SWEET BITTERS COFFEE

After an evening of hopping between casual bars in Tateishi, SWEET BITTERS COFFEE offers an appealing final stop with its signature house specialty: coffee shochu. Listed as the menu's top crowd-pleaser, this infusion of distilled spirits and roasted beans is clean and easy to drink, drawing regular orders from nearly everyone who stops by. The aromatic bitterness of the coffee melds smoothly with the liquor, making it a refreshing diversion mid-crawl or a mellow nightcap before heading home.

The pairing of coffee and spirits extends well beyond shochu. A thoughtful bar lineup features creations like Irish coffee laced with whiskey and the Maria Theresia, scented with orange liqueur. Beyond highballs, lemon sours, and rooibos-infused spirits, non-alcoholic selections are just as diverse, spanning South American mate tea, South African rooibos, and Sri Lankan Ceylon.

The establishment also takes its daytime craft seriously, functioning as a full-fledged coffee shop. The "Today's Coffee" allows patrons to choose between single and double bean dosages, with the option to customize each cup with syrup additions such as caramel, cinnamon, or maple. For a sweeter profile, the Vietnamese coffee pairs rich brew with condensed milk, served either hot or iced.

Occupying the 2nd floor of the Sun Park Tateishi building, the interior provides a relaxed setting complete with free Wi-Fi, table service, and a curated musical soundtrack. Operating primarily in the evening hours on weekdays and opening from noon on weekends, it welcomes guests drop in whenever they crave quality drip coffee or a chilled glass of coffee shochu.