COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / BLUE BOTTLE’S ARTFUL CUPS

Blue Bottle Coffee's Tokyo flagship, Kiyosumi Shirakawa Cafe is the namesake of the company's custom cappuccino cups

We’ve always admired the coffee produced by Blue Bottle Coffee, but we’ve found the company’s design flair from packaging, store décor and logo integration just as remarkable. 

In time for Father’s Day, Blue Bottle commissioned Japanese designer Shin Azumi to create ceramics just for Blue Bottle to use in its cafes.

To toast the fifth year in Japan, Azumi has designed a limited edition coffee cup in a subtle grey hue to match the exterior of Blue Bottle’s Toyko flagship store, the Kiyosumi Shirakawa Café.

The Kiyosumi grey cappuccino cup and saucer, $30.  Click here  for 
the Blue Bottle online shop. 

The idea to hide the logo under the cup came from Bb founder, James Freeman, who believes in minimizing distractions every time you pick up your cup to take a sip.

The cups and saucers are manufactured in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture, famous for producing Mino ware as far back as 1,300 years ago. Each one is lovingly crafted and then the logos are hand-pasted on them one by one.

More locally, Blue Bottle, a unit of the Nestle empire, has opened a second coffee operation in San Diego (just before the pandemic hit).  This one in a revamped glass tower at 180 Broadway near City Hall, where it competes with three other coffee houses amid a three-block stretch of Broadway. 

Others: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Peets Coffee & Tea, and West Bean Coffee.

Blue Bottle Coffee, 180 Broadway, Downtown San Diego

BREAKING NEWS:

Downtown San Diego is one of few select Blue Bottle outlets now open for sidewalk take out service only and with a limited menu.