Where Japanese craft meets Sydney sophistication.
In the heart of Sydney’s CBD, a Japanese craft is brewing – literally. By day, Kahii offers a slice of Tokyo in the form of a kissaten-style café. But come nightfall, it transforms into a sophisticated hole in the wall drinking destination: Sydney’s first dedicated tea and coffee cocktail bar.
Bar manager and cocktail curator, Fumiaki Michishita, is the creative force and backbone of the venue. His career spans more than 20 years in some of Japan and Australia’s most respected venues. With experience at Bar Triad and Bar Tram in Tokyo, and more recently at Kuro, Kahii’s sister restaurant, Michishita is passionate about bringing an unparalleled level of detail to every drink.
Located in a heritage-listed building that was once a tea and coffee warehouse, Michishita has created a venue that thrives on transformation and fresh creations while paying its respect to the past. Kahii takes its name from the first kissaten in Japan, Kahiichakan, which opened in 1888.
This lineage, deeply immersed in ritual, reflection, and craftsmanship, is reflected in every detail of the venue. From the phonograph cylinders embedded in the bar to the inhouse-distilled water used in its cocktails, everything here is intentional.
At the core of Kahii’s identity is a concept rarely seen – cocktails built around tea and coffee that are treated not as additions but as the core palette. This is no more evident that its Autumn menu.
It’s not always about the technique, it is about the quality of the ingredients you stock… We don’t want to throw things away, we want to create something new with what we already have.
The Toma-Tea-Ni sets the tone with gyokuro green tea and house-made clear tomato water, subtly seasoned with bonito and pickled tomato built in the style of a martini. The Mariages Rose is a twist on the Jack Rose, a floral, fruit-forward cocktail that plays beautifully with calvados and pomegranate.
Coffee lovers aren’t left behind. Between the Sips is a decaf creation served on a coaster shaped as a bed – a nod to the classic Between the Sheets. The milk wash adds body and clarity, transforming it into a gentle, late-night sip that doesn’t sacrifice depth of flavour or your sleep. The Fig Coffee Cherry, pairs cold brew coffee, cherry tea and fig leaf for notes of vanilla and coconut – a drink that’s both fresh and creamy.
Michishita says Japanese mixology always starts with the produce.
“It’s not always about the technique, it is about the quality of the ingredients you stock,” says Michishita.
This philosophy is evident in every corner of the bar’s operation. Michishita and his team use six types of hand-carved ice to suit the distinctive dilution needs of each cocktail. They also distil their own flavoured water in-house, ensuring that the base of every cocktail is clean and flavour-enhancing.
Michishita’s approach is sustainable as well as being technical. Ingredients are often shared with Kuro’s kitchen to minimise waste, and the cocktail menu changes every three months to reflect the best of the season.
“We don’t want to throw things away, we want to create something new with what we already have – for example, our chef from Kuro creates our distilled tomato water that we use in our Toma-Tea-Ni cocktail,” he says.
While Michishita oversees the direction of the menu, Kahii is very much a team effort. Barista Lisa, who brings a deep understanding of coffee to the cocktail space, created the Between the Sips and the Mame through bold experimentations in coffee liqueur pairings.
Kahii has quickly earned a reputation among bartenders and baristas who are drawn to its distinctive cross over with coffee, tea, and alcohol. “
We get a lot of hospitality workers in here, they appreciate the balance of comfort and creativity,” Michishita says.
Kahii may specialise in refined cocktails, but its greatest triumph is atmosphere. Whether you’re perched at the stone bar learning the ins and outs of cocktail creation or tucked into the lounge with a small plate from the Kuro kitchen, the experience invites you to slow down, ask questions, and savour.
The bar also offers a blend of house made digestifs – served quietly to some as you prepare to leave. It’s a final touch in an evening defined by care.