After exploring Nagoya Castle, we were feeling a bit peckish — time for a coffee break! We hopped back onto the train from Nagoyajo Station to Hisaya-odori Station, came out from Exit 3A and took a short walk to Kato Coffee (加藤珈琲店).
There was already a short queue outside when we arrived.
The Wait at Kato Coffee Was Worth It
We stood in the cold outside the café as there wasn’t a huge seating area, so we had to wait. But honestly, it was a worthwhile wait.
Kato Coffee has a huge variety of coffee on offer. The menu’s all in Japanese though, so get your Google Translate ready to make sense of all the flavour descriptions and pick one you’ll like.
On their menu, you’ll find a variety of coffees categorised into Specialty Blends, Premium Blends, Specialty Straight Coffee, Cup of Excellence, Q Grade Coffee and Decaffeinated Coffee. If you’re a coffee connoisseur, you’ll probably know exactly what each of these means. For the rest of us, it’s a fun little adventure picking one to try.
They also sell their coffee beans separately. Before you commit to a 200g or 500g pack, you can try the coffee first at the café.
Japan’s Coffee Culture Is the Real Deal
What really impressed me is how Japan has its own distinct coffee culture. The locals clearly like their coffee strong and robust — because no matter which café I went to, every cup was a really strong and aromatic brew.
Thank goodness for Google Translate 😄
What We Ordered at Kato Coffee
We picked two different coffees from their Specialty Blends, 460 yen each:
- Extra Blend — hubby’s pick (2nd on the Specialty Blend menu), said to be dark and sweet.
- Soft Blend — my pick (last on the Specialty Blend menu), said to be smooth and not bitter.
Both coffees were aromatic and not acidic at all. Definitely a brilliant perk-me-up. Prices were pretty reasonable too.
The Ogura Toast (550 yen) — A Must-Order!
You must order this red bean butter toast. If Singapore has kaya butter toast, then Nagoya has Ogura toast. I never knew sweet red bean and salted butter could go so well together!
And the toast itself — oh my god, it’s probably one of the best I had on the entire trip. It’s thick, crispy on the outside, but bite into it and it’s so soft and pillowy on the inside.
Food Options at Kato Coffee
Don’t expect a huge selection of food here. It’s mostly toast and sandwiches, plus another one or two sweet options. By the way, if you pop by during breakfast hours until 10.30am, they offer sets that combine a toast or sandwich with egg and coffee. Great value if you’re starting your day here!
Should You Visit Kato Coffee?
Just a heads-up — this place is pretty much a coffee roaster cum café, more of a drink-and-go kind of spot. Not somewhere you can chill for long, especially with the queue outside. I’d feel bad lingering too long, haha.
But if you’re looking for a good cuppa in Nagoya, Kato Coffee is the place to go.
Closed on Wed
