The Best Coffee I’ve Had in Tokyo (and How It Turned My Day Around)

After a rough start to the day, I stumbled across Joe Talk’s Coffee in Ebisu.

Sunlight, hanging plants, sweet potato bread, and a perfect siphon-brewed coffee thet completely 180'ed my mood and reminded me why it's important to slow down.

how cool is this picture :)

A Rough Start to the Week

My day had not exactly started strong.

The night before, I had planned a simple swim to unwind. Just wnated to throw the arms over for half an hour, you know? I arrive at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Sendagaya to discover it was closed for a couple of weeks. Perfect.

f u Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium

I jumped back on the train toward a different pool, but of course I managed to get on the wrong train. Either that or, I missed my stop on the correct trainline but after a few stops the line changed / turned into a different one.. Obviously I'm still confused by it all.

By that point the motivation had disappeared and I just wanted an early dinner and an early night so I could reset and go again tomorrow with a fresh head.

Katsu curry meal - not bad

But, even that didn't go as planned. I ordered something new at a tonkatsu restaurant, hoping to cheer myself up, and ended up with a massive, deep fried ball of natto. Why do I do this..

yo wtf even is that?

I don't hate natto, but it's not exactly the kind of dish that lifts your spirits. For those who don't know, natto is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, and it is one of the most uniquely intense foods in Japanese cuisine. Sticky and smelly, basically.

I felt obligated to eat it and it honestly its kinda dragged my mood down even further lol.

So when morning came, I wasn't in a terrible headspace, but I definitely wanted a better day than the one before.

I went to the gym, which was fine, and then to the physio, which put me in a better mood - I have an injured ankle from a trail race I competed in in Nikko a fortnight ago. And on the walk from Ebisu Station to my appointment, I noticed a small coffee shop catching the morning sun. It had warm light, a few hanging plants, and something about it felt inviting.

How amazing does the ambiance feel right?

I told myself I would stop by afterwards.

That small decision ended up changing my whole day.

The Coffee That Turned Everything Around

After my appointment, I went back and asked for their recommended specialty coffee. I have been enjoying these non-conventional coffees more and more lately, especially with how serious Tokyo's coffee culture is. I ordered the Guatemala blend.

nice card thing they give you when you order a siphon-brewed coffee

The barista told me it would take five to seven minutes, and before I sat down she asked if I wanted a cake. I said no at first, but then I actually looked at the display. The banana bread looked good, but the sweet potato bread looked even better. It looked light, simple, and not overly sweet, so I chose that.

First time seeing this siphon method in action!

I took my sweet potato cake and sat on a barstool in the sun, surrounded by the plants hanging outside the shop, and for the first time that day I felt genuinely at ease. The sweet potato bread was perfect. When she handed me my coffee, I decided not to rush off. I stayed.

very good, not too sweet

The coffee was incredible. It had a rich flavour but felt light and smooth on the palate, and it was cooled with just the right amount of ice.

I sat there for thirty or forty minutes, soaking up warmth from the sun and really appreciating every sip. FYI it was around 8 degrees celcius that morning.

Honestly, it might be the best cup of coffee I have had in Tokyo.

A Quiet Reminder to Slow Down

So a sincere thank you to Joe Talk’s Coffee in Ebisu. Their warm service, their ethos, and that beautiful cup of coffee completely flipped my mentality and my day around.

"jotoku" <3

If you are ever in the area, drop in. Slow down for a moment.

It is a good reminder that even when things pile up, a simple cup of good coffee can bring you back to ground.

For me, sitting and enjoying that coffee in the sun, yes it helped to realign myself but it also gave me the few minutes I needed to process the "losses" from the evening before. And after processing, I was able to let go and decide "no, I had those losses yesterday but that was yesterday and today's a new day. I'm still undefeated". I went on and faced the day with a different mindset and had a great day :)