Stockholm Roast, Tokyo

The Stockholm Roast logo from the wall on the Tobacco Stand in Tokyo.Stockholm Roast was a chance discovery on my way to the office during the second of my two trips to Tokyo in 2018. At the time, it was inside the Tobacco Stand, an old-fashioned smoke shack, for want of a better word, but this closed in September 2019, with Stockholm Roast taking over as a standalone operation.

There’s not much to Stockholm Roast, just a small, square kiosk with a couple of stools inside at the counter, plus two tables, a wooden sofa and an armchair outside in a sheltered seating area. There are a pair of takeaway windows, one here, the other on the street, with a handful of stools, but otherwise that’s it.

Stockholm Roast gets its coffee from the roaster of the same name in Sweden, with the Transatlantic Blend on espresso, all the shots pulled on a La Marzocco Linea Mini espresso machine. This is joined by another blend (Tokyo) and two or three single-origins on pour-over, while if you’re hungry, there’s a daily selection of fresh cakes and pastries.

You can read more of my thoughts after the gallery.

  • A chance discovery while walking to the office along Aoyama Dori. It's Stockholm Roast...
  • ... inside the Tobacco Stand. However, that was in October 2018. On my return...
  • ... in September 2019, I found it all shut up like this! Oh no! However, my disappointment...
  • ... was short-lived. By the end of the week it had re-opened as a standalone operation.
  • Stockholm Roast in September, the day it re-opened, seen approaching from my office.
  • The view straight on. It was still very much a work-in-progress at that point.
  • However, by the time I returned two months later in November, it was fully open.
  • Talking of which, here are the opening hours.
  • There are two serving hatches, one opening onto the street and the other on the left...
  • ... facing the covered seating area, where there's this three-person wooden sofa...
  • ... behind which is a three-person table.
  • There's also a matching armchair (to go with the sofa)...
  • ... and beyond that, another three-person table.
  • There are also a handful of stools dotted around by the serving hatches.
  • This is the main serving hatch, the one on the street being mainly for takeaway.
  • There's a range of fresh cakes and pastries for sale every day. This is from November...
  • ... while this was the selection from September, although it changes daily.
  • You can also sit inside, where there's a narrow gap at the back of the counter...
  • ... which runs all the way to the right-hand wall...
  • ... which is where you'll find the bright red La Marzocco Linea Mini espresso machine.
  • This is facing the serving hatch on the street...
  • ... which makes it perfect for watching espresso extract.
  • Naturally, I was delighted!
  • The pour-over set-up, meanwhile, is in the window at the front.
  • The walls, which were once lined with tobacco-related products, now hold...
  • ... a wide range of coffee-related products, and some non-coffee ones such as muesli.
  • Of course, there are bags and bags of coffee.
  • There's also this pottery, which caught my eye...
  • ... while these are the last vestiges of the Tobacco Stand days.
  • It's not all coffee though. Stockholm Roast has some lovely displays of flowers.
  • These roses (and the flowers before) are from my visits in September...
  • ... while these...
  • ... and these are from my visits in November (when it was still 20°C outside).
  • Obligatory light-fitting shot. This is from the Tobacco Stand days in October 2018...
  • ... while this is the same light bulb in September 2019.
  • By November, you'd think I'd have taken enough photos of it, but clearly not!
  • To business. Stockholm Roast has a concise coffee menu.
  • These were the beans on offer (two blends and two single-origins) in September 2019...
  • ... while here's the choice from November 2019, with three single-origins on offer.
  • The beans are also on display in jars on the counter by street-side serving hatch.
  • I was a regular visitor in September, starting my days with a flat white in my HuskeeCup...
  • ... made with the Transatlantic espresso blend.
  • Another flat white, this one with this lovely, long lasting latte art...
  • ... which lasted on the walk back to the office...
  • ... and was still there when I arrived back at the meeting.
  • Those were just a few of the flat whites I had, while I also popped in for espresso...
  • ... every now and then, all of which were served in a proper cup, of course.
  • Finally, there was pour-over, where I tried the Tokyo blend...
  • ... which I had in my Thermacup...
  • ... along with the single-origins, the Ethiopian Guji Highland heirloom...
  • ... and my favourite, the naturally-processed Finca Colombia.
  • On my return in November, there were more flat whites on my way to the office...
  • ... as well as an espresso or two, always served with a glass of water.
  • Such a lovely crema.
  • And finally, there was a pour-over or two, which you can watch being made through...
  • ... the hatch at the front. Mine was the one on the left...
  • Just need to let it filter through...
  • ... and then serve, this time in my Global Wakecup.
  • I tried the Brazilian single-origin, but my favourite was the Ethiopian Guji Highland heirloom.
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Stockholm Roast literally caught my eye while walking past on my way to the office during the second of two trips to Japan in 2018. On Aoyama Dori, just northeast of Omotesando Station and its junction with Omotesando Avenue, it’s in good company: Blue Bottle Coffee, Maruyama Single Origin and the new Café Kitsuné all inhabit the narrow streets just behind Stockholm Roast.

It’s part of the Commune, a long, narrow alley lined with bars, food stands and the like, with plenty of outdoor seating. Stockholm Roast’s location, in a kiosk on the right-hand side of the alley’s entrance, means that it catches both passing trade on Aoyama Dori (which is how it caught me) plus those going into the alley.

If you’re in a hurry, there’s a takeaway window on Aoyama Dori, so you don’t even have to go inside. Alternatively, head to the kiosk’s left, where there’s a small, raised, covered terrace with the outside seating. There’s another takeaway window here on the right, where the pastries are displayed, so if you are sitting outside, you can order without having to go in. Alternatively, head inside using the door to the left of the takeaway window.

Stockholm Roast is pretty much a cube, the back and right-hand walls (as seen from the street) lined with coffee and related products (plus some unrelated items, like muesli). The counter occupies the front of the kiosk, which takes up maybe two thirds of the floor space. There’s not much space, so it can be a bit of a squeeze, but there are a couple of stools at the counter if you want to sit inside, the perfect place to chat with the baristas.

Stockholm Roast quickly became my go-to place, a combination of its location, very friendly staff and, of course, excellent coffee, making it the ideal calling point both on the way to the office in the morning (it opens at nine o’clock, a rarity in Japan) and when popping out during the day (it’s close enough to the office that I can reliably get there and back during coffee breaks).

I visited on three consecutive days in 2018, trying the espresso, cappuccino (both using the Brazilian house-blend, Transatlantic) and a pour-over. I was back in Tokyo twice in 2019, once in September and again in November. As before, Stockholm Roast was my go-to coffee stop, and I enjoyed multiple flat whites in my HuskeeCup, as well as various pour-overs in my Therma Cup and Global WAKEcup. I also had a shot or three of the espresso.

If you want to know what I made of the coffee during my first visit in 2018, check out my original write up, while you’ll find details of all the coffee I had on my two trips in 2019 in my Coffee Spot Update on Stockholm Roast.


November 2019:  this is an updated version of the original post which was published in October 2018. You can see what has changed in my Coffee Spot Update.

December 2019: Stockholm Roast was a runner-up for the 2019 Best Takeaway Coffee Award.


3-13-246 MINAMIAOYAMA • MINATO-KU • TOKYO • 107-0062 • JAPAN
https://stockholmroast.jp
Monday 09:00 – 20:00 Roaster Stockholm Roast (espresso + filter)
Tuesday 09:00 – 20:00 Seating Counter; Table (outside)
Wednesday 09:00 – 20:00 Food Cakes
Thursday 09:00 – 20:00 Service Counter
Friday 09:00 – 20:00 Payment Cards + Cash
Saturday 11:00 – 20:00 Wifi Free
Sunday 11:00 – 20:00 Power N/A
Chain No Visits Original: 24-26th October 2018
Update: 5-6th, 9-13th September
5-8th November 2019

If you enjoyed this Coffee Spot, then take a look at the rest of Tokyo’s speciality coffee scene with the Coffee Spot Guide to Tokyo.


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6 thoughts on “Stockholm Roast, Tokyo

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