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Café Hopping

Just a minute stroll from Arise is the American giant Our third café in Kiyosumi, The Cream of The Crop Coffee,
coffee chain, Blue Bottle Kiyosumi. From the outside, the café was literally a warehouse. We were quite confused walking into
looked like a warehouse, but the inside was a stylish industrial the café because it was very silent. There was no espresso machine
design café with high ceiling. A Loring coffee roasting machine here, just a small drip bar next to the entrance. While sipping the
stood out among a tall pile of coffee bean bag from different Costa Rica Honey Process coffee we ordered, we realized that
origins. Although there were a lot of customers lining in the The Cream of The Crop is more of a roaster with seating area
queue, the café looked tidy and very organized. The staffs knew than a café with a roasting machine because half of the space
exactly what they have to do to keep the café running smoothly. was employed by a huge Loring machine and a smaller Probat
We tried a menu called New Orleans, an iced coffee with milk, machine. There were no more than 9 seats in the café and we
brown sugar, and chicory, which tasted like a weak iced latte were the only customers there. It’s interesting to see a lot of café
with a hint of chicory. Since the café was packed, we only spent in Tokyo have their own roasting machine, and most machines
a little while here before decided to hit out next café. are huge industrial machines no matter how simple they brew
their coffee! They are truly crazy about coffee roasting!

Next up, Connel Coffee is located in Aoyama Itchome Humbly hidden among the skyscrapers in Toranomon
on the second floor of Sogetsu Hall which showcased a simple, Hills,Toranomon Koffee was extremely busy when we reached
yet elegant rock garden. The café felt like an upgraded version the café as it was lunch time. To get the full picture of how busy
of an office building café. It was spacious and boasted the views it gets, the café owns 2 triple group heads La Marzocco Stradas to
of peaceful park outside through the glass wall. Attention to handle the traffic. I was impressed by the layout of Toranomon
small design details in the café, such as the stone stool, really Koffee because it didn’t feel cramped even though there were
enhanced the atmosphere and strengthened the café theme. I a lot of customers. We ordered a cup of coffee at the cashier
personally loved the décor and the comfortable and peaceful counter flanked by the coffee bars on both side. You might be
atmosphere that we usually get from a teahouse rather than a confused whether to go to the bar on the left or the right, but
café. To go with the tranquil setting, we ordered an Espresso don’t worry because the cashier will point you in the right direc-
Tonic which was truly impressive. The tonic water balanced tion after you pay the bill. The coffee here tends to be on the
well with the coffee and it was interesting to see the ice in our mass market side as they use dark roasted coffee which didn’t
cup melted slower than ordinary ice. have much acidity.

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