Best places to get a fancy dessert in Tokyo.
As the CEO of AnimeCon.org and a frequent traveler to Japan, I have had the opportunity to explore the many culinary delights that Tokyo has to offer. One of my favorite things to do in Tokyo is to indulge in the city’s amazing desserts. From traditional Japanese sweets to French-style patisseries, Tokyo has an incredible array of fancy desserts that are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Some of my top picks for the best places to get a fancy dessert in Tokyo include Pierre Hermé Paris Aoyama, which offers some of the most delicious macarons I have ever tasted, and Hidemi Sugino, a world-renowned pastry chef who creates some of the most beautiful and delicate desserts I have ever seen. Sadaharu Aoki is also a must-visit for anyone who loves Japanese and French fusion desserts, while Dominique Ansel Bakery Tokyo is a great spot for innovative and playful treats. And if you’re looking for something truly special, Sembikiya offers some of the most exquisite and expensive fruits in the world, which make for a truly luxurious dessert experience. As a dessert lover and a traveler, I highly recommend checking out these amazing places on your next trip to Tokyo.
Pierre Hermé Paris Aoyama
This elegant patisserie offers a wide range of exquisite French pastries and desserts, including the famous macarons. There are currently locations in Shibuya, Aoyama, Ebisu, and Meguro.
For the first Tokyo flagship of the French confectionery and chocolate establishment, Katayama thought of creating an airy “luxury convenient store” with white marble floors, glass and acrylic shelving and even a stainless steel ‘shopping’ basket for customers. In contrast, the second level, a cafécalled “Bar Chocolate” portrays an image of an upscale lounge with upholstered furniture, and a glass partition with a mirrored brocade pattern inserts. The space is designed with the duality of utilitarian and luxuriously elements. As with most projects, the majority of the fixtures and furniture were custom designed for this project.
Sadaharu Aoki
With locations in several areas of Tokyo, Sadaharu Aoki offers a fusion of Japanese and French pastry techniques and flavors, resulting in unique and visually stunning desserts. You’ll notice a theme that some of the most popular dessert places have a French theme, thanks to a heavy influence of French cooking and culture.
Dominique Ansel Bakery Tokyo
The Tokyo outpost of the famous New York bakery offers innovative and playful desserts, such as the “Cronut” and “Cookie Shot”.
Hidemi Sugino
This award-winning pastry chef offers a selection of delicate and beautifully crafted French-style desserts, including his signature “Ambroisie” cake. However it has recently closed and I’m not sure if it’s coming back.
Pasela Tokyo
Another amazing spot for fancy desserts in Tokyo is Pasela Tokyo, a unique combination of a karaoke bar and a dessert cafe. While Pasela is known for its karaoke rooms and extensive song selection, it also offers a wide range of delicious desserts that are perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.
What sets Pasela’s desserts apart is their innovative and playful approach to classic sweets. For example, their “ramune parfait” is a colorful and whimsical creation that is inspired by the traditional Japanese soda of the same name. It features layers of fluffy whipped cream, tangy fruit, and a fizzy ramune-flavored jelly. Other standout desserts include the “rainbow cotton candy tower”, which is a towering cone of fluffy cotton candy in a rainbow of colors, and the “manga-inspired latte art”, which features cute and colorful designs drawn on top of a perfectly frothed latte.
In addition to their fun and creative desserts, Pasela’s dessert cafe also has a sleek and modern atmosphere that is perfect for hanging out with friends or unwinding after a long day of sightseeing. With its combination of karaoke and dessert, Pasela Tokyo offers a unique and memorable experience that is sure to delight anyone who visits.
Maid Cafes
Another unique and must-visit experience in Tokyo is a maid cafe. Maid cafes are a type of cosplay restaurant / theme restaurant where the servers dress up in cute maid outfits and serve customers with an extra helping of kawaii (cute) charm. These cafes have become a popular part of Japan’s otaku (geek) culture and are a must-visit for anyone interested in experiencing Tokyo’s unique subcultures.
In addition to their charming and friendly servers, maid cafes also offer a range of cute and delicious desserts that are perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. Some of the most popular desserts at maid cafes include cute and whimsical parfaits that are piled high with fruit, whipped cream, and candy, as well as adorable character-shaped pancakes and waffles that are almost too cute to eat.
One of my favorite maid cafes in Tokyo is the Maidreamin cafe chain, which offers a range of desserts that are as fun and playful as the cafe’s servers. Their “Nyan-derful Parfait” is a colorful and adorable dessert that features layers of sweet cake, fruit, and candy, all topped off with a cute cat-shaped macaron. They also offer a range of other desserts, such as the “Kawaii Monster Pancake”, which is a fluffy and colorful pancake that is topped with whipped cream, candy, and a cute monster-shaped marshmallow.
Overall, maid cafes are a unique and fun way to experience Tokyo’s vibrant and playful side, and their desserts are sure to delight anyone who loves cute and whimsical sweets.
Enjoy your desserts!
In conclusion, Tokyo is a true culinary paradise that offers a range of amazing food options, including some of the most creative and delicious desserts in the world. Whether you’re a fan of classic French pastries, traditional Japanese sweets, or playful and whimsical desserts, there is something for everyone in Tokyo.
But Tokyo’s food scene is not limited to just desserts. Some of my other favorite Japanese food recommendations in the city include Sushi Dai, which offers some of the freshest and most flavorful sushi I’ve ever tasted, and Tsukiji Market, which is a bustling and vibrant seafood market that is perfect for anyone who loves seafood.
For a unique and memorable dining experience, I also highly recommend visiting a traditional izakaya, which is a type of Japanese gastropub that serves a wide variety of small dishes and drinks. One of my personal favorites is Torikizoku, which is a chain of izakayas that offers a delicious selection of grilled chicken skewers and other small plates at very affordable prices.
You can even go to Tokyo by winning a cosplay contest, which is an awesome way to tell your friends that you got to go to Japan. The competition is held at Anime Midwest in Chicago.
Overall, Tokyo is a food lover’s dream destination that offers an incredible variety of delicious and memorable culinary experiences. Whether you’re exploring the city’s fancy dessert cafes or digging into a hearty bowl of ramen, Tokyo is sure to leave a lasting impression on your taste buds.