Exotic ethnic
Open noon-11:30pm daily.
Tucked away on a quiet side street near the Ward Office, Zarigani has a hip, Bohemian atmosphere far removed from the department-store shopping scene just a few blocks away. The music is bouncy and...
Open noon-11:30pm daily.
Open 8-11am, 11:30am-3, 5:30pm-4am (Sun -12) daily.
A pair of rather cute goats, living in a pen in front of the shop, are one of the main draws at this lively neighborhood cafe. The interior is spacious, filled with mismatched, comfortable chairs...
Open 8-11am, 11:30am-3, 5:30pm-4am (Sun -12) daily.
Open noon-4, 6-11pm (LO; Sat 6-11pm). Closed Sundays.
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...
Open noon-4, 6-11pm (LO; Sat 6-11pm). Closed Sundays.
Open 11:30am-11:30pm daily.
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...
Open 11:30am-11:30pm daily.
Open noon-11pm. Closed Mondays.
Mugs Cafe is the joint venture of three young designers, and the decor is a fusion of fifties cool and Asian lounge. The pan-Asian menu lists unusual items such as bahn mi Vietnamese sandwiches...
Open noon-11pm. Closed Mondays.
Open 3-11:30pm (LO). Closed Wed, 1st+3rd Tue.
Hidden among the quiet streets north of Nishi Ogikubo station lies Copo do Dia, a tiny cafe that also functions as an informal Brazilian cultural center. The space, with its heavy wooden tables and...
Open 3-11:30pm (LO). Closed Wed, 1st+3rd Tue.
Open 11:30am-2am (4am Fri,Sat) daily.
A bohemian-style cafe with music and food from Southeast Asia and the rest of the world. The menu at lunchtime is mostly Vietnamese, but there's a wider selection in the evening, including pastas.
Open 11:30am-2am (4am Fri,Sat) daily.
Open noon-11:15pm (LO) daily.
Tucked away in a back alley near Shimo-Kitazawa station, Tag is a pleasantly relaxing spot for an afternoon break. The musical soundtrack is on the mellow side, and tablet computers are supplied on...
Open noon-11:15pm (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-2am daily.
This tiny cafe serves tasty curries and dirt-cheap beer all day long. Choose from chicken, keema, or one of their daily specials (from Y650). The sea green walls scream Bangkok, while the single...
Open 11:30am-2am daily.
Arty and Bohemian spaces
Open 11:30am-11:30pm daily.
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...
Open 11:30am-11:30pm daily.
Open 10am-5:30pm (LO) daily.
This laid-back daytime-only Harajuku cafe serves as the atelier of latte artist Kazuki Yamamoto, one of the pioneers of 3D foam latte art. (Read our profile of the artist and his work at our sister...
Open 10am-5:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-3, 6-10pm (LO) daily.
Billing themselves as an "avocado cafe," this sprawling, comfortable space is filled with mismatched furniture and charmingly primitive artwork (or perhaps projects from a kindergarten art class). ...
Open 11:30am-3, 6-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-11:30pm (to 4am weekends) daily.
Those with a fondness for cartoon-character dolls and action figures will find a kindred spirit in Yoshitomo Nara, whose paintings and sculptures of devilish children are as disconcerting as they are...
Open 11:30am-11:30pm (to 4am weekends) daily.
Open 11am-7pm. Closed Tuesdays.
A relaxing, quiet space inside a museum devoted to the whimsical works of sculptor Taro Okamoto.
Open 11am-7pm. Closed Tuesdays.
Open 10am-9pm. Closed holidays.
Equipped with laser cutters and a 3D printer, Fab Cafe encourages its patrons to turn their stylish ideas into stylish physical objects. The bright and convivial space feels like a beehive of...
Open 10am-9pm. Closed holidays.
Open 11:30am-10pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
This charming little cafe is located in an old office building that's now filled with art galleries. Relax on comfortable sofas and listen to mellow lounge music on the stereo while you admire the...
Open 11:30am-10pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Open 11:30am-11pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.
One of the rare non-chain restaurants in Akihabara, this charming cafe serves an eclectic evening menu of Italian-inspired dishes at very reasonable prices. At lunchtime it's more of a standard cafe...
Open 11:30am-11pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.
Open noon-8:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Very popular with neighborhood residents, this charming cafe is attached to an art gallery and a few small event spaces. The food menu features curries and hot sandwiches, and they offer breakfast...
Open noon-8:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Open 11:30am-11pm daily.
This very hip, artsy cafe is furnished with comfortable sofas and big tables - a nice setting for a coffee break or creative work session. They serve both espresso and drip coffee, and at night you...
Open 11:30am-11pm daily.
Open 11:30am-11pm (-6pm Sun). Closed Mondays.
The very artsy cafe includes a gallery space in back where you can catch the latest exhibit while enjoying coffee or cocktails; there's also window seating up front, a few outdoor tables, and a movie...
Open 11:30am-11pm (-6pm Sun). Closed Mondays.
Open 11am-9pm (Fri, Sat -11pm) daily.
Located in the midst the manga, anime and toy stores of Nakano Broadway, Bar Zingaro is a project of well-known pop artist Takashi Murakami. The cafe-bar opened in early 2014 along with four...
Open 11am-9pm (Fri, Sat -11pm) daily.
Open 11am-11pm (LO) daily.
It may seem like you've walked halfway to Nishi-Ogikubo station, but when you get here you'll find a hip, very spacious cafe and art gallery that's lively at any hour of the day or night. In...
Open 11am-11pm (LO) daily.
European-style
Open 10am-8pm daily.
A lot of upscale Aoyama shops seem to have an obligatory cafe area tucked into a corner somewhere, but the combination works especially well at this Copenhagen-based designer flower shop. While the...
Open 10am-8pm daily.
Open 11am-11pm daily.
This cute and very spacious cafe has big front windows looking out onto the fashion-shopping alley next to Kotto-dori. The menu offers sandwiches, galettes and assorted pastries for mid-afternoon...
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Open 10am-2am daily.
A very French-style multi-story cafe with a relaxed atmosphere; they serve light food items and desserts as well as coffee and drinks.
Open 10am-2am daily.
Open 11am-midnight daily.
This big, European-style cafe opens onto the street for enhanced people-watching, with lots of outdoor seating when the weather permits. The casual food menu includes pastas, sandwiches and...
Open 11am-midnight daily.
Open 9am-11pm daily.
This small chain of French brasserie-cafes is popular for their very French food and atmosphere. The cafe serves simple dishes like omelettes and salads all day long, while the brasserie has more...
Open 9am-11pm daily.
Open 11am-11pm daily.
A friendly cafe-brasserie with a down-home French atmosphere and good, reasonably priced food. The daily Y1000 lunch is an especially good deal, and is served until 5pm. Evening specialties include...
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Open 11am-11pm (LO) daily.
This picturesque little Italian-style cafe-bar is worth noting for their late-night hours (till midnight most evenings); stop by for coffee, a glass of wine or a light Italian snack.
Open 11am-11pm (LO) daily.
Open 10am-9pm daily.
Fantastic madeleines, magnificent financier pastries and laudable macarons from this Hyogo-based patisserie. There are also boutiques in Takashimaya, Matsuya, Isetan, Tobu, Seibu Ikebukuro, and...
Open 10am-9pm daily.
Open 9am-11pm daily.
This popular Tokyo French cafe-bakery serves light snacks all day (quiche, omelettes, salade nicoise), plus more substantial prix-fixe lunches until 3pm (Y1260).
Open 9am-11pm daily.
Open 11:30am-10pm (LO) daily.
The cheerful green exterior of this recently opened cafe/trattoria adds a bit of color to a street lined with generically tasteful shops selling luxury goods. Large windows offering a peek at the...
Open 11:30am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 10am-11pm daily.
A bright and airy branch of this French-cafe landmark, located directly in front of the New Otani Hotel. There's a take-out bakery at the entrance, a big cafe area, a smaller dining room for proper...
Open 10am-11pm daily.
Open 11:30am-4, 5-8pm. Closed Wed, Thu.
Maybe it's the lace doilies and bud vases on the tables, or the antique cabinets and crammed bookshelves, but this tiny Polish bakery-cafe has a certain Old World charm. You can pick up a bag of...
Open 11:30am-4, 5-8pm. Closed Wed, Thu.
Open 8am-midnight. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays.
Japanese and Norwegian craft beers and artisanal cocktails are served at this very stylish Norwegian bar - the main branch is in Oslo. During the day they offer serious espresso beverages and tea,...
Open 8am-midnight. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays.
Bakery cafes
Open 11am-9pm (LO) daily.
This French bakery prepares excellent pastries and breads to take out. Alternatively you can relax with a pastry and cup of coffee or tea in the cafe area, or out on the terrace when the weather...
Open 11am-9pm (LO) daily.
Open 7:30am-10pm daily.
This French-influenced bakery across from Shinjuku station produces top-grade breads and pastries to go. The selection includes interesting Japanese-inspired items like yuzu cheesecake and curry...
Open 7:30am-10pm daily.
Open 9am-11pm daily.
A quiet spot hidden on a back street just a few steps from central Harajuku. There's a spacious cafe up front with fresh-baked pastries, a nice outdoor courtyard where dogs are allowed, and a full...
Open 9am-11pm daily.
Open 9am-10pm daily.
Viron serves great French cafe-style sandwiches, quiches and pastries to take out; there's also a pleasant cafe upstairs.
Open 9am-10pm daily.
Open 7-10am, 11am-4pm, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
The ground-floor bakery includes a cafe area where you can enjoy fresh-baked bread and pastries with your morning coffee from 7am.
Open 7-10am, 11am-4pm, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 7:30am-9pm (LO) daily.
Located inside a park and surrounded by greenery, this popular Belgian organic bakery is famous for their large communal table, although they also offer smaller tables for two or four. The interior...
Open 7:30am-9pm (LO) daily.
Open 7:30am-10pm (LO) daily.
This branch of the popular Belgian organic bakery has expanded beyond breakfast and brunch, offering grilled meat main dishes like Australian lamb (Y2690) and US Prime rib steaks (Y6790 for 270g)...
Open 7:30am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-8pm (Sat, Sun -7pm). Closed Mondays.
The concept here is a New York-style bakery-cafe in the heart of Azabu-Juban, selling top-quality cheesecake, carrot cake, brownies, cookies, cornbread and pastries just like you'd find in New York. ...
Open 11am-8pm (Sat, Sun -7pm). Closed Mondays.
Open 11am-9pm daily.
Located on the top floor of Comme des Garcons' Dover Street Market complex, this British-style Paris-based bakery-cafe serves up good cakes and tarts and a lot of different teas. If you want to...
Open 11am-9pm daily.
Open 10am-midnight daily.
A combination bakery and brasserie; it also features a small standup bar serving ten wines by the glass - a good place to meet up before dining nearby.
Open 10am-midnight daily.
Open 7am-10pm daily.
Excellent breads and pastries are available to take out, or you can stop for a pastry and an espresso in the lobby seating area. There's also a nice lunch menu, priced at Y1200 and Y1600.
Open 7am-10pm daily.
Open 8am-9pm (LO) daily.
A casual bakery and all-day cafe, No 4 (named after its Yonbancho location) offers local diners everything from fresh-baked sourdough bread, pastries and fantastic coffee (from the excellent Nozy...
Open 8am-9pm (LO) daily.
Open 10am-10pm. Closed Sundays.
Good pastries and sandwiches, to eat in or take out, at this French-based bakery-cafe.
Open 10am-10pm. Closed Sundays.
Open 8am-8pm daily.
Luxuriously spacious and modern in feel, this combination bakery-cafe is a comfortable place to relax with a coffee and pastry, or a quiche, cup of soup and salad. There's also a bit of outdoor...
Open 8am-8pm daily.
Open 8am-7pm (LO) daily.
The second Tokyo branch of the internationally famous Belgian organic bakery is open from 7:30am, serving coffee and pastries, salads and tartines - open-face Belgian sandwiches with toppings like...
Open 8am-7pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-8pm daily.
A spacious, high-ceilinged bakery-cafe in the midst of Shimo-Kitazawa's young-fashion shopping district. The menu includes casual dishes like shrimp and avocado salad with French toast and cream...
Open 11am-8pm daily.
Outdoor and open-air seating
Open 9am-10pm (LO) daily.
A casual cafe attached to the popular Mediterranean restaurant Cicada; there's pleasant outdoor seating in the front courtyard when the weather permits. Craft beer fans can choose from six brews...
Open 9am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-11pm 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...
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Open 11am-11pm daily.
This big, trendy cafe has a large terrace with ample outdoor seating and even a small swimming pool on the third and fourth floors of this Shibuya shopping complex.
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Open 11am-11pm daily.
This relaxed cafe-bar is a perfect meeting spot, right in front of Daikanyama station.
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Open 9am-2am daily.
A casual, open-air, dog-friendly cafe on a back street behind Hiroo station. The food menu tends toward Hawaiian and Asian fusion, with above-average prices.
Open 9am-2am daily.
Open 7:30am-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Good pastries and plenty of outdoor seating.
Open 7:30am-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Cafes with scenic settings are a rarity in Tokyo, so this lovely spot looking out over the rowboats on the moat is worth a stop if you're in the neighborhood. Lunches start at around Y1,000, and for...
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Open 11:45am-11pm daily.
When the weather is nice you can enjoy a coffee or a glass of wine up on the rooftop, looking out over the Tama River. There are also barbecue facilities (reserve with the staff), and a charmingly...
Open 11:45am-11pm daily.
Cafe hangouts
Open 11:30am-midnight (Sat 2pm-). Closed Sundays.
True to its name, the Armwood Cottage is Tokyo's answer to a log cabin in the mountains, with tall concrete buildings standing in for trees. The space is intimate and inviting, dominated by rough...
Open 11:30am-midnight (Sat 2pm-). Closed Sundays.
Open 10am-4:30pm (LO) daily.
The Nezu Museum's cafe looks out onto a beautiful wooded garden - a lovely, serene setting for a cup of coffee or an afternoon snack. The menu offers coffee, matcha latte and desserts as well as...
Open 10am-4:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 9am-9pm daily.
Espresso beverages, teas, salads and other light cafe fare. Prices are a bit higher than average, but the dining area is stylish and spacious. Located inside the Ron Herman store.
Open 9am-9pm daily.
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Organic coffee and tea, breads made with 100% natural yeast, and a completely smoke-free environment - Bio Cafe provides body and mind a bit of respite in junk-food-glutted Shibuya. With its...
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Open 11:30am-midnight (4am Fri, Sat) daily.
A mere two minutes from Ebisu station, this comfy hide-away will make you feel right at home. Retro velour-covered sofas and a row of giant airplane windows overlooking the street below add a splash...
Open 11:30am-midnight (4am Fri, Sat) daily.
Open 11:30am-4, 4-11pm. Closed Sundays.
The atmosphere is relaxed and the music is downbeat at this very casual late-night cafe-bar. The drinks menu offers a decent selection of cocktails.
Open 11:30am-4, 4-11pm. Closed Sundays.
Open 11am-9pm daily.
Located inside (and outside) the Tokyo Midtown branch of the Idee interior shop, this daytime cafe is a pleasant and relatively affordable spot for a mid-afternoon coffee or drink break, with most...
Open 11am-9pm daily.
Open 11:30am-11pm daily.
Occupying an old, traditional-style house, this cute cafe serves home-made pastries, soy-milk desserts and many kinds of tea - Chinese, Japanese and herbal. There's outdoor seating on the big...
Open 11:30am-11pm daily.
Open 11am-6:45pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.
Part of the Aki-Oka complex of artisan shops and studios, this offbeat cafe features hammocks to swing in and tablet computers to fool around on while you enjoy a coffee; unfortunately they close...
Open 11am-6:45pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.
Open 8am-11:30pm daily.
A lively branch of the Osaka-spawned cafe chain, Good Morning Cafe Nakano draws a crowd of Meiji University students and other Nakano denizens with its salt-butter caramel waffles (from 8am),...
Open 8am-11:30pm daily.
Open 3-11:30pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.
Make yourself comfortable at Koenji's Cafe Apartment, where you are given a pair of slippers at the door. The floor plan is that of a 1DK apartment, strikingly similar to the domiciles of many...
Open 3-11:30pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.
Open 7am-8pm daily.
With five locations and counting - scattered across some of Tokyo's more fashionable neighborhoods - the Australia-themed Bondi cafes are famous for their sandwiches and their atmosphere more than...
Open 7am-8pm daily.
Open 11:30am-2am daily.
With its lively, spacious dining room, well-stocked bar and good food, Fireking has established itself as the hub of Uehara nightlife since its opening in 2000. It's busy until late at night with an...
Open 11:30am-2am daily.
Open 9am-10pm (Fri, Sat -11pm) daily.
Unlike regular Starbucks branches, this offshoot serves wine and beer along with the usual coffee and dessert drinks, making it a popular evening gathering spot. The atmosphere is very relaxed, with...
Open 9am-10pm (Fri, Sat -11pm) daily.
Open 9:30am-10pm (LO) daily.
Nestled in a greenery-filled corner of the lovely Tsutaya Electrics megastore, Good Meals Shop serves gourmet coffee from a Kyoto roastery. The buttermilk-fried chicken with Incan potatoes and...
Open 9:30am-10pm (LO) daily.
Work- and laptop-friendly cafes
Open 11am-midnight 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...
Open 11am-midnight daily.
Open 10am-midnight daily.
It's a combination coworking space and game-board cafe, which somehow doesn't sound like the best idea for procrastinators. Over 400 board games are ready for you to try out. Until 6pm it's cafe...
Open 10am-midnight daily.
Open 11am-11pm (LO) daily.
In addition to the charms of its unusual location, Bowling Cafe is quite spacious, provides free wifi, and is very close to Shibuya Station, so as well as hungry bowlers it also attracts an afternoon...
Open 11am-11pm (LO) daily.
Open 7am-10pm (LO) daily.
Coffee, drinks, music-listening stations and free wi-fi access. Lunch is served until 3pm.
Open 7am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 10am-9pm (Sun -8pm) daily.
Don't worry about being the only person working at the Paperback Cafe - you'll generally find laptops in use at every table, giving the place a busy, productive atmosphere. The cafe is spread out...
Open 10am-9pm (Sun -8pm) daily.
See also our listings for wifi-enabled cafes.
Deli cafes
If you want to assemble a light meal from deli-style dishes, see our listings for cafes with deli-style salads.
Jazz cafes
See our separate page for jazz cafes around town.
Animal cafes
Cats, parrots, rabbits and other critters have moved to our sister site, Animal Cafes.com.
If you're especially interested in the coffee, see also our section on gourmet coffee and tea shops.
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