Cafes of the Cacho, Tijuana

The Cacho was the first neighborhood I stayed in Tijuana and I was so impressed with the overwhelming number of great cafes they have on literally every corner. Many of these my friend already knew about and recommended to me, but others I discovered on my own by merely walking around and looking. 

La Stazione 

This was the first place I went in all of Tijuana. My friend’s favorite drink is not even a coffee beverage – it's the Sosticio – a jasmine tea with hand-pressed grapefruit juice. I love this café because of the open atmosphere and abundant seating both indoors and outdoors.

Das Cortez 

Das Cortez is a chain in Tijuana and I instantly fell in love with their lavender latte the first time I tried it. So far, I have been to three branches of this café in Tijuana and I would like to attend them all. This is exactly what I think of when I think of a quintessential café for a nomad. 

El Pan Nuestro 

This sweet and stylish place makes the most amazing cakes. I had the mango vanilla cake both times I visited.

Varon 

This tiny shop made a great iced vanilla latte to go one hot afternoon. I really like the vibe here and hope to be back.

Baristi 

Baristi is another local chain where I visited two branches. I don’t like it has much a Das Cortez because they don’t have lavendar and their interios feels more corporate and generic, but I enjoyed my vanilla latte.

Jacu 

This small shop is shares a space with a syrup producer so you have to be buzzed in the front door. I ordered a lavender latte and found it very similar to Das Cortex which I enjoyed.  

Errant 

Another tiny road-side establishment services espresso drinks and donuts. I enjoyed my latte from a narrow bar counter overlooking a parking lot.

Café Profile: Artisan, Chiang Mai

I almost don’t want to write about this café because it is one of the few quiet places left in the bustling Nimman neighborhood of Chiang Mai. I want to keep this little gem for myself, so that I can continue to be the only one there in the afternoons. But alas, I am a generous soul and I must share this great place with the world.

In addition to being charming, atmospheric, and quaint, Artisan has fast wifi, delicious drinks, and the best almond-croissant I’ve ever had.

Good luck finding it in one of the back alleys by the YMCA. I found it by accident while walking back from another place. 

Reference the Google coordinates for exact location: 18.799553,98.977561

Brown Book Café: My Go-To in Sapporo

Many Japanese look forward to early May as the time of Golden Week, a sequence of five national holidays that allow for unusually long vacations. I spent my Golden Week in Hokkaido, with four days of it being in the largest city Sapporo.

I did little planning before arriving in the city, but like all my frolics in Japan, I envisioned spending most of my time at case. Before leaving for Hokkaido and just after arriving,  I tried and failed to find a Café Guide for Sapporo, like the ones I had found for other cities. Seeing this as an ominous sign, I began to worry about the café offerings in this northern city.

At the recommendation of a friend who lives in Sapporo, I visited three cafes that she described as “good places to write.” While I was able to bring my laptop to all of them, they were lacking in atmosphere and lattes. Bitter and dejected, I trudged home from a failed coffee expedition and happened upon a curious building. My eyes wondered into the dimmy lit bar on the first floor, and up to the windows of a clothing store on the second floor, then I spotted the words “café.”

The Brown Book Café.

A sign on the sidewalk pointed to a staircase, “books, coffee, and cake,” it read.

I decided to give it a try.

At first glance the staircase appears to lead to apartments on the upper levels, but when I spotted the aqua blue wall and old black and white film posters, I knew I had found the right place.

With a light push on a rickety wooden door, you are immediately transported into an attic in 1920s Berlin. Yellowed children’s book in many European languages lined the walls in shelves up to the ceiling. Pillar of decades-old fashion magazines rose from the table tops. I weaved through the maze of books to the café section, a tiny arrangement of old wooden furniture。Cluttered and dimly lit, the café boasted a large glass window which provided a private glimpse into the glittering streets of Sapporo.

So let’s see how this place measures up to my criteria:

1. Coffee and Espresso in the form of frothy and sweetened lattes:

Yes! Finally found a place in Sapporo that serves more than a “café au lait.” I ordered their almond latte and was very satisfied.

2.    Wifi

Didn’t try. I read a book while looking out the window.

3.    Ordering at the counter, and not having a waiter check up on you

Yes. The nice man in thick-framed glasses and a lab coat did bring me water, but since it is a book café (and not a busy one at that) I’m sure they would not mind if I stayed for hours.

4.    Seating for singles

Yes, the small wooden tables comfortably seat two, but it wasn’t busy and it felt fine to be occupying the table by myself.

5.    The ability to bring your laptop and sit there uninterrupted for at least two hours without feeling pressured to order something else or leave

Yes. Besides drinks, they only serve small cakes, so there is no expectation that you’ll be eating dinner there. There is no printed menu for food, and the daily selection of cakes is written on a board near the counter.

I strongly recommend Brown Book Café if you are looking for an offbeat place to chill. If you every have the urge to hide in an attic and read a book, this place is for you.

My Go-To in Kyoto: Café bibliotic HELLO!

For me, this place was love at first sight. Nestled in a quiet narrow road just north of Karasumaoike station, palm trees shield the café from all but a casual glance.  Inside, this two-story structure boasts a sundry collection of old Japanese books and magazines, a sizable food and beverage menu, an an ambiance that chances depending on where your sitting.

My first time to  Café bibliotic HELLO! (yes, the exclamation mark is part of its name) I sat at a large communal table on the first floor. It’s the place for singles on a busy day. Like me, all were in the company of their laptops. From where I sat, I had a view of their floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Service was purposely slow. They want you to take your time. They don’t rush you to order or hurry you to leave.

I quickly became addicted to their seasonal Honey Ginger shake, which had the spice of ginger and the sweetness of honey, with exactly the right ratio of milk and ice cream.

The second visit I sat in one of the two coveted seats upstairs, Upstairs the atmosphere is completely different. The sofa and coffee table seem to facilitate romantic conversation while looking over the edge of the balcony onto the ground floor.

In the back of the cafe on the first floor a large window opens to a bamboo garden. Small groups of friends or coworkers are loudly chatting.

Because of its diverse seating and the change of settings through in each of its areas  Café bibliotic HELLO! feels like six cafes in one. Each time I go I have a new experience, which is all the more reason to return. I’m talking about the quiet back streets in Karasuma, not the shop-filled streets of Shijo. When I spend four days in Kyoto I spend walking from one café to the next, talking to strangers, and telling stories, not peeking at the world through the lens of a camera, or hurriedly reading up on the details of an ancient temple, or trying to read a map instead of just simply looking around.

Kyoto is a city for the senses. It’s a quiet place.

 It has an easy going culture which sharply contrasts with the anxiety that colors most Japanese cities.

It is a place to be savored, not scheduled.

My Go-To In Hiroshima: Bluebird Cafe

In my quest for awesomely local cafes in Japan, I have the good fortune of living a mere two hours from a city which is famous for its eccentric locally grown cafes: Hiroshima.

While the city boasts many wonder options for cafes, my favorite is a little joint a half hour form the city, called the BlueBird Café.

Nestled right in front of the JR Miyajimaguchi train station, this gem alone is worth the half-hour, 400-yen train ride from Hiroshima Station, and is definitely a must-see if you are going to Miyajima Island.

\

The first floor of the café is a small shop selling quirky goods. From the street, it almost doesn't even look like a café. The order counter is tucked away in the corner just behind a huge display of homemade pastries.

The menu boasts an extensive offers of unique lattes and other espresso creations. After ordering guests walk up the narrow staircase to the second floor, with desks, tables, and couches.

If the comfortable seats and laid-back atmosphere isn’t enough to keep you lingering, you could probably spend an entire day just exploring the decorations on the second floor. From the newspaper ceilings, to the Japanese poetry books, to vintage children’s toys, there are certain a lot of distractions to keep you occupied. 

It is a cozy and quiet atmosphere.

The customers of this café tend to be pairs of women, or the occasion small groups of teenagers will be quietly studying on the large main table. However, there is one guest who I always look forward to seeing, the owner’s cat, who is constantly occupying at least one of the cushions in the café.

On this particular day, she even had her own blanket.

Now, let’s see how this place measures up on my checklist:

1.     Coffee and Espresso in the form of frothy and sweetened lattes:

Definitely. In addition to the standard offerings of Hazelnut, Vanilla, etc, they even have seasonable specials line Honey or Peppermint.  

2.     Wifi:

Check. 

3.     Ordering at the counter and not have a waiter check up on you:

Check. Since the counter is downstairs, you are out of sight of the staff. They only come upstairs to serve the drinks or pastries, other than that you are totally alone. 

4.     Seating for singles:

Check. There are small tables designed for two, but it's not weird if one person sits there. 

5.     The ability to bring your laptop and sit there uninterrupted for at least two hours without feeling pressured to order something else or leave:

Absolutely. This place is chill. It's easy to spend an entire day here relaxing, eating, and reading.