Best Specialty Coffee Places in Kanazawa, Japan
Kanazawa is a small, coastal city in the north of Tokyo, located about 3 hours by bullet train from Tokyo. It’s quite a famous place, as it’s known as “Little Kyoto”, because the city features many old and traditional districts, such as the “Higashi Chaya” district, which is known to be the Geigi’s district (the term they use in Kanazawa for Geisha’s), a number of which still work in this neighbourhood.
Other than fascinating culture, you can find a number of amazing specialty coffee places in Kanawaza. Here are my favourite 6 specialty coffee places in Kanazawa, Japan:
Quick links:
townsfolk coffee
My favourite cafe in Kanazawa is this quaint little spot that has a very Scandi-vibe to it. They serve really excellent specialty coffee as well as some light breakfast dishes. The staff is exceptionally friendly and super welcoming, and I loved sitting by the big window watching the people passing by in the morning. They also sell some cute ceramics at the store.
In the morning you can get a nice little breakfast set with coffee included, which I think was great value for money.
Opening times: Open daily from 8:30AM to 6PM (except closed on Mondays)
CUBBY Hole
This cafe is located in a small side street and is perhaps a little hard to find, as the entrance is pretty inconspicuous! You enter and order your coffee at the bar, before heading upstairs where you can find a few, very cozy seats. It really feels like a snug little living room (see the picture above!). The coffee is great and they serve filter coffees and espresso drinks.
Opening times: Open daily from 7AM to 4PM (except closed on Thursdays)
Nonstop Coffee Stand & Roastery
This little specialty coffee stand is located close to the Higashi Chaya, but still kind of outside, as it’s nestled in between residential buildings. It’s a coffee stand and not a cafe, as you can’t really sit anywhere to enjoy your coffee. But it’s so worth it as the coffee the owner makes is exceptional, and probably the best you can find in Kanazawa. The owner is actually a qualified Q grader, so he definitely knows his stuff about coffee! He also trained as a barista in Melbourne, which is often said to be the specialty coffee capital of the world.
They only serve vegan milk’s, so if you want a milk based coffee, you can choose between oat and soy milk.
Opening times: Open daily from 7AM to 4:30PM
PETRA BAKE&COFFEE
This coffee stand is more of a takeaway spot, and is located right next to the famous Kanazawa market, so the location is very convenient if you’re planning to get breakfast or lunch at the market. They also sell some cakes and cookies to go with your coffee.
Opening times: Open daily from 8AM to 4PM
Curio Espresso and Vintage Design Café
If you like a bit more darker roast coffee then this is the place for you. The owners are an American guy and a Japanese woman who are extremely friendly. The cafe can get pretty popular, so go early to make sure you can have a seat.
They also serve a very delicious greek pita sandwich with chicken and veggies, which blew me away because I thought it was super tasty (or maybe by then I’ve had enough of Japanese food after being there for a month and was craving something ‘Western’ 😅).
Opening times: Open daily from 8AM to 3PM (except closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
6 Apartment Coffee
Even though in the end I wasn’t able to try this cafe, I wanted to include it on this blog post as I was actually planning on going but then just didn’t find the time. Looking at the menu, they have a variety of different coffee’s, including espresso-based and hand drip coffee. I’ve also seen some desserts on the menu, as well as sandwiches.
It’s located close to the Kanazawa main station, so if you find yourself around there, do check it out.
Opening times: Open daily from 9AM to 6PM (except on Sundays and Mondays, it opens at 8AM)
