Best craft beer bars for remote work in Tokyo

Pitmans is located on the second floor of the Lyuro Tokyo Kiyosumi hotel, which sits along the Sumida river in Kiyosumi. This craft beer bar has a spacious wooden terrace with a spectacular view of the waterfront. It’s open early from 7am and all customers get free wifi, making it a great location if you’re looking for a remote office to concentrate in the early morning – provided you can keep your eyes off that view. There are no power points, so be sure your laptop is charged up before heading over.

The lineup of drinks includes some house-brewed beers, which are offered at ¥800 (tax exclusive) for half pint and ¥1,200 (tax exclusive) for a pint. Too early for a beer? There are also plenty of non-alcoholic options like organic teas, pink lemonade soda and coffee from Leaves Coffee Roasters in Sumida.

This brewpub is five times bigger than its previous incarnation in Shibuya, with space for up to 150 people. Despite being located under an overpass by Gotanda Station, it’s relatively quiet and makes a great place to work remotely, especially with the free unlimited wifi and ample power points. 

There are 20 beer taps here that include classics like the brand’s award winning signature Far Yeast and Kagua series which are available from ¥600 (tax exclusive). Pair it with a meal or an otsumami snack plate (¥1,000 tax exclusive) for one, which includes homemade pickles marinated in Tokyo White beer, carrot rapées, canapés, fried chicken and salami – just enough satisfy your snacking habits.

This urban brewery is a popular spot for large gatherings as its two-storey restaurant seats over 200 people, but it's also open to solo diners and remote workers too. The venue is located in a quiet neighbourhood between Daikanyama and Ebisu stations, and offers unlimited free wifi to all customers. Unfortunately, there’s nowhere to plug in your laptop or phone, so you’ll have to bring a power bank if need be.

Spring Valley always has its six signature beers on the menu, which come in three sizes – half (¥480 tax exclusive), regular (¥780 tax exclusive) and a 600ml mega size (¥1,200 tax exclusive), plus a few seasonal selections. We recommend ordering the Hojun 496 lager and pairing it with a tapas set (¥1,200 tax exclusive), which comes with three appetisers of your choice.

Lubina serves modern Spanish cuisine, specialising in seafood and tapas, on the second floor of Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. Who said a brewpub couldn’t be fancy? With its luxurious velvet seats and candle lit tables, some overlooking Hibiya Park, this venue is decidedly posh. Its dishes are inspired by the Mediterranean coast and the menu also features an abundant lineup of Spanish wine, original cocktails and craft beers from Black Tide Brewing in Kesennuma.

The restaurant has power outlets you can use and free wifi is available throughout the venue and all of Tokyo Midtown, so you can get some work done on your laptop while dining on a fancy lunch, dinner or even just a tapas plate, starting from only ¥450 (tax exclusive).

German-style craft beer chain Schmatz has locations throughout the country, but this one inside Lumine Ikebukuro is one of the bigger outlets, with seats for up to 75 people. The menu includes a wide selection of original beers ranging from light and bitter to dark and even fruity flavours, and standard German dishes like sausages (from ¥605), schnitzel (from ¥1,628) and currywurst (¥792). 

Don’t let the casual atmosphere fool you – this place is ideal for remote work, especially with free access to unlimited wifi and power outlets. Just try not to come around Oktoberfest time if you need peace and quiet to get your work done.