No. 8 Bear Pond espresso, Shibuya

You’ll notice right away, because you’re clever people, that this sign doesn’t say ‘Bear Pond’. It says ‘ON THE CORNER’ (although if I’m giving you credit for observatorial powers, you prolly knew that awready too).

This is because Shimo Kitazawa’s famous and fairly fabulous espresso maniacal genius at Bear Pond has a branch shop in the front of On The Corner, an American diner-ish restaurant (that I would be into if I felt like eating diner food).

You should know a couple things. First, the master doesn’t work here. That means you can’t get a shot of espresso. He and he alone is qualified to pull shots from his special beans. The drinks are all espresso-based, but they won’t serve you a separate one.

Second, like the head store, they have a strict no-photo policy. Yes, I am childish about such matters.

But the macchiato here is certainly up to scratch, at least by my uninformed standards.

Still, I recommend a pilgrimage to the original.