A review of an independent coffee roaster, Cafe 634 in Ginza, Tokyo. Notes are by an amateur coffee enthusiast and shoestring digital nomad. Descriptions are equal parts coffee and remote-work suitability. Most photos are shot with a second-hand Fujifilm X100.

Cafe Overview:

Located between Ginza’s central shopping street and Tsukiji Fish Market, Higashi (East) Ginza is a discrete few blocks of small alleys and restaurants determined to stay under the tourism radar. Sitting on one of the side alleys, Cafe 634 might seem like an office or design studio to a brisk walker.

Cafe 634 serves Perch Coffee beans and has single origin drip and french press options or espresso-based drinks. The drip options include a daily special as well as single origin beans. Their take-out options begin at ¥300.

The upstairs seating opens at 11:30am to serve lunch and the staff don’t mind if you stay for hours doing your own thing. Note that the cafe has no Wi-Fi or outlets.

Food options include in-house baked goods that can be taken out or eaten in. Some of the bagels have plain, but others have fillings.

I’ve come twice for lunch and the mains have been different each time. The lunch menus is ¥1000 for soup, two side dishes, one main, and a choice of starch (white rice, multigrain rice or a bagel). I’ve had the black sesame tofu (ごま豆腐), which comes with a sweet and savoury paste. Other sides can include beans, leafy greens, or other meat items. The mains are consistent with most “cafe-style” dishes, but the specific dishes often have a subtle twist. For example, these two spring rolls wrapped a perfectly moist whole piece of chicken each, lightly flavoured with cheese and mustard.

Their Story / What I like About Them:

Even though the upstairs area only opens at lunch, the ground floor is available on weekdays from opening time at 9:00am, which makes it a great place to start work early in the morning. Plus, they serve great coffee that’s worth picking up on the go.

Good For:

• Coffee: French press, pour over, espresso (eat in, take-out)
• Food: Pastries, lunch sets, cake
• Cafe Space: bar seats on G/F, approx seating for approx 20 people on the 2/F
• Friends: Hangouts, catching up, reading
• Workspace: Spacious and bright seating
• Remote Work: Bring your own pocket WiFi, no plugs

If you liked this post, check out my list of Off-Centre Tokyo Cafes.