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Italian Bakery La Spiga
With nearly 20 original focaccia and other Italian bread sandwiches, deciding what to have at La Spiga is no easy task. On this visit, we chose the ham and tomato. The simple combination of juicy ham and tomatoes on crunchy rosetta was the perfect companion to a cup of Segafredo coffee in the cozy, sunlit shop. For dessert, we had Sicilian cannoli—they don’t inject the delicious cream filling made from cream cheese, chocolate and orange peels until you place your order. The European style interior evokes the feeling of having breakfast in an Italian hotel. La Spiga has around 60 kinds of bread to choose from, including fruit danishes, fresh vegetable quiches and biscotti. The owner, Hiroko Suenaga, worked in a famous local bakery for nine years and began to wonder if she could go solo. She consulted with her boss, Adolf Sailer, and together they launched the Italian style bakery. Ms. Suenaga strives to keep customers coming back and, together with her all-female staff, she will greet you with a welcoming smile. Located near Ohori Park, you can also order sandwiches to go for a picnic.
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Espresso Stand TAGSTÅ
“Meet me at Tagstå” is a common refrain in Fukuoka. This landmark of a coffee stand is located next to Hakata’s kitchen, Yanagibashi Market. The name Tagstå, derived from the Danish for mark and station, was conceived by the owner, Yasuhiro Hashiguchi, who wanted to create a place for people to congregate. The quiet 66m2 shop employs a minimalist design: no couches or chairs, just a counter. Hashiguchi says he enjoys “the beauty of a space that does not intrude on customers’ conversations”. He also has a keen eye for art and invites creators to exhibit their works in the gallery next door on an irregular basis. Tagstå uses a La Marzocco coffee machine and Everpure High Flow water filtration system to offer a variety of drinks brewed from its original espresso and drip coffee bean blends. Stop by for a handmade drip coffee before work or take a midday break with an orange and vanilla-infused espresso. Remember to try Tagstå the next time you need a change of pace.
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Manly
Now celebrating its third anniversary, Manly was named by its owner Itsuro Fujita after his favorite surfing spot near Sydney where he spent a year and a half on a working holiday. Tucked down a side-street of Imaizumi, the outside wooden deck patio is reminiscent of cafes on the main Manly Corso shopping strip in Sydney. The homely cafe is filled with Australian nostalgia– shelves behind the bar are lined with Vegemite, koala dolls, Tim Tams and other “true blue” items. A large screen plays muted documentaries about surfing, Australian Aboriginal history and more. Food-wise, the menu offers refined versions of popular Australian dishes along with a slew of Aussie beers (Foster’s, VB, XXXX and more) and wines. It’s not the rough and ready type of Aussie tucker you’d get back home, but an easy introduction to dining Down Under. The lunch menu features a jaffle-style meat pie, full of Aussie beef, potato and homestyle gravy, with a side of fish & chips. Adventurous eaters can try deep-fried alligator, delicate kangaroo carpaccio, roasted ostrich or the notorious Vegemite on toast. Those playing it safe can take comfort in pancakes, pasta and pizza. The cafe is also registered as an agency of the Japan Working Holiday Association, holding study abroad and working holiday seminars regularly. One thing’s for sure, Manly is a “fair dinkum” establishment and a little slice of home for Australians in Kyushu!
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AKB48 CAFE&SHOP HAKATA
A taste of Tokyo pop culture right here in Fukuoka! Following in the footsteps of Tokyo’s Akihabara and Harajuku, the third of only four AKB48 cafes in Japan recently opened in Daimyo. Bursting with AKB48 music, videos, posters and merchandise this cafe and shop are a paradise for fans of Japan’s most popular female group. Literally everything is related to the group, even the interior design which is shaped like a number “48”. Many of the walls and tables are covered with AKB48 members’ signatures and the young female staff all wear short-skirt uniforms similar to those worn by the singers on stage. The cafe features freshly baked breads, sweets and drinks inspired by or chosen by AKB48 members. Their comments and recommendations can be read next to the breads and sweets at the self-serve counter. The menu changes every week or two and includes cute and creative numbers such as guitar-shaped pastries, strawberry cheesecake smoothies and more substantial dishes such as pasta and pizza. Meanwhile you can watch their video and concert clips on the many video screens or flip through the library of AKB48 photo books and magazines. Beside the cafe is the shop, which is jam packed with with every AKB48 good imaginable- CDs, DVDs, books, straps, mugs, t-shirts, cookies and concert merchandise- including items exclusively available at the Fukuoka store. Even if you’re not a fan (yet), a visit to their cafe is a memorable Japanese pop culture experience!
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Bakery Kitchen Raggruppi
A short walk from Ohori Park, this “bakery kitchen” is so-named for the belief that bread can be an integral part of a meal. The 1st floor houses a bakery shop, while upstairs is a fashionable café space modeled on a New York-style studio.
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Papparayray
Located one block over from Keyaki-dori, the exterior of this café and bakery resembles that of a traditional Japanese house. The interior has been beautifully renovated with airy high ceilings, concrete walls and floors that contrast marvelously with wooden beams, pillars and handmade wooden furniture.
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Keurig Neko Cafe
Kayuno Nomura, owner of Keurig, was always fond of cats and often fed strays near her home. One day she noticed five cats that she fed regularly had disappeared. She’s never found out what happened to them, but those concerns sparked her life’s mission to protect and find good homes for strays. Inspired by a visit to a “neko cafe” in Tokyo she opened the Keurig in the trendy Daimyo district in March of 2008. The location is very convenient for the young ladies and couples that make up the majority of her clientele. Then in September 2009 a second and even larger cafe was opened in Imaizumi just south of Tenjin.
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