Inside the Imminent Japanese Cafe, ‘Harken’

Early last week I took another look at progress inside Harken, the new Japanese cafe and coffee roastery at 338 Powell Street. It’s been a long time coming…

This was my third visit to what will soon launch as a casual 16-seater. Prior to last week, the last time I checked in at the 1,700 sqft space was about 10 months ago, when they had finished interior demolition and started some framing. Prior to that, my first visit was back in the Fall of 2018, soon after possession. All of that is to say that there have been hiccups along the way, Covid-19 just being the latest.

Thankfully (mercifully?), and as the photos above and below attest, they are now nearing the finish line. The design by CÒMH A Creative Studio is coming together beautifully, and the roasting operation appears to be on the verge of…er…roasting.

Eldric Stuart, who you might recognise from his time running Aubade Coffee in Chinatown (and the early days of Savio Volpe), is still the project’s lead. He tells me they’re aiming to start serving coffee and shojin ryori-style vegan food around June 1st. Take a look a look inside…