WARM UP COFFEE

Tucked into a corner of a tobacconist's shop in Nishi-Ikebukuro, WARM UP COFFEE is a compact coffee stand serving dark-roast espresso and fragrant green tea drinks. Positioned along a street just moments from Ikebukuro Station's Echika underground exits, it functions primarily as an easy, convenient takeaway stop.

The espresso backbone features a delicate acidity balanced by a deep, lingering bitterness, available as either a single or double shot. Alongside café lattes that let milk sweetness shine, the demi macchiato drops espresso into velvety frothed milk for a smooth texture and concentrated aroma. The signature Warm Up Coffee pairs a crisp, refreshing acidity with the body of dark-roast espresso, leaving a light and clean finish.

Sharing equal billing with the coffee are drinks prepared with Uji matcha from Kyoto. Purists can order it straight without milk or sugar, while the standard matcha latte relies purely on the gentle sweetness of dairy to offset the tea's rich, earthy bitterness. Variations suit other cravings, including a brown sugar matcha latte with traditional sweetness and a strawberry matcha latte balancing bright, fruity acidity with mellow tea.

Service runs on a weekend-leaning schedule from Friday through Sunday, open from 13:00 to 19:00. The stand accepts electronic money and various cashless payment methods, making it a reliable pause during an Ikebukuro walk.