If you like walking in a strange area and having a cup of tasty coffee, I recommend Cafea in Dogo, Matsuyama. It’s located within 10 minutes’ walk of Dogo Onsen Station. It’s a relaxing place in a quiet residential area.
One of the pleasures of travel for me is to experience the local way of life. It’s great fun to talk with the people there and to try some local foods I’ve never seen. Cafea is located in a residential area, so you can enjoy watching the locals and shopping at ABC, a supermarket, on the way to go to Cafea. The supermarket sells fresh local vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, and deli. Furthermore, you can find some specialties, like Tamago-butter-mochi sweets (egg and rice cake), which is difficult to get at other supermarkets or even on the Internet.
Cafea offers great coffee produced in Brazil, Columbia, Guatemala, Tanzania, India, etc. So, you can choose what you want, including organic options. If you’re not familiar with coffee, it’s no problem. The owner will choose the best one according to the flavor, strength and acidity that you want. You can have a fabulous pot of tea, too. Some kinds of “Mariage Freres” from Paris, which is famous for its flavored tea, are available. This time I had flowery and fruity “Babylonia” flavored tea and a sandwich made with plain bagel and ham, lettuce and tomato, homemade pumpkin quiche (\850), and a juice for my son (\100). Special chairs for kids are also available. The sandwich was good and filling. I really love their bagels and scones. They are baked at Canal, a bakery near here. Canal’s bread is so popular in Matsuyama that it is sold out by around 2 p.m. Back to the pumpkin quiche, it was very good. I must go back to have this again!
Cafea’s owner has a keen eye for antiques. The shop is full of antiques, like doors with stained glass, a table made from a treadle sewing machine, various designs of cutlery, and so on. She has been collecting good old things for about 20 years. (About 20 years ago, she went to London to visit a flea market and had her first encounter with flavor tea there.) Please come and see for yourself.
The cheerful, friendly owner and her great drinks and food are waiting for you.
Hours : Mon – Sat 10:30 – 18:00 Parking : 2
