In Japan, there is a type of bread called “shokupan”. This is “meal bread” sold at bakeries and supermarkets. It is similar to “white bread” and “sandwich bread”. When this is spread with butter or jam and baked, it is called “toast.”
There are various types of “toast” depending on the store, including the type of bread, thickness, direction of the cut, depth, and degree of toasting.
In Japan, it is often eaten for breakfast with coffee.
Depending on the toppings, they may be treated like sweets.
I’ll share some recommended toasts I’ve eaten in Ikebukuro.
*(B) means Breakfast.
Contents
1.Ordinary toast in Ikebukuro【4】
Toast is a familiar piece of bread spread with butter, but eating it at a restaurant will get you excited! Find your favorite Showa retro coffee shop, coffee shop, etc.
1-1.【Ikebukuro Station】TAMEALS Emio Ikebukuro(B)/TAMEALSエミオ池袋
“NY Brooklyn style cafe and bar” located inside the Seibu Ikebukuro Line ticket gate. I’ve never been to NY, so I’m not sure if it’s Brooklyn style, but it’s kind of stylish.
Starting in the morning, you can enjoy a special hand-drip coffee roasted over a wood fire. We recommend a set that includes coffee, toast, and salad.
1-2.【Ikebukuro East】COFFEE VALLEY
COFFEE VALLEY continues to offer carefully selected specialty coffees roasted in-store and extracted to match the characteristics of the beans in Ikebukuro.
There is no morning menu, but the “Valley Toast”, made with whole grain bread ordered from the famous hard bread shop “Parlor Ekoda”, goes perfectly with the carefully selected coffee! It’s also helpful that it’s open from 8:00 a.m. on weekdays.
1-3.【Ikebukuro East】Cafe Renoir Ikebukuro Seibu-mae store（B）/喫茶室ルノワール 池袋西武前店
The cafe Renoir Ikebukuro Seibu-mae store opened in December 2023 at the Ikebukuro East Exit, across from Meiji-dori of Ikebukuro Seibu. The design is based on the spatial concept of “Showa Modern.”
Morning service includes a premium morning plate exclusive to the store. In addition to toast, you can also enjoy ham, salad, and egg paste. You can feel elegant from the morning.
1-4.【Ikebukuro West】Cafe de Paris（B）/カフェ・ド・巴里
Cafe de Paris is located at the entrance of Ikebukuro Nishi Ichibangai. When you take the elevator to the second floor, shocked by the double-opening automatic doors, a gorgeous Showa-era world awaits you.
The toast has a diagonal cut and is then spread with butter. Boiled eggs and salad are included in the set, so you can get some nutrition as well.
2.Unique bread toast! Recommended in Ikebukuro【2】
I will share toasts with unique characteristics such as grape bread and black bread.
2-1.【Ikebukuro Station】Brange Asanoya（B）/ブランジェ浅野屋
When you walk underground towards Ikebukuro Station towards the west exit (center), you will see a reddish shop called “Brange Asanoya”.
Speaking of Blanche Asanoya’s super standard, it’s the grape bread “Karuizawa Raisin.” I was overjoyed to be able to eat just one piece of bread, baked to the shop’s recommendation, even though I had always wanted to eat it, but it was too much. The sweetness of warm raisins.
2-2.【Ikebukuro Weat】Kimi Natural 73+ Cafe（B）
“Kimi Natural 73+ Cafe” is a specialty coffee and additive-free sandwich cafe operated by Kimi Ryokan, which is popular among foreigners visiting Japan.
The photo shows the morning menu starting at 8:30, with white and black bread served with red bean paste and butter. The toast had a “Japanese” feel to it even though it was “Western” except for the red bean paste.
3.overwhelmed by the thickness of the bread! Ikebukuro thick-sliced toast【3】
3-1.【Seibu Department Store 4th floo】Coffee Kizoku/珈琲貴族
Coffee Kizoku, located on the 4th floor of Ikesei (Seibu Department Store Ikebukuro Main Store), is a long-established coffee shop that has been operating at Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store for over 50 years. You can spend an elegant time with Meissen and Hermes cups. When Geek visited, an angel was dancing and stars were shining on the coffee cup.
The thickness of the toast that comes with fruit is incredible. The butter applied afterwards is soft and easy to apply. I felt like I had become a gorgeous person.
3-2.【Ikebukuro East】Sarudahiko Coffee/猿田彦珈琲
From the Ikebukuro East Exit, walk along Meiji Dori towards Zoshigaya, along Bikkuri Guard, and find Sarudahiko Coffee on the 1st floor of Daiya Gate. It’s a quiet space, as if the hustle and bustle in front of the station is a lie.
Although it is a coffee shop, they also sell thick-sliced toast that can be topped with Calpis butter, homemade strawberry jam, etc. During the nice weather in spring and autumn, we recommend seating on the terrace.
3-3.【Ikebukuro West】GLOBAL RING CAFE（B）
＞GLOBAL RING CAFE
3-4.【Higashi(East) Ikebukuro】Margaret（B）/マーガレット
Margaret, located under the elevated expressway in Higashi Ikebukuro, is a coffee shop with a retro Showa feel. Mornings come with thick toast, boiled eggs, and coffee.
The plate with a stand for eggs and a coffee cup was super cute (*￣∇￣*)
4.Ikebukuro cheese toast【3】
Even the same “Cheese Toast” has so much individuality!
4-1.【Tobu Department Store B2F】Marufuku Coffee Shop/丸福珈琲店
Marufuku Coffee Store is a coffee shop founded in Osaka in 1934. They use their unique roasting technology and skilled craftsmanship to brew carefully selected coffee.
One dish that Marufuku is proud of is the cheese toast. Apparently they make their own toppings by pureeing processed cheese and adding egg yolk. Although it didn’t have the shine of a spreadable cheese, it was a rich toast that went well with the rich coffee.
4-2.【Ikebukuro West】COMFORT Stand Ikebukuro
A specialty coffee cafe will open in December 2023 on the 1st floor of Gunma Bank Ikebukuro Building, about 1 minute from Ikebukuro West Exit C6.
This three-cheese toast has been popular since the store opened. In addition to the snow-like cheese topping, there are two other types of cheese hidden inside. There is no morning menu, but you can eat cheese toast in the morning. The rich cheese and the bitterness of the coffee harmonized well.
4-3.【Tobu Department Store 4th floor】Cafe Capital/カフェ・キャピタル
Cafe Capital is located behind Nojima on the 4th floor of Tobu Department Store, where you can enjoy a morning set with a choice of 4 types of toast for 280 yen plus a drink. The hand-drip coffee is carefully brewed one cup at a time, and we’re happy to offer Tobu’s original blend.
Let’s enjoy curry and spreadable cheese.
*Even if I say “Morning”, they open at 10:00.
*Cheese curry toast is also available on the grand menu.
5.Ikebukuro sweets toast
Toast is not just for breakfast or a snack! You can even turn toast into sweets♪
5-1.【Ikebukuro East】BudoYa/ぶどうや
Budoya is a Showa retro coffee shop located near Toshima Ward Office. Budoya has a wide selection of toasts, from regular butter toast to mixed toast.
The cinnamon toast had fluffy whipped cream on the base, and it looked like it was drowning in a swamp. It is not allowed to order only bread, so please order it with a drink such as coffee.
