it. So delicious and NEW for me! The coffee that I had was sooo good and went well with yokan!
Thank you for reading!
