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3 Recommended Coffee Shops with Relaxing Space and Instagood Sweets to Stop by at while Sightseeing in Famous Metal Manufacturing Area “Tsubame Sanjo”

ITOYA CAFÉ

Tsubamesanjo area in Niigata prefecture takes about 2 hours by Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo Station. Known as a town of metal manufacturing both in Japan and overseas, it is also the location where the popular drama “Shitamachi Rocket” was filmed. This time, we picked up 3 coffee shops from traditional style to the latest cafes, where you can enjoy exquisite sweets while sightseeing around Tsubamesanjo area. All 3 stores can be visited from the main station, Tsubamesanjo Station directly by train or bus.

Enjoy the old-fashioned coffee shop menu handmade by the master in “Café London”, as if you were in the 1970s with space invaders game and pudding à la mode

喫茶ロンドン(Cafe LONDON)
Photo by @y_a_h_07

“Cafe London” (喫茶ロンドン) is marked by a retro Showa building and a sign with a large store name. It is a pure coffee shop that opened in 1967. When you enter the store, you will find a space like a movie set with tables and sofas that make you feel the season, and a “Space Invaders game” that is currently in operation. In such a nostalgic atmosphere, you can enjoy a variety of the master’s lovingly handmade menus such as Neapolitan, sandwiches and parfaits. The recommendation is “Special London a la Mode”. The main homemade pudding is delicious, with fruits such as apples and bananas decorating the classical vessels. The elastic pudding has a gentle taste that makes you feel nostalgic. The low-sweetness cream is the exquisite complement of the ingredients that makes you cannot stop.

Opening Hours11:30AM – 12:00AM
Address4436 Tsubame, Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture
AccessA 6-minute walk from Tsubame Station which is one station away from Tsubamesanjo Station on the Yahiko Line
URLhttps://tabelog.com/niigata/A1501/A150102/15008007/

Heal you mind with the fragrant siphon coffee and the chocolate pen art in “ITOYA CAFÉ” if you are interested with playful building design or private rooms

ITOYA CAFÉ
Photo by @y_a_h_07

“ITOYA CAFÉ” has an impressive triangular roof building surrounded by trees and flowers. There are various styles of audience seats and private rooms in the store, which is full of openness and has a bright ceiling. There are plenty of elements that make you want to visit again and again, such as counter seats provided in a staircase, box seats like a hideaway, and a theater room that can be reserved for two or more people. In ITOYA CAFÉ, authentic coffee, which is made by grinding beans after receiving an order and carefully brewing them with a siphon, is very popular because you can also enjoy about 2-cup volume. You can get a 200-yen discount if you order a cake at the same time. Choose your favorite from regular menus such as black tea chiffon cake and baked cheesecake, to new ones that offer regularly. The gentle sweet cake is perfect for a strong and deep coffee and the chocolate pen art that the staff draws on the plate will also heal your mind.

Opening Hours10:00AM – 7:30PM Closed on Monday
Address2-19-10 Aramachi, Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture
AccessA 15-minute walk from Kita-Sanjo Station which is one station away from Tsubamesanjo Station on the Yahiko Line
URLhttps://tabelog.com/niigata/A1501/A150102/15017480/

Savor authentic Japanese food and cafe menu in “Washoku Cafe En”, especially the popular exquisite parfait created by Japanese food craftsmen

“Washoku Cafe En” (和食カフェ えん) opened in 2019 by the chef who worked at a famous Japanese food restaurant in Niigata prefecture. Strongly recommend the coffee made from the original “En Blend” coffee beans that are ordered to blend by coffee shop “KONA SNOW Coffee Roasters” with a veteran roaster of 40 years of coffee experience. It features a light taste that does not interfere with the taste of food and sweets. We also recommend the “Strawberry Parfait,” which is the most popular of the various sweet’s menus. A luxurious parfait filled with fresh strawberries, strawberry sauce, strawberry ice cream, and strawberry cream. Don’t miss it because it’s a seasonal menu until mid-May. Of course, the elaborate authentic Japanese food lunch is also popular, so it is recommended to enjoy cafe time after lunch.

Opening Hours9:00AM – 6:00PM/Weekend and Public Holidays 5:00PM – 10:00PM (open as only Japanese tavern)
Closed on Mondays and 3rd Sunday
Address3-19-21 Suidocho, Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture
Access9 minutes by bus from Tsubamesanjo Station, 16-minute walk from Tsubame Industrial Materials Museum Station
URLhttps://washokucafe-en.com/lunch/

Base of this trip