The term “Monday blues” is relatable for many office workers and students who have to bid goodbye to the weekends and return to their routines on Monday mornings. Thankfully, there are many ways to avoid or deal with the dreaded Monday blues. One way is to get a delicious breakfast from popular bakeries in Tokyo so you’d at least have a good start to the week.
With this list of 11 bakeries in Tokyo, you’ll have something to look forward to in the morning. The yummy offerings at these bakeries will also fill your stomach and recharge you for the day ahead.
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For an authentic New York bagel, head to Maruichi Bagel. Even though it’s located out of the city centre and not in a touristy neighbourhood, the Shirokane Takanawa train station is nearby and it’ll be well worth the trip.
Maruichi Bagel occupies a converted garage, with the bakery on the 1st floor and a small seating area on the 3rd floor. It’s easy to miss the store, no thanks to its understated entrance and sign, so keep a lookout for the white spiral staircase beside the storefront. Alternatively, if you spot a line of people, go towards them – they’re probably queueing for Maruichi Bagel.
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The owner and baker of Maruichi Bagel, Miho Inagi, trained at the famous Ess-a-Bagel in New York back in 2000 and has been making bagels ever since. Besides selling classic Ess-a-Bagel flavours, such as Sesame (¥290, ~USD2.77) and Everything (¥290, ~USD2.77), Inagi also adds her own touch with original creations such as 7-Grain Honey Fig (¥310, ~USD2.96).
Every day, there are 13 different types of bagels available. Inagi personally makes the dough before completing the rolling and baking together with her team. Between 7AM and 8AM, the store only sells plain bagels in different flavours (¥260- ¥330, ~USD2.49-USD3.16), without fillings. After 8AM, they will start selling bagel sandwiches.
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Their bagel sandwiches are generously filled with varieties of cream cheese and fillings such as pumpkin, smoked salmon, prosciutto, egg salad, and hummus. Those who enjoy savoury flavours should go for the prosciutto or smoked salmon. For something uniquely Japanese, try the azuki (red bean) bagel.
On average, the bagel sandwiches cost ¥700- ¥900 (~USD6.70-USD8.61). But depending on the ingredients you choose, they can cost more than ¥1,000 (~USD9.57), so do be careful when ordering.
Address: 1-15-22 Shirokane, Minato City, 108-0072 Tokyo
Opening hours: Tue – Sun 7AM-5PM (Closed on Mondays)
Website
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Kandagawa Bakery is a neighbourhood bakery hidden between Zoshigaya Station and Waseda Station. It is a takeaway store located on the 1st floor of a residential building and there are some benches and stools outside the store where customers can sit and quickly recharge while enjoying the bakes from Kandagawa Bakery.
This bakery is popular among the residents of the neighbourhood and they often stop by on the way home or along walks with their dogs.
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About 25 types of freshly baked bread are displayed in their glass display-cum-storefront every day. The lineup includes loaves, focaccia, pain de campagne (French sourdough), and brioche. Customers make their orders and receive their bread through an open window above the display.
The bread here is made using only domestic wheat and they don’t contain preservatives. On average, the smaller buns cost less than ¥300 (~USD2.87) while larger loaves can cost between ¥400- ¥600 (~USD3.82-USD5.73).
Shiopan
Image credit: @kandagawa_bakery
Their most famous item is the shiopan (塩パン; salt bread), which costs ¥130 (~USD1.24). Salted butter is wrapped in bread dough and melts when baked. The bread has a slightly crispy outer layer but the inside is soft and fluffy. This item is often sold out quickly, sometimes even before noon.
Image adapted from: @kandagawa_bakery
Kandagawa Bakery also likes to add sweet or savoury ingredients to their bread. Examples include raisins, nuts, and cheese. They enjoy coming up with unique flavours such as anchovy olive, pine and rosemary, and chestnut and coffee.
Address: 1-11-14 Takada, Toshima-ku, 171-0033 Tokyo
Opening hours: Wed – Sun 11AM-6PM (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Telephone: 070-6971-0731
Website
Image credit: @takatoro_kr
Listed by Tabelog as one of the top 5 bakeries in Tokyo for 2020, Centre The Bakery specialises in shokupan (食パン; a loaf of rectangular-shaped bread). The store includes a bakery section solely for the sale of loaves, and a dine-in section called La Cantine. There are only 3 types of loaves for sale – JP, NA, and EB.
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The square loaves, labelled JP, are made of wheat flour from Hokkaido. They are moist and chewy, and best served without toasting. The other square loaves, labelled NA, use flour from the United States and Canada. They can be enjoyed as is, or toasted.
Last but not least, the rounded loaves, labelled EB, are made using flour from North America and fermented at a low temperature. The best way to enjoy EB loaves is to toast them until they’re crispy.
JP and NA loaves are priced at ¥900 (~USD8.65) each, while an EB loaf costs ¥800 (~USD7.69).
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At the dine-in section, you can try their signature shokupan in a taster set. The taster set (¥1,800, ~USD17.29) includes a slice of each type of shokupan and is served with 6 types of jam, 3 types of butter, and a drink of your choice. The most interesting part is that you get to choose a toaster and toast the bread yourself at your table.
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Other popular items on the dine-in menu include the seasonal fruit sandwich (¥2,500, ~USD24.02) and the French toast served with ice cream or fresh cream (¥1,600, ~USD15.37). The fruit sandwiches are made using the JP shokupan, while the French toast is made with a thick slice of the NA shokupan.
Address: 1-2-2 Ginza, Chuo-ku, 104-0061 Tokyo
Opening hours: 9AM-7PM, Daily (Last order at 6PM) | Sale of shokupan from 10AM-7PM, Daily
Telephone (for dine-in): 03-3567-3106
Telephone (for sale of shokupan): 03-3562-1016
Instagram
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Located in Ueno Sakuragi Atari, a Showa-era compound in Yanaka district, Vaner Tokyo is housed in a converted 80-year-old minka (民家; traditional private residence).
Ueno Sakuragi Atari is a complex of minka that have been preserved and converted into shops, restaurants, and event spaces. Vaner Tokyo specialises in Norweigan-style sourdough in the form of loaves and rolls. Besides that, they also sell croissants.
Image adapted from: @niwanoa and @katoki0602
After you walk through the shoji (障子; traditional wooden sliding door with translucent paper), you’ll see the counter where freshly baked bread is displayed.
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You’ll also notice an open-concept kitchen where you can see the bakers in action. This includes the owner, Tsukasa Miyawaki, who trained at Ille Brød in Oslo – a popular bakery opened by a Norweigan home baker. The open-concept kitchen was also inspired by Ille Brød.
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Besides the sourdough loaves, which are available whole and in halves, you can also grab their sourdough rolls or croissants and dine in with a cup of coffee. The rolls and pastries cost between ¥300- ¥350 (~USD0.96-USD3.83) while the sourdough loaf costs ¥1,200 (~USD11.48).
Address: 2-15-6 Uenosakuragi, Taito-ku, 110-0002 Tokyo
Opening hours: Wed – Fri 9AM-6PM | Sat & Sun 8AM-5PM (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Telephone: 03-5834-8137
Website
Image adapted from: @curlyscroissant
Curly’s Croissant is conveniently located in GRANSTA Tokyo at Tokyo Station, making it a suitable stop to grab your breakfast on the go.
This premium croissant store was opened by The Standard Bakers, a bakery chain originating from Tochigi. The Standard Bakers is known for using fresh domestic ingredients such as eggs from Tochigi and wheat from Hokkaido, and you can expect a similar quality at Curly’s Croissant.
There are 4 counter seats for dine-in customers but most people just grab and go.
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Their signature item is the plain croissant (¥275, ~USD2.64), which features buttery and flaky layers. The croissants sold here are baked fresh every day, and they’re made with wheat flour and butter specially imported from France.
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Besides plain croissants, they also have croissants in special flavours such as Tochitome strawberry and truffle. The Tochitome strawberry croissant is made with strawberries from a farm in Tochigi Prefecture. Prices for the flavoured croissants start from ¥356 (~USD3.42).
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If you’re not rushing for time, sit at the counter seats and enjoy their fluffy croissants with a cup of coffee while watching people go by. Their coffee beans are roasted at The Standard Bakers’ main store in Tochigi.
Address: 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Gransta Tokyo B1F, 100-0005 Tokyo
Opening hours: Mon – Sat 7AM-10PM | Sun 7AM-9PM
Telephone: 03-6259-1093
Website
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Parlour Ekoda is a hidden bakery – literally – as its storefront is shrouded by greenery. You can enter the store via a small wooden sliding door behind a blue noren (暖簾; curtain) bearing the name of the store. The entire store is homely and old-school, to the point that their menu is handwritten.
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Besides the glass display showing bread available for purchase and takeaway, there are also dishes for those dining in. One popular breakfast dish is the Croque Madame (¥1,140, ~USD10.95), served with a side of salad and a cup of coffee.
For more variety, pick the bread platter (¥1,190, ~USD11.43), which consists of 6-8 types of bread, paired with salad, butter, olive oil, and cheeses. You can also build your own sandwich by choosing your preferred bread and fillings.
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Parlour Ekoda is known for their sourdough, but they also have more than 30 types of other breads, such as focaccia, bagels, and bread with nuts and other fillings. Prices range from ¥270- ¥950 (~USD2.59-USD9.13), depending on their type and size.
Address: 41-7 Sakaecho, Nerima City, 176-0006 Tokyo
Opening hours: Wed – Mon 8.30AM-6PM (Closed on Tuesdays)
Telephone: 03-6324-7127
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For a breather while exploring Shibuya, stop at Ampere. It’s located along a quiet street between Shibuya and Omotesando. Operating out of a nook on the 1st floor of an office building, Ampere sells sandwiches, salads, and coffee. In front of the store, there’s a sheltered terrace area for dine-in customers.
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Ampere uses bread from Parlour Ekoda, which has also been covered in this list. There are both sweet and savoury sandwiches at Ampere, but most offerings are savoury. They serve grilled sandwiches filled with ingredients such as ham, cheese, and spinach. Other popular savoury choices include the egg sandwich and the tuna melt sandwich.
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Although Ampere focuses on savoury options, their sweet offerings are just as appealing. They have interesting flavours, including the peanut butter, blueberry jam, and banana sandwich. Their fruit sandwiches are seasonal and change according to the fruit that is in season.
Sandwiches and drinks at Ampere are reasonably priced between ¥300- ¥500 (~USD2.88-USD4.80).
Address: 2-6-6 Shibuya, 150-0002 Tokyo
Opening hours: Mon – Fri 9AM-6PM | Sat 10AM-5PM (Closed on Sundays)
Telephone: 03-5778-4690
Website
Image adapted from: yutak829
TOLO PAN TOKYO is a bakery opened by Shinji Tanaka, a baker with more than 20 years of baking experience. It is helmed by Tanaka himself, along with 4 other bakers. Together, they work with 13 types of flour and produce about 100 different baked goods every day. Tanaka arrives at the store as early as 5AM every day to start baking before they open at 7AM.
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Their selection includes soft bread, hard bread, sweet bread, and sandwiches. TOLO PAN TOKYO is a takeaway store, but you can head to the parks nearby to enjoy your bakes. There are also cafes nearby where you can grab a coffee to complement your bread.
Croissant (left); Curry bread (right)
Image adapted from: @pan_meguribito and @wataruharry1
Popular items include croissants (¥290, ~USD2.79) and curry bread (¥220, ~USD2.11). The curry bread is made of cheese dough stuffed with curry-flavoured beef. Then, it is deep-fried to create a crispy outer layer.
Tuna TOLO Burger
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They also have sandwiches, and the Tuna TOLO Burger (¥310, ~USD2.98) is a popular choice. It’s generously filled with tuna, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. TOLO PAN is a relatively affordable option as most of the items sold here cost less than ¥600 (~USD5.76) each.
Address: 3-14-3 Higashiyama, Meguro City, 153-0043 Tokyo
Opening hours: Wed – Mon 7AM-6PM (Closed on Tuesdays)
Telephone: 03-3794-7106
Website
Image adapted from: @pakugoku
True to its name, Crossroad Bakery is located near the intersection of 5 roads in Ebisu. Housed in a corner store of a brick building, the American-style bakery has a cafe area that serves all-day breakfasts, and a separate area selling bread.
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Crossroad Bakery sells over 70 kinds of bread made using 20 types of wheat. Most of the wheat used is produced domestically. The dough and bread are both made fresh every day.
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Black bean and cream cheese bread
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Popular items on the menu include the Dutch bread with cheese (¥280, ~USD2.71) and the black bean and cream cheese bread (¥280, ~USD2.71). The Dutch bread’s exterior resembles a mushroom. When heated, the cheese melts and the inside becomes moist and soft. On the other hand, the black bean and cream cheese bread, which is shaped like a question mark, has a firmer bite.
Clam chowder bread bowl
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Brioche French toast
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As for the cafe, the bread bowl (from ¥950, ~USD9.18) and the brioche French toast (¥1,100, ~USD10.63) come highly recommended. The bread bowl is available with clam chowder, chilli con carne, chicken curry, or shrimp bisque. You can choose between regular bread or sourdough for your bread bowl.
The brioche French toast is served with 2 slices of bacon, maple syrup, and blueberry jam.
Address: 1-16-15 Ebisunishi, Shibuya-ku, 150-0021 Tokyo
Opening hours: Mon – Sat 8AM-5PM & 5.30PM-10PM | Sun 8AM-6PM (Last order at 5.30PM)
Telephone: 03-6277-5010
Website
Image credit: @___yuk.i.am
When Sunday Bake Shop first started, they only opened for business on Sundays, hence their name. Now, they’re open 3 days a week, but the selection is the widest on Sundays. The store is often brimming with locals. Sometimes, there’ll be a line outside the shop before they even open. That said, the queue moves fast and the wait is worth it.
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Once you enter the store, you’ll be greeted by a counter filled with all sorts of baked goods, such as scones, pound cakes, and brownies. You’ll also spot bakers in the kitchen behind the counter, hustling and churning out fresh bakes.
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One of the must-trys is the scone (¥220, ~USD2.13). The scones are available plain or fruit-flavoured. During special occasions such as Christmas, they also have Christmas-themed scones. For dine-in customers, the scones are served with cream and jam.
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They also have different types of cakes available, in addition to bread and pastries. Popular cakes include carrot cake and sponge cake. Most of their cakes use fruits such as strawberries, apples, and raspberries.
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As the owner loves cats, Sunday Bake Shop sells cat-shaped shortbread made with British organic flour, and cat-shaped wholegrain shortbread made of organic wholegrain flour from Hokkaido. These adorable shortbread are priced at ¥530 (~USD5.12) and pair well with a cup of coffee or tea.
Address: 6-35-3 Honmachi, Shibuya City, 151-0071 Tokyo
Opening hours: Wed, Fri & Sun 7.30AM-7PM (Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays)
Website
Image credit: @kekopi_gourmet
Melon pan is a popular type of bread eaten in Japan. Even though it’s called melon pan, it doesn’t actually contain melons. It’s named as such simply because its exterior looks like a melon. The Melonpan Factory specialises in melon pan and they offer about 6-7 different types every day.
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Besides the original melon pan, they also have chocolate, strawberry, cinnamon, and green tea flavours. They sometimes also offer special limited edition flavours. Most of these palm-sized chewy and fluffy melon pan cost less than ¥200 (~USD1.93) each.
Address: 3-8-8 Kachidoki, Chuo-ku, 104-0054 Tokyo
Opening hours: Tue – Fri 10.30AM-6.30PM | Sat & Sun 10.30AM-3PM
Telephone: 050-3187-9733
Website
For those who need to load on carbs in the morning to start the day on the right foot, or food, these bakeries in Tokyo have got you covered. You can grab a hearty, delicious dose of carbs on your way to work or dine in for a relaxing morning.
Check out these other articles for more food guides:
Cover image adapted from (clockwise from top left): @pan_meguribito, @yukko.rakko, @moon.of.sea, and @___mina.life___
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