Goodman Roaster Kyoto — Restaurant in Kyoto

We found Goodman Roasters on a quiet street, the kind of place you don’t search for—but find, like a tune stuck in your head you’ve never heard before. The building was modest, but something about it told you the inside mattered more than the outside.

The staff welcomed us with a kind of warmth that felt handwritten—bright and real, not rehearsed. As if they were glad you showed up, not just out of politeness, but out of some unspoken understanding between strangers.

The space was calm, clean, filled with the soft glint of pour-over tools—Kalita, Hario V60—lined up on wooden shelves like sacred objects in a quiet temple. This wasn’t a café that rushed anything. It was a place where things were done properly.

Behind a wall of glass, a woman roasted beans in a large in-house roaster. She moved slowly, like someone who understood the language of heat and time. The machine hissed and whispered in a rhythm you could almost mistake for breathing. Watching her was like watching someone tend a fire—not for warmth, but for meaning.

I ordered an iced long black—Ethiopia Sidamo. It came in a short glass, clear and understated. No garnish. No drama. Just the coffee, as it was. Apricot, apple, acerola, honey, black tea—each sip unfolded quietly, like a memory you hadn’t revisited in years. The kind of flavor that doesn’t just impress you—it stays with you.

We shared a slice of carrot cake. Soft, lightly spiced, with a frosting that balanced sweet and salty like dusk holds both light and shadow. Not too much, not too little. Just enough to make you pause.

Goodman Roasters doesn’t try to be anything other than itself. That’s its power. There’s coffee, roasted by hand just meters away. There’s cake that makes you smile without knowing why. And there’s space—space to sit, to breathe, to taste.

Not many places make you feel like time has gently stepped aside....

A trendy, upscale coffee roaster with warm staff and delicious cake. I was happy to find flat whites on their menu, since those don’t seem as common at coffee shops in Japan. The drinks are really quite small, but made with skill and care.

I was also surprised to see carrot cake! I don’t think I’d ever run across it in Japan before. When I tried it, I immediately recognized it wasn’t the American-style carrot cake I was used to. I was a little sad about missing out on the nostalgic flavor I’d been hoping for. However, I keep visiting the roaster time and time again just for that cake!

The cake itself is moist and has raisins and other dried fruit inside. The presentation is beautiful, the cream frosting is deliciously light and refreshing, and the crumbled pistachios and almonds on top add a nice crunch. The size is also quite satisfying, especially for Japan!

The first time I visited, the cashier insisted on replying in English to all of my questions, which were posed in Japanese. It seemed like she might have been new though, or maybe overexcited to finally have a chance to speak English after the borders opened. Either way, a bit of an awkward experience. Every time I’ve visited since then, though, the staff have recognized me and responded in Japanese that matches my skill level, which I really appreciate.

If I still have one complaint, it’s that some of the seating is uncomfortable. The eclectic assembly of mismatched chairs and tables creates a wonderful ambiance, but I’ve sat at a low chair with such a low table, I had to fully extend my legs just to fit...

I'd been by this shop a couple times at night when they were closed and thought it looked interesting, so I figured I'd make it a point to pay them a visit sometime when they were actually open.

I came here with the intention of buying a cup of coffee and a bit of cake to start the day, but after noticing that a black coffee was going to run me 1050 yen, I opted for just the coffee.

Goodman Roaster is a roomier coffee spot than most, but seating was still scarce when I arrived. It's a good thing I found a seat, though, because my black coffee took a really long time to get to me. Other parties arrived after I did, ordered, and left with their drinks before I'd gotten mine.

When my coffee did arrive, it was a pretty good cup. The tasting card promised notes of muscat, and damned if I didn't smell and taste some muscat notes in that cup. Not my favorite flavor profile, but I appreciate that the roaster and the barista were able to coax the flavors out of the beans that they advertised.

The place is a bit on the noisy side when it's full, so don't expect to have a relaxing cup of coffee while you read if it's a busy day. All in all, a coffee shop that knows what it's doing, and is...