It might take you a while to locate this hidden café, but you’ll be glad you put in the effort once you step inside this calm, stylish space. 319 sits along a dark corridor on the third floor of a nondescript residential building in Mitaka. The café is decked out with a gorgeous collection of antique furniture. It’s quite spacious, with plenty of seating and tables across two rooms.
The menu is simple and straightforward, just two savoury plus three dessert options. If you’re here for lunch, start with the brown rice and laver soup or the fish cutlet and meatball plate before moving on to the sweets. The carrot cake and the chocolate tart are lovely, but we love the rare cheese dessert – a somewhat deconstructed cheesecake topped generously with shavings of salty parmesan.
For drinks, the bonfire latte is a show-stopper. It’s a warm latte served in a bowl along with a toasted marshmallow pierced on a twig, which you can dip into the latte. Additionally, the menu also has regular coffee, chai tea, puer lemon tea, matcha and Kawasemi, a colourful beverage with layers of green tea and tart pineapple juice.