Horiguchi Coffee

Located in a quiet corner of the busy streets of the bund, the Japanese coffee shop "Horiguchi Coffee" found its place. Close to the Beijing West Road one is able to spot the decent colored walls of the coffee maker. The store itself is placed in a pedestrian area which gives the place a very quiet environment (so no cars etc.). Surrounded by high end designer brands like PRADA, Ralph Lauren and Patek Philipe which are a part of the Mall of the Peninsula (not in my price range) one is also able to browse some shelves after a coffee at the store.
As you can see on the picture, the store also offers to sit outside (I chose the indoor version).

The exact address
1/F, 133 Yuanmingyuan Lu, near Beijing West Road
A point of orientation would be the Peninsula Hotel (very fancy looking).

In this post I want to give you a quick tour through the shop and also share my experience with the staff and the place itself.

The Atmosphere

With the perk of being located in an enclosed pedestrian area, 

I was able to enjoy their signature coffee in a quiet manner without being disturbed by the city sounds that normally haunt the atmosphere. Yes I was even able to say no to my headphones during the stay because it was such a pleasing quiet environment. The inside of the store is furnished with premium  dark wood attire, giving this place a warm and comfy feeling. The indoor space itself isn't very big but not too small, which gives it a very "home like" vibe. The music in the background contributes to the atmosphere in a positive way.

Not every staff member is able to speak English but there is always someone who can. Even with the small communication barrier, the staff members make you feel very comfortable and are ready to grant you every wish with a smile on their face. You can tell that they really want you to experience the "Horiguchi Coffee" in the perfect way, trying to serve everything not good nor great, but nothing else than perfect.

The Coffee

Now the part why you clicked on this post, to know how the coffee was (the best part as always).

The menu offered their "Signature Blends" divided in 9 categories, some classics like Cappuccino and Espresso, as well as some cake options and tea. Obviously I chose a original blend, because that's what the store is famous for. I went for the #5 "Smooth & Chocolaty". The nice member of the staff wrote my order down and offered me a cake that would enhance the taste details of the freshly brewed coffee. I accepted and waited for my order. After 15 minutes I still sat at my place, however with no coffee! The employee came back, giving me a cup of water and apologizes for the delay. He told me it took them so long because they had to redo my coffee 3 times already. My first initial thought was "well that store sucks" but he explained himself. They redid it because the flavors of the coffee weren't good enough. Like I already said, they really try to offer you a perfect coffee tasting experience. After another 5 minutes my coffee and cake finally arrived. It smelled very smokey and rich in chocolate flavor. Not like your usual black coffee. I took a sip and a bite of the cake. Blown away! Yes. I was blown away. The initial taste that strikes your tongue is the short sweetness of the chocolate nuance, right after that it hits the side areas of your tongue giving it the sour note of the coffee and last but not least the mild bitterness of the coffee made it very easy to enjoy it. I wasn't tasting any watery details which really leaves you with the full coffee flavor. The temperature was ideal to not hurt yourself but still giving you the warm feeling of the coffee in your stomach. The cake (raspberry/ chocolate) highlighted the sweet as well as the mild bitter details.

So all in all I can't complain about the actual taste of the coffee, I was very impressed.

The Price 

The Coffee and Cake together set my wallet back a stunning 146 RMB. I know. Not the cheapest coffee. However you really get a great experience at the shop for the money, making it worth the wait and the invested bucks. 

Conclusion

All in all I am very pleased with the experience at the "Horiguchi Coffee". I would really recommend to try out their different blends when you're in town and just to be clear, you will need to clear a good 30-60 min of your schedule to really enjoy the shop.

Even though it is kind of time consuming, you will feel how time flies by when you are sitting in the store. From all the reviewed aspects mostly enjoyed the atmosphere it contributed the most to the coffee experience, making you feel like you were at home.

I would suggest to you to avoid the weekend for this shop, because it gets crowded easily during the weekends and therefore falsifying the experience.

My Rating: 9/10 Coffee Cups ☕️

Thank you for taking your time to read through this post. Follow me on Instagram @commedecafe to stay updated with my coffee experiences. Let me know what kind of reviews you would like to see in the future.

Stay caffeinated!

Comme de Café®