During a late-night stroll, we encountered a unique café in the quaint city of Shizuoka, Japan. Hug Coffee is a small and popular coffee shop with a relaxed indie feel. Hug Coffee has other locations around Japan, and although this one is their tiniest, it’s definitely their coziest. Despite their drive-thru appearance, you’re not limited to ordering outside. Hug Coffee has an outside ordering system where you can view all drink options on a board at their coffee stand. Inside, you’ll find countertop seating! Sometimes, it can be a little crowded; if that’s the case, there is a bench available for seating and a table at the side of their café. Regardless of your choice, Hug Coffee leaves its windows and doors so you can feel the fresh air wrap around you no matter where you’re sitting.
Wall of Coffee Drinks
With an entire wall of options, figuring out which drink to order can take a while. I wanted to buy at least seven items from the list of available coffees. I ended up with a delicious Matcha Oat Milk Latte. Some of the items you can choose to order are Cinnamon Honey Cappucino, Cocoa, Ginger Chai, Frozen Latte, Matcha Shake, Royal Milk Tea Latte, Manumoka and more. Those were the more unique specialty coffees. You’re free to order a regular latte or brewed coffee if you wish. Alternate milks are also sold at this café (which I took full advantage of with my drink!) Many of their cool lattes include distinctive art on their foam, which makes the choosing experience all the more fun. I visited this café twice. Once at 11 p.m. (23:00) and again the next morning. Each time, a warm welcome and great-smelling espresso!
Tasty Breakfast Bagels
We can’t forget about food! Hug Coffee doesn’t either. This coffee shop offers Ham and Cheese Bagels and Pesto Bagels (which is what I ordered). They also sell a variety of pastries and coffee beans! To start a nice morning, these bagels fill you up. Along with a tasty cup of warm coffee, what more could you need? According to this cozy café, the coffee beans used are “specialty coffee” that has been thoroughly controlled for quality. The beans are grown in a natural and free environment to fully enjoy the original and authentic flavor of the coffee beans.
Hugs for Coffee
Hug Coffee takes pride in connecting with people by saying, “Culture connects people, and coffee blends into it.” According to them, they collaborate with artists from all over the country. Just like their name signifies, walking into this café’s environment does feel like a hug! The friendly baristas gave us free coffee candies and stickers on our first visit, making our time there more memorable. We loved this café so much we visited it a second time! If you’re ever traveling to Shizuoka, Japan, for Mt. Fuji, their hot springs, or the Yume no Tsuribashi suspension bridge– make sure to pay Hug Coffee a warm visit! Happy Leap Year ♡ !