Australian enthusiasm for specialty coffee knows no bounds—or borders. Sydney’s Single O has been trading in Tokyo since 2014, and their latest cafe in Ginza is the source of great excitement for the company. They’ve got heaps to say about their new project—let’s let them take it away.
The 2025 Build-Outs of Coffee is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, La Marzocco, Ceado, and Dona.
As told to Sprudge by Hannah Fedeli.
For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?
Single O was established in 2003 as a cafe and roaster in the back streets of Surry Hills, by a couple of single origin lovers escaping the corporate world. Back then, it was a sea of stale Italian packet coffee and fresh quality beans were hard to come by. And so by necessity and sheer will, Single O led the charge on showcasing single origin coffees, along with third wave roasting and brewing in Sydney. Since then, Single O has grown to supply likeminded, quality-crazed hospos, from their bases in Australia and Japan (since’14). The OG Surry Hills cafe digs is still cranking and pushing the brewing envelope, more recently introducing the world’s first batch brew bar, Freepour Coffee On Tap. Single O recently opened its second Australian cafe in Newstead, Brisbane in September 2023, marking an exciting milestone in the coffee roaster’s history.
In 2018, Single O introduced its climate-change impact awareness program, No Death to Coffee, which spans across a number of initiatives. As part of the program, Single O was the first roaster to bring climate-resilient F1 variety coffees to customers, giving Aussies a world-exclusive taste of the future of coffee and rallying the industry to sign up to the World Coffee Research. Banning hundreds of thousands of single use cups from landfill through a ban on branded single use cups since the brand’s inception in 2003, they also co-created The Juggler with Botany neighbor Six Simple Machines, which has saved over 75 million two-liter plastic milk bottles from the waste stream. Also part of their mission to go circular, Single O have partnered with Reground to divert over 40,000 kilos of ground coffee landing in landfill, with 70,000 kg of emissions avoided to date.
Single O is now embarking on the journey to achieve net zero status by 2030, in order to go beyond simply offsetting emissions through other parties and focus on reducing the companies own emissions, through upgrading their 92 existing solar panels, reducing environmental impact at an on premise and agricultural level as well as its fleet.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
Australian-born specialty coffee roaster Single O has opened the doors to its newest outpost in Tokyo, Single O Yurakucho, marking the brand’s fifth cafe in Japan and its most central location yet. Located in the Lumine Street precinct, directly connected to JR Yurakucho Station’s Ginza Exit—one of Tokyo’s busiest transport hubs—the 14-seat venue is Single O’s first cafe in a major train station, and is designed to bring high-quality coffee and food to one of the most fast-paced locations in the world.
Built to serve the station’s 120,000 people that pass through the station daily, while staying true to Single O’s roots in Australian coffee culture, the venue blends, quality and efficiency with experience—geared for morning commuters, lunchtime locals, and curious Ginza tourists alike.
“The dream is always to make high-quality coffee accessible in unexpected places,” says Mike Brabant, CEO, Single O. “Yurakucho is a milestone. This was the vision when we co-created the Freepour Batch Taps—to showcase and serve the amazing quality and taste of the coffees we get from our producer partners around the world, at the scale and speed of a Tokyo train station.”
Single O Yurakucho is also the clearest expression yet of the brand’s pioneering batch brew tap system—designed to deliver quality coffee at speed. The cafe features six free-pour taps with the ability to serve 18 people every 30 seconds, providing a mix of rotating single origins, blends, oat lattes, and matcha on tap. There is full espresso service too, with flat whites featuring Single O’s signature Reservoir Blend and a dedicated V60 brew bar, including three rotating single origins including a Papayo bean from Colombia’s legendary Holguin Family and a washed Ethiopia.
Food is equally suited to the setting, with offerings including Single O’s signature house-made banana bread with espresso butter, the Tokyo BAE roll, and Avo Show, alongside toasties and sandos all designed for takeaway or a quick recharge.
“We loved this Yurakucho venue from the start. It has the elements we like at Single O. It’s on a busy corner, off the main drag like our café in Surry Hills and only a short 500-metre walk from Ginza,” says Brabant. “We designed it to pack the best of what we do in a compact 14-seat cafe, that’s comfortable enough for people to sit down, whether they’re grabbing a quick takeaway or brunch. It’s everything you think of when you dream of visiting Japan—amazing quality, fast paced, technology” all in a fun and unique environment. Perfect for Single O.
To coincide with the launch, Single O is also releasing its limited seasonal blend, Firecracker. Inspired by Tokyo’s Sumida Fireworks Festival, Firecracker celebrates the energy of Japanese summer with a bright, fruity profile designed to suit any brew method. Available as whole beans and Parachutes (drip coffee bags), Firecracker is available at all Single O Japan and Australia locations and via the Single O website.
In keeping with Single O’s “No Death to Coffee” ethos, sustainability is front and center at Single O Yurakucho. The fit-out, designed by long-term collaborators, Australian design firm Luchetti Krelle, includes tables made from recycled plastic by Defy Design, upcycled chairs made by Flange Plywood using offcuts and other recycled materials, Sludge cups by legendary Australian ceramicist Malcolm Greenwood, while coasters and serving boards repurpose green bean jute sacks as part of the brand’s ongoing Re:Jute initiative. The space also features an original artwork by renowned artist Ryuji Kamiyama, continuing the brand’s history of working with local artists on installations in their spaces.
The launch of Single O Yurakucho has been spearheaded by Yu Yamamoto, the brand’s Japan general manager, who has been an integral part of the brand for 16 years, joining the team on overseas exchange through Single O’s Surry Hills cafe. Yama has since led the brand’s successful expansion in Japan, heading up the launch of the original roastery in 2014, the Hamacho cafe in 2021, Ryogoku and Shibuya in 2024, and Kanda and Yurakucho this year. With more openings on the horizon, Single O continues to grow its presence in Japan while staying true to its Australian roots.
What’s your approach to coffee?
The aim of starting Single O was to showcase coffee as produce, by serving single origin coffees and freshly roasted high quality blends. When founders Emma and Dion first opened the flagship Surry Hills cafe back in 2003, coffee came in shiny bags with a big logo on the front, a long expiry date and often roasted a lot darker. It was all cappuccinos and two sugars. Single origins, varieties, process, and tasting notes like blueberries and jasmine, were a long way from people’s minds. But that is what Emma and Dion got hooked on. They couldn’t figure out why everyone else wasn’t on the same trip so started Single O. Now, Aussie cafe culture is up there with the best in the world.
Quality and sustainability are crucial for us—which is why we travel to origin and source the majority of our coffees directly. Being on the ground and building relationships with growers allows us to maintain quality assurance through witnessing first hand the ripe coffee selection, clean washing stations, careful drying, sorting and storage that all add up to a superior final product. Most importantly, it allows us to see the working conditions, as well as environmental dealmakers like sound water management, and best waste management practices. We’re a carbon neutral business and more recently achieved B-Corp status, so our commitment to working with like-minded, sustainable producers can’t be overstated
How is your project considering sustainability?
In keeping with Single O’s “No Death to Coffee” ethos, sustainability is front and center at Single O Yurakucho.
What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?
Now open.
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?
The fit-out, designed by long-term collaborators, Australian design firm Luchetti Krelle, includes tables made from recycled plastic by Defy Design, upcycled chairs made by Flange Plywood using offcuts and other recycled materials, Sludge cups by legendary Australian ceramicist Malcolm Greenwood, while coasters and serving boards repurpose green bean jute sacks as part of the brand’s ongoing Re:Jute initiative. The space also features an original artwork by renowned artist Ryuji Kamiyama, continuing the brand’s history of working with local artists on installations in their spaces.
Thank you!
The 2025 Build-Outs of Coffee is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, La Marzocco, Ceado, and Dona.
AloJapan.com