
As light and airy as a cloud, could this really be the best ice cream in Tokyo?
If there’s one thing our writer Mr Sato loves more than a huge sweet as big as his face, it’s ice cream. And in his never-ending quest to try every hyped-up variety in the city, he recently found himself on the trail for “the best milk soft cream in Tokyo“.
This particular soft-serve ice cream has been making waves on social media, and is being provided to the ice-cream-loving masses by Café du Riche. Located on a busy street not far from a university, there were plenty of foreign students around when Mr Sato visited, but curiously, nobody was lining up to try the city’s best milk soft cream.
The lack of customers was probably due to the fact that Mr Sato had arrived on a weekday morning, but he wasn’t complaining. He was happy to not have to wait in line as that just gave him more time to peruse the menu.
The Soft Milk Ice Cream can be topped with caramel or chocolate sauce, choc chips, peanuts, or kinako roasted soybean powder for an extra 100 yen (US$0.92) each.
While the Affogato version looked divine, Mr Sato decided to go for the plain Soft Milk Ice Cream to get the true, untainted taste of the dessert. And when it was handed to him, he could tell this was going to be an ice cream to remember.
▼ Despite its stiff peak, the ice cream looked as light and airy as a cloud.
Mr Sato dipped his spoon into the dessert and licked his lips in anticipation. And after his first mouthful, he immediately understood what all the fuss was about, as this had the same texture as Japan’s premium “Cremia” variety of soft-serve ice cream, which has become a hit with locals and tourists in recent years.
Unlike Cremia, though, which is rich in fresh cream and butterfat, this soft-serve seemed less heavy and more refreshing. It was delicious on the palate too, with a mild sweetness that left Mr Sato wanting more, even after he’d finished it all.
So was it the best ice cream in Tokyo? According to Mr Sato, it was definitely up there in his top five. But given that everyone has different palates and preferences, it’s hard to say that anything is the “best” of its kind.
If you like rich and creamy soft serve ice creams, Mr Sato recommends Cremia, but for a lighter and more refreshing, yet equally delicious alternative, this variety from Café du Riche is sure to curl your toes. If you prefer poop with your ice cream, though, this store in Nara has exactly what you’re looking for.
Shop information
Café du Riche / カフェドリッチェ
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Okubo 1-17-10
東京都新宿区大久保1-17-10
Hours: 9:00 a.m.-11:30 p.m. (weekdays) 9:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m. (weekends and public holidays)
Photos ©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]








5 of the best ice creams to try in Japan right now【Taste Test】
We try Tokyo restaurant’s crab ice cream that tastes more like crab than cream【Taste test】
Ikea Japan stopped selling soft serve ice cream?! We try what they’re now selling instead
Fried Oyster Ice Cream: the taste of the sea in a Japanese soft serve dessert【Taste Test】
Tokyo café says the best ice cream topping is two more ice cream cones
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027
Family Mart releases new Human Made Cup Noodle in Japan, with freebies for Nigo fans
Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone
Hobonichi unveils new 2027 planners, diaries and stationery with One Piece, Suica Penguin, Hello Kitty and a must-buy Mini Techo
Hikaru Utada sings new song in Shinkansen commercial for Japan’s Supreme Class cabins
Mister Donut releases new doughnuts that look and taste like Japanese sweet potatoes
Is Tokyo’s Odaiba, once one of its trendiest neighborhoods, becoming a ghost town? [Photos]
This Japanese 7-Eleven has the most expensive drinks, and item, we’ve even seen at the chain
Farewell Final Ceremony announced for Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue, will stream live
Foreign travelers arrested in Japan following smash-and-grab robbery in Tokyo shopping mall
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears
Nike x One Piece collection brings Devil Fruits to sneakers and streetwear in Japan
We recommend not buying one pack of Japan’s new convenience store corn soup-flavor fried chicken
Police in Japan looking for who’s responsible for dumping 80 loaves of bread on side of road [Video]
Nephew of Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki serves up Totoro Shaved Ice in Tokyo
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Tokyo sweets store sells beautiful soft serve ice creams that look like works of art
Japan’s Whipped Cream Burger is a fistful of sweet dairy and a mouthful of complete honesty
Mr. Sato lives it up like a Harajuku schoolgirl, eats Japan’s longest soft serve ice cream cone
“Drinkable soft serve ice cream” in bottles to go on sale in Japan
Second-tier Japanese convenience store’s “Drinkable Soft Serve Ice Cream” is a top-tier dessert
Why use chocolate or nuts when you can top your ice cream with gold like these Japanese cafes?
We try a new natto coffee ice cream that took 17 months to perfect
Shogun Coffee Soft Serve is a divine ice cream for modern-day samurai in Japan
Mr. Sato discovers a Cremahop ice cream shop in Tokyo right when he needs it most
We find a vending machine selling ‘Great Buddha flavoured’ drinkable whipped cream
We order a ridiculously long, thin serving of soft serve ice cream, get a big surprise instead
The newly revitalized Dandy Chocolate ice cream monaka surpasses what it means to be chocolate
Let’s find out if mixing milk and a lemon-lime soda makes cream soda
We try Häagen-Dazs pancakes and love ’em!
Tokyo’s spicy cod roe ice cream: An unexpected dessert that tastes about like what you’d expect