Syphon Coffee & Tea Space — Restaurant in Nagoya

A quiet and relaxing experience, Syphon Coffee and Tea Space is a must-visit for cafes in Nagoya.

Syphon is about a 2-minute walk from Exit 3 of Kokusai Center Station. The outside of the building is a brick business building with a plant and flower shop next to the entrance. There a paper lantern and some cute signage signaling where to go. Heading in, you take the elevator up to the second floor where the cafe is.

Coming out of the elevator, you are greeted by the fantastic smell of coffee and tea amongst a sea of bonsai trees and moody lighting casting tree shadows upon the walls.

Bonsai trees were perched on every customer table both for atmosphere and for framing pictures for social media. There is peaceful world music playing in the background that is loud enough to relax customers but not so loud that it's difficult to have a conversation.

There were a lot of places to sit, but since the cafe was fairly empty during this visit, I chose a table by the windows so I could gaze outside.

Looking at the menu, I was initially overwhelmed by how big it was. There is a lot of information detailing how the cafe works, the core ideas and concepts of the cafe, and the staff. There were many coffees around Japan to choose from, as well as Japanese and Chinese teas, herbal teas, non-coffee and non-tea drinks, and some savory and sweet dishes.

After deliberating with myself, I chose a dark roast blend called Yonaga strictly because of the owl artwork of the blend. At ¥1250, it may be steep for some. After enjoying the cup fully, I didn't mind the price. The blend was robust and delicious.

After asking the staff for a recommendation, I went with the matcha cake. I did not expect it to be as delicious as it was. The matcha used for the cake was of a high quality. It was not to sweet; the flavor profile was well-balanced. It was a gorgeous cake, too. At ¥1100, I was very satisfied.

Speaking of, the staff are incredibly kind and helpful while also taking their job seriously. If it's your first time, they will explain the menu in detail as well as inform customers about the cafe. They are attentive yet not overbearing.

If it's the weekend, you ABSOLUTELY need to make a reservation in advance. They have a reservation system, so be aware of that.

There is no WiFi or outlet availability at Syphon. Also, you can pay by cash or card.

They have some syphons for sale, as well as the bonsai trees that are both on the main table and on the customer tables.

There is also a special service called "Kokage Cafe." Syphon has a Shiba Inu mascot named Kokage, and at a few scheduled times a week, Kokage will make an appearance. Customers are allowed to reserve time with Kokage where they can enjoy coffee or tea while also spending time with the beloved Kokage. During this visit, I didn't avail myself to this service, but I plan to do so in the future. Keep in mind that this service costs extra.

I could go on and on about this place, but to put it simply: it's delicious, it's incredibly peaceful, and it's very easy to get to. My only complaint is its rising popularity will make it more and more difficult to find a table in the future, but it's easy to see why it is...

The most incredible coffee shop I’ve ever been to. They opened about a year and a half ago, and they serve excellent syphon coffee and tea in a space full of bonsai! They have everything set up for taking great photos! I tried a Colombian single origin Maya medium roast and a pudding, both excellent. My wife had an iced matcha latte, beautiful. Excellent concept and execution, these guys know how to deliver...

This coffee space is the best place in Nagoya to enjoy the high quality coffee and relaxing. Professional baristas serve the top notch coffee. In addition to the delicious coffee, the modern Japanese style atmosphere makes me warm and relaxing. If you like coffee, this is the place you should stop by. I really enjoyed the special Sakura...