Be a Good Neighbor (Skytree)

     I found Be a Good Neighbor after going into “good coffee” withdrawals. After visiting some really great shops in Tokyo, I wanted to find a more local, domestic roaster within my district on the east-side of the city. Someone recommended that I check out Be a Good Neighbor. Luckily there was a location just…

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Dean & Deluca Tokyo

I have visited the Dean & Delucas in New York on a few occasions but  never had the chance to try their coffee. To be honest, when I went into the upper Eastside store and saw their beautiful LM GB/5 with a steam wand covered in milk scale, let’s just say, I was not exactly…

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Espresso Vivace (Sidewalk Bar and Flagship Store)

      For me and some good friends of mine, Espresso Vivace is like the holy grail of coffee. When I was training at my second shop, my boss gave me a copy of Dave Schomer’s Techniques of the Barista. He wanted me to learn some fundamental espresso knowledge that I clearly lacked. I read it in…

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びーんず亭(Beans Stop)

   During my recent trip in Japan, I never expected to find a place like Bean Stop. Earlier in the week, I had read an article about “Kyoto Coffee Culture” and was not thoroughly convinced. As much as US shops seem to indicate that “artisan coffee is booming in Japan” with the Kyoto Drip trend,…

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