Coffee and sandwiches are all relative.

Despite his dedication to online shopping, our reporter Masanuki Sunakoma leads an active lifestyle that takes him to all sorts of places around Japan. And as such, he’s been known to stumble on some hidden gems people might not ordinarily come across.

This happened just recently when Masanuki found himself near Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo one morning. Just outside the west exit is a shopping district called Ikebukuro Nishi Ichibangai. It’s home to many bars and restaurants that some might find a little too on the seedy side to visit at nights when the area is really bustling.

However, our reporter was here in time for breakfast and the area was looking rather delightful in the early morning sunlight. And right on the corner of this sun-kissed street was the Cafe de Paris, which looked too charming to pass up.

In fact, simply looking at the storefront gave Masanuki only a slight indication of just how much charm he was in for. There was a real retro vibe to it, with neon lights and fonts not often used since the ’80s.

Going through the front door, he was greeted by a single narrow escalator leading up to the cafe.

It was enough to make Masanuki wonder how to get back down, but he decided to take this one-way ticket to Paris and rode up under the charming stained glass sign and old-timey clock.

But as he crested the escalator the real grandeur of Cafe de Paris slowly spread around him.

A bevy of chandeliers and lamps bathed the cafe in a soft, milky glow as he peered around at the intricately crafted furniture and artwork.

It looked really old and yet impeccably clean at the same time, kind of like a museum. Masanuki suddenly felt very underdressed but confirmed with the staff that there was no dress code.

He was guided to a lush velvet seat and handed a menu. Much like the signs out front, this whole cafe was a bit of a throwback to the ’70s and ’80s when Japan was in the midst of a coffee shop boom. Cafes of all shapes and sizes seemed to spring up overnight and, of course, the more elaborate ones got the attention and customers.

Masanuki was also getting a feeling of deja vu being here. It was only a few months prior that he came across another fancy cafe in Ikebukuro called Hakushaku. After checking on his phone he was able to find that Cafe de Paris was actually a branch of Hakushaku.

▼ Cafe de Paris

▼ Hakushaku (also in Ikebukuro)

However, when his food arrived he realized he didn’t even have to research anything to find this out.

He had ordered the Morning B breakfast set which consists of a cup of coffee and ham sandwich for 880 yen (US$5.80). Staring at the food on his table, he quickly pulled out his phone again, this time to look at his photos.

Sure enough, this meal was a nearly identical recreation of his meal at Hakushaku.

▼ Hakushaku’s breakfast set (photo taken May 2024)

Our writer was hardly complaining though. Like the previous one, this sandwich was very satisfying in terms of deliciousness and volume, with fluffy bread and fresh ingredients for an elegant taste.

The simple, stripped-down taste of the sandwich went perfectly with his rich coffee. This was indeed the meal for him and one he would definitely order again next time he comes across a fancy cafe and discovers it’s run by the same group.

By the way, if you try searching for Cafe de Paris online, it’s worth noting that the name in Japanese uses “巴里,” (“Pari”) which is the very old-fashioned kanji name for the city of “Paris” as just another element of that retro charm.

It just goes to show how hidden gems can be found all over Japan and if you see a quaint but intriguing entrance while wandering any street in Japan, you’re probably in for a treat.

Cafe information
Cafe de Paris / カフェ・ド・巴里
Address: Tokyo-to, Toshima-ku, Nishi Ikebukuro 1-23-1
東京都豊島区西池袋1-23-1
Open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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