If you're going to a kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) in Nagoya City, start here! 10 recommended popular spots

Photograph:コイチ050306

Founded in 1972, this coffee shop is said to have been the first in Nagoya to introduce in house coffee roasting. It is about a 3-minute walk south from Kokusai Center Station.

The soft light coming through the stained glass windows makes you want to relax and stay awhile.

Photograph:15d8f461848

This cafe is often called one of the best known examples of Nagoya's Breakfast service. People even line up from the morning to get the famous toast on some days.

Their specialty is toast topped with anko (sweet mashed azuki bean paste), cream, and house-made confiture.

Photograph:hirom380249

The coffee is said to focus on three things: freshness, green coffee beans, and water, and they carefully sort each coffee bean by hand at the shop before roasting them in-house.

The iced coffee is served in a copper cup. Paired with gum syrup served in an antique style pot, it has a nice retro feel.

Photograph:kojista55

Hisaya Odori Park stretches north to south in the center of Nagoya. Kato Coffee Ten is a kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) near the landmark TV Tower.

Founded in 1986, this coffee specialty shop works under the philosophy of contributing to a richer life by serving high quality coffee.

Photograph:金失い太郎

It seems many people line up from the morning to enjoy this good value breakfast-only set with tasty coffee and toast.

The “Nagoya Set” comes with rye toast, a drink, and a boiled egg. This Nagoya-style toast is served with butter and homemade anko (sweet red bean paste) to spread on top.

Photograph:kana.s25257

One of the highlights here is that you can enjoy coffee recognized by the Cup of Excellence, said to be among the best coffee in the world. It is served in a pot, so you get about two cups and can take your time enjoying it.

It is also recommended to pair it with cheesecake or other sweets that go well with coffee.

Photograph:ただのメシ喰い

This cafe is popular for its house-roasted coffee and original sweet treats that go well with toast. It is located near the Meieki Minami 2-chome intersection.

The Nagoya-style Breakfast set is especially popular, and there are often lines from the morning. The pop atmosphere and cheerful service from the staff are also part of its appeal.

Photograph:aichi__gohan

The specialty here is the "Ogura Breakfast." You can enjoy toast topped with "Ogura-an (sweet red bean paste)," made by boiling and mashing azuki beans, along with butter.

The "Ogura-an" is also homemade. It uses azuki beans from Hokkaido and features anko with less sugar. It is said to be light enough to enjoy even in the morning.

Photograph:えこだねこ

The “Kinako Butter Breakfast” is also popular. Kinako (roasted soybean flour) is made by roasting soybeans and grinding them into powder. It is paired with crunchy roasted soybean bits and butter for a nice crisp texture.

Their house blend coffee also gets good reviews for its well-balanced flavor.

Photograph:リラちゃん★

Founded in 1949, this shop has been loved by locals for more than 70 years. Located in Izumi, Higashi Ward, Nagoya, it is a shop that serves as both a pastry shop and a cafe.

The interior, with brick-style walls and rows of red leather sofas, has a nostalgic mood. They say it has kept the space just as it was when it first opened.

Photograph:ユラリ

The kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) menu includes coffee, desserts, and cakes that have been loved since the shop first opened. The pudding is so popular that it often sells out by the evening.

The "marron," which is also available for Takeout, is a cake made with fresh cream wrapped in a thin sponge.

Photograph:めんぱんごはんLOVE

In addition to the morning Breakfast set, the lunch service available only during weekday lunch hours is also popular. It comes with coffee, a sandwich, and a mini-sized Japanese-style dessert.

Many people seem to enjoy lunch first, then have dessert and relax for a while.

Photograph:idanbo

This coffee shop is located southeast of central Nagoya, in Komabacho, Mizuho Ward, a largely residential area. They mainly sell coffee beans and offer Takeout, and the cafe is open for eat-in service about three days a week.

The cafe space has about 12 seats. It seems to be a simple and calm space.

Photograph:kumachan2022

The owner is said to visit coffee farms in Nepal every year. One of the shop's hallmarks is that it carefully roasts its special beans using a Domestic direct flame roaster.

The beans are heated over a direct flame, bringing out a fragrant, dark roasted coffee. The graceful hand drip brewing process is also well known.

Photograph:mochi0125

You can choose what you like from 3 kinds of blends and about 8 kinds of straight coffee. The menu lists features like acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, which makes it easy to choose.

They also have daily cakes that go well with the coffee. This is a recommended spot for coffee lovers.

Photograph:KEI123456

Located on the eastern side of central Nagoya, Chikusa Ward is home to Shiyachiru, about a 5-minute walk from Chikusa Station.

It opened in 2018, but the shop is designed to evoke a retro kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) from around the 1970s. It is a kissaten that you can also visit at night.

Photograph:rikoo629

Inside, there is a spacious counter and table seating. Near the entrance, by the window, there are round stools, and it seems there are also seats where you can look out onto the street.

They also offer original coffee drinks such as the “espresso shake,” made with strong coffee and ice cream.

Photograph:スパマキシマム

Many of the drinks and desserts also seem to have a nostalgic feel. One of them is the house-made "Shiyachiru no Purin".

If you like sweets, the recommended choice is the "anbatā sando (red bean paste and butter sandwich)." It sandwiches smooth anko (sweet red bean paste) and butter in soft bread. Its sweet and salty balance apparently goes well with coffee.

Photograph:孤独なキャンパー

Kissa Poppy, which opened in 1977 and closed once after about 34 years, was passed down from parent to child and reopened in 2019 as Kissa New Poppy.

It is located on Shikemichi, a street in Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, where historic buildings still remain. The shop, built like a kura (traditional storehouse), sits down a narrow alley.

Photograph:Iwazou000

Inside the kura (traditional warehouse) with its high ceiling, the multi-level interior has a stylish feel. They also have table seating filled with coffee beans.

You can enjoy carefully selected coffee made from beans sourced directly from production regions around the world, roasted in the in-house roasting room, and hand picked at local welfare facilities.

Photograph:Vicky758

The signature dish is Popy no Kohi Raisu Kare (Popy's coffee rice curry), which pairs curry made from spices with rice cooked in coffee instead of water. It is said to be a flavor you can only get here.

Ogura Tosuto (sweet red bean toast), made with thick cut bread containing black sesame and topped generously with butter and anko (sweet red bean paste), is also popular.

Photograph:sammy100

A kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) in Marunouchi, one of Nagoya’s leading office districts. This restaurant has about 38 years of history since opening, and at night it also operates as an izakaya (Japanese pub).

The area is filled with offices and business hotels, and it seems to be a popular spot with people who work nearby.

Photograph:ニノ0203

A popular item at lunchtime is the "Funny Bento." Rice and several kinds of side dishes are neatly packed into the bento box.

Because the side dishes change every day, some people keep coming back for it. Its easygoing appeal is also said to be one reason for its popularity.

Photograph:sammy100

In the morning, they offer a Breakfast set with bread and a drink. You can also choose the sweet and salty Ogura Toast, topped with anko (sweet red bean paste), a very Nagoya-style option.

The Croissant Sandwich, where you can choose fillings such as vegetables, anko, and honey, is also popular.

Photograph:貧デレラ

This cafe is located on the south side of Nekogahoraike (Nekogahora Pond) in Heiwa Koen (Heiwa Park), a large urban park in Chikusa Ward, Nagoya. Although it is a cafe, it also takes orders for bento box delivery.

The spacious interior has about 70 seats. There are also Semi-private rooms, making it a great choice for groups.

Photograph:すーもた02

Inside the retro atmosphere, there are tables fitted with game machines that were popular in the 1970s, and you can still actually play them today.

This is a place that has long been loved by local people, and for Breakfast they offer choices such as a toast set and a Japanese breakfast set.

Photograph:タロ活

The food here has a strong reputation for flavor, and they also offer several set menus that change daily. The meals are satisfying, and another plus is how easy they are to enjoy.

Of course the main dishes are good, but some reviews also say the soup and side dishes are tasty too.

Photograph:鼓

A coffee shop in Konan, a residential area in Meito Ward, east of central Nagoya. As the name suggests, you can enjoy the Breakfast service menu throughout the day.

The wooden lattice walls and door are the landmark. The Japanese modern interior is also a space where you can feel the warmth of wood.

Photograph:鼓

The first floor has counter seating, making it an easy place to visit even on your own. The second floor has zashiki (tatami seating), and with board games and more available, it is also a place where families with children can relax and spend time comfortably.

Reviews also say that the staff’s warm conversation and homey atmosphere make it very comfortable, and that it is the kind of place you will want to come back to again and again.

Photograph:夢1119

The popular Breakfast menu includes not only toast but also a set with onigiri (rice balls), shaped to be easy to eat. For drinks, one nice point is that you can choose miso soup as well as coffee.

The homestyle toast is also popular, along with lunch menu items that feel just like a classic kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) and can be ordered throughout the day.