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THE BEST COFFEE

IN OSAKA

Coffee. Nectar of the Gods. The ingestible equivalent of a blood transfusion at 7am every morning. Whatever you call it, a good cup of coffee could be the difference between a smile and a snarl, so when you find a well-made cup of joe: share it with your friends.
Enter the Brooklyn Roasting Company, Kitahama, Osaka.

Overlooking the Tosabori-gawa River in Kitahama, Osaka, this trendy little hipster cafe made the best almond mylk latte I’d had all trip.

In fact, I believe it was the first of only two almond mylk latte’s up until that point – the second being a fantastic cup from Aussie-owned Bills Omotesando in Harajuku.

Japan’s Coffee Culture

Japan has a surprising coffee culture, with trendy little cafés spilling out of hidden laneways of major cities. Cappuccino’s with foam so thick it’s basically a meringue, shaped into a variety of adorable animals flood instagram. They’re so cute and skillfully poured that you’d have a hard time drinking them.

Totoro will always be my pick me up. ☕🇯🇵🌸

A post shared by Tara Milk Tea (@taramilktea) on

But there’s one unfortunate problem: I’m lactose intolerant, and the majority of cafés I’d ventured into only supplied cow’s milk. Not even soy! It was pretty disappointing. I used to be content with a long black, but after dealing with the fallout of caffeine withdrawal that lasted two weeks, I haven’t had a taste for them.

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Homemade Granola with a jug of Almond Mylk and an Almond Mylk Latte, beautifully presented.

Scarce Resources: Almond Mylk & Breakfast

So when I stumbled across a café that used not only almond mylk but also had a small breakfast menu, I was overjoyed. Breakfast, in Japan, is a scarce resource; almond mylk even moreso.

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Take-away sandwiches. Simple ingredients and fresh baguettes.

I ordered their delicious homemade granola with almond mylk and grabbed a pre-made tuna sandwich for the Shinkansen (bullet train) back to Tokyo. Although the breakfast serve was small, it was also just enough, delicious, and thoughtfully presented on a tray with a generously-filled jug of mylk. The tuna sandwich was on a fresh baguette, and was super simple and minimal; ideal for the train ride home.

Great little coffee spot in Osaka right by the river. Great view, great coffee, lovely service. @brooklynroastingjapan A post shared by Lifestyle Blog For Babes (@sascheur) on

Not So Hipster

The flagship store in Japan, the Brooklyn Roasting Company cafe in Kitahama, Osaka, is a sweet find. Although it looked like a very cute little unique hipster joint, I later learned that it originated in New York (although the name did give it away). They have nine cafes scattered around Brooklyn, and somehow ended up with three throughout Japan.

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This guy looks like he needs a coffee.

The interior had a grungy hipster vibe that was quite cosy and chill. With a bicycle mounted on the wall next to pressed flowers and well-worn leather lounges occupied by readers and writers, it was a nice place to relax and enjoy the refreshments. The large, open door leading onto the deck let in ample sunlight, preventing an otherwise dark space from feeling claustrophobic.

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Industrial Interiors.

TIP: Splurge on the almond mylk for an extra ¥100
(even if you can stomach regular milk!)

Coffee & Cake

Ideally, you’d sit down in the sunshine sipping a coffee and snacking on one of the delicious pastries from the cake cupboard. Filled with donuts, scrolls and croissants, it was hard to leave without grabbing a treat.

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Sweets cupboard.

The cherry on top? The prices across the board were also pretty sweet. Even with the additional ¥100 for almond mylk, the price was on par with my only other option: Starbucks.

BROOKLYN ROASTING COMPANY
Japan, 〒541-0041 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Chuo Ward, Kitahama, 2 Chome−1−16