It’s been close to a decade since I last visited Kyoto. This time, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of artisanal cafes that have popped up in the city.

I regretted only staying there for three days because it didn’t give me enough time to explore the city’s numerous unique cafes nestled within historic, charming neighbourhoods.

I managed to squeeze some time at the start of my day to visit Astrea for coffee and sandwiches. The cafe has a plain white exterior marked with the brand’s logo on the window. The wintry day was particularly windy, and after walking twenty minutes from my hotel, I was glad to seek refuge in the warmth of the cozy cafe.

I am always delighted by the illustrated menus in Japan's cafes, and Astrea’s menu features seasonal fruit sandwiches with cream cheese filling; these fruit cream sandwiches are a must if you haven’t tried these in Japan. The sweet and tart flavours of the strawberries (or kiwi if you’re ordering the seasonal special) mixed with the smooth texture of the cream cheese are so satisfying.

Alternatively, the chef’s special with thick cuts of ham and cheese is also delicious if you prefer savoury options. Compared to large North American sandwiches, I like these snack-sized sandwiches because it leaves more room in my stomach to consume more scrumptious meals throughout the day.

Both sandwiches are made with the adorable sandwich presses everyone seems to have here in Japan. Side note: I discovered these sandwich presses at electronics shops like Bic Camera for around 5,000 yen (~$40 USD), so if you want to bring one home from your trip, you can make these sandwiches at home as well! The mini grill heats sweet and savoury sandwiches and seals in the ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about them spilling out from the bottom or sides.

The sandwiches are also made to order, so you know they’re made fresh. The barista behind the counter prepared two hot sandwiches within 10 minutes, as well as our three coffees, so it was pretty efficient even though there was only one staff manning the shop.

I also enjoyed a cup of the Black Sugar Panda Latte with my strawberries cream sandwich, which was sugary sweet and lovely to sip on as I gazed out at cyclists zipping by on their way to work.

Beside me in the bar seating area, a regular customer enjoyed his coffee and working while another reviewed a document with his highlighter. The cafe was an obvious favourite amongst foreigners as well since I saw two other groups come in that didn’t speak Japanese.

Whether you’re in the mood to start your day in Kyoto with a Flat White or flavoured latte like mine, I recommend spending a relaxing morning basking in Astrea’s simple environment and savouring their house-made sandwiches and drinks.

Photography by Florence Leung