Hatcoffee
For some coffee lovers, it’s not just a coffee’s taste that is important, but also its aesthetic appeal. Meeting both these requirements is Hatcoffee, a cafe that will hit the spot with its speciality – latte art.
Custom latte art
Kohei Matsuno, owner of the Hatcoffee and member of the Latte Art Association of Japan, first encountered latte art in 2009, at an Italian restaurant in Osaka.
It was after years of dedication to the craft that he opened Hatcoffee in June 2019.
Shopfront and interior of Hatcoffee.
Image adapted from: Yuji Koganei, oyabun, and はちみつ0812
The cafe is most known for its individualised latte art which lets customers order any image on their mobile phones to be drawn on their hot beverage, 2D or 3D. That means you can request for any anime characters or even your favourite boy or girl band idol to make an “appearance” – on your drink.
The cherry on the cake – or drink, in this case – is that you can pick from 8 different flavours of lattes: cafe latte, cafe mocha, choco latte, caramel latte, honey latte, tea latte, vanilla latte, and seasonal latte.
Image adapted from: @hat_coffee, HATCOFFEE, @hat_coffee, @hat_coffee, @hat_coffee, @hat_coffee, @hat_coffee, and @hat_coffee
Regardless of flavour and design choice, the custom latte art has a fixed price of ¥1,200 (~USD8.54). Furthermore, you can watch your assigned latte artist work their magic up close.
We’ve got to take our hats off to Hatcoffee for being considerate of their customers’ desire to watch the process.
Hatcoffee’s latte artist at work.
Image credit: Louis Canedo
Customers’ reviews
“I got my cup of god-level adorable latte art at Hatcoffee in Asakusa! The shop’s really otaku-friendly! You should try dropping by!”
Image credit: @mimema_mamemi
Several customers have sung praises of the unique latte art experience at Hatcoffee, with some expressing their intention to revisit the cafe.
“Blessed with this latte art on Hassun’s (male idol Kazuya Ohashi’s nickname) birthday… The food was good, too. I’ll definitely visit again!!”
Image adapted from: @edamame7pa
Additionally, the cafe has gained popularity with those who dabble in chokkori-san (ちょっこりさん; character plush toys designed to pose in photos).
Among them, some have tweeted photos of their chokkori-san and custom latte art featuring the same character.
“Character plush toy who’s impressed by the overly cute latte art (of himself).”
Image adapted from: @sz_grandmother
Getting to Hatcoffee
At Hatcoffee, both walk-ins and reservations are available. However, reservations are capped at 4 pax and will be cancelled 15 minutes past the appointed time. Groups that wish to make appointments with more than 4 pax are to contact the shop through Instagram DM or phone.
Additionally, those who wish to hold a birthday party or bring their pets along will have to fill in the supplementary information box in this link.
The cafe is situated in between Kuramae, Asakusa, and Tawaramachi Stations. It’s a 5-minute walk from the first station, and 7-minute walks from the latter two.
Address: 3 Chome-15-6 Kotobuki, Taito Ward, 111-0042 Tokyo
Opening hours: 11am-6pm, Daily
Contact: 0368-74-4750 | Hatcoffee website
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- Travelling to Japan in 2022
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- Fumotoppara Campground
- Tokiwaso Manga Museum
Cover image adapted from: @hat_coffee, HATCOFFEE, @hat_coffee, @hat_coffee, @hat_coffee, @hat_coffee, @hat_coffee, and @hat_coffee