Tsutaya Coffee Tea & Bags — Restaurant in Takayama

Recently I just happen to bump into shops or sellers having rave reviews by others but had given me terrible experience and this is another one of them. I share with one reviewer here about this terrible grumpy old man who greeted us ok first when we entered into the empty shop. My wife ordered 2 (not cheap by Japan standard) coffees meaning to sit down and relax a short while after couple of hours’ walk in the lively town. She didn’t say takeaway (and he didn’t bother to ask) but he placed the coffee in a paper cup, served only one and said we ordered only one to takeaway (language barrier in Japan is still very high I thought). When he saw the slightest hint that we brought out some sweets from a paper bag, he quickly gestured with crossed arms and a stern face (we take it as a warning of no outside food). He must have been in a hurry to shut up shop as it was near closing time but it was absolutely no way to...

We came by right at opening on a Sunday, and the place quickly filled up—mostly with tourists. The service was good and they serve a solid cup of coffee. The turntable playing jazz was a nice touch. This used to be a bag and shoe store, and they still...

Sadly, this lovely place is run by a miserable man. I’m sure it good coffee, and we really wanted some, but we walked out when he said we needed to order because “it isn’t a free lounge”. But he’s the only dark side to this happy...