diff --git a/src/application/routes/cafes.rs b/src/application/routes/cafes.rs
index 6eae450..e84e885 100644
--- a/src/application/routes/cafes.rs
+++ b/src/application/routes/cafes.rs
@@ -189,9 +189,10 @@ define_list_fragment_renderer!(
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 pub struct NearbyQuery {
-    lat: f64,
-    lng: f64,
+    lat: Option<f64>,
+    lng: Option<f64>,
     q: String,
+    near: Option<String>,
 }
 
 #[tracing::instrument(skip(state, _auth_user))]
@@ -200,15 +201,30 @@ pub(crate) async fn nearby_cafes(
     _auth_user: AuthenticatedUser,
     Query(query): Query<NearbyQuery>,
 ) -> Result<Json<Vec<NearbyCafe>>, ApiError> {
-    if !(-90.0..=90.0).contains(&query.lat) || !(-180.0..=180.0).contains(&query.lng) {
-        return Err(AppError::validation("lat must be -90..90, lng must be -180..180").into());
-    }
-
     let q = query.q.trim();
     if q.is_empty() || q.len() < 2 {
         return Err(AppError::validation("q must be at least 2 characters").into());
     }
 
+    let location = if let Some(near) = &query.near {
+        let near = near.trim();
+        if near.len() < 2 {
+            return Err(AppError::validation("near must be at least 2 characters").into());
+        }
+        foursquare::SearchLocation::Near(near.to_string())
+    } else {
+        let lat = query
+            .lat
+            .ok_or_else(|| AppError::validation("lat is required when near is not provided"))?;
+        let lng = query
+            .lng
+            .ok_or_else(|| AppError::validation("lng is required when near is not provided"))?;
+        if !(-90.0..=90.0).contains(&lat) || !(-180.0..=180.0).contains(&lng) {
+            return Err(AppError::validation("lat must be -90..90, lng must be -180..180").into());
+        }
+        foursquare::SearchLocation::Coordinates { lat, lng }
+    };
+
     let api_key = state
         .foursquare_api_key
         .as_deref()
@@ -218,8 +234,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn nearby_cafes(
         &state.http_client,
         &state.foursquare_url,
         api_key,
-        query.lat,
-        query.lng,
+        &location,
         q,
     )
     .await
diff --git a/src/infrastructure/foursquare.rs b/src/infrastructure/foursquare.rs
index 3ff73a4..3d9731f 100644
--- a/src/infrastructure/foursquare.rs
+++ b/src/infrastructure/foursquare.rs
@@ -24,26 +24,43 @@ pub struct NearbyCafe {
     pub distance_meters: u32,
 }
 
-/// Searches for places matching `query` near the given coordinates via Foursquare.
+/// Location mode for Foursquare search.
+pub enum SearchLocation {
+    /// Search near GPS coordinates with a fixed radius.
+    Coordinates { lat: f64, lng: f64 },
+    /// Search near a named location (e.g. "London", "Tokyo, Japan").
+    Near(String),
+}
+
+/// Searches for places matching `query` near the given location via Foursquare.
 pub async fn search_nearby(
     client: &reqwest::Client,
     base_url: &str,
     api_key: &str,
-    lat: f64,
-    lng: f64,
+    location: &SearchLocation,
     query: &str,
 ) -> Result<Vec<NearbyCafe>, AppError> {
-    let ll = format!("{lat},{lng}");
-
-    let response = client
+    let mut request = client
         .get(base_url)
         .header("User-Agent", USER_AGENT)
         .header("Accept", "application/json")
         .header("Authorization", format!("Bearer {api_key}"))
         .header("X-Places-Api-Version", API_VERSION)
         .timeout(REQUEST_TIMEOUT)
-        .query(&[("query", query), ("limit", MAX_RESULTS), ("fields", FIELDS)])
-        .query(&[("ll", ll.as_str()), ("radius", RADIUS)])
+        .query(&[("query", query), ("limit", MAX_RESULTS), ("fields", FIELDS)]);
+
+    let ll;
+    match location {
+        SearchLocation::Coordinates { lat, lng } => {
+            ll = format!("{lat},{lng}");
+            request = request.query(&[("ll", ll.as_str()), ("radius", RADIUS)]);
+        }
+        SearchLocation::Near(place) => {
+            request = request.query(&[("near", place.as_str())]);
+        }
+    }
+
+    let response = request
         .send()
         .await
         .map_err(|e| AppError::unexpected(format!("Foursquare search failed: {e}")))?;
@@ -82,9 +99,13 @@ pub async fn search_nearby(
                 .map(country_name)
                 .unwrap_or_default();
 
-            let distance = place
-                .distance
-                .unwrap_or_else(|| haversine_distance(lat, lng, place_lat, place_lng) as u32);
+            let distance = place.distance.unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                if let SearchLocation::Coordinates { lat, lng } = location {
+                    haversine_distance(*lat, *lng, place_lat, place_lng) as u32
+                } else {
+                    0
+                }
+            });
 
             let website = place.website.filter(|w| !w.trim().is_empty());
 
diff --git a/templates/cafes.html b/templates/cafes.html
index b968108..42982b9 100644
--- a/templates/cafes.html
+++ b/templates/cafes.html
@@ -62,6 +62,31 @@
     }, 350);
   }
 
+  function toggleCitySearch(checkbox) {
+    const locateBtn = document.getElementById('locate-btn');
+    const cityWrap = document.getElementById('city-search-wrap');
+    const searchWrap = document.getElementById('nearby-search-wrap');
+    const resultsEl = document.getElementById('nearby-results');
+
+    if (checkbox.checked) {
+      locateBtn.classList.add('hidden');
+      cityWrap.classList.remove('hidden');
+      searchWrap.classList.remove('hidden');
+      document.getElementById('city-input').focus();
+    } else {
+      cityWrap.classList.add('hidden');
+      document.getElementById('city-input').value = '';
+      if (_userLat === null) {
+        searchWrap.classList.add('hidden');
+        locateBtn.classList.remove('hidden');
+        locateBtn.textContent = 'Find nearby';
+        locateBtn.disabled = false;
+      }
+      resultsEl.classList.add('hidden');
+      resultsEl.innerHTML = '';
+    }
+  }
+
   async function searchNearby(query) {
     const resultsEl = document.getElementById('nearby-results');
     const errorEl = document.getElementById('nearby-error');
@@ -70,7 +95,14 @@
     spinnerEl.classList.remove('hidden');
 
     try {
-      const url = `/api/v1/nearby-cafes?lat=${_userLat}&lng=${_userLng}&q=${encodeURIComponent(query)}`;
+      const cityInput = document.getElementById('city-input');
+      const cityValue = cityInput ? cityInput.value.trim() : '';
+      let url;
+      if (cityValue.length >= 2) {
+        url = `/api/v1/nearby-cafes?near=${encodeURIComponent(cityValue)}&q=${encodeURIComponent(query)}`;
+      } else {
+        url = `/api/v1/nearby-cafes?lat=${_userLat}&lng=${_userLng}&q=${encodeURIComponent(query)}`;
+      }
       const resp = await fetch(url, { credentials: 'same-origin' });
 
       if (!resp.ok) throw new Error(`Server returned ${resp.status}`);
@@ -184,6 +216,19 @@
             </svg>
             Find nearby
           </button>
+          <label class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm text-stone-600 cursor-pointer select-none">
+            <input type="checkbox" onchange="toggleCitySearch(this)" class="accent-amber-600" />
+            Search by city
+          </label>
+          <div id="city-search-wrap" class="hidden flex-1 min-w-[140px]">
+            <input
+              type="text"
+              id="city-input"
+              class="input-field w-full text-sm"
+              placeholder="e.g. Tokyo, London"
+              autocomplete="off"
+            />
+          </div>
           <div id="nearby-search-wrap" class="hidden relative flex-1 min-w-[200px]">
             <input
               type="text"
diff --git a/tests/server/nearby_api.rs b/tests/server/nearby_api.rs
index eff8975..b9f796a 100644
--- a/tests/server/nearby_api.rs
+++ b/tests/server/nearby_api.rs
@@ -172,3 +172,35 @@ async fn nearby_search_returns_500_on_upstream_failure() {
 
     assert_eq!(response.status(), 500);
 }
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn nearby_search_with_near_param() {
+    let app = spawn_app_with_foursquare_mock().await;
+    let mock_server = app.mock_server.as_ref().unwrap();
+
+    Mock::given(method("GET"))
+        .and(path("/places/search"))
+        .and(query_param("query", "coffee"))
+        .and(query_param("near", "London"))
+        .and(header("Authorization", "Bearer test-api-key"))
+        .respond_with(ResponseTemplate::new(200).set_body_json(foursquare_two_results()))
+        .expect(1)
+        .mount(mock_server)
+        .await;
+
+    let client = reqwest::Client::new();
+    let response = client
+        .get(app.api_url("/nearby-cafes"))
+        .bearer_auth(app.auth_token.as_ref().unwrap())
+        .query(&[("near", "London"), ("q", "coffee")])
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .expect("Failed to execute request");
+
+    assert_eq!(response.status(), 200);
+
+    let cafes: Vec<NearbyCafe> = response.json().await.expect("Failed to parse response");
+    assert_eq!(cafes.len(), 2);
+    assert_eq!(cafes[0].name, "Prufrock Coffee");
+    assert_eq!(cafes[0].city, "London");
+}