A very stylish cafe on an Ikebukuro backstreet; they serve cocktails and a limited snack menu as well as coffee and tea. This is also headquarters for the hip toy company Roughtoyz.
Minami-Ikebukuro 2-14-12. Open noon-10:30pm (LO) daily.
A steady stream of students and local residents flip open their laptops and settle in for an afternoon of work or study at this well-populated three-story cafe. There's free wifi, with some window seats overlooking the Kanda River. Food is typical coffeeshop fare, although they do serve some interesting varieties of tea.
Whether you're here for a dessert break, a casual evening meal, or an afternoon working on your laptop, Brooklyn Parlor supplies a fun, bustling backdrop. Unlike Tokyo's many quiet, hidden-away cafes, here it feels like you've stumbled onto the hub of a social scene. Of course all the standard cafe needs are provided for - free wifi; hip background music; tons of magazines and books on art, design and fashion; good espresso beverages, interesting cocktails and very affordable wines. Whether you're here for a dessert break, a casual evening meal, or an afternoon working on your laptop, Brooklyn Parlor supplies a fun, bustling backdrop. Unlike Tokyo's many quiet, hidden-away cafes, here it feels like you've stumbled onto the hub of a social scene. Of course all the standard cafe needs are provided for - free wifi; hip background music; tons of magazines and books on art, design and fashion; good espresso beverages, interesting cocktails and very affordable wines.
There are also some special touches, like Brooklyn Lager on tap and Hitachino Nest beer by the bottle. The food menu is gourmet cafe fare - scones and almond pancakes, serious burgers, and very nice quiches and salads. The burgers are also available to take out - perhaps convenient for a picnic in nearby Shinjuku Gyoen. [Show more] [Show less]
Shinjuku 3-1-26, Shinjuku Marui Annex B1F. Open 11:30am-11:30pm daily.
Eclectic cuisine in a convivial cafe-style setting, with brick walls and a pleasant open-air front area. There are numerous party plans, or you can order a la carte - budget around Y4000 at dinnertime, Y900 for lunch (served until 4pm). On Sunday mornings they're open from 8am. [Free wifi via Freespot; registration required.]
Jingumae 3-25-18, The Share 1F. Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Sitting atop the tech-heavy and design-savvy KDDI Designing Studio, this popular cafe is an oasis of greenery and art magazines, with nice panoramic views overlooking Harajuku. The menu features light food as well as coffee and other drinks, and it's a nice place to take a break from an afternoon of shopping.
Jingumae 4-32-16, KDDI Designing Studio 5F. Open 10am-7:30pm (LO) daily.
For those who hate leaving work, this popular DJ bar is decorated like an office, with file cabinets, bookshelves, and copier machine. Different DJs nightly, a young crowd, a full food menu, and a good nighttime view down Aoyama-dori.
Kita-Aoyama 2-7-18, Yamazaki Bldg. 5F. Open 5pm to 3am daily.
This spacious cafe offers typical cafe fare (pastas, sandwiches) during the day, along with fresh-baked breads and pastries from their in-store bakery. In the evening the menu widens to include grilled meats and fish and other Mediterranean-inspired fare. There's some outdoor terrace seating overlooking the Jingu Gaien promenade.
The menu here is French-influenced casual cafe fare - liver mousse, ratatouille, mussels and clams steamed in white wine, roast beets with Roquefort cheese. French wines start at around Y3000. Budget around Y2500 for food at dinnertime.
Jingumae 2-33-12, Villa Bianca 1F. Open 11:30am-midnight daily.
Oh, it's another trendy, all-day, late-night cafe-bar that also sells clothing and furniture! Lapaz's food menu includes oatmeal, quinoa salads, lentil soup and wrap sandwiches, and breakfast is served from 7:30am. Note that they close a bit earlier on Sundays (6pm) and Mondays (midnight).
Breakfast is served from 6am here, either in the vast living-room-style indoor space, the sprawling back garden area, or up front where you can watch foot traffic heading to and from Sendagaya station. In the evenings there's a casual cafe menu plus a range of cocktails, herbal liqueurs, inexpensive wines and microbrew beers from Kona Brewery in Hawaii. Breakfast is served from 6am here, either in the vast living-room-style indoor space, the sprawling back garden area, or up front where you can watch foot traffic heading to and from Sendagaya station. In the evenings there's a casual cafe menu plus a range of cocktails, herbal liqueurs, inexpensive wines and microbrew beers from Kona Brewery in Hawaii.
The morning market menu veers towards the health-conscious end of the spectrum, with fruit and vegetable salads; mixed-grain okayu (rice porridge); granola, banana and yogurt bowls; French toast and lots of juice options. Or you can hit the ground running with one of their gourmet burger platters. The morning market salad (Y1100; served all day long) features exotic vegetables like turnips, beetroots and toasted lotus roots, plus a sausage and a fried egg for good measure.
There's also a take-out window up front where you can pick up burgers, salads and drinks to go. [Show more] [Show less]
This stylish basement bar has one of the best selections of US microbrews in Japan. You'll also find some good Japanese craft beers and an impressive selection of bourbon whisky. Nineteen beers are on draft, with many more by the bottle. The food menu is light and casual bar fare, but well above average. Background music is a bouncy mix of hiphop and R&B. (Open from 3pm weekends.)
Jinnan 1-13-10, B1F. Open 5pm-midnight. Closed Mondays.
One of Shibuya's more serious microbrew bars, The Aldgate offers 21 very nice craft beers on tap, mostly from Japan, Britain and the US. The food is English pub fare - Toad in the Hole, Cornish pasties, Daal Masala, Fish and Chips. One of Shibuya's more serious microbrew bars, The Aldgate offers 21 very nice craft beers on tap, mostly from Japan, Britain and the US. The food is English pub fare - Toad in the Hole, Cornish pasties, Daal Masala, Fish and Chips.
English Premier League football is broadcast live on four screens (often showing different matches). The rock-focused musical soundtrack draws on the bar's collection of 6,000 vinyl records and CDs, with lots of prog-rock on football nights. [Show more] [Show less]
Udagawacho 30-4, Shiniwasaki Bldg 3F. Open 6pm-2am daily.
It's a bustling cafe-lounge space by day, with late-night dining and DJ club events on weekends. There's free wifi, although it's not exactly a laptop-conducive atmosphere. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Dogenzaka 2-23-12, Shibuya Fhontis Bldg 2F. Open 11:30am-2am daily.
The atmosphere is fun and comfortably casual at this cute ethnic cafe, and the food is very tasty - authentic Indonesian street food prepared by a native chef from Java. Lunchtime choices include a platter with four assorted dishes, rice, soup and dessert for Y900 (Y950 to supersize it). And there's free wifi.
Kamiyamacho 7-8, K Bldg 1F. Open 11:30am-2:30, 6-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
The food here is basic Italian-International fare, and lunch (served till 3pm) includes a buffet of side dishes - Y1000 with main course, Y1500 with main, dessert and coffee. The dinner menu includes rotisserie-grilled meats, pastas and pizzas.
Sakuragaokacho 4-2, Joyce Shibuya 3F. Open 11am-11:30pm (Fri, Sat -2am) daily.
Cheap prices, stylish decor, good music and a bustling atmosphere have drawn crowds of hip young patrons to this sprawling cafe space in a trendy corner of Shibuya. The kitchen offers entertaining variations on standard cafe fare - Vietnamese sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, rice bowls, and salads - along with some decent California wines by the bottle and a big cocktail list.
TFR presents an eclectic menu of ethnic cuisines from around the world, including tagines, couscous and other Middle Eastern dishes. Monday through Thursday evenings an every-changing roster of cuisines is showcased in the Y1400 special dinner plate. Lunch covers a similar range of styles, and averages around Y1000 with coffee or tea. TFR presents an eclectic menu of ethnic cuisines from around the world, including tagines, couscous and other Middle Eastern dishes. Monday through Thursday evenings an every-changing roster of cuisines is showcased in the Y1400 special dinner plate. Lunch covers a similar range of styles, and averages around Y1000 with coffee or tea.
There's also a big selection of "world wines" (Tunisia, Israel and Turkey are represented) and world beers. The space itself has a comfortably gritty post-industrial-chic look to it - lots of painted concrete and mismatched furnishings. Free WiFi access is provided if you want to check your email - ask for the password.
The space is often booked for parties Friday and Saturday evenings, so be sure to call ahead. Budget around Y3000 at dinnertime. No lunch on Saturdays. [Show more] [Show less]
Higashi 1-3-1, Kaminito 20, 3F. Open noon-4, 6-11pm (LO; Sat 6-11pm). Closed Sundays.
Salads, ethnic-style dishes and other light fare are served along with coffee and cocktails. Located in the Liquid Room concert space, the cafe also hosts small musical events of its own. Free wi-fi access.
Higashi 3-16-6, Liquid Room 2F. Open 11:30am-11:30pm daily.
Located next to Gotanda Station, this branch of the ubiquitous cafe chain offers inexpensive dishes like sandwiches, salads, pastas and pizzas as well as coffee, tea and cocktails. There's plenty of internet access and some non-smoking tables.
Higashi-Gotanda 1-26, Atre Vie Gotanda 2F. Open 8am-11pm (weekends from 10am) daily.
A casual "tea house" serving Chinese teas, herb teas, and several varieties of iced tea along with light snacks. Tea time runs from 2-5pm, but if you're hungry you can take advantage of Doichan's late lunch menu (11am-5pm), featuring curries, donburis and sandwiches for under Y1000. In the evenings you'll find grilled meats and creative Japanese and Western dishes, plus beer, wine, sake and cocktails; budget around Y3000. Pets are welcome on the outdoor terrace.
Osaki 2-1-1, Thinkpark 1F. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
It's hard finding a good breakfast in Tokyo outside of the international hotels, but this Roppongi Hills cafe delivers the goods. The breakfast/brunch menu is a mix of European and international influences - freshly made souffles, French-style omelettes, croissants, custom-made salads and buttermilk pancakes. The afternoon/evening menus are a mix of French bistro and international fare - pork rillettes, duck confit, beef-cheek pot-au-feu, falafel croquettes, roast beetroot with goat cheese. Beverages include fancy cocktails, fruit smoothies, and moderately priced wines. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Roppongi 6-15-1, Keyakizaka-dori 1F. Open 7am-10pm (LO) daily.
This extremely casual venue is furnished with patched-up and mismatched sofas, herds of stuffed animals, and an actual VW bus with a table and chairs inside. There's a rotating art exhibition on the walls, and some outdoor tables up front. The small menu includes dishes like gorgonzola bacon tortilla wraps and an assorted "deli" platter, plus chai and cocktails.
Decent fast-food-style burritos, tacos, and fajitas, all made from premium organic ingredients. Choose from grilled chicken, carnitas (braised pork), steak or vegetarian filling; prices range from Y800-1100. There's a small but tastefully appointed dining area, or you can take out.
This spacious cafe-bar is done up in retro early-1970s modern style, with a nice big terrace seating area with retractable roof. It's run by the folks from the always-hip Planet 3rd cafe in Shibuya, and it's attached to a travel-oriented bookstore run by Paper Sky magazine.
Minami-Aoyama 1-2-6. (in the block behind Aoyama Twin Towers) Open 11am-2am daily.
This hip little cafe is known for their inexpensive, eclectic menu - sandwiches, rice bowls, unusual pizzas, and mains like roast pork with wasabi sauce. Desserts include French toast. Open all day.
Marunouchi 2-7-3, Tokyo Bldg Tokia B1F. Open 11am-10:30pm (2am Thu/Fri) daily.
Run by Transit General Office (Sign, Office) and designed by Wonderwall, this cafeteria-style cafe features outdoor terrace seating, a magazine library and wi-fi access.
Aomi 2-7-4, the SOHO 1F. Open 9am-10pm (Sat 10am-6pm). Closed Sundays.
Planet 3rd is a pocket of urban cool off the beaten track in Koenji. The spacious interior is well designed, the atmosphere open and friendly. Check your email at one of the free computer terminals and then sit back and enjoy your coffee. Dogs are also welcome!
Koenji-Minami 2-49-18. Open 11:30am-midnight daily.
Behold the ume El Dorado, where up to 250 kinds of umeshu await you: Bar Kutoma. A tiny realm with room for about twenty, benevolently ruled by a soccer-loving umeshu expert, this late-night Ohashi spot offers tasting flights (umeshu kikisake set) for Y1000. Choose on your own or ask the owner to tailor a set to suit your tastes. Behold the ume El Dorado, where up to 250 kinds of umeshu await you: Bar Kutoma. A tiny realm with room for about twenty, benevolently ruled by a soccer-loving umeshu expert, this late-night Ohashi spot offers tasting flights (umeshu kikisake set) for Y1000. Choose on your own or ask the owner to tailor a set to suit your tastes.
There's not much in the way of food, but it's got to be the only place in town where a serious umeshu afficionado can get in touch with his masculine side by cheering for Arsenal. After the soccer games, DJs keep the vibe going, and frequent live events keep it real. Between Y2000-3000 should get you a few drinks plus otsumami like olives or pickles. A little English spoken. [Show more] [Show less]
Ohashi 2-16-24. Open 8pm-3am (or later). Closed Sundays.
Minami-Ikebukuro 2-14-12. Open noon-10:30pm (LO) daily. 
Brooklyn Parlor (Shinjuku - Cafe). 6457-7763
