Sarutahiko Coffee The Bridge

As my flight into Tokyo was quite early this trip, I had a lot of time to spare before I could check in to my room. I decided to head towards the Meiji Shrine area to look for a cafe to have breakfast, and Sarutahiko Coffee caught my eye

Located at the exit building of Harajuku station, where you get to Meiji Shrine, the cafe is on the 3rd floor of the Bridge Building

The cafe was surprisingly empty on a Saturday morning since I arrived pretty early, before 9 am. The cafe’s design is a mix of industrial grunge and modern Japanese elements, like the wooden paper screen doors and log tables. The cafe is quite spacious and has different casual seating areas for customers to pick their preference. There is also a small area where they sell coffee beans and related merchandise

There was mostly cold food available when I visited, like sandwiches and salad. They can also make the sandwich hot upon request. They do have some toast items as well, like cheese toast and butter toast, which are considered hot items

I ordered a hot mocha to start off, and their version was quite creamy and milky with a chocolatey flavour. The coffee flavour was quite subdued, so this would sit well for people who just want a dash of coffee flavour

I ordered a vegetable with chunky tomato and cheese sandwich, which was heated so the cheese melted nicely over the rest of the vegetables. The bread used was sourdough, which had a nice airy texture but was a little dry. The melted cheese and vegetables gave it some moisture, which made the sandwich easier to eat. Flavours were clean and simple without too much fuss

Overall, the food and drinks were quite basic, but the environment was relaxing and chill, with wide spaces between diners, so you can have privacy. The location is also great as it is right above the train station

Address: Japan, 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya, Jingumae, 1 Chome−18−20 Harajuku Station, 3階

Opening hours: 8 am to 10 pm