A Tour of Retro Cafes in Mitaka! 8 Great Spots to Take a Break with Top-Notch Sweets and Coffee

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Founded in 1958, Risu Bon is a kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) that still keeps the atmosphere of its early days. It is located on the basement level of a building about a 3-minute walk along Mitaka Chuo-dori from the south exit of Mitaka Station.

This shop has been around for more than 60 years, and multiple reviews say that even though it is a retro cafe, it is clean and comfortable.

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American pop songs from the 1960s play in the background, and many people find the music nostalgic. The warm atmosphere created by the staff also seems to be one reason for its popularity.

The coffee is brewed using a siphon, and from the counter seats you can watch the process.

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Many people seem to come here for the "Breakfast Set." At a reasonable price, you can get a set with toast or a hot dog and salad.

Even though it is a simple breakfast, it is well known for the bread being toasted just right and the salad being Homemade and tasty.

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Primo is a kissaten (traditional Japanese coffee shop) located about a 7-minute walk along Nakano Shindo from the north exit of Mitaka Station. It is also known as a retro cafe that has remained unchanged since it first opened in the 1980s.

The interior has a ship cabin feel, and the calm, cozy space is decorated with nautical items.

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It seems the menu has hardly changed since the restaurant first opened, so you can still enjoy the old time flavors today.

The spaghetti includes Japanese coffee shop classics such as Naporitan (ketchup based spaghetti) and yakisoba-fu (yakisoba style).

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At lunchtime, they offer weekday daily changing lunch specials, which are popular because you can eat for less than the regular price.

Some people seem to come here for nostalgic dishes and home-style flavors. It is also a good place to relax and take your time over coffee or other drinks.

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Coffee House TOM is a coffee shop in Chofu City, which borders the south side of Mitaka City. It stands next to the JAXA Chofu Aerospace Center in Chofu, along Mitaka-dori.

This shop relocated from its former location in Shibuya, where it had been popular as a retro cafe founded in 1971, and opened here in 2021.

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A standalone house with white exterior walls. Part of the home is used as a kissaten (traditional Japanese coffee shop).

The exterior looks modern, but the interior seems to recreate the feel of the 1970s. Warm lighting and wooden partitions create a calm and relaxing space.

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They offer a wide selection of coffee. Even the blends come in different roast levels, and they also have a full lineup of straight coffees from different production regions.

Their specialty is “Jijiroa.” It is a chilled bavarois with a café au lait flavor. It has a smooth texture, and they recommend pairing it with “Strong Coffee.”

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Sabo Furezu is a cafe on Mitaka-dori, about a 5-minute walk from the south exit of Mitaka Station. It opened around 1980 and has remained a favorite with regular customers.

The counter seats with perches and the antique-style table sets add to the atmosphere of this retro cafe.

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The cakes made with eggs from Mitaka are the specialty here. They are said to have the gentle taste that only Homemade treats can offer.

There are several kinds, including "shortcake" made with seasonal fruit and mousse sweetened with sugar from sugarcane grown on Tanegashima. Takeout is also available.

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The "Breakfast Set," which is perfect for brunch, and the daily "Lunch Set" meal menu both come with coffee or tea, making them a good value.

After a meal with gentle flavors, you can relax and take your time over coffee or another drink.

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Guranada is a popular restaurant known for yoshoku (Japanese-style Western food) dishes, with Western cuisine arranged to suit Japanese tastes. From the outside, it has the feel of a retro cafe.

The woody interior stands out for its walls lined all over with manga. It is also a great place to relax and spend time reading manga.

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Their specialty is pilaf made by cooking butter-sauteed rice in soup. There is also a wide range of variations, so you can try a different flavor each time you visit.

The "Thank You Pilaf" is a butter flavored pilaf with shrimp, topped with a fried egg. The special version also comes with Hamburger Steak.

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They offer a wide range of food menu items, including spaghetti, Hamburger Steak, and Omurice, which is ketchup rice wrapped in egg.

People also like the service that comes with a drink and salad with every dish. The restaurant is also open at dinner time, so you can enjoy a meal with alcohol.

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Kurashiki Coffee is a place where experienced staff brew carefully selected coffee. This is the Mitaka Tobu Hachi Ten branch, located at the southern edge of Mitaka City along Mitaka-dori (Mitaka Street).

It opened in 2018, but the interior has the calm feel of a retro cafe. The tables are spaced out comfortably.

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The siphon brewed coffee includes a blend and 9 types of single origin coffee.

They are prepared to suit a wide range of preferences, including bitterness, acidity, and sweetness. Guests also praise how the staff, with solid coffee knowledge and skill, carefully brew each cup.

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The food menu is also extensive, with toast, sandwiches, desserts, and more. They also offer limited time seasonal menu items.

For dessert, they also have Japanese sweets made with matcha (green tea) and sweet anko (sweet red bean paste) made from azuki beans. They also pair well with coffee.

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Hoshino Coffee Ten, which has restaurants across Japan, has a branch in Mitaka. It is on the second floor of a building near the south exit rotary of Mitaka Station.

Even though it is inside a modern building, the interior is a calm space lined with antique table sets and sofas. It is open from morning to night.

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The house specialty is three kinds of blended coffee, made with carefully selected beans from around the world, each offering a different taste depending on the roast level. They brew each cup by hand, one serving at a time.

For the iced coffee, they use a special blend of beans. It comes in a copper cup, and people say it feels like a retro cafe.

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The "kamayaki (oven baked) souffle pancakes" are also a house specialty. These are thick pancakes baked up light and fluffy. Another nice point is that you can choose your syrup from maple syrup, honey, or kokuto syrup (brown sugar syrup).

The "Showa no purin (Showa era style pudding)," which is baked with a springy texture and a slightly firm finish, is also popular.

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Kissashitsu Renoir is a chain with multiple restaurants mainly in Tokyo. This restaurant is near the rotary at the north exit of Mitaka Station.

Its interior is designed with the image of the 1910s, when a blend of Japanese and Western culture was in full bloom. This is a recommended restaurant for people who like retro cafes.

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The specialty here is coffee brewed with nel drip (traditional cloth drip brewing). This old style method uses a cloth filter made from soft wool fabric for extraction.

The blend coffee has a nice balance of sweetness and acidity, with a mild taste.

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You can also order thick cut toast, cake, and other items to go with your drink of choice.

The "Breakfast Service" available from morning until noon is also popular. With a drink, you can enjoy toast, sandwiches, and more at an easy on the wallet price.