here Kyoto

here is the solo venture of Junichi Yamaguchi, the 2014 Coffee Fest Latte Art World Champion and a former barista who set out to build a shop around precision and simplicity. Opened in 2019 near Nijo Castle, it's a minimalist, concrete-walled industrial space — and, by deliberate choice, espresso-only: no pour-over, just beautifully pulled shots and the world-class milk art that made Yamaguchi's name. The beans are roasted in-house, with rotating single origins (often natural-process Ethiopias) you can choose at the counter, plus signature roasted-green-tea and matcha lattes. It's also one of the more genuinely work-friendly cafés in town, with fast Wi-Fi and USB chargers at the tables — though it fills up, thanks to a cult reputation for canelé and a caramelised French toast people cross the city for. Come for the shot, stay for the pastry case.