Nintendo’s big-appetite video game star is ready to get summer started.

When does summer start? For a layperson, the first day of June might seem the most natural, since it can feel weird to call, say, June 15 a “spring” day. Astronomers, though, would say we’re not into summer until we get past the solstice, which takes place around June 21. Meanwhile, staunch defenders of traditional Japanese culture and linguistic norms might argue that summer doesn’t begin until the end of the “rainy season” that descends on Japan in mid-June and dissipates a few weeks later.

In times like this, when there are so many schools of thought, the best thing to do is to look to a figure of great intellect and wisdom to settle the matter for us.

So, what do you say, Kirby? When does summer start?

Ah, cool, thanks for clearing that up!

Yes, July 8 will be the start of the Kirby Cafe Summer 2026 menu at Japan’s Kirby Cafes in Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.

Even among Japan’s many character-themed restaurants, the Kirby Cafe is known for being especially cute in its culinary creations, and that streak of success is set to continue with the introduction of the Getting Sucked In! Kirby’s Extra Energetic Taco Rice.

Taco rice is a popular fusion dish that uses the sort of seasoned meat and vegetable assortment you’d find in tacos, but ditches the tortilla/shell and serves them with rice instead. The rice here is colored and shaped like Kirby, with a suggestion from the chefs to mix everything up and eat it quickly before Kirby himself inhales it.

Meanwhile, the Summer Kirby Burger and Meat Pasta gives the Nintendo star some star-shaped sunglasses atop a pink Kirby bun. Accompanied by a side of meat sauce spaghetti with vegetables, a cup of corn soup, and what appears to be a big hashed brown star, the cafe bills this as “a well-balanced meal,” and it looks hearty enough to satisfy Kirby-sized appetites.

A more subtle nod to the Kirby video game series aesthetics comes with the Chef Kawasaki Tropical Hamburger Steak, which has a star-shaped fried egg and pineapple slices to add some invigorating tang to one of Japan’s favorite meaty main dishes.

The hamburger steak is priced at 1,958 yen (US$12.25), the Kirby burger 2,530 yen, and the taco rice 2,618 yen. However, if you’re ordering the burger and willing to shell out 3,630 yen, you also get a copy of the cute illustrated plate it’s served on to take home with you.

▼ In promotions like this, Japanese themed cafes usually give you a new, separate version of the tableware, not the exact one you just ate off of.

There’s a similar offer with the King Dedede Tokonatsu (“Eternal Summer”) Resort Fruit Punch.

This luxurious dessert drink, with fruit, wiggly gelatin, and shiratama mochi dumplings, is 1,628 yen on its own, or 2,728 if you want the glass bowl too.

Same sort of deal with the Break-time Melon Cream Soda: 1,243 yen for the ice cream float-style drink alone, or 1,958 yen with an acrylic Kirby or Waddle Dee drink stirrer stick to keep.

▼ Unfortunately, you don’t get to choose which one you get. Fortunately, they’re both adorable.

Things are simpler, though, with the Special Energy Drink, a real-world fruit-soda interpretation of the in-game restorative item, which is always 1,320 yen and includes the bottle.

The sweets selection also includes a version of the Kirby Cafe’s most famously photogenic item, the Kirby car cake (2,508 yen), which will be cruising through the summer months in “Fun Tropical” mode with sliced pineapple and a palm tree cookie.

All of the above items will be on the Kirby Cafe menu from July 8. However, as we ourselves experienced, it can be very tough to get a table at the cafe, because of how quickly reservations fill up. Luckily, there’s one more way to enjoy some summer snack fun with Kirby, and it just might be the cutest of them all.

At the Kirby Cafe the Store gift shops located near the Tokyo and Fukuoka branches, as well as the Kirby Cafe Petit takeout shop in Osaka, as of June 19 they’re offering takeout Kirby Ice Cream pops for 580 yen. Not only do they look amazing, they’re made of peach sherbet, a rather classy choice of flavor.

All of the above will be available until September 23, as apparently that’s when Kirby decrees will be the start of autumn.

Related: Kirby Cafe official website
Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, SoraNews24
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