Africa. India. America. Scandinavia. Oh, and a little bit of Japan. The eclectic travels of Makoto Kobayashi, the owner of the café Cocongo, were the starting point for his cosmopolitan-chic establishment. Hidden on a quiet lane in the fashionable Jingumae district – home to a buzzing hub of design studios, boutiques and cafes – Cocongo is worth the extra effort to locate.

Crossing the threshold feels akin to straying into the home of a global traveler with an impeccable eye for design. There are Scandinavian wooden globe lights, African-style sculptures, a swinging cane rattan chair picked up in France, a small overgrown walled garden. But despite the global disparity of the objects, the owner has thrown them together with panache to rival the hottest of Elle Décor stylists. Tuck into a good value set lunch of curry and rice before washing down with a pot of lemongrass tea.