17 best things to do in Daikanyama

A darling little coffee shop with glass walls that make it feel a bit like a greenhouse, Mocha Coffee offers a surprisingly niche selection of hand-drip coffee using beans sourced from Yemen and other parts of the Arabian Peninsula as well as Turkey. There are about 12 kinds of single-origin coffee on offer, which are served in charming china coffee cups.

If you don’t know your way around Arabic coffee, owner Maiko Miyake is happy to explain the nuances of the different beans and their flavour profiles. Choices range from the sweet and nutty Haraz coffee from Yemen to dark and thick Turkish coffee with Turkish sweets on the side. 

Not a big fan of coffee? Order an Arabic milk tea brewed with cardamom, rosewater and saffron to pair with a slice of homemade cake.

Established by the crew behind annual electronic music festival Zipang, Débris in Daikanyama puts on a wide range of events, from club nights to art exhibitions and film screenings. The interiors and sound system were built with the help of artists and other creatives who earned their stripes at Japanese outdoor festivals, and the result is a quirky crisscross of tastes and sensibilities.

Open the door that looks like the entrance to a Prohibition-era speakeasy and you’ll soon find yourself in a flashy ‘neo-Asian’ cavern decorated with daruma dolls and neon signs. The bar serves up cocktails made with craft spirits from around the world, while the P.B. Restaurant by the entrance lets you savour aromatic Chinese tea and congee. The restaurant's shelves are stacked with rare books selected by the operators of 'mobile library' Paradise Books.

All in all, Débris is the kind of spot that works just as well at lunchtime as in those feverish late-night moments before the last train.

There are few things more satisfying than a fresh batch of takoyaki after a long night of karaoke, best paired with a frothy cold beer. This ubiquitous street snack consists of a tender piece of octopus encased in a gooey, piping hot batter made with spring onions and pickled ginger, and topped with a generous drizzle of sauce.

Tempu owner Masahide Sakuramoto is from Osaka, where the dish originates. He serves perfectly golden brown spheres fresh off the griddle in this brightly lit standing-only eatery where customers pour their own drinks and pass dishes to each other in cheerful comradery.

The best way to describe Tableaux is if you were to combine a 1920s American jazz bar with a Pan-European Brasserie. There is more than a touch of kitsch to the decor, but the whole ensemble fits together as a port of call for when you want something more spontaneous than a bistro dinner but less rowdy than a live house. 

The venue is divided into two parts: a restaurant dishing up bistro-fare like oysters on the half shell (¥450 a piece), steak tartare (¥1,200) and filet mignon (¥3,800), and a lounge area for cocktails and live jazz.

There's a different band every night of the week, with the first set beginning at 8.30pm. Themes range from Mojito Cuban Night to Great Gatsby Night, so check the live music schedule before heading out, so you know the kind of vibe you're in for.

It might look small from the outside, but this speciality roastery has a lot to offer, with a dozen kinds of coffee beans imported from around the world and roasted on-site. Owner Kenji Okauchi opened this coffee shop in 2014 with the ambition of creating a cheerful neighbourhood haunt where locals could casually drop by to pick up freshly ground, single-origin beans or a drip coffee to go. 

The upstairs café overlooks the street with the window-side table perfect for people-watching as you sip your brew. A menu of freshly baked cakes and pastries is also available to accompany your cuppa.

Tucked away in a basement on a quiet Daikanyama side street, Flying Bumblebee is the kind of bar that seems destined to spread by word-of-mouth. The entrance, via a nondescript concrete staircase, means you’re unlikely to stumble upon this place by chance. Once inside, the low lighting, sleek design and trip hop soundtrack make Flying Bumblebee feel like a secret you just can’t keep to yourself.

Owned and run by bartender Ai Igarashi, whose experience ranges from managing Ebisu stalwart Bar Trench to stints at Singapore’s D2tllry and Maison Ikkoku, Flying Bumblebee is decidedly different from your typical Tokyo cocktail bar. Instead of a standard setup with the bartender on one side and the customers on another, Flying Bumblebee has an open plan layout.

A dark marbled island bar dominates the room and there are stools on both sides, creating an instant sense of intimacy as Igarashi glides back and forth, serving drinks and chatting to regulars.

Spring Valley Brewery isn’t the only place with quality craft brews. While this clean and cosy venue may look small, Valve has a whopping 150 kinds of single malt on offer, alongside a tasty menu of classic Scottish pub fare. Of course this include fish and chips (from ¥1,400) as well as Shepherd’s Pie (¥1,700) and even haggis (¥1,400). 

On top of its vast whisky selection, the pub offers stouts and Scotch ales on tap by the pint and half-pint. Not a big drinker? Valve also brews coffee with beans ordered specially from Baku Coffee roasters, so you can have a cup of joe (¥800) with an oatmeal scone or slice of homemade cake (from ¥800).

No fancy truffle, foie gras or blue cheese toppings here. This long-standing burger joint in Daikanyama takes the minimal approach with fillings of lettuce, tomato and maybe some cheddar with nothing else to distract you from the patty itself.

It’s a burger that’s perfectly imperfect, with slightly uneven ridges and a messy drizzle of a sauce reminiscent of thousand island dressing, but don’t let its no-frills appearance fool you — the burgers here are far from your standard patties.

A5-grade wagyu is coarsely ground so that the hand-shaped patties can retain a good amount of texture before they are grilled, flipped, and sandwiched in a house-made bun. You can choose between one or up to four patties for your burger, depending on how hungry you are – but be prepared to queue as it’s a popular joint with only four seats for eating-in.

Set into a lofty former warehouse, a size rarely encountered in snugly fit Tokyo, this brewery is popular with both locals and visitors to the city. It may be owned by beer behemoth Kirin, but Spring Valley Brewery offers beers of the craft variety. They are brewed on-site, visible behind enormous glass panels. 

The brewery’s six-variety lineup includes the crisp, bitter 496; the rich, fragrant After Dark; and the raspberry juice-infused Jazzberry. There's also an outdoor area to make the most of the good weather.