Ever since the Blue Bottle folks wrote about it, I was intrigued.
The beautiful storefront stands out against its surrounding cement urban jungle.
Walking in is like going back in time.
I’m glad that the smokers sat at the opposite end lol. I didn’t realize there was indoor smoking at this place. Fortunately, it only affected me briefly when I went to the restroom in the same corner as the smokers.
Unique assortment of cups, and not a uniform collection.
The ritual selection of a cup for each customer, and cleaning with boiling / steaming water.
Home made cakes indeed!
The chiffon cake was good but nothing particularly special.
I think what many like about this place is its charming ambiance, thoughtful rituals with attention to detail, and old school feel.
Coffee-wise, the two cups were both very sour, which I think a lot of coffee snobs enjoy. But, I don’t like sour. So, not my cup of coffee. Now that I’ve experienced it I don’t plan on coming back. I’ll stick to my SF hipster coffees.
Chatei Hatou
1 Chome-15-19 Shibuya
渋谷区 Tokyo 150-0002
Japan