Update: Coutume sadly closed in early January 2018
Known as one of the hottest craft cafés in Paris, Coutume landed in Tokyo in April 2014 and has found a dedicated following for its light roasts and sleekly fashionable interior. Re-opened in April 2016 after a quick facelift and plenty of menu adjustments, it still serves both drip-style and espresso-based coffees, while the excellent sandwiches – made with bread from Gontran Cherrier – now have company in the form of éclairs, vegetarian galettes, home-baked cookies and more. In a street where people queue for an hour to spend ¥1,600 on a plate of pancakes, it’s refreshing to see that the more affordable breakfast prices have been retained as well. Part of the attraction of the café is watching the coffee baristas at work, operating what appears to be a mad chemist’s laboratory on the counter. We have no idea how those strange plungers works either, but they sure churn out tasty espresso shots.
Coutume's second Tokyo branch opened in Futako-Tamagawa in February 2015.