An Insider's Guide to the Best Cafés in Niseko

Niseko’s cafés offer locally sourced produce, quality coffees and tasty pastries
Niseko’s cafés offer locally sourced produce, quality coffees and tasty pastries | Courtesy of Ichiseko Market

Beyond its world-renowned snow, summer alpine activities and exciting restaurant scene, Niseko’s high-quality local produce and the diverse influences of its international community mean that the town’s cafés also provide delectable experiences.

Whether you’re looking for a mid-ski pick-me-up, an afternoon spent sipping Japanese green tea, or somewhere to enjoy the town’s après-ski scene, Niseko regular Aja Ng picks the best cafés for quality coffees, tasty pastries and locally sourced food in Niseko, Japan.

speech icon man in bubble

Destinations Unlocked:

Let our travel expert Stefano help you find your perfect Culture trip

Looking for an expert's perspective?

Uncover my top 3 recommended places from each continent on the map.
speech icon man in bubble
left arrow trip map

CentralAmerica

GORGEOUS GUATEMALA

Gorgeous Guatemala

5 days . Mini
speech icon man in bubble

1. Guatemala

An express adventure for those with limited time off. Prepare yourself incredible experiences. You will hike a volcano, visit mayan temples and witness a ceremony and take in beautiful colonial Antigua.

Next

right arrow next slide
left arrow trip map

CentralAmerica

BEACHY BELIZE

Beachy Belize

5 days . Mini
speech icon man in bubble

2. Belize

A quick trip not too far away for those seeking a relaxing mini break. You will have plenty of free time to relax but also some awesome activities to experience the rainforest and the caribbean sea.
left arrow previous slide

Next

right arrow next slide
left arrow trip map

CentralAmerica

COLONIAL MEXICO

Colonial Mexico

5 days . Mini
speech icon man in bubble

3. Mexico

An exciting mini trip exploring the lesser known colonial towns of central Mexico. This is hte perfect trip for someone with limited time off and still wants to turn on explorer mode and do something different.
left arrow previous slide

Back to Map

left arrow trip map

SouthAmerica

ADVENTUROUS ECUADOR

Adventurous Ecuador

8 days . Epic
speech icon man in bubble

1. Ecuador

A remarkable 8 days adventure through the Andes and the Amazon rainforest. The best choice for adventure seekers wishing to visit the 2 most iconic areas of South America, in only 1 week and no flights.

Next

right arrow next slide
left arrow trip map

SouthAmerica

ANCIENT PERU

Ancient Peru

9 days . Epic
speech icon man in bubble

2. Peru

An alternative itinerary to classic Peru, from Cusco to Arequipa. This itinerary is great combination of highlights Cusco and Machu Picchu with the lesser known Arequipa and Colca Canyon.
left arrow previous slide

Back to Map

left arrow trip map

Europe

SEDUCTIVE SOUTHERN ITALY

Seductive Southern Italy

10 days . Epic
speech icon man in bubble

1. Italy

The ultimate Italian experience from the vibrant streets of Naples to the breathtaking sceneries of the Amalfi Coast followed by Matera and down to Puglia with its golden beaches, intense flavours and fascinating destinations.

Next

right arrow next slide
left arrow trip map

Europe

EDINBURGH AND THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS BY TRAIN

Edinburgh And The Scottish Highlands By Train

7 days . Culture
speech icon man in bubble

2. Scotland

Embark on this great adventure starting from London all the way to Scotland with a true Scottish experience made of breathtaking sceneries, whisky tasting and ..lots of fun! Ideal for train lovers and explorers.
left arrow previous slide

Next

right arrow next slide
left arrow trip map

Europe

COMPLETE PORTUGAL BY TRAIN

Complete Portugal By Train

8 days . Culture
speech icon man in bubble

3. Portugal

A wonderful train journey around Portugal, from the romantic city of Porto to the Douro Valley, to the beautiful Aveiro all the way to Lisbon and Sintra. The perfect trip to train, culinary and culture lovers.
left arrow previous slide

Back to Map

left arrow trip map

Asia

SOULFUL SOUTH KOREA

Soulful South Korea

10 days . Epic
speech icon man in bubble

1. South Korea

Discover incredible temples, mountains and modern cities on this 10 day adventure. This trip is perfect for those seeking immersion in the cuisine, culture and natural wonders of South Korea.

Next

right arrow next slide
left arrow trip map

Asia

THAILAND, CAMBODIA & VIETNAM

Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam

11 days . Epic
speech icon man in bubble

2. Thailand

From Bankgok to Angkor Wat to Ho Chi Minh City and everything in between - adventure through the heart of South-East Asia. Taste the delights, see history brought to life and unwind on a Mekong River cruise.
left arrow previous slide

Next

right arrow next slide
left arrow trip map

Asia

SECRETS OF SRI LANKA BY TRAIN

Secrets Of Sri Lanka By Train

10 days . Culture
speech icon man in bubble

3. Sri Lanka

A fantastic adventure that showcases Sri Lanka's fantastic landscapes, wildlife and flavours. With 3 epic rail journeys, 3 UNESCO heritage sites and time to relax, this trip has loads to offer at a great price
left arrow previous slide

Back to Map

left arrow trip map

Africa

EPIC MOROCCO

Epic Morocco

11 days . Epic
speech icon man in bubble

1. Morocco

An epic journey across Morocco: from Casablanca to Marrakech, through the blue city of Chefchaouen to the wonders of the desert and deep to the High Atlas Mountains - this trip has it all! Ideal for true explorers!

Next

right arrow next slide
left arrow trip map

Africa

ULTIMATE EGYPT

Ultimate Egypt

9 days . Epic
speech icon man in bubble

2. Egypt

From Cairo to Aswan, this trip brings the land of the pharaohs to life. You'll visit the Pyramids, Valley of the Kings and Luxor Temple and cruise down the Nile in style. This is the perfect way to explore Egypt.
left arrow previous slide

Next

right arrow next slide
left arrow trip map

Africa

IMMERSIVE KENYA

Immersive Kenya

8 days . Epic
speech icon man in bubble

3. Kenya

An immersive blend of culture and wildlife for first time travelers to Africa. Learn about Nairobi, sample local coffee in the Aberdares and finish up with a fantastic safari stay in the Masai Mara.
left arrow previous slide

Back to Map

Graubunden

Cafe, German

Interior of Graubunden
Courtesy of Graubunden

Lauded for its delicious food, great coffee and warm service, Graubunden is a charming, homely German-style café featuring wooden floors and furniture, lush potted plants and a wood-burning fireplace. The café is located a little way away from the heart of Hirafu, the largest of Niseko’s villages. For brunch or lunch, go for one of their signature sandwiches (try the Makkari bacon and egg baguette), with a slice of moist strawberry cake with fresh cream for dessert, and a robust cappuccino to top the meal off. Expect to spend ¥1,200-2,000 (£8-14) per person here.

Village Patisserie

Cafe, Japanese

Interior of The Village Patisserie
Courtesy of The Village Patisserie

Over in Niseko Village’s shopping enclave, Village Patisserie is a cosy little café decorated in the colours of a floral garden, set within the Machiya-inspired wooden structures of The Village, which are designed to look like traditional Japanese townhouses. On the menu are espresso-based coffees and gourmet teas, along with crispy-on-the-outside, moist-on-the-inside waffles, fluffy pancakes, seasonal fruit-filled Swiss rolls and Japan’s famous Cremia soft serve ice-cream – made from rich Hokkaido milk.

Guzu-Guzu

Cafe, American

Heaven for carb-lovers, Guzu-Guzu serves some of the most delicious breads, pizzas and pastries in Niseko. A coffee is ¥400 (£2.80), while sandwiches cost from ¥600 (£4) at this quaint, cosy café situated on the fringes of Hirafu, looking out on Niseko’s alpine forest. The Dutch babies (American-style popover pancakes) are a speciality not to be missed, and more substantial daily specials are also on offer for lunch.

Jojo's

Cafe, American

Spacious Jojo’s is a fun and central destination in Niseko. Besides coffees, milkshakes, burgers and pastas, the space also houses an 11-metre-high (36-feet-high) rock climbing wall and an indoor kids’ playground, making it an easy choice that will please even the most varied group. “One of the things we’ve always done is support local producers,” says owner Ross Findlay. “Our coffee beans are sourced from Sprout in Kutchan, while our meat, vegetables and dairy are mostly made or harvested in Hokkaido.” Meals here can start at ¥1,000 (£7) per person, for breakfast or tea, while lunches and dinners are about ¥3,000 (£21).

Takahashi Dairy Farm Milk Kobo

Cafe, Japanese

Niseko cheese
© Aja Ng / Culture Trip

No visit to Niseko would be complete without an afternoon spent at the Milk Kobo, a café and dairy farm that has garnered quite a following. Light-as-air choux pastries are filled with silky smooth vanilla-tinged custard, made fresh from milk and cream from Hokkaido cows. The café is clean and comfortable, and is housed in a log building close to Niseko Village, featuring large plate-glass windows overlooking the pastoral surroundings. Guests pop in to sample the yoghurt, ice cream, cheese soufflé cakes and milkuchen, which can also be taken home as gifts (most items cost below ¥400 (£2.80)). In wintertime, the field beside the Milk Kobo makes an ideal spot for building snowmen and sledding.

Ichiseko Market, Bakery and Café

Cafe, Japanese

Ichiseko Market, Bakery and Café
Courtesy of Ichiseko Café

Serving some of the best coffees, hot chocolates, matcha lattes and freshly baked pastries in serene Annupuri, Ichiseko is beautiful and bright, with comfortable seating, rustic wooden tables made from tree trunks and cross-sections, and sleek stone serving ware. Large windows frame the gorgeous views and serene settings on this side of the mountain, adding to the zen ambience of the café. “Here in Niseko, we all take pride in our products, either hand-making or supporting local, organic or eco-friendly producers and concepts. You can feel the passion for local produce, and the love for Niseko,” head barista Melvin Acosta says. He describes Niseko as a place “where people are drawn by nature and the culture to pursue alternative lives.” Brunch would cost ¥1,500-1,800 (£10.50-£21) per person.

White Birch Café

Cafe, Japanese

Taking its name from Hokkaido’s famed silver birch forests, White Birch is an off-the-beaten-track, ‘mom and pop’ café loved by Niseko’s residents. The interior sports earthy tones, lending it a relaxed ambience. Delicious coffees, pastries, sandwiches and burgers are available till 4pm. They open for dinner from 6pm, with a menu featuring their signature baked curry with Makkari pork and an array of wines.

Café If

Cafe, Italian

Charming and cosy, Café If is run by a Japanese couple who make everything from scratch with the best locally sourced produce. Their whipped cream with berries is one of the signature dishes, along with a decadent mascarpone cheesecake. More substantial dishes come in the form of delicious pastas (vongole, carbonara) and pizzas, costing ¥2,000-3,000 (£14-£21) per dish. Just off the main Hirafu intersection, the brick building is set back from the busy streets, providing a calm spot in which to escape.

Green Saso

Cafe, Japanese

Immerse yourself in Japanese culture and enjoy green tea at Green Saso, a tiny 10-seater specialist café-cum-gift shop. Browse local pottery, confectionary and crafts, and then indulge in the creamiest of matcha sundaes, fragrant hojicha (a Japanese roasted green tea) lattes and scrummy pancakes filled with adzuki bean paste. The ambience is calm, with the café housed in a modern wooden structure in the quiet, wooded Kabayama area, away from Hirafu’s busier streets. A bite here is priced at ¥500–2000 (£3.50-£14) per person.

Sprout

Cafe, Japanese

Serving specialty coffee near the main Kutchan train station, Sprout is a popular, buzzing café in Niseko. The cosy, inviting roastery and café serves a good range of single origin coffees and three house blends (¥450 (£3) for a cappuccino), which they also provide to other cafés in the Niseko area. Customers can partake in sandwiches, cream puffs, or choose one of the cakes on display. The café has also become a gathering place for cyclists, hikers and runners in the region, with legendary ultrarunner Scott Jurek spotted recently.

Green Farm

Cafe, American, British

The early bird definitely catches the worm at Green Farm, one of Hirafu’s more popular cafés. Here, the tagline is “food from farm to fork,” and the café serves an array of Western dishes highlighting local produce. Breakfasts range from granola to proper fry-ups replete with eggs, bacon and sausages, while the lunch menu features hearty salads, vegan burgers and pork carnitas (Mexican pulled pork). Prices range from ¥300 (£2) for baked goods, and ¥1,000 (£7) upwards for plated dishes. The spacious café is full of natural light, with exposed ceilings, cement flooring, hefty wooden tables and gleaming cases displaying a plethora of deli items.

Hana1

Cafe, German

Over in Hanazono, Hana1 is more of a shack than a café, but it has a huge following. Located by the Hanazono Edge ski-in, ski-out eatery, the café serves some of the best barista-pulled, espresso-based coffee on the slopes, along with homemade six-spice chai, muffins, toasties and light snacks. The daily queue of skiers and snowboarders getting their morning coffee is testament to the reputation and quality that owner Mikey Flanagan has built here, and come evening people rock-up for après-ski shots and beers. In spring, they also hold sausage sizzles every weekend.

Koko Bakery and Coffee

Cafe, French

In Kutchan’s shopping mall, the sleek Odin Place, Koko offers pain au chocolat, croissants and Danish pastries, along with full-bodied coffees brewed from a blend of Hokkaido and South American beans, plus premium Belgian chocolate drinks. Not so ideal for sitting down and grazing, Koko is more suited for those who just want to grab and go, which is great because you can have your coffee while you browse the sartorial offerings of the boutiques in Odin Place. Prices begin at ¥300 (£2) for a pastry and ¥400 (£2.80) for coffee.

culture trip left arrow
 culture trip brand logo

Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip

meet our Local Insider

Hanna

women sitting on iceberg

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?

2 years.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?

It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.

WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?

I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!

culture trip logo letter c
group posing for picture on iceberg
group posing for picture on iceberg

Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.

map of volcanic iceland trip destination points
culture trip brand logo
culture trip right arrow
landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

X

Holiday Sale Offers on Our Trips

Incredible Savings

Edit article