{  Clinton St. Baking Company  }

Clinton St. Baking Company
Clinton St. Baking Company
Clinton St. Baking Company
Clinton St. Baking Company
Clinton St. Baking Company

I have been searching for a hearty delicious breakfast joint for a while and I finally found one. Clinton Street Baking Co. came from NY and made it’s opening debut at the end of August 2013. This place has a long line out the door as almost every popular Japanese pancake place does, but since it’s in a slightly random location there could be days that you will get lucky to have a shorter line. The first time we came here was during the opening week and the lines weren’t too long so it only took about an hour to be seated. The second time we visited was around 11:30am and the line was ridiculously long so we gave up. The third time was a little earlier around 10AM on a rainy day and we only had to wait about 15min. I think this place became such a popular spot so quickly due to it’s delicious pancakes.

Pictured above are their Blueberry Pancakes + Banana Walnut Pancakes with warm maple butter for 1500yen each. Also pictured are the Huevos Rancheros (1500yen) as well as the Eggs Benedict (1600yen). We’ve also tried their chocolate scone (250yen) as well as the corn bread (250yen). Everything was so good with the single exception of the Eggs Benedict. Sadly I was very disappointed with the uber dry scone under the eggs (instead of the usual english muffin). However, their pancakes and Huevos Rancheros were both absolutely delicious. We also noticed that compared to the first time we visited, their service and kitchen flow got so much smoother which was an improvement. Come here if you want a hearty breakfast and some seriously delicious pancakes.

Their online menu: Link

Address // 5-17-1, Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-6450-5944
Website // http://clintonstreetbaking.co.jp/

Food:
Decor:
Service:
Cost:



{  San Francisco Peaks  }

San Francisco Peaks
San Francisco Peaks
San Francisco Peaks
San Francisco Peaks

San Francisco Peaks serves American-style breakfast/brunch food such as pancakes, omelets and burgers but it doesn’t really have much to do with San Francisco in my opinion. The restaurant is very nicely designed and we enjoyed the ambiance. Seems like most people order the pancakes here but the burgers are tasty too. Since the building is 2 stories high, we didn’t have to wait much in line when we got there even though it was 1pm on a Sunday.

We ordered the Avocado Mozzarella Burger for 1350yen and the Buttermilk Pancake with homemade sausage (we chose the ‘Pork Mexicano Chipotle & Smoked Cheese’ Sausage) for 1200yen. Everything was tasty and we enjoyed our meal but the portions were rather small and not exactly “Californian size”.

The restaurant is located in a great area, with easy access to Harajuku/Omotesando/Meijijingumae so you can enjoy shopping and cafe hopping in the area. When we went, it was filled with families, couples and some single guests so it’s a really easy and casual place that anyone can enjoy.

Address // 3-28-7, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5775-5707
Website // http://sf-peaks.com/

Food:
Decor:
Service:
Cost:



{  Bread, Espresso & — パンとエスプレッソと  }

Bread, Espresso & -- パンとエスプレッソと
Bread, Espresso & -- パンとエスプレッソと
Bread, Espresso & -- パンとエスプレッソと
Bread, Espresso & -- パンとエスプレッソと

Stopped by this bakery cafe for brunch with Miss E recently. The cafe name in English makes no sense but in Japanese, it’s pronounced “Pan to Espresso to”. They are quite famous for having a good bakery and yummy coffee. I’m sure the coffee/espresso is good because it’s from Omotesando Koffee! However, we happened to visit the cafe on a day that their espresso machine broke so we unfortunately couldn’t order their specialty drinks. FAIL.

They have 2 lunch sets on the weekends. The ‘Weekend Brunch Set'(1500yen) includes an assortment of bread, side dish, ham, butter, honey, and drink. The ‘Panini Lunch Set'(1000yen) comes with a panini of your choice, side dish, and drink. You can also pay an extra 150yen to get soy milk in your coffee if you prefer. The bread was definitely good and the paninis were decent. I’m gonna have to come back here a few more times to fully explore this place.

After we left the cafe, we were walking around Omotesando and a lady came running after us asking us if we would be ok to be photographed for a fashion magazine. At first, we were like huh? I’ve always seen street snaps in Japanese magazines but never thought we’d be asked to be in one. I guess this really does happen! After hearing more about it, Miss E and I decided to pose for the camera. We then had to fill out a short form of what we were wearing and how much each item cost, etc. I’d have to say I’m a little excited/curious/worried about how this is going to come out…sigh*

Address // 3-4-9, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5410-2040
Website // http://www.bread-espresso.jp/

Food:
Decor:
Service:
Cost:



{  Cafe Kaila  }

Cafe Kaila
Cafe Kaila
Cafe Kaila
Cafe Kaila

This is probably the Hottest cafe for pancakes in Tokyo right now. Cafe Kaila came from Honolulu, Hawaii and they supposedly received the “Best Breakfast” award 2 years in a row in Oahu. It recently opened in Meijijingumae/Omotesando and is located on the B1 floor of the same building as CHANEL, BVLGARI, and the MOMA design store.

This place has the longest line I’ve seen for pancakes. Yes, longer than ‘Eggs ‘n Things’. It’s easily a few hours wait but perhaps it’s a bit less crowded if you go on a weekday. We happened to be in the area over the weekend and decided to check it out hoping that it wouldn’t be too crowded for dinner. We arrived at 7:15pm and guess what? They said their last order is at 7:20pm and the restaurant closes at 8pm but if we eat fast, they would let us in. Woo hoo! We delightfully agreed and went inside. We were so surprised we got to eat at Cafe Kaila without waiting.

We ordered their famous pancakes for 2000yen, which is a bit expensive but it’s also got quite a large volume with a generous serving of fruits on top. I am happy to report that it does indeed live up to the hype. The pancakes were great and I would come back here if the line wasn’t long. Their breakfast burrito plate (1700yen) with Italian sausage (extra 50yen) was also good and we were so satisfied with our meal here. They are impressively on top of their service too. If you are into pancakes and/or want a good breakfast, come here!

Address // GYRE B1F, 5-10-1, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-6427-1310
Website // http://www.cafe-kaila.com/

Food:
Decor:
Service:
Cost:



{  Açaí Cafe  }

Açaí Cafe
Açaí Cafe
Açaí Cafe

Have you heard of Açaí? It’s a berry from Brazil that is a dark colored fruit and is known to be rich in antioxidants and fiber. It’s a super food that has many health benefits and has become popular here in Japan.

Açaí Cafe happens to be located inside of Shibuya Hikarie’s ShinQ B3F location and there’s always someone picking up a drink or snacking on their Acai Bowls (which you can eat there). Since this was my first time trying Açaí, I didn’t know what to expect, but I’d have to say it’s not bad at all. It feels like blackberry + blueberry combined and although the color is not so appetizing, the Açaí Banana juice was easy to drink and it felt good for the body.

Most drinks are: Regular size 450yen, Large size 550yen. When you get a drink, you can add the waffle bowl for only 300yen extra (instead of paying the full 450yen) so we decided to try that as well. I’d have to say the waffle bowl was nothing exciting. If you want the full experience, I would go for the Acai Bowl for 570yen or the Acai Special Bowl which comes with more fruit for 670yen.

If you’re feeling like you need to detox, or lacking in antioxidants and fiber, grab your quick fix of Açaí at Hikarie.

Address // Hikarie B3F, 2-21-1, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-6434-1875
Website // http://www.frutafruta.com/acaicafe/

Food:
Decor:
Service:
Cost: