Originally conceived by a group of friends in East London, Dark Arts Coffee in Hayama opened two years ago, bringing with it a unique attitude, and love for coffee. The interior presents comfortable, rustic decor with a pinch of dark/raw attitude. A section of the cafe is dedicated to their boldly designed T-shirts, which have an edgy flair celebrating the occult, magic, or anything else deemed a “dark art”.
If you’re looking for just a little buzz to help energize you, go for either the coffee of the day (¥480) or Vietnamese-style iced coffee (¥550). You can even buy specially imported coffee beans from Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, and Kenya. All have unique aroma and flavor, with prices starting at ¥800 for 100g.
The menu is centered around brunch items. Their popular Panini lunch set (¥1200) comes in salmon, vegan, or egg-and-bacon options. Each set comes with mixed salad as well as the coffee of the day. The Brunch English Muffin (¥1300) offers up a hearty serving of avocado, cheese, bacon, egg, roasted tomato, and special goma (sesame) sauce. If you have a hankering for sweets, try the vegan cinnamon rolls (¥400), or the waffle with ice cream and house-made espresso syrup (¥650).
Beyond the menu, Dark Arts also hosts a variety of events, ranging from vintage markets and whisky nights, to motorcycle centered events. Next time you’re down in Hayama, be sure to grab some dark elixir at Dark Arts Coffee.