This is my favorite go-to coffee shop in Tokyo. It's in a quiet and quaint space. I recommend trying their coffee and muffins. It's also right across a park and playground.

Omiya Pastry Shop is an open self-service shop, with an atmosphere of unique and elegant calm, reasonable prices, and a basic flavor. The space and the taste is satisfactory on every count. The interior gives me the feeling that I've gone back in time to Japan's Showa period.

located in one of my favorite neighborhoods in tokyo close to Yoyogi park, nephew is a hidden gem in the residential area ( you can find yourself lost in navigating by GPS on your first visit:-). with a compact space, it feels like walking into the back kitchen of your friend's restaurant for a chat and a bite of what he's cooking. nephew is a happy place to go for a morning refreshment, a cafe date in the afternoon and a cozy night with food and wines. love the vibes and the high energy of the team!

A little island/beach community in Kanagawa, which is about an hour away from downtown of Tokyo by train. The beach there is really dirty but I love the place. I used to work at the radio station by Enoshima as an assistant DJ. After the recording, I hopped on the train to go see the beach pretty often.

If you are into "Midnight Diner"-esque night experience but not into a crowded Shinjuku scale, then this is a good alternative. Smaller and much more laid back.