About
Bear Pond Espresso is Katsuyuki Tanaka’s intensely personal Shimokitazawa coffee bar. Its core Flower Child blend draws on beans from South and Central America and Africa, aiming for dark chocolate, sweet citrus, caramel and a long finish.
That blend supports both straight espresso and pour-over, but the named drinks reveal the shop’s character. Angel Stain is Tanaka’s original 2009 espresso; Dirty layers cold milk without ice beneath two visible espresso rings.
The small Kitazawa address is walk-in and coffee-first. Dine-in is possible, but the experience is closer to visiting a maker’s workshop than settling into a broad cafe menu.
Highlights
- Katsuyuki Tanaka’s original espresso drinks
- Flower Child blend shaped around chocolate, citrus and caramel
- A focused walk-in coffee bar in Shimokitazawa
What to order
- Angel Stain — Tanaka’s original espresso, created in 2009.
- Dirty — Cold milk without ice marked by two rings of espresso.
Good to know
- The shop does not accept reservations.
- Dine-in and takeaway are available at the 2-36-12 Kitazawa address.
- Service is highly focused; arrive with time to let the bar set the pace.
Opening hours
| Monday | 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Thursday | 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Friday | 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
Getting there
Bear Pond Espresso is in Setagaya, Tokyo. Use the embedded map or Google Maps route for current transit and walking directions to 2-chōme-36-12 Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0031, Japan.
Open route in Google Maps ↗Frequently asked questions
What is Flower Child?
It is Bear Pond Espresso’s house blend, combining coffees from several major growing regions for chocolate, citrus and caramel notes.
Is Bear Pond Espresso a full-service cafe?
It is better understood as a compact, specialist coffee bar with a narrow focus on Tanaka’s drinks.