Soak in the air and flavor of Italy.

La Giostra

Manager Tokizaki was originally a lifelong Italy enthusiast, drawn to Italians' sense of aesthetics and their almost musical way of speaking. What he admired most of all was the barista — and back when the word itself wasn't yet common in Japan, he traveled to Italy to train before eventually opening La Giostra. The depth of flavor in Tokizaki's espresso is proven by the graffiti left behind by visiting Italian customers: "Thank you for the best coffee!" The beans, naturally, are Italian, a blend of about seven varieties, ground differently each day to bring out that day's best flavor. By the way, the Italian way to drink espresso is with plenty of sugar, downed in about three sips — do give it a try.

In Italy, it's not unusual to see a man in a suit eating gelato at night. La Giostra's gelato carries that same authentic Italian spirit. The key is "richness" — but in the Italian sense, that doesn't mean loaded with heavy cream or overly sweet; it means the ingredients' own flavor and aroma come through strongly. La Giostra's gelato is rich in that authentic sense, while staying only lightly sweetened.

The food, too, stays faithful to Italian recipes. Verona, Sardinia, Milan, Turin, Rome, Naples, Amalfi... Tokizaki traveled across Italy learning the taste of "mamma" cooking in each region. "Mamma" is Italian for "mother," and just as Tokizaki says, "a mother's cooking is always delicious, always warm," every dish on this menu makes you want to order it again and again.

Rooted in aesthetic sensibility, yet never pretentious. Visit this shop, and you're sure to feel that same spirit of Italy.