5 best small-batch coffee roasters in Osaka

Award-winning head roaster Yuya Iwasaki and his elite staff of baristas serve up rare varieties of speciality coffee at this temple of artisanal brews in busy Edobori, a 10-minute walk west from the Higobashi subway station.

Grab one of the around 80 seats in the spacious hall and choose your poison: the menu usually lists around 30 kinds of beans, including rarities such as CCD-007 Geisha, the finest product coming out of the Creativa Coffee District in Panama, famed both for its sustainability focus and impeccable quality.

In the hope of converting as many people as possible to the artisanal coffee cause, Iwasaki keeps prices very reasonable: a cup of the aforementioned Panamanian brew, for example, will set you back only ¥450.

The centrepiece of speciality coffee culture in Amerikamura, Lilo’s has been roasting beans and serving up artisanal coffee in pour-over, AeroPressed and American pressed forms since 2014. Employing colourful illustrations, their detailed menu lists more than 20 kinds of joe, complete with info on the origin and producers of the beans as well as tasting notes.

Besides being an expert on the major production regions in Latin America and Africa, head roaster Keita Nakamura is well acquainted with the characteristics of beans from places such as China’s Yunnan Province as well as with product from the shop’s own farm in Myanmar, so those on the hunt for rare flavours will have plenty to look forward to here.

‘With this many varieties, it’s no surprise that some of our customers have a hard time choosing’, says Nakamura. ‘Feel free to share your preferences and ask for recommendations.’ Such detail-oriented but friendly hospitality makes Lilo’s a welcoming place even if you don’t identify as a coffee nerd. And if you do, you might never want to leave.

Kyutaromachi, the area just west of Honmachi metro station, has historically been a centre for Osaka’s textile trade. Though the neighbourhood is still dominated by cloth wholesalers, a recent influx of stylish shops and cafés is bringing a breath of fresh air to its narrow streets. One one of the first of the new crop is Hiroshi Aono, owner and head roaster of Aoma Coffee, who works his magic in a light-filled, airy space around a corner from the bustling main street.

Aono, who set up shop here in summer 2020, specialises in light roast coffees that he thinks best bring out the natural characteristics of the beans and their regions of origin. He usually stocks about five kinds of beans, with a focus on producers from Kenya and Colombia. Tasting notes are included on the menu cards placed on the counter.

Tucked away in a quiet street south of the ever-chaotic Namba Station, ‘Monkey Coffee’ is just the spot for a laid-back break over a cup of expertly brewed speciality joe.

‘Roasting coffee beans is like baking,’ says owner and head roaster Keisuke Nagase, who speaks great English. ‘You don’t want to leave the dough raw in the middle, nor do you want it burned. It has to be just right.’ That’s a roundabout way of saying that Nagase is a perfectionist, who can always be counted on to get the best out of his carefully selected beans.

Osaru Coffee serves around eight house-roasted varieties at all times, with light and medium roasts usually making up the bulk of the selection. Coffee starts from ¥650, while the breakfasts (‘morning set’; available until 11.30am) are a steal at ¥750. On a sunny day, arrive bright and early to sneak a seat on the small terrace out front.

One of Osaka’s top light-roast specialists occupies some seriously impressive digs in Kitahama, along a street lined with the historic stone edifices of banks and stock brokerages. The café and roastery is housed in a heritage-listed wooden rowhouse built in 1912, with windows opening up over the Tosabori River and towards Nakanoshima Park.

Grab a seat at one of the small tables and let your everyday worries drift away as you sip on your choice of single-origin coffee (four varieties are available at all times, from ¥700 each). Pair your joe with some banana pound cake (¥550) or Linzer torte (¥600), a buttery, jam-filled pastry of Austrian origin, made fresh every day by the resident pastry chef.

While mindful of accomplishing a balance of tanginess, sweetness and unintrusive aroma in every cup, the baristas at Embankment focus especially on bringing out the fruit-like properties of their beans. The café sources its product directly from farmers in countries including Ecuador, Honduras, Kenya and Rwanda.