I like starting my day with coffee - I love the taste of it, and the caffeine boost doesn't hurt either. I also hail from Melbourne in Australia, a city well known for its vibrant coffee culture, so that may have something to do with my obsession! There's a lot of pride in the coffee scene in Melbourne, so I was excited when I originally heard about the Aussie-inspired Frankie Melbourne Espresso a couple of years back. Located in the Tokyo suburb of Shimokitazawa, the cafe will momentarily have you thinking you've been transported to the land down under. Every time I visit Tokyo I try to stop by - it's that good.
The coffee here is legit, and they have flat whites, long blacks, and everything else you'd expect to see in a Melbourne cafe. They've also got tea and cold pressed juices if coffee isn't your drink of choice.
Alongside all of the beverage options, there are also a wide variety of Australian sweet treats to choose from. My personal favorite is the lemon slice, but there are also Anzac biscuits (think of a cookie incorporating rolled oats and golden syrup), hedgehog slice, and lamingtons (both the standard chocolate and coconut kind and a matcha flavor) on offer.
The seating area inside the cafe is quite small, so depending on the day and time of your visit it can be tough to snag a seat - it's quite a popular spot. In saying that, it's easy enough to grab your drink and sweet treat to take away with you.
Looking for other things to see and do in this part of Tokyo? Check out the Japan Travel guide to Shimokitazawa here.
