the UNIR coffee senses

One of the more famous cafes in Kyoto in one of the most popular tourist districts (Higashiyama Ninnenzaka area) is ‘Unir the coffee senses’ , one of five Unir branches and the most impressing one. Unir started as a coffee roaster, spreading its specialty coffee around Kansai with the head barista winning a few awards. Gaining popularity they now have 5 shops in total including shops in Osaka and Nagoya. Unir the coffee senses branch opened its doors in 2020 and sits in a renovated kyomachiya that is over 100 years old. The building used to be a chocolate shop as well as the official residence of the Italian consul general.

Unir has a traditional Omoya (母屋 – In Japanese omoya is a the core of the building) and kadobori (門堀 – a traditional Japanese gate) according to Kyoto’s building regulations.

To enter the premises you will first pass through the kadobori, then go through a small small garden before you reach the entrance. The building has two floors with a very spacious interior. On the ground floor is the coffee counter, a long order counter that leads to a beautiful inner courtyard separated by glass windows and a stylish bar in the back. The second floor is a large café space for customers that sits around the inner courteryard and has two separate areas and a private room.

The larger café space features large Isamu Noguchi pendant lights made from washi and comfortable Blue swan chairs, a couple of tables connected by a long comfortable bench and a few seats along the windows looking down on the inner courtyard with a maple leaf tree. The smaller café space has 3 tables as well as a few seats along the windows looking down on the other side of the courtyard with a total of over 35 seats.

Unir’s menu consist of coffee (espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, americano and café latte (550 yen)), espresso tonic, yuzu lemon squash and mandarin juice. For food there is Ojyu (ojyu is a beautifully decorated sandwich box, egg sandwich, vanilla ice and financier and affogato.

Unir the coffee senses is a beautiful renovated kyomachiya cafe with a stylish and comfortable atmosphere, great coffee and delicious sweets. A visit is heavily recommended.