If you are a coffee lover, Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire (梟焙煎研究所) is the place to go close to Gōtokuji. You will find the locally rumored “ultimate espresso (究極のエスプレッソ)” there. Apparently, the owner, Takayama-san (髙山さん), previously worked at a Michelin three-star restaurant in France, hence the French café name and the delicious food and coffee served! Not only does Takayama-san personally make and prepare the food himself at Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire, but even the benches and tables are handcrafted!
The best thing about Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire is that it is a spot for anyone and everyone. Decaf drinks and juices are available for those who can’t or don’t like coffee. You will also fall in love with the cakes and pastries, such as apple pies and scones!
Moreover, a flat rate of 250 yen applies to all drinks for children up to elementary school students. Pets are also allowed in the café.
Table of Contents
- About Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire
- The Coffee at Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire
- Customizing Your Coffee at Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire
- Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire’s Business Hours and Access Information
About Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire
If you directly translate the café’s name, it means Owl Roasting Research Institute (梟焙煎研究所). The name came from Takayama-san’s memory of France, where houses used statues of cats and owls to decorate their roofs. Another reason for having an owl in the café’s name is that it is believed that owls bring happiness. Together with the beckoning cats at Gōtokuji, which are known to bring good luck, Takayama-san hopes his customers will be blessed after visiting his café.
Furthermore, you can see the tram running on the Setagaya Line from the cafe’s window. If you are lucky, the Manekineko Tram might drive past during your coffee break!
In addition to the quality of food and service, another reason to visit Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire is that you will be contributing back to society. At least 25% of the proceeds from the sale of coffee beans go to charities and to support coffee farming!
The cafe also tries its best to be more environmentally friendly, including eliminating plastic straws, plastic cups, and paper coffee filters. Coffee grounds are also used to make highly nutritious soil to grow vegetables and fruits.
The Coffee at Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire
Being trained at a three-star restaurant, Takayama-san aims to bring out the best in the ingredients used. It is his way of paying respect to the farmers and customers. Beans are roasted in-house in a Dutch roaster at a lower temperature than usual to bring out the original flavor of the beans.
Expresso is slowly brewed from carefully roasted beans. Therefore, it is a cup of the essence of the coffee beans that possesses a stronger bitterness, sweetness, and sourness. Instead of the usual expresso, the Drop Shot Tonic (ドロップショットトニック) is a mixture of espresso with tonic water. The drink combines the bitterness of espresso with the refreshing taste of tonic, mimicking a cocktail!
Customizing Your Coffee at Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire
As Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire is a coffee roaster, the coffee experience at Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire is different from most cafés. Although the café’s coffee menu is simple, you might be pleasantly surprised by the end result.
Once you let the staff know you want to order a cup of coffee, they will confirm your preference, including milk and bean’s roasting level. If you are unsure what sort of coffee you might like, the experienced barrister will give you suggestions based on your answers.
Most customers are highly satisfied with the coffee at Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire after the first sip. You might also be one of those people who would be surprised by how fruity a cup of coffee can be!
Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Chouette Torréfacteur Laboratoire is open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm from Wednesday to Monday or until sold out.
- The last order is taken at 5 pm.
- The cafe is a 5-minute walk from Odakyu’s Gotokuji Station (豪徳寺駅) or Setagaya Line’s Yamashita Station (山下駅).
Visit the Lucky Cat Temple: Gōtokuji
You are reading this article probably because Gōtokuji is on your itinerary for your upcoming trip to Tokyo. Whether that is the case or not, we highly recommend that you also read our article on Gōtokuji. Why? because it includes information about where to find the hidden maneki-neko! We are sure that your visit will be more memorable with the extra knowledge that you will gain from reading it.
Refer to our article on The Beckoning Cat Temple, Gōtokuji!
Explore Tokyo’s Hidden Gem, Kichijōji
If you are after a less busy part of Tokyo to spend a day but unsure where to head, we recommend visiting Kichijōji, a few stations away from Shinjuku.
While Kichijōji is in Tokyo, it still has its own vibe! Hidden in the urban jungle are many unique cafés and shops! We are sure you will be pleasantly surprised by the neighborhood voted “The Most Desirable Area to Live” in Tokyo!
Refer to our Kichijōji article for more information!
