Onibus Coffee
Since beginning our travels, coffee shops have become our homes away from home. They're that spot we take a load off when between neighborhoods. A sign of recognizable civilization when we've taken one too many wrong turns. Most of the time its the only reliable internet connection that we will gladly trade for about four bucks even when we don't need the caffeine.
Onibus Coffee is one of those tiny havens we found tucked away near a small park and train station near where we stayed in Naka-Meguro, Tokyo. During our week of passing through the coffee shop many, many, times over we got acquainted with Shuhei Yasutake, Onibus Coffee's quality control and roaster, and learned a little about the place we were spending so much time in.
Onibus simply means "public bus" in Portuguese, and Shuhei says the shop itself is meant to be a 'bus stop' of sorts—a place for community to come and meet, have a cup, and then be on their way. Of course the coffee is great, but given the architecture, lush plants and open patio space, who wouldn't want to hang out here? They have been roasting and selling their own beans wholesale for about four years and it can be found being served all over Tokyo (we even spotted it in Kyoto). Their Naka-Meguro location is their newest cafe under their own name, where they roast all their beans, and the place is always brimming.
Shuhei has been the head roaster for about a year and works his craft diligently. We constantly spotted him tracking temperatures, testing various roast formulas, and of course pouring customers killer cups of coffee. Onibus sources all their beans from the Honduras where Shuhei maintains a close relationship with the farmers.
Hopefully we didn't monopolize too much of the cozy space while we worked, planned, called our families, and of course, enjoyed many delicious cups of coffee from.
Onibus Coffee Nakameguro
〒153-0051 Tokyo, 目黒区 Kamimeguro, 2−14−1
www.onibuscoffee.com
