At the last of “cafe” series, today we introduce two fancy bakery cafes both in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Both are not strongly associated with Japanese food culture but they will be comfortable space to take a break or lunch before or after taking Shinkansen, Narita Express or other long distance journey from, Shinagawa, one of the largest terminal in Tokyo.
Some of you may or will stay in Shinagawa, as several large international standard hotels are in the town. Many high office buildings are also around the station and many people coming out of Tokyo, even Japanese, get a surprise with the number of people moving around the train station.
Shinagawa is totally a town for business and it doesn’t have enjoyable shopping zone unfortunately apart from “ecute” shopping zone within the station gate. At least we could find some nice café including two as below.
*The City Bakery
Some of you know, the cafe brand name comes from New York and The City Bakery Shinagawa unit is the second one in Japan. It is situated in Atre, a shopping complex adjacent to JR Shinagawa station. Being on the same floor from JR train ticket gate, it is easily accessible within five minutes from the station exit.
If you proceed to Konan Exit from the station gate, you will find The City Bakery on your left side. On the opposite side, you will also find Dean & Deluca, another nice food spot in Shinagawa.
The City Bakery offers 3 types of service, bakery for take-away, café and full-service restaurant depending on your situation. We recommend the café where we can take pastry available at the bakery.
One day I took “pretzel croissant” one of the most popular menu at the bakery
as well as apple crumble.
From the counter table, we can do enjoy ”watching people” bustling and going to/from the train station. The scene is a kind of real life in Tokyo, while you are in a café from New York.
The City Bakery opens from 8am in the morning. So it must be a good place for breakfast as well, as long as you do not have to depart early morning.
Café name: The City Bakery
Address: 2nd floor Atre Shinagawa, 2-18-1 Konan, Mintato-ku, Tokyo
Website (partly in English): http://www.thecitybakery.jp
*Caslon
Caslon has its flagship shop in Sendai, the capital of Tohoku region. It has two units in Tokyo. For the first time, I happened to get a chance to have some bread bought at Caslon Bakery Tachikawa in west part of Tokyo. The good taste of bread by Caslon was rather impressive even for me who tried many bakeries in Tokyo. So I was quite happy, when I found another unit (out of only two) of Caslon in Shinagawa, which is not far from my base.
Caslon ecute Shinagawa is situated within the controlled area, inside JR Shinagawa station. It may be a bit surprising for some of you to find not a tiny shopping zone inside a train station. Ecute Shinagawa has several bakery shops actually inside the station, targeting tens of business people working in or transferring at Shinagawa. I had missed Caslon among such bakery shops with a big name such as Paul from France.
Caslon is on the upper floor of ecute shopping zone. Unless we go around the upper floor, it might be difficult to find it.
Once we reach to the café, we are able to forget where we are, inside one of the largest station in Tokyo.
Recommendable menu is definitely “sandwich” because of the finest bread. It offers many variation such as BLT. Chicken, vegetable etc.
It looks normal? But the crispy and rich taste of bread is distinctive.
Café name: Caslon
Address: 2nd floor, ecute Shinagawa, 3-26-27 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Website (in Japanese): http://caslon.co.jp/
