Vlad Bunoan

Key Coffee brings Ginza's kissaten culture to Glorietta

Article (news)

Jeeves De Veyra

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781604401632EXTERIORS 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Key Coffee at Glorietta 2. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>MAKATI -- Key Coffee brings coffee lovers to Ginza with its new shop at the Glorietta 2.</p><p>The brand may not be familiar to coffee drinkers but it continues to play a vital role, having supplied coffee to kissatens, the traditional Japanese coffee shops, since the 1920s.</p><p>The Key Coffee shops in the Philippines, starting with the first one at the Mitsukoshi Mall in BGC, can be considered modern kissatens. The strictly traditional kissaten only features hand drip coffee. Modern versions of these have adjusted to the present times as they do have newer equipment like espresso machines and grinders to get the coffee out quickly.</p><p>Key Coffee’s coffee master, Yasuhiro Fujita, specially flew in to talk about the coffee. He also showed off the Fujita Capuccino, his signature drink made with single shot espresso topped with firm foam served with a teaspoon resting on top of the coffee concoction.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781604434030YASUHIRO.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Yasuhiro Fujita. <em>Jeeves de Veyra </em></span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781604552951YASUHIRO LATTE.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Fujita Capuccino. <em>Jeeves de Veyra </em></span></span></span></div><p>The hand drips are recommended for those who prefer their coffee black and unadulterated. Home brewers will notice some differences with the way coffee is brewed here. The roast is darker than would be expected for specialty coffee pour overs prioritizing body and those strong chocolate notes.</p><p>A good place to start would be with coffee brewed with Key Coffee’s signature Toarco beans grown and processed in their farm In Indonesia. Then try out the other beans like their own Blue Mountain or Ethiopian beans. These are all roasted in Japan then flown here though they are planning to open a local micro roastery soon.</p><p>One would also notice that they don’t use a scale when brewing. Fujita remarked that they didn’t have to use scales back then and they still adhere to that method of manual brew. They use volumetric brewing guided by marks on their proprietary glass drippers. This does involve some skill as the barista has to eyeball the pours and know when to add water from experience.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781605551430POUROVER WITH YASUHIRO 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Yasuhiro Fujita prepares a pour-over coffee. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>For this cafe, they turned to the Shōwa era, the mid-20th century period where Japan rose to the cultural and economic powerhouse it is today. These years saw the rise of the coffee salon in high-end districts like Ginza where one could just disappear into its slow coffee culture.</p><p>There’s none of that modern minimalist white and chrome Japanese aesthetic here. Rather, the large space is full of warm wood, brick, and leather tones. The playlist is carefully curated with Japanese city jazz that&#x27;s the perfect backing track to an afternoon of sipping coffee in the company of a good book.</p><p>Each Key Coffee kissaten has its own inspiration that is reflected in the menu. The first one in the Mitsukoshi Mall had a consulting chef from Japan come in to make a traditional kissaten menu. The second one at the Opus Mall featured Japanese-Italian dishes common in kissatens, most notably Neapolitan Spaghetti which took some time to get just right. </p><p>Likewise, the menu at the Glorietta branch reflects the setting of both Ginza and the Makati Business District with its elevated offerings. Snacks like potato chips are given the premium treatment topped with briny ebiko.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781604335837CHIPS WITH EBIKO.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Potato Chips with Ebiko. <em>Jeeves de Veyra </em></span></span></span></div><p>The mains are best represented by the teishoku sets with Wagyu beef as the main dish complemented by miso soup and sides.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781604364939Wagyu Tataki Bento 3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Wagyu teishoku. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span></div><p>The coffee is the star in their dessert pairings. A fruity blend of Ethiopia and No. 18  beans for their raspberry cold brew paired with a canelle, and their cold milk drink topped with roasted banana sauce with a banana black sesame millefeuille on the side.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781605736691DESSERT BENTO.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Dessert bento. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span></div><p>The combination with the breakfast coffee with a blend of T’boli and Colombian arabica has more of those familiar chocolate notes paired with a flourless chocolate cake for those who like their coffee hot.</p><p>All three are available as an omakase set should one want something that can last the whole afternoon.</p><p>Expect something different to see and taste at every Key Coffee kissaten. They will be opening another one in Trinoma soon and it will be of interest to know what time and place will be the inspiration for that new location.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781605713553INTERIORS 1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Key Coffee at Glorietta 2.<em> Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><div><em>Key Coffee’s Ginza Salon is located beside the Palm Drive entrance of Glorietta 2 and is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.  </em></div>

<p>Key Coffee brings coffee lovers to Ginza with its new shop at the Glorietta 2.</p>

Makati eats: Key Coffee brings Ginza's kissaten culture to Glorietta

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Food and Travel

Makati eats: Key Coffee brings Ginza's kissaten culture to Glorietta

Jeeves De Veyra

Published June 16, 2026 06:32 PM PHT

Read More:

Key Coffee

Glorietta

Makati eats

coffee

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.