Poool opened in August 2021 and is a trendy and stylish cafe, located next to Sapporo Station. Part of the CO&CO company, the CEO, Rieko Nishio, aims to “Make memories meeting people from around the world by creating a community”. “The looping in Poool’s logo is designed to convey the connection of people.” The ground floor is an open cafe and co-working space, while the second floor is part cafe and private working space. The mix of people studying and working is the perfect place to connect to people from around the world, all while enjoying some coffee and sweets.

The ground-floor cafe has an open and stylish interior. The cafe counter is located in the center, acting as the hub of the shop. To the left is a selection of books to read as well as merchandise available to purchase. To the right, there are counter seats to work and study semi-privately. At the back of the cafe, there are more lounge-like tables, perfect for group work or meetings.

On some occasions, featured artist’s work are hung across the shop’s interior, which is also available to purchase. “The artist’s paintings help inspire and create our customers who are working,” Nishio explains. Poool also holds live painting events, where the featured artist creates a new artwork, whilst interacting with staff and customers.

The menu has an extensive list of drinks available, all made in-house. From various espresso drinks to hot chocolate, there is something for everyone. There are two types of coffee blends available - mild and dark. The former is lighter, refreshing and well-balanced, whilst the latter is deeper and darker in taste. The cafe lattes (550yen regular and 600 yen for large, tax incl.) come with beautiful latte art, using Hokkaido milk. You can choose which blend you would like for your coffee, each pairing perfectly with the creamy milk. For something equally refreshing, they also have store-made craft cola (500 yen, tax incl.), orange juice (500 yen, tax incl.), and lemonade (500 yen, tax incl.). Single-origin coffee beans are available to drink, which change every 3 months depending on the season for an additional 100 yen, tax included.

To pair with their homemade drinks, they have a small selection of sweets. Basque cheesecake (500 yen, tax incl.), chocolate terrine (500 yen, tax incl.), and Poool’s most popular, carrot cake (550 yen, tax incl.), are all delicately sweet and pair perfectly with the cafe’s drinks. as well as being made in house.

Whether you are looking for a place to take a quick break from the city, get inspired and get some work done, Poool is one of the best cafes in Sapporo.

Situated in southern Sapporo, Sabi combines camping and a natural lifestyle with Hokkaido roasted coffee. Opened in November 2021, Sabi was designed by an architecture company based in the port city, of Otaru. The interior was then filled by the staff, mincing a typical camping site. Camping goods, as well as everyday household items, are displayed on workshop-like benches. “All of these items are hand-picked by the Sabi staff as to items they would want to use,” manager Yuka Yamamoto describes. T-shirts, lanterns and lamp shades (made in Asahikawa) make up just some of the large collection of items available to purchase.

The seating for the cafe carries on the theme with small camping chairs and low-lying tables. Upstairs there is a spacious terrace with hammocks, a camping tent and 12 countertop seats to enjoy the sunshine with your coffee and sweets.

The cafe menu is simple, with the sari curry (790 yen, tax incl.), grilled cheese curry (890 yen, tax incl.) and roast beef bowl (990 yen, tax incl.) headlining the savory menu. For dessert, their most popular item is the canelé (390 yen, tax incl.), which comes in two flavors, plain and earl grey. To pair with the sweets are a wide variety of drinks from coffee to craft lemonade (500 yen, tax incl.). The cafe latte (hot or ice, 550 yen, tax incl.) is the most popular drink that uses a blend of Indonesia Mandheling and Costa Rica coffee beans. “We also have seasonal drinks,” explains Yamamoto. “During spring we had a sakura latte that was popular.” At the time of writing, the sakura latte is not available but they have a chocolate mint latte (600 yen, tax incl.), which can also be enjoyed with a shot of espresso (650 yen, tax incl.).

Sabi also has various camping experiences available. Wood chopping can be done free of charge in front of the store or on the roof terrace (depending on staff availability). Fire making can also be learned for free with a reservation. “We also hold a roof barbecue, which is currently not available but should be soon”, says Yamamoto.

“At first we had lots of customers who came for our camping goods,” explains Yamamoto. “Now we have customers who have never camped before but come to enjoy our food and drinks. We’re happy with these new customers because we can introduce them to the world of camping,” says Yamamoto. Whether you are a camp lover or just looking for some delicious food or coffee, Sabi is a fantastic cafe for everyone!

Brown Books Cafe originally opened in September 2017, on the west side of Sapporo, Maruyama. Speaking to owner Yoko Hoshikawa, she describes her love for old buildings. “I fell in love with coffee shops where you could read books, whilst we traveled around the U.S. We couldn’t find these kinds of cafes when we returned to Japan.” Her love for old buildings saw their cafe relocate from Maruyama to Susukino and now their new location, just south of Odori Park. The new location has been open for just 3 months. After climbing a narrow staircase, you are greeted by an old-fashioned style interior, reminiscent of your grandmother’s house. “The interior of the shop is made from an old private house. It is filled with antique furniture so we can evoke the nostalgic feel,” says Hoshikawa.

Hoshikawa focuses on using organic coffee, that has been roasted in Miyanomori, Sapporo. Combined with her love for books (especially art), she has created a small, tranquil and nostalgic cafe. “We like to welcome anyone but in particular, people who love books, coffee and like to relax without their phone,” explains Hoshikawa.

The menu has savory dishes as well as sweets, accompanied by various drinks. For a savory bite, they have spaghetti with meat sauce (1045 yen, tax incl.). For dessert, they have three to four different homemade cakes every day (550 yen each, tax incl.). These include gateau chocolate and orange and cassis tart at the time of shooting (cakes will change depending on the season), which are all baked in the previous shop’s location. Hoshikawa uses nel drip to brew coffee, adding a deep body pairing perfectly with the sweets. Blend coffee (660 yen, tax incl.) and cafe au lit (715 yen, tax incl.) are the popular drinks. However, it is the homemade lemonade (715 yen, tax incl.), which Hoshikawa says is “more popular than the coffee!” They also have soft drinks, tea and alcohol, ranging from craft beer to coffee cocktails.

The interior is narrow adding a cozy feel, with a bookshelf, holding an impressive collection of Hoshikawa’s favorite books. Upon entering the cafe, you can see an Italian stained glass window. It filters light into the shop adding a relaxing ambiance. On the second floor are four tables along with counter seats, perfecting for enjoying your coffee, sweets and reading a book.

“In our busy modern life, we want people to come in and enjoy the feeling of being out of your daily routine, a feeling of peace and nostalgia. I want our cafe to be a place where you can feel calm and refreshed when you leave,” Hoshikawa explains. Brown books cafe is a fantastic retreat from the busy city life, not just for its calming atmosphere but for its coffee and sweets.

Wake cafe is located in the quiet neighborhood of Miyanomori, next to Hokkaido Jingu Shrine. Wake Cafe was opened by owner Ryoichi Tamura in July 2006 and started off as a traditional Japanese kissaten (a Japanese-style tearoom).

After giving birth to their first child, Tamura and his wife took time off from the cafe and traveled overseas, most notably to the United Kingdom. They fell in love with the country and culture, which inspired some new changes to Wake Cafe. Small little trinkets, such as a London bus, line the walls of the cafe. “We are like an old traditional Japanese kissaten but with influences from Europe and overseas,” says Tamura.

The menu also changed, previously being limited to coffee, tea and toast - a traditional kissaten menu lineup. The main change was the addition of an English breakfast (850 yen, tax incl.) with sausage, eggs, bacon and more classic foods from the British classic. However, according to Tamura, the most popular dish is lemon toast (400 yen, tax incl.). Slices of thin lemon top a thick, fluffy yet crispy slice of toast, making it the perfect start to the morning. The menu has a variety of savory dishes to enjoy any time of the day, most notably the Napolitan spaghetti (700 yen, tax incl.) - a Japanese classic made up of bacon, onion and green pepper in a tomato sauce.

For dessert, today’s cakes (400 yen, tax incl.) - from a German dessert store in Shiroishi town - are the most popular choice according to Tamura. It can also be enjoyed as a cake set (800 yen, tax incl.) along with some coffee. Other desserts include the cream shiratama (shiratama is a type of mochi) parfait (600 yen, tax incl.) and homemade jelly with ice cream (550 yen, tax incl.).

What’s staggering is that Tamura makes and prepares this all by himself! Tamura has close connections to the neighboring grocery store, frequently receiving fresh, seasonal produce that helps him come up with new dishes for his menu.

The interior of the cafe is spacious with counter seats if you are eating alone or tables to enjoy with friends or family. “We have many regular customers that live close by to the cafe. Also, many people that come in after their morning run or visiting Hokkaido Jingu,” says Tamura.

Wake Cafe is the perfect spot to enjoy an early morning breakfast or relax after your visit to Maruyama park and Hokkaido Jingu Shrine!