Whenever I head over to Kyoto Kawaramachi for errands or shopping, I find myself following an almost automatic route. Once I’m done, I usually wander through Teramachi-dori and Shinkyogoku Shopping Street, Kyoto’s busiest shopping arcades, then stop by Kyoto Yaoichi Honkan, a historic gourmet food hall, before finally making my way to Shinpuhkan, a renovated red-brick complex with shops and cafés.
Whether it’s for a meal, a casual browse, or just to get some steps in, this familiar loop easily clears 8,000 steps a day. Yet every time I pass the first floor of Shinpuhkan, where Stumptown Coffee Roasters is located, I somehow keep walking past it without ever going inside.
That changed on one sweltering afternoon in late August, when I finally decided on a whim to step into the café I had passed countless times but never once entered.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters keeps a low profile, with its English signage mounted at an angle on the wall facing the Shinpuhkan courtyard. I originally planned to find a seat inside, but once I stepped in, I realized the space was smaller than expected, with mostly counter-style seating along the wall and high stools—more of a grab-and-go or quick-stop atmosphere. After a quick look around, it dawned on me—oh! You can also bring your coffee and pastries over to the Ace Hotel lobby next door.
That day I ordered an oat milk latte, an Americano, and a raisin pastry. The coffee was smooth, the pastry was crisp and fragrant, and the soft background music set a perfect tone for slowing down. The vibe was somewhere between a hotel lounge and a café—casual yet undeniably stylish.
To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of drinking coffee in hotel lobbies—they usually feel too formal, weighed down by a businesslike atmosphere that makes me uneasy. But the Ace Hotel Kyoto lobby completely overturned that impression: a tall, open space brimming with design character, featuring Kyoto cedar, hammered copper, oxidized iron, and precast concrete blended into a unique mix of organic and industrial. Contemporary artworks from Japan and the U.S. West Coast line the walls, while the sofa seating by the windows almost invites you to sink in and linger.
Particularly striking are the arched windows and thick brick walls preserved from the historic Former Kyoto Central Telephone Office, now framing bright, sunlit corners that feel welcoming instead of imposing. The entire lobby and café flow seamlessly together, with a modern geometric façade echoing the rhythm of traditional machiya townhouses—injecting new vitality into a historic landmark. Whether you’re a guest of the Ace Hotel Kyoto or just a traveler passing through Shinpuhkan, you’ll feel right at home.
Beyond the sofa lounge, there’s also a large communal table—perfect for those who want to open a laptop and get some work done. With outlets built into the table, it's common to see people intently focused on their keyboards. For me, it became more than just a casual rest stop; it turned into a cozy little workspace where I could settle in comfortably.
Stumptown Coffee Kyoto: A Third-Wave Pioneer in Shinpuhkan
Sitting in the sofa lounge at Stumptown Coffee, sipping my latte and watching travelers come and go, I couldn’t shake the sense that this café was different. Curious, I pulled out my phone for a quick Google search—sure enough, Stumptown Coffee Roasters turned out to be no ordinary coffee shop.
Stumptown Coffee was founded in 1999 by coffee enthusiast Duane Sorenson in Portland, Oregon. The name “Stumptown” comes directly from Portland’s nickname: in the 19th century, rapid urban growth and heavy logging left the city scattered with tree stumps, earning it the moniker “Stumptown.” The brand name reflects both its local roots and its dedication to origin, craft, and transparency—values that helped position it as a true pioneer of the third-wave coffee movement.
For Stumptown Coffee, coffee isn’t just a pick-me-up; it’s like wine, deserving attention to terroir, processing, and roasting details. Its hallmark approach is Direct Trade—working directly with farmers to cut out middlemen, ensure transparency, and guarantee fair pay.
Because of this philosophy, Stumptown is often mentioned alongside Blue Bottle and Intelligentsia as one of the “big three” in third-wave coffee. Among its offerings, one blend has become almost synonymous with the brand: Hair Bender.
The name Hair Bender has an unusual backstory. Stumptown’s first roasting machine was set up in an old barbershop called “Hair Bender.” They named their flagship espresso blend after it. Known for its tasting notes of dark chocolate, cherry, toffee, and citrus, it remains a foundation for countless espresso-based drinks.
What’s even more interesting is that when Stumptown Coffee expanded overseas for the first time, it didn’t choose Tokyo or Seoul; instead, it chose to plant roots in Kyoto—a city celebrated for its traditional craftsmanship and refined way of life. In many ways, Kyoto’s ethos mirrors Stumptown’s own approach to coffee.
What Is Third-Wave Coffee?
Third-wave coffee is a specialty coffee movement that emphasizes “from seed to cup”. It focuses on a coffee bean’s origin, processing, roasting, and brewing, treating coffee as an artisanal product rather than just a caffeine fix.
Put simply, coffee culture has unfolded in three major waves:
- First Wave: Mass production, accessibility, and convenience. Instant coffee and canned coffee became widely available, making coffee an everyday essential for millions.
- Second Wave: The rise of branding and lifestyle. Starbucks is the quintessential example—cafés became lifestyle destinations where lattes and cappuccinos flourished, even if bean origin and quality weren’t the main focus.
- Third Wave: Precision, craft, and quality. Coffee began to be recognized as a specialty crop. Baristas became like winemakers, highlighting origin, flavor, roasting, and brewing. Hallmarks include single-origin beans, Direct Trade, pour-over, and Aeropress methods—all designed to showcase unique flavor profiles in every cup.
So when we talk about third-wave coffee, it’s about understanding where your coffee comes from and why it tastes the way it does. And Stumptown Coffee Roasters is one of the trailblazers that helped bring this movement into the mainstream.
Kyoto Coffee Culture × Stumptown
Kyoto, often celebrated as the coffee capital of Japan, boasts an astonishing density of cafés. From retro landmarks like INODA COFFEE, cultural salons such as Salon de thé FRANÇOIS (フランソア喫茶室), century-old townhouses like Sweets Cafe KYOTO KEIZO, and historic Western-style spaces like Gospel Cafe, to sleek contemporary brands like % Arabica, each café—whether old or new—has its own loyal following. Perhaps that’s why Stumptown Coffee didn’t choose the fast-paced bustle of Tokyo, but instead established itself in Kyoto, a city where life moves at a gentler pace and small details are celebrated.
What makes it even more distinctive is that the shop is located on the first floor of Ace Hotel Kyoto. The hotel itself sits within Shinpuhkan, whose core is the historic Former Kyoto Central Telephone Office, designed in 1926 by architect Tetsuro Yoshida. This iconic red-brick Taisho-era building symbolized Kyoto’s early modernization, with its brick façade and arched windows once serving as a landmark along Karasuma-dori, bearing witness to the city's transformation through the Showa and Heisei eras into Reiwa.
Today, the building’s adaptive reuse was overseen by Kengo Kuma & Associates, with interiors by Los Angeles–based Commune Design. The team carefully “stitched” the old and new together, preserving its historic character while infusing contemporary design. Kuma introduced the concept of “streets weaving through architecture”, creating two pedestrian passages that link the old and new wings. The result is architecture that extends city streets rather than closing them off. This concept mirrors the traditional tōriniwa (passage courtyard) found in Kyoto’s machiya townhouses, while embodying the Ace Hotel vision of a “public living room” for the city.
The design theme—“a dense garden of past and present”—breathes new life into the nearly 100-year-old red-brick landmark, blending a global design language with local materials and narratives. Within this atmosphere, Stumptown Coffee has become a relaxed yet stylish corner for locals and travelers alike.
Stumptown Coffee Menu｜Specialty Coffee & Fresh Pastry Experience
While the official menu for Stumptown Coffee Kyoto lists only coffee, tea, and soft-serve ice cream, guests can also enjoy freshly baked pastries. These pastries aren’t listed on the permanent menu; instead, they’re crafted daily by the Ace Hotel’s in-house pastry team. You’ll often find daily options like croissants or donuts, along with seasonal specialties like the Yuzu Donut or limited-time Strawberry Donut. Co-created by the Ace Hotel chefs and Stumptown, these pairings elevate the Kyoto café experience—a big part of why regulars keep coming back.
| Stumptown Coffee Kyoto Menu | ||
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal Special | Summer Mojito (Non-Alcoholic / サマーモヒート・ノンアルコール) Tonic water, watermelon, lime, cane sugar, mint, and a pinch of salt. Refreshing, lightly tart, and minty—ideal for Kyoto’s hot summer days. |
¥750 |
| Brewed Coffee | Batch Brew | House Blend (ブレンド) | ¥500 |
| Batch Brew Refill (リフィル) | ¥250 | |
| Cold Brew | Cold Brew (コールドブリュー) | ¥600 |
| Cold Brew Refill (リフィル) | ¥250 | |
| Nitro Cold Brew (ナイトロコールドブリュー) | ¥700 | |
| Espresso Drinks | Espresso (エスプレッソ) | ¥450 |
| Americano Hot/Iced (アメリカーノ) | ¥550 | |
| Macchiato (マキアート) | ¥550 | |
| Cortado (コルタード) Espresso with equal parts steamed milk. Smooth, balanced, with a clear espresso flavor. |
¥580 | |
| Cappuccino (カプチーノ) | ¥600 | |
| Latte Hot/Iced (ラテ) | ¥650 | |
| Mocha Hot/Iced (モカ) | ¥750 | |
| Espresso Tonic (エスプレッソトニック) Espresso + tonic water + ice. Think of it as the coffee lover’s gin & tonic. |
¥650 | |
| Add-ons | Oat Milk (オーツミルク) | +¥50 |
| Decaf (デカフェ) | +¥50 | |
| Extra Shot (ショット追加) | +¥150 | |
| Flavor Syrup (Vanilla or Caramel) (バニラ / キャラメル) | +¥100 | |
| Matcha | Matcha Latte Hot/Iced (抹茶ラテ) | ¥800 |
| Chocolate Drinks | Hot Chocolate (ホットチョコレート) | ¥680 |
| Iced Chocolate (アイスチョコレート) | ¥680 | |
| Tea | Japanese Black Tea Hot/Iced (和紅茶べにふうき) | ¥650 |
| Flower Tea Hot Only (フラワーティー) A soothing blend of dried apple and rose petals. Lightly floral, naturally sweet, and smooth. |
¥750 | |
| Kids Drinks | Kids Chocolate Hot/Iced (キッズチョコレート) | ¥550 |
| Babyccino (ベビーチーノ) Steamed milk foam (caffeine-free). Light, frothy, and kid-friendly. |
¥350 | |
| Milk Hot/Iced (ミルク) | ¥350 | |
| Soft Serve Ice Cream | Cold Brew Soft Serve Cup/Cone (コールドブリューソフト) | ¥700 |
| Milk Soft Serve Cup/Cone (ミルクソフト) | ¥600 | |
| Half & Half Soft Serve Cup/Cone (ミックスソフト) | ¥700 | |
| Seasonal Syrup Soft Serve Cup Only (シーズナルシロップソフト) | ¥700 | |
| Espresso Affogato (エスプレッソアフォガート) Vanilla ice cream + espresso. A classic contrast of hot and cold, bitter and sweet. Matcha Affogato (抹茶アフォガート) Vanilla ice cream topped with rich matcha. Earthy green tea balanced by creamy sweetness. |
¥700 / ¥800 | |
Stumptown Coffee Kyoto: Must-Drink & Must-Eat Picks
At the Stumptown Coffee Kyoto location, it’s not just about coffee—there are also standout drinks and pastries that regulars swear by.
Must-Try Coffees
- Hair Bender Blend: The signature base for espressos, lattes, and Americanos, with tasting notes of dark chocolate, cherry, toffee, and citrus—considered a true classic among coffee lovers.
- Oat Milk Latte: A smooth balance of rich espresso and the natural sweetness of oat milk—one of the most popular choices in Kyoto.
- Cold Brew: Clean, crisp, and bright with refreshing acidity—an absolute favorite during Kyoto’s humid summers.
- Seasonal Specials: Occasionally featuring creative drinks infused with yuzu or Kyoto-style black shichimi spice—a playful twist unique to the Kyoto shop.
Must-Try Pastries & Treats
- Yuzu Donut: Bright and citrusy with a refreshing sweetness—earning near-unanimous praise in online reviews.
- Raisin Pastry: The one I sampled on my visit—crispy on the outside, generously filled with sweet raisins inside, and a perfect match with a latte.
- Croissant: Delicately flaky, richly buttery, and wonderfully aromatic—a perennial favorite among visitors.
- Black Shichimi Cookie: Infused with Kyoto’s iconic black shichimi spice blend—sweet with a subtle kick of heat that leaves a lasting impression.
- Occasional Savories: Occasional savory options appear too—like croissant sandwiches, and even a hidden gem: the Kujo Scallion & Whitebait Egg Sandwich.
After reading all this, I quietly made my own “next-visit list”: in summer, it’ll be a cold brew paired with a yuzu donut; in winter, maybe a gingerbread latte with a black shichimi cookie. I guess I’ve already lined up the perfect excuses for my next afternoon stop here in Kyoto.
Stumptown Coffee Kyoto at Ace Hotel | Shop Information
| Stumptown Coffee Kyoto | |
|---|---|
| Address | 1F Ace Hotel Kyoto, 245-2 Kurumayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Subway | Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line / Tozai Line → Karasuma Oike Station, Exit 6 (or South Exit). The exit leads directly into Shinpuhkan’s basement level. |
| Bus | Get off at the Karasuma Oike bus stop, then walk a few minutes to reach Shinpuhkan. |
| Phone | +81-75-229-9000 (Note: Phone inquiries are likely handled in Japanese only.) |
| Hours | Daily 07:00 – 19:00 Tip: Stumptown opens as early as 7 AM—ideal for travelers picking up breakfast to go. The Ace Hotel lobby’s long table and sofa seating are especially inviting in the morning light, offering a serene way to enjoy Kyoto waking up. |
| Official Website | Stumptown Coffee Roasters Kyoto – Ace Hotel |
| Reservations | Dine-in and takeout only. Reservations are not accepted. |
| Payment |
Credit Cards: VISA, MasterCard, JCB, AMEX, Diners E-money: Suica, ICOCA, Rakuten Edy, iD, QUICPay, etc. QR Code Payments: Not supported Cash: Accepted |
| Other Info |
Most staff can communicate in both English and Japanese. Shinpuhkan and Ace Hotel are popular hubs for Kyoto’s coffee, design, and art communities, regularly hosting exhibitions and small markets. |
Conclusion: One Cup of Coffee, One Kyoto
For me, the Stumptown Coffee Kyoto location is more than just a spot to grab a coffee—it’s a place where cultural exchange truly comes alive. As a foreigner living in Kyoto, I especially appreciate this blend of global brand × local culture.
Here, you can bring your laptop and journal your day, or simply sink into a sofa and people-watch as travelers from around the world drift through. When the aroma of a latte mingles with the sweetness of a raisin pastry, I feel as if I’m sitting in both Portland and Kyoto at the same time.
If you’re planning a trip to Kyoto and want to experience a café that fuses specialty coffee, innovative design, and local character, Stumptown Coffee Roasters Kyoto absolutely deserves a place on your Kyoto must-visit list.