A new year, and new addresses to find.
In Tokyo, even after several visits, wanting a coffee is sometimes enough to turn up something worth knowing. That is what happened to me in Shibuya, where I came across a café almost by accident and stayed put.
This weekend I was looking for somewhere quiet and pleasant to have a coffee with a small group, and I came across SUZUCAFE Jinnan. Several couples were queuing at the door — a common enough sight in Japan, and usually a good sign: it means the kitchen is liked.
Inside, the room turned out to be both local and calm. Soft light, generous space and a large window letting in daylight. Despite the number of customers you never felt hemmed in, which is rare in Shibuya.
The menu was in Japanese and English, so ordering was simple. The café serves pasta, risotto and tapas, but we went for drinks and something from the dessert menu, which suited the hour.
The blueberry cheesecake and the matcha pudding stood out. The pudding was my own choice: creamy, delicate and deeply flavoured, exactly as you would hope. Between the matcha syrup, the matcha cream and the pudding itself, it is a good deal for anyone who likes Japanese tea.
I also had the chance to try the other desserts, in particular the New York and Basque cheesecakes. Both were well balanced and lightly sweetened, as Japanese pastry tends to be.
For a drink I chose a hojicha latte, made with roasted green tea. It is a very Japanese flavour, which will not suit everyone, but it is worth trying. The café also has a wide choice of drinks: coffees, teas, lemonades — still or sparkling — hot or cold.
In Jinnan, a few minutes’ walk from the busiest part of Shibuya, SUZUCAFE is a good find among the many coffee shops in the area. Quiet, with carefully made food, it works for a coffee break or an unhurried lunch.
Practical information:
Opening hours: 12h-23h
Address: SUZUCAFE Jinnan
Website: SUZUCAFE
