Back Street Coffee

I know that many people say, “I don’t want to eat a huge meal first thing in the morning…” But there is definitely a certain demand for it, otherwise a shop like Back Street Coffee wouldn’t be so popular. This shop in Kyobashi, Osaka, is famous for its giant egg sandwiches and toast, and since it opens at 8:00 a.m., it attracts many customers, mainly big guys, from early in the morning.

I’d been vaguely interested in this place for a while, but kept putting off visiting it, thinking, “I can go anytime…” However, I happened to have some business nearby in the morning, so I finally mustered up the courage to go. When I actually visited, the place had a pretty strong impact beyond just the menu…

Hardcore, pop, and otaku chaos… Back Street Coffee is a place like this…

A few minutes’ walk from JR Kyobashi Station toward the Noe area, you’ll see a pop-style shop with blue walls and a red tent sign. This is Back Street Coffee, our destination for this trip. “I wonder if they serve large portions at such a pop-style shop…” I thought to myself as I opened the door. Inside, hard rap music was playing in the background, and a tough-looking guy was working in the kitchen (but he was very friendly when serving customers)… Seeing that, I nodded in understanding and entered the shop. On the first floor, there is a kitchen and 12 counter seats (there are also seats on the second floor), but even though it wasn’t completely full, many seats were already taken by 9 a.m.

As I sat down at one of the empty counter seats, I noticed a shelf right in front of me filled with Slam Dunk character figurines and other manga character merchandise… There were also several retro toys that might fetch a high price at an antique shop, and the room was lit by pink lights… There were also otaku-like elements that would excite people older than me. Hardcore, pop, and otaku-style chaos… If asked about my impression of Back Street Coffee, I’d probably describe it that way.

By the way, this store has a smoking section on the first floor and a non-smoking section on the second floor, but men are not allowed to enter the non-smoking section on the second floor alone (it’s okay if accompanied by women or children). Apparently, this rule is in place for security reasons, but I wonder if there was an incident that led to it? Personally, I think, “Can’t they do something about this rule?” Men who dislike smoking should be aware of this situation before using the store.  

How was the Back Street Coffee’s large egg sandwich, Bakustoground, when you actually tried it?

Now, let me introduce one of the large egg sandwiches I ordered at Back Street Coffee, Bakustoground (price including drink: 1,990 yen including tax). After waiting about 15 minutes, the large egg sandwich was brought to my table, looking like this…  

Between two slices of bread that are about 7-8 cm thick, there is egg salad, omelet, ham, cheese, and tomato packed tightly. There are three of these huge sandwiches in total… It’s hard to convey in the image, but even when you see it in person, the “large egg sandwich” sign is completely accurate.

But how do you eat this ultra-thick egg sandwich? It’s not something you can eat with one hand, and its thickness far surpasses Kyoto’s famous Kissa Madrague’s “Corona Egg Sandwich.” There are no knives or forks, so you have to eat it with your bare hands. When lifting it, the egg salad drips out, and its size makes it extremely difficult to eat.

Still, when I held it to my mouth, the surface of the bread was nicely toasted and fragrant, and the egg salad made with five eggs, ham, cheese, and tomato all came together in a chaotic mix in my mouth. There’s nothing particularly outstanding about the taste, but the overwhelming amount of egg salad flooding into my mouth completely changes the texture compared to a regular egg sandwich. Thanks to the abundance of ingredients, even though the bread is thick, it doesn’t leave me feeling thirsty at all. Additionally, since much of the bread’s volume is air, I was surprised to find that I could finish it all so easily despite its size…  

By the way, at Back Street Coffee, any uneaten bread can be wrapped in aluminum foil and taken home. Additionally…

There are various self-service condiments at the back of the store, so you can experiment with different flavors using them. Since there’s so much volume, it might be worth trying various combinations. It could be fun to repeat the process and find your preferred flavor.  

Other large portion menu items at Back Street Coffee (prices include tax)

Dragon Slayer 1,590 yen

• King Ghidorah 2,500 yen
• Higa OUT OF CONTROL 2,190 yen
• Ryukyu Kingdom 1,990 yen
• BIG BANG 1,890 yen
• Underground 1,800 yen
• PANIC THE EGG 1,800 yen

You can also order regular-sized egg sandwiches… Back Street Coffee is a 7-minute walk from Kyobashi Station on the JR Loop Line.

Incidentally, Back Street Coffee offers not only large portions, but also regular-sized sandwiches and toast. So, unlike me, you don’t have to eat a huge breakfast. All regular-sized items come with a drink, and the price is around 1,000 yen. I think it’s worth visiting the shop to try their unique egg sandwiches.

Here are the shop details…