Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch

Just a one-minute walk from Kyoto’s famous coffee shop, Inoda Coffee Head Shop, you’ll find Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch—so close that you might wonder, “Why is it so close?” This shop is just as popular as the main store, but it had been temporarily closed since 2022 due to building renovations. However, it successfully reopened on October 29, 2024.

I had been eagerly awaiting its reopening and had been trying to visit the store shortly after it reopened, but every time I went, it was fully booked with many customers waiting outside, and I had to reluctantly turn back several times… Finally, the other day, the timing worked out, and I was able to enter the cafe. The newly renovated Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch—what kind of place is it?

Renovated and more luxurious… The new Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch is like this…

The new Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch has a Western-style building that retains the appearance of the old store while becoming more substantial. The store entrance is located a short distance back from Sanjo Street, and previously, customers waiting to enter would line up all the way from the entrance to Sanjo Street. However, on the morning of my visit at around 10:30 AM, I was lucky enough to find no one waiting. Upon entering through the door, the space opens up to a two-story atrium, with high ceilings giving it a luxurious, high-end hotel-like ambiance. Being newly constructed, it feels even more opulent than the head shop.

According to the cafe’s official information, the new Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch has second-floor seating, with a total of 91 seats across both floors. At the back of the first floor is the store’s iconic oval-shaped counter, which is sure to please long-time regulars. Apparently, the founder used to brew coffee himself at this counter and serve it to customers. Unfortunately, I was seated at a table this time, but if I could have enjoyed coffee at that historic counter, it would have made the experience even more special…

Toast was surprisingly… How was the Sanjo Morning Set, a limited menu item at Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch?

So, this time I ordered the Sanjo Morning Set (price: 1,480 yen including tax), a limited menu item available at the Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch until 11:30 a.m. Here is a picture…

After waiting for about 10 minutes after ordering, the Sanjo Morning Set was brought to my table. This set includes two mini toasts, Hokkaido-produced stuffed bacon, scrambled eggs, cheese, fresh vegetable salad, mashed potatoes, and one drink from the designated drink list. It’s similar to Inoda Coffee’s flagship morning set, “Kyoto’s Breakfast,” but a bit more affordable.

Let’s spread some butter on the toast and dive into the tasting… This Sanjo Morning Set comes with two types of mini toast, but when I took a bite of the brown one, I was a little surprised. It looked like it would have a more toasty flavor than regular bread, but instead, it had a citrusy orange aroma that hit my nose. It was a bit unexpected. However, despite the refreshing aroma, the toast itself was a bit hard. Personally, I would have preferred the toast to be served a bit warmer…

As for the drink that comes with this set… I chose hot coffee this time. I actually wanted to try the Sanjo Blend Toki, which is exclusive to the Sanjo Branch of Inoda Coffee, but the only coffee options available with this set were “Arabian Pearl” or “Colombian Emerald,” and upgrading for an additional fee wasn’t possible. That aside, the Arabian Pearl still has its usual strong bitterness and aroma. I think it has a lot of milk and sugar, but it still managed to wake up my half-asleep brain with a bang.

In addition, the Hokkaido-produced stuffed bacon and scrambled eggs were also of the expected hotel quality. I was satisfied with the Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch‘s limited-edition morning set, the Sanjo Morning Set. This morning set is a bit more casual than Kyoto’s Breakfast and offers a bit more value for money, which is its selling point. The fact that the main store and the Sanjo store offer different morning set options is a real blessing for us…

Store-exclusive blend coffee beans are also available for purchase… Access to Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch is a 6-minute walk from Karasuma Oike Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line (East-West Line).

The Inoda Coffee Sanjo Branch has a shop corner where you can purchase coffee beans and original goods to take home. The Sanjo Store also sells coffee beans from its exclusive blend, “Sanjo Blend Toki.” If you like the coffee here, why not purchase some to enjoy at home? It also makes a great souvenir for coffee lovers visiting Kyoto. 

Here are the details of the cafe…

P.S. If you are looking for cozy cafes in Kyoto, please stop by this article below…