A surface coated cutting tool comprises a substrate and a hard layer formed on the surface of the substrate, and a contact angle of water θ on the rake face of the hard layer is in the range of 30 to 80°. A surface coated cutting tool comprises a substrate and a hard layer formed on the surface of the substrate, and a contact angle of water θR on the rake face of the hard layer and a contact angle of water θF on the flank face of the hard layer have a relation of θR