Retro cafes in Kitakyushu! 10 popular picks by area

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Snack & Coffee Bibo is a retro cafe located a 5-minute walk from Nishi-Kokura Station and near the shopping complex "Riverwalk Kitakyushu." Founded in 1968, it has a long history and is said to have stayed true to its old-school style.

With newspapers and old comics on hand, the place is said to feel like stepping back in time half a century.

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They offer a lineup of light meals and drinks centered on yoshoku (Japanese-style Western food). The menu, available across a wide range of hours, is said to embody Japan’s kissa (traditional coffee shop) culture.

The coffee is said to be authentic, carefully brewed by hand drip. They also have a full selection of old-school drinks like soda, floats, and fruit juice.

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The popular "Breakfast set," available to order until 11:00, lets you enjoy a classic breakfast centered on simply grilled sausages and fried eggs.

It comes with toast and coffee. People say the old school home style taste and the shop's retro atmosphere are soothing.

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CAFE DE FAN FAN is a retro cafe founded in 1967, with much of its original charm still intact. Reviews also say that the antique style interior and the aroma of coffee in the air create a cozy atmosphere.

It is located a 7-minute walk from Kokura Station, in one corner of Kyomachi Gintengai (Kyomachi covered shopping street), a historic shopping arcade.

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There are more than 10 kinds of coffee in total, including blends and single origin, making this a great spot for coffee lovers.

The "Tokusei Cafe de Fanfan" is served in a wine glass. The fresh milk floating on top is best enjoyed as is without stirring, so you can fully savor its rich flavor.

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The shop is known for its lineup of simple, rustic cakes that pair perfectly with coffee.

The "Baked Cheesecake" is a long loved item, said to be delicious for its rich depth and smooth texture.

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Don Coffee Kan is a retro cafe tucked away on a backstreet, a 5-minute walk from Kokura Station. Founded in 1981, it is said to be a place that symbolizes Kitakyushu’s cafe culture.

The interior has remained unchanged since it first opened, with antique-style furniture throughout. Soft jazz and classical music are said to play in the background.

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With the "Daily Cake Set," you can enjoy simple cakes that go well with coffee. They use Special roasted beans for the coffee and carefully brew it to a deep amber color.

In Kitakyushu, topping coffee with fresh cream is said to be a classic style.

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It is also a popular spot for lunch. The house special curry, which you can choose with beef, pork, or chicken, is the signature dish. The owner makes it in house every day, and people love its familiar flavor that has never changed.

It is also said that the curry comes with fukujinzuke (pickled relish) and rakkyou (pickled shallots), another hallmark of old-school curry.

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Founded in 1974, this retro cafe enjoys a great location just a 1-minute walk from Kokura Station. The display case lined with realistic food models and the nostalgic feel of the furniture are said to be lovely.

Open all day from morning to night, this is a local favorite where people come to relax.

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You can enjoy authentic coffee, carefully brewed using the siphon-shiki (siphon method), which extracts coffee with steam pressure and vacuum suction.

As for dessert, the popular choice is coffee jelly. It comes topped with vanilla ice cream and fresh cream, and is said to be a tasty dish with only mild bitterness.

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A wide food menu is another hallmark of a classic old school cafe. The lineup includes filling dishes such as Hamburger Steak and curry.

The "Italian Spaghetti" comes in a classic old style, with ketchup cooked down as it is tossed with the pasta.

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Salon du Japon Maeda is a retro cafe in a one story renovated kominka (traditional Japanese house). This shop serves tea specially selected by a Japanese tea sommelier.

At the counter seats, you can enjoy watching the tea being brewed. They also sell small goods and tea, so you can fully enjoy traditional Japanese culture.

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They carefully Special select tea leaves from Kyushu, and place great importance on bringing out the best possible aroma and flavor. As the staff explain each step, they brew the tea for you in 3～4 rounds.

As time passes, you can enjoy how the taste and aroma change. It is well regarded as a place where you can experience the depth and deliciousness of tea.

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With the set menu, you can enjoy any combination you like from teas with their own distinct character and five kinds of Japanese sweets.

The photo shows “hojicha (roasted green tea)” and a matcha parfait. The hojicha stands out for its toasty aroma and slight bitterness. It is said to pair perfectly with sweet desserts.

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Sakuratei is a cafe in a hideaway location in a corner of a residential area at the foot of Adachiyama (Mount Adachi), the symbol of Kitakyushu City. The space is said to be surrounded by retro knick-knacks that show the passage of time.

The owner runs the cafe alone, which adds to its warm atmosphere. It is said to be a retro cafe where you can relax and feel exceptionally comfortable.

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The sweets in the "cake set" are lined up in the display case inside the shop, and it is nice that you can see them and choose. They all have a gentle sweetness, and the Homemade taste is said to be very good.

The coffee is carefully roasted over charcoal. Its deep aroma and pleasantly bitter taste are popular with coffee lovers.

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If you're in the mood for black tea, they recommend the house-made scones that pair well with it. You can choose from four flavors, including raisin and cheese.

They are said to be excellent, with a moist texture and a soft, crumbly bite that melts in your mouth. They are mildly sweet, and you can enjoy them with cream.

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Koganemushi is a retro cafe founded in 1978, located very close to the popular sightseeing spot Mojiko Retro. It has a nostalgic interior that preserves the original decor from when it first opened.

The area around the cafe also has a retro streetscape, where you can enjoy an old fashioned atmosphere.

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The drink menu is simple, with coffee, juice, and beer. The "Mojiko Cider" here features a label inspired by the history and strait of Mojiko (Moji Port), and it is also popular as a souvenir.

It is said to have a strong fizz and a gentle sweetness that makes it easy to gulp down on a hot day.

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Yaki curry (baked curry) is known as a local specialty of the Mojiko (Moji Port) area and is served at (Each) restaurant.

This restaurant's "yaki curry" is topped with broiled cheese and fried onion. As you keep eating, egg, corn, and broccoli appear.

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Monjiko Saryo is a retro cafe with a full menu of yaki curry (baked curry) and Japanese style desserts. It is located a 1-minute walk from Mojiko Station, on the first floor of the historic Mojiko Building.

The space has a calm Japanese feel that blends into the charming historic streetscape.

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Each coffee is hand-dripped to order, and they also serve green tea that pairs well with Japanese desserts.

This is “cream anmitsu (traditional Japanese sweet with sweet red bean paste, fresh cream, and fruit).” It is a traditional Japanese dessert with sweet anko (red bean paste), topped with fresh cream and fruit. It is said to have a cool, refreshing taste.

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They also have a great selection of sweets made with matcha (green tea). The "matcha parfait" is a dessert with soft and springy warabi mochi (bracken starch dumpling), paired with kinako (roasted soybean flour) and kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup).

It is said to be best enjoyed by breaking up the rich matcha soft serve and eating it together with the other ingredients.

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Rokuyokan is a retro cafe where you can feel Japan's kissa (traditional coffeehouse) culture, just a 3-minute walk from Idemitsu Bijutsukan Station. Many records are on display, and the cozy space is filled with jazz and blues in the background.

The cafe serves retro yoshoku (Japanese-style Western food) and authentic coffee, and many locals come here to relax and take their time.

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Mojiko (Moji Port) is said to be the birthplace of “banana no tatakiuri (banana auction-style street sales),” one of Japan’s traditional street performances in which bananas are sold with humorous patter. A local specialty here is the “banana cake set,” which reflects that history.

It is said to have a moist, chiffon cake-like texture, with rich flavor from cinnamon and coconut milk. Reviews also say the banana’s gentle sweetness gives it a soothing taste.

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The yaki curry (baked curry)-inspired "Yaki Curry Pot". It is filled with a rich curry sauce inside a French bread loaf.

You tear off pieces of bread and dip them in to eat. It comes with an egg yolk inside, and mixing it in adds more richness and lets you change up the flavor.

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Kissa Pearl is a cafe with a good old fashioned feel, surrounded by antique style interiors. It is located in a residential area right by the station, just a 1-minute walk from Chikuho Dentetsu Anao Station.

The cafe is said to be popular with local students and businesspeople, and offers filling meals with generous portions.

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The "Banana Chocolate Parfait" is a filling parfait packed tightly into a large glass, with plenty to eat. It is said to include more than five kinds of fruit alone.

The cream and ice cream are both nicely sweet, and it has a great reputation among people with a sweet tooth.

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It is also popular for lunch. They offer a wide range of choices, including rice bowls, set meals, curry, and Hamburger Steak.

The Omurice here stands out for its large portion of rice. This retro style dish features ketchup rice wrapped in a thin egg crepe.