Did you know that Starbucks Coffee has a store that is popular as a "neighborhood cafe" in the area, apart from the store that is familiar with the green logo? "Neighborhood and Coffee". There are 6 stores in Tokyo and 1 store each in Yokohama and Kobe (at the time of writing the article).

The exterior and interior are designed by each store, and the logo is different for each store, so at first glance you won't notice Starbucks. In addition, the menu offered is completely different from regular Starbucks .

That's why I went to check out the food and drinks I was interested in!

◆ I came to the Komazawa 1-chome store

This time I visited the Neighborhood and Coffee Komazawa 1-chome store. It is right next to Komazawa University.



The space right next to the entrance is a half-terrace seat, and you can enter with your dog. There is also a hook under the table to hold the lead, which is convenient!


On this day, a wide range of customers, from students to businessmen to couples who seemed to live in the neighborhood, were relaxing in the store.


Since there used to be a golf course around here, the counter table is made of the same hickory wood as the shaft of the golf club, and the lights hung from the ceiling are made of the same leather as the grip of the golf club. The feeling of valuing the connection with the community is also reflected in the design of the store.

◆ Drinks that take "a lot of effort"

Now, let's take a look at the drink menu. Then, there is no character of "Frappuccino" which can be said to be the representative of Starbucks, and there are a lot of different faces!


・ Creme brulee latte (650 yen, tax not included, same below)

This is a hot drink with the image of "creme brulee". When you order, the surface of the latte is sprinkled with sugar (French casonade) and roasted with a burner to caramelize it.


Wait for about a minute after it's made, and the sugar will harden and become ready to drink.


The crispy charred sugar is crushed with a spoon, and the latte that you can taste while biting crispy is novel and exceptional! Bittersweet and fragrant sweetness alternate, and the next bite will never stop. As the sugar on the surface gradually melts, the taste of coffee gradually changes.


You can choose your favorite coffee beans from 3 types (one of which changes monthly) (same for other coffee menus). If in doubt, ask the barista about the characteristics of each taste!


By the way, for Creme Brulee Latte, we recommend customizing the "homemade" vanilla syrup that is prepared at the store every day. The syrup, which is simply boiled with sugar, water and vanilla beans, has a nice fragrance, and when you put it in a latte, the dessert feeling is further enhanced.


・ Banana chocolate & ice cream (750 yen)

A luxurious drink that combines a whole banana with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. It is also topped with vanilla ice cream and cacao nibs. It will end as soon as there are no more bananas for the day.


If you drink while mixing plenty of chocolate sauce in the bottom of the glass, you can fully enjoy the rich texture and the deliciousness of "real" chocolate and banana. The grains of cacao nibs are rather large, and the crunchy texture and the bitterness that oozes out as you chew are accented.


The recommended customization is to remove the chocolate and cacao nibs, add raspberries and almond crush instead, and finally top with honey. In contrast to chocolate bananas, you will have a fruity, sweet and sour dessert drink, so please give it a try!

・ Mom's Apple & Tea (650 yen)

Hot chai made from steamed apple juice. The tea leaves of "TEAVANA", which was introduced at Starbucks the other day, are used for chai. The bottom of the cup contains plenty of crushed apple pulp.



The spicy chai and the mellow sweetness of the apples blend together. It contains a little orange juice, so it's refreshing with a slight acidity in the mouth. The flesh is crispy and crunchy, which enhances satisfaction when you finish drinking.


Also, although it is not on the menu, we also recommend the "back menu" "Frozen Cafe Mocha with Ice Cream" (800 yen), which the barista makes by making full use of customization. It is a combination of ice cafe mocha, chocolate sauce and vanilla syrup. Topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and coffee powder.



The balance between rich bitterness using double-shot espresso and melting sweetness is exquisite! Once you drink it, you will be captivated by its rich taste.

◆ Sweets that you can eat freshly baked

Next, check out the sweets menu that is only available at Neighborhood.

・ Creme Brulee (650 yen)

Creme brulee made using rich ground eggs. Like the creme brulee latte, when you order it, it sprinkles sugar on the surface and roasts it in front of you.



When you break through the crispy and fragrant surface, you will see a thick pudding. You can enjoy the gap between the texture inside and outside. The pudding has a rich egg flavor! It goes well with coffee.


・ Apple pie (700 yen)

A long-selling store since the opening of the first Neighborhood store, Futakotamagawa. An apple pie baked using Fuji apples from Aomori prefecture with cinnamon and all spices added. Serve with vanilla ice cream.


The warm pie is crispy, the apples are crispy and the texture is good, and it is fresh and juicy. Since the surface is coated with honey, it has a rich sweetness. It seems that half an apple (!) Is used for one cut of the pie, and it is excellent to eat.


Apple pie is baked every morning at 8 o'clock (after that, it is baked sequentially according to sales), so if you visit at the same time as opening, you can eat freshly baked apple pie!

・ Orange brownie (500 yen)

A brownie baked with sliced oranges made from fragrant Valencia oranges. Half size (250 yen) is also available.


The area near the surface is crispy, and the inside becomes moist and moist. It doesn't disappear immediately when you put it in your mouth, and it melts slowly on your tongue! The sourness and bitterness of oranges enhance the deliciousness of chocolate.

◆ A lot of sandwiches

Finally check the meal menu. We recommend sandwiches with lots of ingredients that will be served after warming up after ordering.

・ Classic ham & cheese sandwich (850 yen)

This standard sandwich is perfect for breakfast or lunch. Pork suzette ham, Monterey Jack cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes are sandwiched between loaf bread fragrantly baked in a stone kettle. Seasoned with Thousand Island dressing.


The ham is sliced, but it's full of volume, so it's full of volume! It has a moist and elegant mouthfeel, and each bite exudes umami and saltiness. The combination of mellow cheese, fresh lettuce and tomato that wraps this is delicious on an iron plate!


・ Pulled pork sandwich (950 yen)

It has a taste that goes well with alcohol and is perfect for dinner and evening meals. This sandwich is made by combining "pulled pork", which is made by slowly boiling chunks of meat, with gouda cheese, asparagus, red and yellow paprika, and cabbage.


Pulled pork is soft and soft, mixes with melted cheese and rolls on your tongue. The slightly sweet flavor is entwined with the umami of meat and cheese, and spices such as oregano and cumin are added here to make it extremely delicious .

◆ Have your own "special cup"

One of the pleasures is that you can talk slowly with the barista at the neighborhood shop where the air is relaxed and calm. It may be a good idea to tell the barista about your mood and taste preferences for the day and ask them to make a recommended customized drink.


By the way, you can customize soy milk, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, homemade syrup (simple vanilla), raspberry, crushed apple, cacao nibs, etc. Why don't you combine them freely and find your own "special cup"?


In addition to the Komazawa 1-chome store we visited this time, the list of Neighborhood stores is as follows.

Komazawa 1-chome store (1-24-5 Komazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)
Hatsudai 1-chome store (1-11-1 Hatsudai, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
Okusawa 2-chome store (2-38-9 Okusawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)
Ikejiri 2-chome store (Alibier Ikejiri, 2-27-7 Ikejiri, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)
Daizawa 5-chome store (Creeks Daizawa, 5-8-13 Daizawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)
Tamagawa 3-chome store (Rio Verte, 3-34-2 Tamagawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)
Shinishikawa 2-chome store (2-2-1 Shinishikawa, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa)
Nakayamatedori 2-chome store (2-24-1 Yamatedori, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture)