A Small Cafe Bag in Wilderness (forest green) 630 Ballistic with a Cobalt 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Wilderness (forest green) 630 Ballistic with a Cobalt 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Wilderness (forest green) 630 Ballistic with a Mountain Grey 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Wilderness (forest green) 630 Ballistic with a Mountain Grey 210 Cerylon interior. Small Cafe Bag in Aubergine Ballistic. Small Cafe Bag in Aubergine Ballistic with a Dusk 210 Cerylon interior. Small Cafe Bag in Aubergine Ballistic. Small Cafe Bag in Aubergine Ballistic with a Marigold 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Aubergine (dark purple) 525 Ballistic with a Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Deep Blue (dark blue) Ballistic. Small Cafe Bag in Deep Blue Ballistic with a Moss 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Deep Blue (dark blue) Ballistic. Small Cafe Bag in Deep Blue Ballistic with a Mountain Grey Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Mars Red 525 Ballistic. A Small Cafe Bag in Mars Red Ballistic with a Dusk (blue-grey) 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Constellation (light blue) 630 Ballistic. A Small Cafe Bag in Constellation (light blue) 525 Ballistic with a Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. Small Cafe Bag in Nebulous Grey Ballistic. Small Cafe Bag in Nebulous Grey Ballistic with a Cobalt 210 Cerylon interior. Small Cafe Bag in Nebulous Grey Ballistic. Small Cafe Bag in Nebulous Grey Ballistic with a Marigold 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Coyote (brown) 525 Ballistic. A Small Cafe Bag in Coyote (brown) 525 Ballistic with Mountain Grey interior. Small Cafe Bag in Ursa 630 Ballistic. Small Cafe Bag in Ursa 630 Ballistic with a Moss 210 Cerylon interior. Small Cafe Bag in Burnt Orange 630 Ballistic with a Dusk 210 Cerylon interior. Small Cafe Bag in Burnt Orange 630 Ballistic with a Dusk 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Burnt Orange 525 Ballistic with a Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Black 630 Ballistic/Mountain Grey 210 Cerylon. A Small Cafe Bag in Black 630 Ballistic/Mountain Grey 210 Cerylon. Small Cafe Bag in Black with red label. A Small Cafe Bag in Black Ballistic is Marigold 210 Cerylon.\ Small Cafe Bag in Black with red label. A Small Cafe Bag in Black Ballistic is Dusk 210 Cerylon. Small Cafe Bag in Black with red label. A Small Cafe Bag in Black Ballistic is Moss 210 Cerylon. A Small Cafe Bag in Taiga (olive green with grey grid) 400 Halcyon. A Small Cafe Bag in Taiga (olive green with grey grid) 400 Halcyon with a Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Small Cafe Bag in Nebulous Grey 630 Recycled Nylon. A Small Cafe Bag in Nebulous Grey 630 Recycled Nylon/Island 210d Ballistic. A Small Cafe Bag in Logic Blue 630 Recycled Nylon. A Small Cafe Bag in Logic Blue 630 Recycled Nylon/Mountain Grey 210 Cerylon. A Small Cafe Bag in Logic Blue 630 Recycled Nylon/Cloud 210d Ballistic.
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$78.00


Color: Aubergine Ballistic/Dusk 210 Cerylon

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The go-everywhere small messenger bag.

5 liters / 300 cu. in.

Looking for the Medium Cafe Bag or the Large Cafe Bag?
Add a Cache?
$50.00 - 10A (10.5" 2021 iPad/ iPad Air/Pro)
visible variant TB03310A TB03310B TB03311A TB03312A TB03313A TB03313B TB03313C TB03313D TB03313E TB03315A TB03315B TB03315C TB03315D TB03316A TB03317B^^A Cache on the Horizontal side.

TLDR

The Small Café Bag is our timeless crossbody bag with a distinctive asymmetrical flap that is designed to help you carry and organize your everyday gear. Like the name says, this bag is perfect for any trips to the café, whether for work or just to chill with a cup of coffee, but this bag is also ideal for daily use and travel.

  • Perfect for an iPad Mini, e-reader, and small journals or books
  • Main compartment with 4 organizer pockets and 2 O-rings
  • Front zippered pocket to secure important items
  • Slanted open-top pocket in the back for quick-access items

Think the Small Café Bag is too small for you? Check out our Medium and Large size Café Bag.

Full Description

Main Compartment

Under the asymmetrical flap is an open-top main compartment. It's a good place for a small tablet, e-reader, books, small water bottle, or foldable jacket.

On the front interior wall, you'll find four organizer pockets. One of the pockets is sized to fit your iPhone or a Nik's Minimalist Wallet and the three other pockets are sized for pens.

The main compartment has two O-rings, with an 8" Key Strap attached to one. The Key Strap is useful for tethering on your house or car keys as well as our organizers, such as the Cubelet or Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch.

Front Zippered Pocket

On the front exterior of the main compartment, behind the asymmetrical flap, there is a zippered pocket that spans the width and height of the bag. Inside you will find one O-ring. It's an ideal pocket for storing items that you want to keep extra secure, like your wallet, passport, or other small items. It closes with a #8 YKK zipper. 

Slanted Slip Pocket in the Back

The back of the Small Café Bag has a slanted slip pocket, under a handy grab handle. It allows for easy storage and quick access to papers, phone, a small notebook, and anything that is relatively flat.

How to Carry the Small Café Bag

The Small Café Bag is designed to be carried as an over-the-shoulder crossbody bag. It comes with a sewn-on 1.5" shoulder strap made of high quality webbing produced specifically for us. 

Please note: Because it is sewn on, the strap cannot be swapped out for another shoulder strap. From our experience, the 1.5" shoulder strap is sufficient for a bag of this capacity. 

Small, unobtrusive webbing loops on the left and right sides of the bag allow you to add an optional removable waist strap to the Small Café Bag to stabilize the bag against your body while you're riding a bike.

What's Included

8" Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap

As with most of our bags, we've included a key strap. 8" long from tip-to-tip, a snaphook on either end. Good for attaching your keys to.

What's Optional

Freudian Slip

Love organizing and want even more pockets? The Small Café Bag Freudian Slip adds an additional eight organizational pockets to your bag. One side of the Freudian Slip has a horizontal zippered pocket that can fit a phone lengthwise, as well as four narrower pockets designed for pencils, pens, or a thin flashlight. There's also a pocket that can fit a phone or similar object vertically. The other side has a diagonal mesh pocket and behind that, a zippered pocket. Both can fit an iPad Mini / 7" tablet, either by itself or in a Cache.

8A Cache

The 8A Cache is sized for iPad Minis. Put it inside the Freudian Slip or directly into the Small Café Bag.

Gatekeeper Hip Belt

Attach a hip belt to the unobtrusive webbing loops on the back side of the Small Café Bag to stabilize the bag against your body when you're riding a bike.

Under the asymmetrical flap is an open-top main compartment. It's a good place for a small tablet, e-reader, books, small water bottle, or foldable jacket.

On the front interior wall, you'll find four organizer pockets. One of the pockets is sized to fit your iPhone or a Nik's Minimalist Wallet and the three other pockets are sized for pens.

The main compartment has two O-rings, with an 8" Key Strap attached to one. The Key Strap is useful for tethering on your house or car keys as well as our organizers, such as the Cubelet or Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch.

On the front exterior of the main compartment, behind the asymmetrical flap, there is a zippered pocket that spans the width and height of the bag. Inside you will find one O-ring. It's an ideal pocket for storing items that you want to keep extra secure, like your wallet, passport, or other small items. It closes with a #8 YKK zipper. 

The back of the Small Café Bag has a slanted slip pocket, under a handy grab handle. It allows for easy storage and quick access to papers, phone, a small notebook, and anything that is relatively flat.

The Small Café Bag is designed to be carried as an over-the-shoulder crossbody bag. It comes with a sewn-on 1.5" shoulder strap made of high quality webbing produced specifically for us. 

Please note: Because it is sewn on, the strap cannot be swapped out for another shoulder strap. From our experience, the 1.5" shoulder strap is sufficient for a bag of this capacity. 

Small, unobtrusive webbing loops on the left and right sides of the bag allow you to add an optional removable waist strap to the Small Café Bag to stabilize the bag against your body while you're riding a bike.

8" Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap

As with most of our bags, we've included a key strap. 8" long from tip-to-tip, a snaphook on either end. Good for attaching your keys to.

Freudian Slip

Love organizing and want even more pockets? The Small Café Bag Freudian Slip adds an additional eight organizational pockets to your bag. One side of the Freudian Slip has a horizontal zippered pocket that can fit a phone lengthwise, as well as four narrower pockets designed for pencils, pens, or a thin flashlight. There's also a pocket that can fit a phone or similar object vertically. The other side has a diagonal mesh pocket and behind that, a zippered pocket. Both can fit an iPad Mini / 7" tablet, either by itself or in a Cache.

8A Cache

The 8A Cache is sized for iPad Minis. Put it inside the Freudian Slip or directly into the Small Café Bag.

Gatekeeper Hip Belt

Attach a hip belt to the unobtrusive webbing loops on the back side of the Small Café Bag to stabilize the bag against your body when you're riding a bike.

Materials

Zippers

1x #8 YKK coil zipper (front pocket)

Shoulder Strap

Nylon webbing shoulder strap and handle

Components

Duraflex®, Nexus, and Woojin buckles and related components

Specs

Dimensions

7.8" (w) x 10.2" (h) x 5.7" (d) / 200mm (w) x 260mm (h) x 145mm (d)

Weight

630d HT Ballistic Nylon: 11.9 oz / 340 grams

Volume

5 liters / 300 cu. in. (ASTM Standard Measure)

Strap Length

1.5" / 38 mm shoulder strap extends to 54" / 1.3 m

Total O-Rings

3 (2 in the main compartment; 1 in the front zippered pocket)

4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
Based on 371 reviews
91%would recommend this product
371 reviews
  • Liz
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Versatile
    2 months ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Versatile
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    PERFECT

    This was my first TB bag. I’m obsessed with it! So much can fit into this little thing and it never looks bad, even when I over-stuff it. I’ve taken it on so many trips this past year and can always adapt it to what I need. Camera bag, book bag, puppy training walk bag, EDC, whatever!

    TB Profile picture for TOM BIHN
    TOM BIHN
    2 months ago

    Thank you for the lovely photos, we're so glad to hear the Small Cafe Bag has been serving you well!

  • Fermin C.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Other
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Sewn in USA, High Quality Finishings
    3 months ago
    Bought For Other
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Sewn in USA, High Quality Finishings
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Small Cafe Bag

    Roomy and stylish.

  • Elizabeth P.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Good Storage Size
    5 months ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Good Storage Size
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great bag

    It is highly organized, compact but holds a bunch, and superbly made. And it’s even comfortable to wear.

  • Jaye H.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Easily Adjustable, Versatile
    5 months ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Easily Adjustable, Versatile
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great alternative to a small backpack

    This is my first Bihn bag. My goal was to get something to use when I want to carry a water bottle and a few kid snacks, but don’t want to go “full backpack.” I am really happy with the bag. I bought the black on black version hoping it would blend in when I need to look a little less utilitarian and a little more refined - and it does. The strap is smooth and easily adjustable, so I can also shift to a shoulder carry when needed. The big thing: this small cafe bag does fit my everyday carry 750 mL water bottle. The organization inside is helpful but not limiting and the pocket placements are thoughtful and nearly perfect. I typically carry it with water bottles, wet wipes/tissue, granola bars, small wallet, key fob, phone and a few other items. It’s packed full but handles it well. The strap is wide enough to distribute the weight as comfortably as possible. As ann andded bonus, I’ve found myself carrying it more than other bags in our wet fall weather. It handles the rain well!

    Overall, I am thrilled with the bag’s construction and function. My only regret is not buying it sooner. 😊 To help others making a similar decision, I’m attaching a photo of the the classic 17 Oz slim water bottle and my 750 mL inside, so you can see the fit, along with the “full” bag. I am 5’4”, 140 lbs for reference.

  • Barbara J Levin O.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact, Sewn in USA, Comfortable
    5 months ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact, Sewn in USA, Comfortable
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    For Me, A Functional Writer’s Bag

    In my opinion, the secret of obtaining continuing satisfaction with a small bag is to know in advance how I want to use it and what I want to put into it, and to stick with that. I had conceptualized this bag as a writer’s bag, and I decided, in advance, how I was going to fill it: 1 Executive-sized Rocketbook; 1 A5 Rhoda notebook with top spiral; 1 small discbound notebook; 1 “logi” portable keyboard by Logitech; and 1 ghost-whale pouch (tethered to an o-ring) filled with pens, erasers, a Pentel multi pencil, a Tombow multi pen, a Pilot Frixon ballpoint pen (for the Rocketbook), a fountain pen, and a few paper clips. My phone goes into the interior phone-sized pocket (I can connect it by Bluetooth to the logi keyboard). In the front zipper pocket is my mini wallet, tethered by a fob, and there’s also room for a charger for my phone. My keychain is tethered to another o-ring in the main compartment. I can fit a protective facemask and a bottle of hand sanitizer in the back pocket, and also, if I want, a 12-ounce water bottle. (See photos 1 and 2.)

    So, I have a writer’s bag, filled exactly as I like, and I don’t need anything larger. If I want to carry more items, I can use my Paradigm.

    When I first got the Cafe Bag, I felt discombobulated when I tried to use the fidlock buckle. I didn’t like fumbling with the buckle in order to open the bag and get ahold of my keys. Later, I discovered that the o-ring with snapped keyhook is situated in the main compartment…

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Sewn in Seattle

Our bags are designed and sewn right here in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.

That allows us to be control freaks in the best way possible; we have direct control and oversight of the quality of our materials, our products, and the jobs and working environment that we help create. It also offers us a unique spontaneity: when we have an idea for a new product or accessory, we can design it, figure out how to build it, add it to our website and be ready to ship it out our front door all within just a few weeks. How cool is that?

Intrigued? You can find out more about the unusual way we do business on our Company Philosophy page.

THE BIHN Guarantee

Everything you buy from us here at TOM BIHN is satisfaction guaranteed. We’ve been in business since 1972 and we stand behind what we make.

If something goes wrong and it's our fault, we'll fix it for free. Repairs due to normal wear and tear or due to other things that are not our fault will be performed, when possible, at a reasonable charge right here in our Seattle factory where your bag was made. Defects in materials or workmanship are uncommon and almost always evident while the product is still new. Keep in mind that bags and packs are often subject to extreme wear in everyday use: do not expect them to last forever. Only true love lasts forever! You can expect a TOM BIHN product to give years and years of hard service.

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