Walnuts Coffee

Tucked away amidst a smattering of hip vintage stores and cafés, down a side street off the Look shotengai in the mellow southern outskirts of Koenji, Walnuts is a local hangout with cosmopolitan flair. The two co-founders discovered speciality coffee while studying in the US and upon their return opened a stand named after Walnut Street, the drag they lived on in small-town Nebraska.

Light roasts that bring out the natural flavours of the beans are the name of the game here, executed with panache by resident barista and potter Kevin. The dual-threat master with roots in Lebanon, South Africa and the States is proud of his cups, fired in a kiln in Minami-Aizu and radiating organic warmth.

The spot stays open until midnight from Thursday through Sunday, when the menu expands to include Japanese wines as well as natural wines from around the world. A neighbourhood fixture, this is a place that fosters community and opens its doors to all comers, including pets and babies.