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ABOUT LIFE COFFEE BREWERS || This Hip Cafe in Shibuya is the Perfect Spot for a Morning Coffee

It was raining hard on my first morning in Tokyo.

I was up early from jetlag and undeterred by the rainy weather. I decided that the first step to a slow start to my day to kickstart my vacation mode would be a hot latte. Thankfully, I didn’t have to venture far to find a cozy cafe. It was just an elevator ride away.

About Life Coffee Roasters is located on the ground floor of All Day Place Shibuya, a new hotel that opened in Shibuya, Tokyo. There were a few things that drew me in aside from a warm and dry shelter from the rain. The wooden window frames for the floor-to-ceiling glass that drew in an abundance of light into the seating area facing the quiet side street, the tiny, green square tiles that make up the coffee bar, and dry floral arrangements in adorable beer cans are a few of the many reasons I wanted to spend a lazy morning zoning out at this cafe.

Staff making coffee behind the bar.

It was 8 AM on a weekday, so the cafe was still quiet, with just two tables of guests. A low wooden bench and triangular stools line the window, while bar seating is located up a few stairs in a more private space within the cafe. A glass case with unique merchandise faces the entryway, with more glass shelving housing a selection of beer with gluten-free options. The adorable illustrations and colourful designs of the beer cans caught my attention. This cozy spot gets quite busy closer to the afternoon when people check out of the hotel above just before noon and comes alive with social activity at night when it turns into a bar serving beer.

Dry floral arrangements in adorable beer cans. The beer cans are recycled from the beer served at the cafe in the evening.

A light yet satisfying breakfast with an oat milk latte and banana bread topped with a cube of espresso butter.

I sat on the wooden bench by the window to enjoy my oat milk latte and banana bread topped with a cube of espresso butter. As the finishing touch, a bit of cocoa powder is sprinkled on the butter.

With just a few other people in the cafe, I had the liberty of wandering around the cafe to explore the decor and lifestyle merchandise on display. A bright yellow t-shirt, dried flowers housed in recycled beer cans, and small potted plants are all notable details of this cafe. If I lived in Tokyo, the beer can floral arrangement would be the item I would bring home.

About Life Coffee Brewers became my go-to morning spot for the days I stayed in Japan, and I also introduced their Daily Brew and specialty coffee options to my family. It’s the perfect spot to start the day before heading out on the day’s adventures to shop and sightsee. Almost like the calm before the storm, before the city fully awakes and streams of city-goers, commuters and tourists clamour towards the gleaming towers reaching high into the sky at the city’s center.

Hungry? Head upstairs to the restaurant on the second floor for a hearty meal.

For those looking for a more filling breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you can follow the white staircase lined with wine bottles up to the restaurant on the second floor, where hearty brunch, pasta, and pizza await.

As I finished the last sip of my coffee and headed out, I saw a wave of commuters crossing the street. The city was starting to wake up, and I was ready to absorb its energy to recharge on my holiday.

Empty beer cans are reused as decorative elements on the trees outside the cafe, turning the bare tree branches into a colourful canopy for the patio.

VISIT

About Life Coffee Brewers

1 Chome-17-1 Shibuya, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0002, Japan