Sora Cafe Has Opened in Columbus
A new cafe serving Japanese-inspired drinks and desserts has launched at the Bethel Center Mall.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Coffee
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Sora Cafe has opened its doors at 1462 Bethel Road in Columbus. The shop offers a variety of matcha, coffee, tea, and desserts to the local community.
Why it matters
The owners established the cafe to provide a space for sharing Japanese food, drinks, and culture with residents in the area.
Sora Cafe operates at 1462 Bethel Road with daily hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The menu features specialty matcha lattes in mango, ube, and pistachio flavors.
The players
Sarah Cai
She is a co-owner of Sora Cafe who developed the shop's drink recipes during her time in Tokyo.
Katsuyuki Tanaka
He is the inventor of the dirty coffee style that originated in 2010.
The details
The cafe is currently in a soft opening phase while serving drinks such as matcha and a variation of dirty coffee, which was originally invented by Katsuyuki Tanaka in 2010. Sarah Cai, one of the owners, developed the shop's recipes during a month-long trip to Tokyo.
Timeline
The cafe opened at the Bethel Center Mall in October 2026.
Current operations are limited to Thursday through Sunday.
Dirty coffee was originally invented in 2010.
Culture Shift
The emergence of Sora Cafe mirrors the rise of Japanese-style artisanal cafes in U.S. metropolitan food halls. This shop capitalizes on the growing local demand for global specialty beverages like matcha and crafted coffee variations.
Residents can currently visit the cafe Thursday through Sunday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to sample the new menu. Future updates are expected to increase availability to seven days a week once the shop exits its soft opening phase.
The takeaway
Sora Cafe brings a specialized selection of Japanese-influenced drinks and sweets to the Bethel Center Mall. Visitors should monitor upcoming announcements regarding the grand opening to see the full expansion of menu items and operating hours.
What happens next
The cafe plans to transition to a seven-day operating schedule following a future grand opening event, and management intends to expand the current dessert selection.
Further reading
For more on the local scene, explore our Columbus Coffee section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC4i.
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