Café Lavandería

Café Lavandería is the kind of place where one minute you’re drinking and the next you’re suddenly filled with an overwhelming desire to smash the patriarchy and plan a revolution. Tucked away in a back street opposite the famous Goldfinger bar, this easy-going communist-come-anarchist café offers very reasonably priced but high-quality drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), a wide selection of books to browse, and regular events such as world music gigs and political talks (Noam Chomsky stopped by when he visited Tokyo). The staff at Café Lavandería speak not only English but also Spanish (‘viva la revolución!’), as the owner believes that speaking only English does not make you ‘international’. Keep an eye on the bar clock; it is intentionally set ten minutes fast to remind comrades they need time to get to Shinjuku Station for the last train home.