Covert Coffee Shinjuku Tokyo, Repeat Visits
- Ava Lyn
- Nov 18
- 3 min read
Covert Coffee
3 Chome−27−10 Musashino Building, B1F
Shinjuku City, Shinjuku,
〒160-0022 Tokyo, Japan
Covert Coffee Roastery
3 Chome−17−7 紀伊國屋ビル B1F
Shinjuku City, Shinjuku,
〒160-0022 Tokyo, Japan
I first visited Covert Coffee in 2023 back when there was only one branch and back when it was mostly featuring other roaster beans like Glitch. This time in 2025, i was so pleased to see that Covert coffee now serves only their own beans. They also use the Paragon Nucleus, a set up that is also featured at Glitch. Notice the uncanny resemblance there? Though I did not find any information that indicates any relationship between the two.
Both the shops open at 10 in the basement of different buildings and have similar vibes and styles. It would be easy to mistake the 2 locations easily. There was easily a 4-5 person queue on the 2 days we were there before opening.
How does it work here. Ordering has its own process, you take a seat and wait for your turn to be called by the person at the counter. Each customer receives unrushed attention, and the barista at the counter lets you take your time with the beans, offering information and understanding your preference before letting you smell the beans. They are definitely trained to ensure you have the best coffee experience and knowledgeable and deeply enthusiastic to share about the different beans. Both times we were there, the folks at Covert conversed fluently in English and it was a very pleasant experience to talk deeper about their beans.
The roasting style here leans towards the lighter end of the spectrum , prioritizing natural expression and vibrant flavours. Each coffee is chosen for their uniqueness and narrative and having the control of the roasts means they have the ability to showcase both the terroir and farmer.
Our 2 selections were the Ethiopia Elto Hamasho as well as the Risaralda Milan
Sidamo Elta Hamasho - grown in the Bensa region of Sidama, Ethiopia at 2300-2450 m. Anaerobic 72 hours processing with a tasting profile of grape, black currant, chocolate. Juicy and smooth. These beans sit under the innovation category and its producers have been repeated honoured in Ethiopia's cup fo excellence.
Risaralda Milan - Grown at Finca Milan in the Risaralda department at 1600 m in Colombia. Culturing processing with tasting profile of passionfruit, oolong tea, apple, smooth and bright. This producer has been known for cultivating rare varieties with precise fermentation.
These days, the Colombian coffees have been turning heads and has been extremely interesting for us. We have also been gravitating towards anaerobic or funky flavours. These 2 were definitely cups to remember, in particular, the Risaralda Milan.
Booking
Not available. Show up and wait for your turn!
Accessibility
Total for both cups was 2500 JPY
Total Damage
Total for both drips - 2500 JPY or around 21 SGD. I would consider this very reasonable considering the the beans etc. There are cheaper options definitely as options.
Would We Recommend?
Absolutely! I would have recommended Covert Coffee wholeheartedly even before they started showcasing their own beans. Now that they roast their own, I would recommend it even more. This is definitely a place to visit for discerning coffee enthusiast.