If you find yourself in the craziness of Roppongi or around the Tokyo Midtown area and are craving coffee, head on over to Downstairs Coffee at the Mercedes-Benz Connection. It’s a spacious and quiet coffee shop with high ceilings and an open design. An added bonus is a Mercedes-Benz showroom is connected right to the shop which also features a gift shop!
A few blocks away from Roppongi Crossing, Downstairs Coffee stands out as a calm and airy oasis compared to the always-crowded Starbucks located nearby. It offers coffee, tea, doughnuts, sandwiches, and a few more select snack options.
Their set menu offers various combinations of items such as a sandwich, chips and drink. For between ¥500 and ¥900, these set menus are a pretty good deal if you want to enjoy a quick, delicious meal in a cool atmosphere.
Downstairs Coffee offers a range of hot and cold sandwiches a la carte as well, all costing around ¥770. I ordered a latte for a reasonable price of about ¥400. Bottled water was somewhat overpriced though, so I would skip it and head for the free iced water if you are thirsty for something other than coffee.
Although I only tried the iced latte, I noticed that the many customers at Downstairs Coffee were happily munching on their sandwiches or doughnuts during several visits. While it can get crowded, the cafe never feels packed or stuffy. I believe this is due to the design and layout of the space. There’s a large communal table in the middle of the seating area with individual tables scattered around it. The ceilings are high and the decor is simple with white and black accents. This creates a feeling of openness and tranquility which is sharply contrasted by the bustling, often crazy atmosphere of the Roppongi streets.
Downstairs Coffee also has outdoor seating, which is spectacular on a cool day or night. The staff are not particularly fluent in English, but I had no troubles ordering my coffee each visit. The staff are all very attentive and friendly.
Overall, Downstairs Coffee is a unique coffee shop that provides a nice break from the insanity of many other cafes throughout Roppongi – a luxury on those days when you just want to have a quiet, relaxing coffee break.
