Before I headed to Tokyo for a 10-day visit, I asked the baristas at my favorite local coffeehouse if they knew of any good coffeehouses in Tokyo. Their owner told me that Glitch Coffee & Roasters is the place to go.
Was he right?
My First Visit To Glitch Coffee
As it turns out, Glitch has a location right near where my family was staying. Thanks to the effects of jet lag, we were up at about 5am local time. And Tokyo is not a city that seems to wake up early. We decided to head for Glitch by way of the Imperial Palace. We did our best to kill extra time along the way, including getting snacks and water at a different coffeehouse.
We still wound up getting to Glitch Coffee Roasters before they opened at 9am. Even then, a line had already formed. Fortunately, we were fourth in line. It was a slow-moving line, but this isn’t Starbucks.
Ordering At Glitch Coffee Roasters
Typically, ordering coffee is easy. You go to the counter and say what drink you want. It’s a little more involved at Glitch Coffee.
The first person we spoke to asked us for here or to go and what type of drink. She also suggested that Glitch is most-proud of its pourovers and espresso, but will also do lattes. For me, lattes are a bit too milky. I asked if they could do a cortado, and they could so that’s what I picked. My wife opted for a pourover. We paid (prices go from about 1,000 to 3,000 yen per drink) and moved onto the next step.
Second Step: Picking The Right Coffee Bean
The Glitch employee then helped us decide on the right bean for our drinks. Usually, you might have a choice of a few different roasts at a good-quality coffeehouse. Some might only offer one. I lost count of the options at Glitch.
The employee asked what sort of flavors we like in our drinks — I usually lean toward fruity or chocolatey. I don’t like nutty quite as much. She took our preferences and suggested a few different beans. We made our selections, got some glasses of water and had a seat (the space only fits about 10 people). We also got cards with information about the roasts we selected: The info included aroma, sweetness, origin, aftertaste, processing notes and the altitude where it was grown (among other details).
Drinking Our Coffee
About 10 minutes later, we had our coffee. It arrived in some very cool glassware, and the pourover even included a carafe with extra coffee to top off the cup. My cortado didn’t have latte art, just a plain but high-quality cup with a layer of crema.
From the first sip, it was obvious that this was not an ordinary cortado. It was just slightly warm (the way I think a cortado should be) and had a pronounced strawberry flavor. It was subtle but unmistakable. I had to reign in the urge to slurp it down — I wanted to linger and enjoy it a bit longer. Even my wife, who is not a big cortado drinker, was blown away by the flavor. It had absolutely no bitter or sour flavors that you sometimes get with cortados.
Sampling The Glitch Pourover
The Glitch Coffee Roasters pourover was cooler in temperature than I’m used to with a pourover. But that seemed to make it easier to drink and easier to enjoy the flavor. The first thing I noticed was how clean and dry it tasted — there was almost no aftertaste. It had a nice chocolate flavor to it, but again, it was all about subtlety.
The Overall Vibe At Glitch Coffee
The inside was a bit dark and a bit cramped with equipment. It’s not the sort of place you go to to bang away at your laptop for hours. There’s an old record player for anyone who might want to spin some vinyl.
The employees clearly know their business, but they’re also friendly. They definitely respond well to customers who realize they’re in for a special experience.
Speaking of which, getting a coffee from Glitch Coffee & Roasters is worth the wait. I saw one group of travelers wait in the line for about 5 minutes before bailing out. Maybe they’re just not that into coffee and just wanted caffeine to fuel a day of running around Tokyo. But if you appreciate coffee, stay in the line and reap the benefits.
A Second Visit To Glitch
I couldn’t leave Tokyo without one more visit to Glitch. This time, I was closer to the Ginza location. Rather than a cortado, I had my mind set on a double espresso.
Massive Attention To Detail
When I told the first barista that I wanted an espresso, he asked if I wanted a single. I told him that I wanted a double … and he looked just slightly uncomfortable. I added “unless you think a single is better for some reason.”
He told me that one side of the spout doesn’t taste as good, so he’d recommend a single. Since he was the expert, I agreed. I instead wound up with two single espressos, each from a different bean.
This turned out to be a great idea because the two roasts were so different from each other. One had a lot of chocolate and orange, while the other had a tinge of red wine to it.
If this matters to you, this location has more seating. It might be better if you’re traveling with a group.
The Bottom Line: Go To Glitch If You’re Really Into Coffee
Glitch isn’t for everybody. You have to be willing to wait and you should also be willing to listen. These people know their craft and they’re not likely to steer you wrong. If you have some patience and like seeing experts at work, don’t miss out on trying Glitch Coffee.
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