Dailies Cafe Mitaka

(4.5÷5 stars)
Beyond Unilocal 100 Challenge 2015 — 6/​?
Being a tourist in your own town often leads to discoveries only after you get off the bus, leave the car and bicycle at home and walk through the neighborhoods at a leisurely pace. This café is a great example of a discovery that you always knew was there, but for some reason, never ventured into.
Well, after living in this city for well over 20 years, I dropped in one day recently. I had been attracted by the casual, semi-​hipster look of the place at night, and the menu looked inviting for both lunch and evening selections.
Historical note: The café has been in business for over ten years, and the attached furniture store in the back (separate spot, also very cool) had been around for over 30 years.
Highlights:
+ Atmosphere: ⁵⁄₅ stars (Lots of sofas, couches, wood/​earth tones, plus nice subdued lighting and BGM — heavy rotation of new age, lounge bossa nova and smooth jazz)
+ Menu: 4.5÷5 (Great selection of regular and rotating daily items featuring fresh ingredients, all made with a high degree of care and attention to detail)
+ Service: ⁴⁄₅ (Quick, attentive, relatively friendly)
+ Value: 4.5÷5 (Lunch sets feature two price points for the majority of items: ¥770 and ¥880, depending on selection. All include salad and choice of beverage)
+ Access: ⁴⁄₅ (Although a bit of a hike from the south exit of JR Mitaka station, you can’t miss it on your left — use the Unilocal app to guide you)
+ Amenities: ⁵⁄₅ (see below)
* Separate non-​smoking kids room
* Free, very fast, secure WIFI available — café dedicated connection plus several offered by mobile carriers (ask your waitperson for the café wifi password)
* Baskets available to keep your bag off the floor (common in cafes in Tokyo)
* Smoking in main area OK
* Books/​magazines to browse; CDs for sale (some are also played on the BGM as a subtle mood making promotion — see Atmosphere above)
With so many amenities, you would expect a full five stars. But wait, there’s more. Yes, that means I need to come back again and again at different hours/​days to make a full assessment. However, among the several visits I’ve made so far, the experience has been pleasing.
The atmosphere being warm and comfy (it is well lit by a wall of floor to ceiling windows along one side), I can sit here all day and write tons of Unilocal Reviews after enjoying a good meal or relaxing drink. Lest I overstay my welcome, I think it’s time to order another drink, and maybe a slice of the fresh daily cake. Yum!
All in all, a very cool chill spot to enjoy a great meal, good book and feel like you’re passing the time in a place that was hipster before that became a trend. Highly recommended, and yes, I will definitely be back.