In an area heavily populated with bars and izakayas, this café is a welcoming sight. Lou, which opened in 2021, is the sister shop to Paddler’s Coffee Nishihara. This Nakano café offers a more extensive food menu than Paddler’s, with a variety of Nordic-inspired soups, pastries, cakes and ice cream. It’s also got a pretty great drink selection of not just the standard coffee and tea, but also craft beer and wine.
The vibes here are relaxed, with records spinning everything from classic jazz to city pop by Miki Matsubara. We especially love Lou’s tableware collection, which includes thick mugs and dainty glass spoons that could easily double as art. The cute vases by ceramicist John Molesworth on each and every table are also available for purchase at the café. You can pick up coffee beans, too, plus gorgeous smelling room sprays, hand soaps and sanitizers.