On a quiet side street branching out from busy Omotesando lies an old Japanese style house with a peculiar brass cube structure standing in its main room. At first sight you might be tempted to think of it as a contemporary exhibition of some sort, but on closer inspection you will soon be greeted by sweet whiffs of coffee aroma and sounds of happy chatter between owner barista Eiichi Kunitomo working on his La Cimbali machine and his loyal customers, many neighbours living in the area.
Mr. Kunitomo came to Tokyo a few years ago to open Bread and Espresso, having started his career as a barista in Osaka. He has since then moved on to become a coffee consultant, counting Tyler Brule as one of his biggest fans and now supplying Tokyo’s Monocle Café with his coffees. Omotesando Koffee was his pet project to test out new innovative ways of serving coffee. Mr. Kunitomo came across the owner of this 60 year-old house and persuaded him to let him use it as a mobile coffee kiosk.
“A kiosk is the perfect form. Not only is the space cost-effective so that I can focus my efforts on the quality of the coffee, it also allows for intimate, personalized attention to our customers. I can also easily move this kiosk to a new location from time to time,” says Mr. Kunitomo. However, this space has since proved so popular with locals and expats alike that Mr. Kunitomo has persuaded the house owner to let him stay and allow the rest of the house to be used as a museum exhibiting rare books.
Come quickly, before the Monocle fans overrun it.
OMOTESANDO KOFFEE
Address: 4-15-3 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 10:00-19:00
Tel: 03-5413-9422
Great posting!
Posted by: Albert Leung | 04 December 2011 at 01:24 PM
Thanks Albert! Where are you these days?
Posted by: Nana | 05 December 2011 at 02:34 AM
his biggest fans and now supplying Tokyo’s Monocle Café with his coffees. Omotesando Koffee was his pet project to test out new innovative ways of serving coffee. Mr. Kunitomo came across the owner of this 60 year-old house and persuaded him to let him use it as a mobile coffee kiosk.
“A kiosk is the perfect form. Not only is the space cost-effective so that I can focus my efforts on the quality of the coffee, it also allows for intimate, personalized attention to our customers. I can also easily move this kiosk to a new location from time to time,” says Mr. Kunitomo. However, this space has since proved so popular with locals and expats alike that Mr. Kunitomo has persuaded the house owner to let him stay and allow the rest of the house to be used as a museum exhibiting rare books.
Posted by: Cheap Nike Shox | 05 December 2011 at 05:00 PM
Always good to come across a really thoughtful site,LIKE YOUR BLOG. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!
Posted by: beijing opera night show | 28 December 2011 at 09:38 PM