Kaldi Coffee Farm may be known as a one-stop shop for freshly ground premium coffee products and cheap, unique food items from Japan and across the globe – but for me, it’s so much like a Japanese version of Trader Joe’s in the US because aside from the fun and ‘outpost’-like energy inside their stores and their warm staff who will gladly assist to use translate if you have any questions about any of their products, they carry unique and premium items for cheap that’s either exclusive to their stores or are hard to find elsewhere in Japan.
It’s mostly locals who shop here, those wanting to get their hands on overseas items – but tourists should not miss checking this store out for their free coffee and exclusive store-branded items. They have many stores in Tokyo alone so coming across one during your tours should not be an issue.
The main star of the show – Kaldi’s premium coffee beans
Kaldi Coffee Farm isn’t the store it is now without their wide selection of premium coffee beans that they’ll grind for you in-store. From Italian Roast, Cafe Au Lait blend, Ethiopia Mocha blend, Indonesia Mandheling blend, to seasonal flavors and aromas such as Halloween blend during the autumn season and Sakura Latte and Spring blend during, well, spring season, their stores are a must visit for coffee-based souvenirs especially if you’re a coffee addict.
They also offer free hot coffee during the cooler seasons and cold iced coffee in summer, just by stepping in to their stores, so definitely try when you pass by one of their stores.
They have a wide selection of imported wine and cheese
If you’re in Japan and if you’re ever in the mood for some wine and cheese then Kaldi is one of the few stores in Japan where you can get your hands on cheap wine and cheese from across the globe. Not saying that you should indulge on wine and cheese while visiting Japan (locals benefit from this though), but definitely I’d still recommend sake instead of wine since you’re in Japan. 😉 It’s just unusually weird yet very nice to see premium wine and cheese on display at a Japanese shop.
International goodies
The international section is where things go berserk with an eclectic selection of goods from basically everywhere. It’s diverse and changes with the season so there’s something to check out every now and then, but definitely check out the sauces, seasonings, instant savory rice and noodles, drinks, teas, chocolates, and cookies section.
And of course, can’t miss out on some Japanese local products
This is Japan, so you’ll definitely find some local goods mixed in inconspicuously with other imported goods in random shelves. Fancy some dashi soy sauce, mentai (fish roe), or mentsuyu (noodle soup base)? They’ve got it!
But what I particularly liked among their local products are their Kaldi exclusives – Kaldi branded Japanese food products that’s unique enough to catch your attention.
I bought their Instant Omurice and Melon Pan Spread – the former was just ‘meh’ but the latter was so good. 🙂
The Kaldi Coffee Farm store pictured in this post is in Shimokitazawa in Tokyo – there are a lot of Kaldi Coffee Farm stores across Japan so you may find one during one of your trips – it’s work a quick look when you happen to pass by one. 🙂
