Today the Cocolo Travel team went to Café Accueil, in the modern district of Ebisu. Its speciality: pancakes and sweets that give you a taste of Japan tuned to each season.
[Café Accueil] (https://accueil.co.jp/ebisu/)
Opening hours: 11:00-22:00
Price range: around 2000-3000 yen per person
Ebisu, a neighbourhood young Tokyoites have taken to
Ebisu, which takes its name from one of the most popular deities in the Japanese pantheon, has become a fixture of Tokyo life. Long known for the Yebisu brewery, it now carries an elegant, busy atmosphere that appeals to young Japanese.
Walking through Ebisu means modern towers, a long run of well-turned-out cafés, restaurants people talk about, and cultural venues that show you the Tokyo of today. Among the landmarks is Yebisu Garden Place, a large complex holding shops, galleries and restaurants. The main draw, though, is the panoramic view from the 38th floor: free of charge, and striking over the sheer extent of the capital, particularly at sunset.
Having taken in that view, we carried on through the neighbourhood towards Café Accueil, for a well-earned pause.
A warm room with a slightly rustic edge
The café makes its case before you reach the door, with greenery and an open welcome. Tucked into the ground floor of a building, it is surrounded by plants that keep the air fresh, almost rural in the middle of the city.
Inside, the decor has been thought through: rustic wood mixed with modern pieces, which gives the room an honest, calming charm. The space is bright, the music soft, and the layout arranged to show the food well. You settle in quickly, whether for lunch with friends, a date, or a quiet break on your own.
Japanese sweets, between the modern and the classic
Pancakes are no part of traditional Japanese cooking, yet they have become a real culinary trend in Japan over the past few years. The dessert holds its success because it can be reinvented endlessly, through an infinity of toppings and arrangements.
At Café Accueil the choice is wide: pancakes with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, with melted chocolate, with matcha, or served with fruit in season. Each plate is composed like a small work of art, colourful and generous, and it works on the eye as much as on the palate.
The café does not stop at sweet things. Hungrier visitors can turn to a varied savoury menu: steaks, pasta, salads, and also a staple of Japanese home cooking, omuraisu (an omelette filled with rice and covered in sauce). It is a simple, comforting plate that rarely disappoints the curious.
The drinks list has its own ideas: alongside the usual coffees and teas there are reworked lemonades, kiwi or Calpis, and cool cocktails such as white sangria.
Reading the Japanese seasons through limited-edition desserts
One of Café Accueil’s real strengths is its limited creations, called gentei (限定, “limited edition”). These desserts and drinks take their cue from the Japanese seasons and change regularly through the year. They borrow the colours and the aromas tied to each period, so the taste of a visit is never quite the same twice.
In July, for instance, hydrangea season produced a refined dessert with notes of blackcurrant and lemon, as good to look at as it was to eat. The pancake, decorated to echo the shape and the colours of the flower, married freshness and restraint. A sparkling blackcurrant drink came with it, well suited to the summer heat in Tokyo.
That attention to the seasons reflects something central in Japan, which marks the passing of time through nature and its cycles. Coming to Café Accueil several times a year means a different experience on each visit.
Whether you have a sweet tooth, want to see Japanese dishes reworked, or simply need a pleasant café to stop in while you are working your way through Tokyo, Café Accueil in Ebisu is a good address.
Its easy atmosphere, its original desserts and its long menu hold up for foreign visitors and Tokyoites alike. Being a short walk from Yebisu Garden Place also makes it a sensible stop on a wander through this smart, modern quarter.
Passing through Tokyo? Have a look at our other articles for practical tips and good finds in Japan.
Militsa
