SIde Note: A Pleasant Cafe in the Woods

Hello fellow Ibarakians!
It’s been quite a while since my last side note. If you remember from earlier posts, side notes can cover just about anything, sometimes places in Ibaraki, sometimes beyond. Today’s post is the latter.
Recently, Mrs. Ibaraki Eats and I found ourselves in Tochigi, where we decided to visit a café recommended by the wonderful owners of Historica Coffee Company in Hitachiota. What followed was a bit of an adventure, filled with delicious sweets and great coffee.
Today, I’ll be talking about Tochigi’s very own Franklin Café.

Franklin Cafe

Franklin Café is located in Nasu, Tochigi, and it’s quite a drive from Ibaraki. The night before, the Ibaraki Eats duo stayed in Naka City, and from there we made the journey up to Nasu. The drive was just under two hours, but we made it.
There are a few things to know before deciding to visit Franklin Café. First, there are no nearby bus stops or train stations—the café is tucked away deep in the woods. The only practical way to get there is by car, unless you’re an especially dedicated cyclist.
Second, if you do choose to drive, be prepared for a very bumpy road.
As we made our way to the café, we were surrounded by rice fields, with dense woods closing in around us. Eventually, we spotted a small wooden sign that read “Franklin Café.” That sign led us to a rocky uphill road. We drive a kei car, and I honestly wasn’t sure it would make it. To make things even more intense, it was foggy—the scenery combined with the mist made it feel like we were entering Silent Hill.
The road had a few holes that I tried my best to avoid, but thankfully, our little car made it up in one piece.
Once we parked and stepped out, we were greeted by a peaceful, scenic woodland setting. Everything was incredibly quiet, aside from the gentle sound of birds chirping. It was instantly relaxing. We made our way into the beautifully designed wooden café, excited to finally enjoy some coffee.

Inside

When we walked inside, we were greeted by a space that felt like a perfect blend of a cozy log cabin and a beautifully designed café. There was plenty of seating available, including counter seats, tables, and even sofa seating. Feeling completely at ease in such a relaxing atmosphere, we decided to settle into one of the sofa seats.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the menu. That said, this is very much a coffee-focused café. Franklin Café offers both drip coffee and espresso-based drinks. For drip coffee, you can choose from a selection of standard beans or opt for their specialty lineup, which features higher-grade options. On the espresso side, there’s a wide variety to choose from, including café lattes, Americanos, cortados, cappuccinos, and more.
As for food, the café serves a range of options such as pasta dishes, sandwiches, curry, and sweets.
Sorry my non-Japanese speakers, the menu is only in Japanese.
My wife and I decided to try a bit of everything from the menu: coffee, pasta, and, of course, some sweets.

Cappuccino and Cortado

The first items to arrive were our coffees.
I ordered a cappuccino (pictured farther back), while my wife chose a cortado (the clearer coffee in the photo). Both drinks looked immaculate. The latte art was beautiful, and each cup looked like it had been crafted by a true coffee expert.
I also have to mention the mug. My cappuccino was served in a mug that felt incredible in hand—smooth, perfectly weighted, and excellent at retaining heat. It honestly felt like it had been made specifically for that coffee. It might sound a bit odd for me to focus on and write about this mug, but I genuinely loved it. I even told my wife that one day, I might have to buy one for myself.
My wife’s cortado was just as impressive. For those unfamiliar, a cortado is a Spanish coffee made with equal parts espresso and steamed milk. It’s typically served in a small glass, which was exactly how it was presented here. It looked like a piece of art.
When my wife took her first sip, she had that familiar wide eyed expression that she gets when something completely exceeds her expectations. Naturally, I had to try it as well, and I agreed with her. The balance was spot on: a rich espresso base complemented by a smooth, creamy texture. It was absolutely delicious.
Now, onto my cappuccino. There are only a few places in Japan that I consider to serve a truly great cappuccino, and I’m happy to report that Franklin Café is one of them. I was seriously impressed. The balance between the espresso and steamed milk was excellent, topped with a velvety, creamy foam.
Simply put, it was a fantastic cappuccino—made even better by that amazing mug.

Special Lemon Cream Pasta

After enjoying a few sips of our excellent coffee, our pasta dish arrived at the table.
We ordered the pasta of the day, which was a lemon cream pasta. Given how impressed I already was with Franklin Café’s coffee, I had high expectations, and I’m happy to say it did not disappoint.
I’m not sure where they source their pasta, but it tasted incredibly fresh and had a perfect texture. The real star of the dish, though, was the creamy lemon sauce. It was absolutely heavenly, warm, smooth, and balanced with just the right amount of lemon flavor. A lot of lemon-based pasta dishes tend to go overboard with the citrus, but this one struck the perfect balance.
It didn’t pair particularly well with our coffee, but on its own, it was an outstanding dish.

Chocola Orange

Once we finished our pasta, it was time for dessert. We decided to go with another recommendation from the lovely owners of Historica Coffee Company—the Chocola Orange.
The Chocola Orange was a small slice of chocolate cake, topped with a piece of orange and a delicate garnish. The cake itself had bits of orange baked into it, which made for a really interesting combination.
My wife took the first bite and immediately gave her nod of approval. I followed right after, and I completely agreed—this was an incredible treat. The cake was moist and rich, with a deep chocolate flavor, followed by a refreshing hint of orange. It created a really enjoyable contrast.
What I loved most was how well it paired with our coffee. Taking a sip of that smooth, creamy cappuccino and then a bite of the chocolate-orange cake was the perfect combination. It was a fantastic way to end our experience at Franklin Café.

Once we finished our amazing coffee, delicious pasta, and tasty chocola orange, we had to continue our journey north toward Fukushima. Even though it was a long trip, we were happy to have made a stop at Franklin Cafe. It was a nice coffee break filled with a pleasant forest atmosphere, and incredible coffee in a nice log cabin setting. Even if the road felt like we were going off roading.

So if you are traveling around Nasu, Tochigi and are in the mood for some delicious coffee and sweets, why not give Franklin Cafe a chance? Who knows? You might see us there, enjoying some incredible coffee with that exquisite chocola orange.
Enjoy!

For more information on Franklin Cafe, check out their Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/franklinscafe/?hl=en