The %Arabica chain, thanks to its franchise, has become recognizable worldwide (as of November 2023, it has 168 locations in 21 countries). It began its journey in the coffee world by acquiring exclusive distribution rights for Slayer, the most expensive American handmade espresso machines. From the start, %Arabica set an ambitious goal—to become something like the "Apple of coffee."

The owner of the chain, Katsunori Shoji, opened its first location in Hong Kong, where he had come to manage the family business—a major publishing company. According to him, at that time, Hong Kong didn’t have a place where he could get good coffee, so Katsunori decided to open a café to have access to the coffee he was used to in Japan. Shortly before that, he attended the SCAJ exhibition and was drawn to Slayer, a handcrafted espresso machine from Seattle. After a trip to the United States, he secured distribution rights for these unique espresso machines in Japan and Hong Kong.

The Higashiyama location is the first %Arabica café in Japan. For five years after its opening, the world champion in latte art, Junichi Yamaguchi, stood behind the espresso machine here, but he left %Arabica in 2018 to open his own café, called here, in Kyoto. Currently, the café employs 16 people, including trainees who are not yet allowed to work on Slayer machines. It’s worth visiting if only for the design: the coffee is undoubtedly excellent, but it’s unlikely that anyone would want to stand in a long queue (albeit with a beautiful view of Yasaka Pagoda) solely for the coffee. If you do want to have coffee here, it’s best to come at opening time or, on weekdays, right before closing.

This establishment is particularly noteworthy for its collection of green beans and an on-site roaster. Guests can order custom coffee roasting, choosing the country of origin, processing method (washed or natural), the producer’s farm, and the exact roast level they prefer. While you enjoy your coffee, your beans will be ready in just 20 minutes.

As is common across the chain, most visitors here order the default deep roast blend, which you can get at any %Arabica café worldwide. However, if you want something more innovative, ask for a single origin. These are roasted to a medium or even light level, are well-balanced, and—combined with the baristas’ mastery on the Slayer—leave no one indifferent.

The format, design, menu, and, it seems, even the prices of the establishment are nearly identical worldwide. The only differences are the space occupied and the number of staff working. Unfortunately, the Higashiyama location is not designed for lingering. The café is geared toward a large, continuous flow of visitors: there is no WiFi or power outlets for customers, coffee is served in paper or plastic takeaway cups, and there are only 11 seats. The café’s format doesn’t encourage "slow drinking," so working on a laptop here would be uncomfortable.