Image: Omotesando Koffee
 

Popular Japanese cafe Omotesando Koffee will open in Singapore in June at the new Downtown Gallery mall in Shenton Way.

Started as a pop-up concept in Shibuya, Tokyo, in 2011, Omotesando Koffee quickly became a popular destination for local hipsters and tourists, serving good coffee and its signature cube-shaped custard cake in a minimalist setting. The pop-up lasted four years and closed in December 2015 when the building it was in was torn down. But it reopened earlier this year as Koffee Mameya at the same site in Shibuya. Owner Eiichi Kunitomo also opened a second location in Toranomon Hills – Toranomon Koffee – in 2014.

 

Image: The Work Project

The brand's opening here is a partnership between Hong Kong-born Russell Stradmoor, 28, director and franchising owner of Omotesando Koffee, and Mr Junny Lee, 34, founder of The Work Project – a Singapore-based co-working space operator with a branch in Hong Kong at Causeway Bay. At Downtown Gallery, The Work Project takes up the entire 20,000 sq ft space on the fourth floor.

 

The Hong Kong branch. Image: Omotesando Koffee

Mr Stradmoor and Mr Kunitomo had opened Omotesando Koffee in May last year at Wan Chai’s Lee Tung Avenue in Hong Kong. Mr Stradmoor was friends with the founder of Omotesando Koffee, Mr Kunitomo, which has now transformed into a "very strong" partnership. Singapore had always been on the radar for the brand's expansion, says Mr Stradmoor – even before its opening in Hong Kong. "There is a list of major world cities printed on our coffee cups and Singapore is one of them. "We know that Singaporeans expect the best when it comes to food and coffee. It will be a challenge for us, but an interesting one."

The menu for Singapore is still in the works and will have exclusive items, he says, but it will be largely similar to Tokyo's and Hong Kong's. The cafe will feature the brand's signature baked custard cakes and coffee beverages.

 

The Kyoto branch. Image: Omotesando Koffee

 

Mr Stradmoor says of the coffee scene here: "It is definitely maturing. Similar to when we opened in Hong Kong, I think the coffee culture here, now, is where Japan was probably two or three years ago. There is definitely a new wave of speciality and artisan coffee shops emerging and we hope Omotesando Koffee can have a positive impact on the coffee culture here in Singapore. "If you're a coffee fanatic here, there's plenty to be excited about."

 

Adapted from The Straits Times.