They call it “food carts and farmer’s market”; we call it our new favourite after work/Saturday afternoon outdoor drinking and dining spot.
You don’t have to go far from Omotesando station to find 246 Common, a collection of caravans and tents which, far from a camping holiday, bring a rare level of sophistication to the outdoor drinking scene in Tokyo without any pretences.
Designers had a little space between buildings that over the years has often threatened to become a car park to play with and their work seems to have been worth it.
The Common, which aims to bring back a sense of community to the area, bringing established cafe and bar venues together with bakers and craft shops in a market style setting, opened a couple of weeks ago and is scheduled to occupy its spot until March 2013.
Wood chips underfoot, we took a wander around the place and found everything from takoyaki to rosemary infused Hakushu whisky highballs (more on that here), and after an iced original tea – heavy on the tapioca which, if you are in to that kind of thing, hits the spot – from Wired Cafe (silver bullet style) were even tempted by a little champagne and a cocktail. This place seems to have it all.
So whether it’s bakeries or booze you fancy, whether you are nipping in for a coffee on your lunch break, have to make more of a journey to get involved or are wondering where to start your evening in Aoyama, 246 Common is a very, very good place to look.
The 246 Common (it’s named after the road which runs past it) website is here.
