Embankment Coffee

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 overlooking the Tosabori River and 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 brew 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.

The baristas at Embankment are dedicated to bringing out the fruit-like properties of their beans while striving for a balance of tanginess, sweetness and an unobtrusive aroma in every cup. The café sources its product directly from farmers in countries including Ecuador, Honduras, Kenya and Rwanda.